Order of Visit: High Point #14
Date Visited: July 24, 2019
Route Taken: Appalachian Trail, Bear Mountain Trail & Mt. Frissell Trail from Brassie Brook Shelter – 7 miles roundtrip
Type of Terrain: Mostly flat trial until the Mt. Frissell Trailhead. Ascending Round Mountain and Mt. Frissell will require some moderate rock scrambling over the steeper inclines/descents
Elevation: 2,380 feet
Ancestral Lands: Mohican, Munsee Lenape
What’s in a name?
We don’t know much about the origins of Mt. Frissell’s name. As the 17th tallest peak in Massachussetts (where the summit is located), this mountain isn’t exactly all that notable or prominent in its surroundings.
There are no accessible records referring to its original Native American name, even though the Taconic Mountain Range that Mt. Frissell belongs to comes from a Lenape word Taghkanic or Taughannock, which means “in the trees.”
Moreover, the name Frissell doesn’t seem to hold any historical significance either. In fact, there are very few New Englanders with the surname, which is derived from the old French-Norman word ‘frisel’, meaning a ribbon or tassel, and is sometimes spelled as the variant Frizzell or Frizzel.
Some of the earliest known colonists in New England with this surname appear to be Edward and George Frissell who landed in Boston in 1652 as Cromwellian transportees (i.e. indentured servants, political prisoners, or convicts). Thus, it’s highly unlikely either of them are the namesake of this peak, given their limited means.
And so, like this obscure high point itself, the origins of Mt. Frissell’s name leaves most of us scratching our heads.
Trip Summary
This was one of the more challenging high points for me to attempt during my Appalachian Trail thru-hike.
The AT goes up and over Bear Mountain, Connecticut’s highest summit. But as any *real* high-pointer knows – Bear Mountain isn’t actually the highest natural point in the Nutmeg state.
Just two peaks over to the west of Bear Mountain is Mt. Frissell. Mt. Frissell straddles the border between Massachusetts and Connecticut, with its summit resting in Massachusetts. Yet, the southwestern slope of Mt. Frissell as it leaves the state sits 57 feet higher than Bear Mountain’s summit.
And so, knowing this little bit of trivia, I was on a quest to tag Connecticut’s high point during my AT thru-hike. After arriving to the Brassie Brook shelter after a full 20-mile day of hiking, I was ready to take on this challenge.
It was hard to tell from the trail app on my phone (aka Guthook) how far of a detour I’d need to take to get to Mt. Frissell. I estimated it would be less than two miles each way to the summit. So, I was willing to give it a go, especially since I still had 2.5 hours before the sun went down.
Unfortunately, I underestimated the distance, I ended up having to push myself super hard to get my little side trip done before dark.
The initial 1.5 miles took me north of the AT and then west on the Bear Mountain Trail, and both was super flat by Appalachian Trail standards. Thus, I was able to get to the Mt. Frissell trailhead in Massachussetts (where most people start their hike) in about 35 minutes.
Once I was on the Mt. Frissell Trail, I merely needed to follow the red blazes. It wasn’t long though before I encountered a wicked challenging rock scramble to get up and over Round Mountain on my way to Mt. Frissell further to the west.
I was moving at a furiously fast pace, but noted that it would take some careful footwork to make it back down this trail on the return trip, which I hoped I’d be doing it in at least partial daylight.
After summiting Round Mountain, the climb up Mt. Frissell was shorter and a bit easier. There weren’t any views from the top, but the red blazes soon turned south, providing me gorgeous views of Lake Riga in the distance.
I snapped a few photos from Mt. Frissell’s summit, then dashed down a trail toward the large cairn of rocks and the metal surveying monument jutting from the ground. After a few more quick photos and signing the register (which is in an Army ammo can next to the rock cairn), and I was on my way back to the AT.
The trip back down Round Mountain’s rocks was exactly as challenging as I’d feared it would be. But, at least the rocks were dry, allowing me to move at a moderately fast (but safe) pace. I was racing daylight now with 3.5 mies to get back to camp.
By 8pm, I was back at the Mt. Frissell trailhead, and I knew I could make it back to the shelter on the remaining flat trails pretty easily in the fading daylight.
All told, it was close to a 27-mile day of hiking, including a breakneck speedhike tackling Mt. Frissell. But, nabbing one more high point off my bucket list was absolutely worth the effort!
Details
When to Visit: There are no official opening/closing dates from Mt. Frissell. However, given the steepness of the rock scramble up Round Mountain, it’s best to choose a day when the rocks will be dry and free of ice.
Getting There: The Mt. Frissell trailhead is located on the border of Connecticut and Massachusetts, about 6 miles northwest of Salisbury, CT.
Entrance Fees: No entrance fees apply. If driving from the south (Salisbury, CT), head toward Lake Riga, then north on Washington Rd.
Parking: There’s only room for about 5 cars at the trailhead, but there’s some additional parking about 0.1 mile south on Washington Road at the the trailhead for the Northwest Camp.
Accessibility: This is a moderately challenging 4.8-mile hike that will required some rock scrambling and physical stamina.
Bonus: If you want to tackle Connecticut’s highest point (Mt. Frissell) AND its highest summit (Bear Mountain), a side trip to the Appalachian Trail is within easy reach. Bear Mountain is 2,323′ in elevation and a giant rock monument sits at the peak’s summit.
Resources:
- Overview of Mt. Frissell (SW shoulder) – Summit Post
- Mt. Frissell (Atlas Obscura)
- Bear Mountain (Connecticut’s highest mountain summit)