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was to be held on Besek
Mountain July 30, August 1 and August 2, 1970 at Powder Ridge Ski Area. A legal injunction forced the event to be cancelled just a few days before it was to begin, keeping the musicians away; but a crowd of 30,000 attendees arrived anyway, to find no food, no entertainment, no
465:
million for purchase of the property, however, due to legal complications, the sale has been postponed. In
December 2007, the Powder Ridge Ski Area website indicated that the ski area was closed. In 2012, the ski park was sold to the owner of Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park in nearby
308:
is located on the east side of the mountain and extends to the summit. The northeast side of the mountain is occupied by a housing development, which reaches to the ridgeline. Powder Ridge or Powder Hill, 550 feet (170 m), forms the lower, eastern tier of Besek
Mountain beneath the ski area.
464:
The Powder Ridge Ski area, in operation for 47 years, went up for sale in 2007 after the owner was forced into bankruptcy. A Middlefield town referendum in April 2007 to buy the Powder Ridge property was voted in favor, 1,097 to 151 votes. Residents have authorized the town to bid up to $ 2.85
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slopes plunge 200 feet (61 m) into the pond from the ridgeline. Other bodies of water on the mountain include the developed Besek Lake on the east side of the mountain, and the lower end of the Mount Higby
Reservoir on the north side.
309:
Powder Ridge is dominated by apple orchards and agricultural fields, and is traversed by Powder Hill Road; the ridge offers expansive views to the east over the
Connecticut River Valley, and is a popular local scenic drive.
279:
word for "black." Besek
Mountain, 4 miles (6.4 km) long by 0.75 miles (1.2 km) wide, with a 200–300-foot (60–90 m) high continuous 3-mile (5 km) long cliffline visible for miles, is located in
452:
in Reeds Gap between
Trimountain and Besek Mountain, 3 miles (5 km) west of Durham center. Black Pond can be accessed via a small parking lot off East Main Street in Meriden, 1.2 miles (1.9 km) east of
461:, just east of Black Pond, and via the ski slopes of the Powder Ridge Ski Area on Powder Hill Road in western Middlefield. Black Pond, undeveloped and scenic, is part of the Black Pond Wildlife Management Area.
925:
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activity tilted the strata, creating the cliffs and ridgeline of Besek
Mountain. Hot, dry upper slopes, cool, moist ravines, and mineral-rich ledges of basalt
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Besek
Mountain, its habitat, and access to its ridgeline are most threatened by potential development. In 2000, Besek Mountain was included in a study by the
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and north again to the
Connecticut River. A trailhead for the Mattabesett Trail on Besek Mountain is located just west of the junction of
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ecosystems on the mountain that support plant and animal species uncommon in greater Connecticut. Besek Mountain is also an important
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According to the Connecticut Forest and Park Association, the word "Besek" is a corruption of "Besett", a
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Considered particularly scenic is Black Pond, located on the northwest side of the mountain. Cliffs and
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Connecticut Walk Book East: The Trail Guide to the Blue Blazed Hiking Trails of Eastern Connecticut
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and Long Island Sound; and the northwest side into Harbor Brook, thence into the Quinnipiac River.
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are allowed on Black Pond. The mountain is traversed by the Mattabesett Trail (maintained by the
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welled up from the rift and solidified into sheets of strata hundreds of feet thick. Subsequent
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ecosystems, and rare plant communities. The mountain is traversed by the 51-mile (82 km)
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border. Besek Mountain is known for its 3-mile (4.8 km) long line of open cliffs, unique
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and Long Island Sound; the southwest side drains into the Muddy River, thence into the
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457:. The mountain may also be accessed via the parking area for Higby Mountain on
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Written in Stone: A Geologic History of the Northeastern United States.
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for more information on the geology and ecosystem of Besek Mountain).
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721:"Connecticut's Powder Ridge Ski Area to Remain Closed This Winter."
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647:" United States National Park Service. Retrieved November 20, 2007
754:"Owner Says Powder Ridge Had Successful First Full Winter Season"
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429:
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Besek Mountain, like much of the Metacomet Ridge, is composed of
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189:
775:"Monadnock, Metacomet, Mattabesett National Scenic Trail Study".
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730:
First Tracks! Online Ski Magazine. Retrieved December 21, 2007.
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44:
863:
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424:, and snow tubing are offered at the Powder Ridge Ski Area.
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The Metacomet Ridge continues north from Besek Mountain as
638:
Metacomet-Mattabesett Trail Natural Resource Assessment.
527:
adequate plumbing, and at least seventy drug pushers.
1242:
Tourist attractions in New Haven County, Connecticut
227:
ridge located 4.75 miles (7.6 km) southeast of
219:(Alternate spelling: Bessic Mountain) also known as
871:New England National Scenic Trail Designation Act.
320:. The east side of Besek Mountain drains into the
1218:
884:NPS brochure for National Scenic Trail proposal.
514:are active conservation partners in the area.
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348:rock. The mountain formed near the end of the
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404:Activities enjoyed on Besek Mountain include
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666:(2005) 19th edition. Rockfall, Connecticut:
436:), which stretches from the northern end of
687:(2006). Mapping software. Yarmouth, Maine:
33:Besek Mountain and Black Pond in March 2023
1252:Landforms of New Haven County, Connecticut
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919:
743:Middeltown Press. Retrieved Dec. 21, 2007.
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292:; its lower southeast slope is located in
613:United States Department of the Interior
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52:840 feet (256 m) (ridge high point)
906:Powder Ridge - NewEnglandSkiHistory.com
864:Connecticut Forest and Park Association
859:Powder Ridge Mountain Park & Resort
837:"Rock Fans Clean Up Powder Ridge Site."
668:Connecticut Forest and Park Association
434:Connecticut Forest and Park Association
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821:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
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114:
914:
739:Wenzell, Joseph IV (April 11, 2007)
16:Mountain in United States of America
785:United States National Park Service
711:Chester, Connecticut: Globe Pequot.
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659:
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653:
632:
630:
628:
604:Geographic Names Information System
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231:. It is part of the narrow, linear
223:, est. 840 feet (260 m), is a
13:
636:Farnsworth, Elizabeth J. (2004). "
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14:
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756:. Hartford Courant. 15 March 2015
482:New England National Scenic Trail
741:"Town votes to bid for ski area"
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27:
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609:United States Geological Survey
416:, and other passive pursuits.
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1:
787:. Retrieved November 4, 2007.
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476:for the designation of a new
1227:Metacomet Ridge, Connecticut
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7:
846:Retrieved January 20, 2007.
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480:now tentatively called the
400:Conservation and Recreation
10:
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839:(August 4, 1970, Tuesday)
524:Powder Ridge Rock Festival
484:, which would include the
344:, also called traprock, a
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488:in Massachusetts and the
486:Metacomet-Monadnock Trail
384:produce a combination of
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80:41.5134311°N 72.7459303°W
56:
43:
38:
26:
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1247:Mountains of Connecticut
1237:Wallingford, Connecticut
290:Wallingford, Connecticut
245:Connecticut River Valley
140:Wallingford, Connecticut
85:41.5134311; -72.7459303
1142:West Suffield Mountain
889:Wallingford Land Trust
578:
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501:Wallingford Land Trust
241:New Haven, Connecticut
574:
562:
522:The infamous aborted
478:National Scenic Trail
474:National Park Service
467:Portland, Connecticut
450:Connecticut Route 157
392:migration path. (See
306:Powder Ridge Ski Area
265:Powder Ridge Ski Area
263:, and is home to the
1232:Meriden, Connecticut
1102:Saltonstall Mountain
1097:Rattlesnake Mountain
1052:Lamentation Mountain
894:Middlesex Land Trust
505:Middlesex Land Trust
459:Connecticut Route 66
455:Connecticut Route 15
446:Connecticut Route 68
438:Lamentation Mountain
243:, north through the
229:Meriden, Connecticut
1032:Farmington Mountain
336:Geology and ecology
294:Durham, Connecticut
76: /
1087:Pistapaug Mountain
899:2010-06-26 at the
877:2016-07-04 at the
842:The New York Times
780:2007-10-08 at the
726:2010-01-31 at the
643:2007-08-07 at the
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510:2010-06-26 at the
235:that extends from
39:Highest point
1214:
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1196:Haystack Mountain
1152:Taconic Mountains
1057:Manitook Mountain
705:Raymo, Maureen E.
599:"Beseck Mountain"
583:
582:
542:Adjacent summits:
490:Mattabesett Trail
326:Connecticut River
261:Mattabesett Trail
237:Long Island Sound
225:traprock mountain
214:
213:
209:Mattabesett Trail
1259:
1165:Gridley Mountain
1127:Totoket Mountain
1122:Talcott Mountain
1012:Cathole Mountain
1007:Bradley Mountain
959:Cathole Mountain
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800:. Archived from
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442:Totoket Mountain
330:Quinnipiac River
324:, thence to the
322:Coginchaug River
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1092:Ragged Mountain
1037:Fowler Mountain
992:Barn Door Hills
984:Metacomet Ridge
978:
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901:Wayback Machine
879:Wayback Machine
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798:"Archived copy"
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537:Metacomet Ridge
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518:Historic events
512:Wayback Machine
494:Metacomet Trail
418:Downhill skiing
402:
394:Metacomet Ridge
360:continent from
350:Triassic Period
338:
277:Native American
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233:Metacomet Ridge
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159:Metacomet Ridge
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1170:Mount Frissell
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1112:Sleeping Giant
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1107:Short Mountain
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1047:Higby Mountain
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1002:Besek Mountain
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853:External links
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217:Besek Mountain
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1160:Bear Mountain
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1082:Pinnacle Rock
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1072:Peck Mountain
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1067:Peak Mountain
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1062:Mount Sanford
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1042:Hatchett Hill
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1017:Chauncey Peak
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951:Hanging Hills
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804:on 2010-06-26
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356:apart of the
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316:and south as
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203:Easiest route
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181:Mountain type
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1077:Peter's Rock
1001:
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831:
806:. Retrieved
802:the original
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758:. Retrieved
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663:
616:. Retrieved
602:
593:
541:
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422:snowboarding
403:
386:microclimate
339:
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257:microclimate
220:
216:
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153:Parent range
49:
1191:Burley Hill
1132:Trimountain
997:Beacon Hill
943:Connecticut
701:Raymo, Chet
564:Trimountain
440:, south to
414:snowshoeing
318:Trimountain
286:Middlefield
186:Fault-block
171:Age of rock
136:Middlefield
83: /
58:Coordinates
1221:Categories
808:2007-12-22
618:2011-07-13
586:References
410:picnicking
378:earthquake
71:72°44′45″W
68:41°30′48″N
1206:Snow Hill
1137:West Peak
1027:East Rock
1022:East Peak
974:West Peak
964:East Peak
352:with the
271:Geography
96:Geography
45:Elevation
897:Archived
875:Archived
817:cite web
778:Archived
760:21 April
724:Archived
707:(1989).
641:Archived
553:North ↑
531:See also
508:Archived
503:and the
374:faulting
346:volcanic
196:Climbing
689:DeLorme
550:↓ South
430:boating
426:Fishing
366:Eurasia
354:rifting
282:Meriden
253:Vermont
251:to the
190:igneous
165:Geology
132:Meriden
1184:Others
406:hiking
390:raptor
362:Africa
342:basalt
288:, and
175:200 Ma
138:, and
128:Durham
382:talus
301:talus
239:near
823:link
762:2015
703:and
499:The
492:and
448:and
428:and
376:and
370:Lava
364:and
247:of
1223::
819:}}
815:{{
675:^
652:^
627:^
611:,
607:.
601:.
420:,
412:,
408:,
368:.
296:.
284:,
267:.
188:;
134:,
130:,
50:c.
934:e
927:t
920:v
844:.
835:*
825:)
811:.
764:.
691:.
670:.
621:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
