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Directions
Joyce and I are at Tumbledown's Loop Trailhead. Rick and Linda are going to take the Parker Ridge Trail and meet us at Tumbledown Pond for our picnic lunch.
It's about a mile in to Tumbledown Rock where we start climbing. It's mostly level on the way in, some up and down but just a pleasant hike. As you can see, a few wet areas too. |
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Soon we come to Tumbledown Rock, a huge boulder that at some point tumbled down off the mountain. It's about the biggest rock I've seen that you could walk all the way around. It would be a nice hike just to go in and see this big hunk of stone. 
Immediately after the rock the trail becomes very steep. It is steep the whole three tenths of a mile to the Great Ledges.
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This is one of a few openings with a view of the valley. The leaves were pretty that day. 
We made it to the ledges a found this great view of the two peaks of Tumbledown. We have to climb up between those peaks and end up in that notch you can see between the two. |
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This is Tumbledown's West Peak that is behind me. One branch of the Loop Trail used to go up the side of this peak but the trail is now closed because of dangerous conditions. Rock slides I believe and I've heard that the iron bars placed there for assistance have rusted off. 
We left the ledges and started climbing. Six tenths of a mile to the top of that notch. It's rugged country with these steep cliffs on both sides of us. Our necks were actually sore from looking up all the time. Beautiful! |
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Joyce is checking out these huge cliffs. There is a lot of rock up here. 
Now we are starting to get some good views of the valley. We could see some spots of the Byron Road down there. |
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In case you're wondering, we are climbing up between these cliffs, not up over them. The trail is steep but not quite that steep. 
More rugged trail ahead. It looks like it comes to an end up there. |
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We've made it to the cave, called "Fat Man's Misery". Looks like the trail
ends here but that blue marker on the rock means it continues straight ahead.
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After some work, I made it into the cave. Now Joyce is trying to get up on
that ledge to make her way in. It's not all that easy. Once inside we have
to find the iron rungs and haul our way up through and out the other end.
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Looking up at the iron rungs from inside Fat Man's Misery.
You have to climb up on these rungs and squirm out the side.
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This is the cave exit. I'm outside now waiting for Joyce to squeeze
through. She's up on the rungs and headed out the horizontal chute.
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The exit from the cave is right under the point of that triangular rock sitting on top. The other side of that is pretty much straight down for a ways.
Now that we are out of the cave it's about a hundred yards to the top of the notch. However that hundred yards consists of a rock slide so there is still some work to do. Joyce is making her way up through all the boulders.
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WOW! This one is almost straight up. 
We finally made it to the top of the notch. Pretty awesome views from here. It looks like a silhouette of Jay Leno's face on the cliff to the left. Pointy nose and long chin. Imagination is running wild again. Can't see it?Click Here
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Now they tell us! You'd think they would have a sign like this on the bottom.
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We are right in the col or saddle between the peaks now. This is a view of the West Peak. We'd love to go there but it's just to far for today. 
We still need to get up East Peak We are out in the open now and Joyce is making her way up the bare rocks.
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Beautiful, what more can I say!
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Now we are at the top of East Peak looking down at Tumbledown Pond. Linda and Rick are down there somewhere waiting for us. 
Joyce's taking a short break on top. If you're trying to read the t-shirt, it says, "It ain't over until Big Pappi Swings" She's a Red Sox fan.
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It looks like I'm standing on the edge with Lake Web in the background. Oh! I am standing on the edge. Hi Rick!! 
We are coming down off of East Peak and getting closer to Tumbledown Pond and closer to sitting down and getting a lunch. Tumbledown Pond sure looks pretty with that little island in the middle.
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We finally make it. Linda and Rick were still there waiting for us. They found a nice warm sheltered spot for us to eat lunch. It felt great to sit and get a little nourishment. 
What a great hike. We are really beat but we still got to get back to the car. We decided to go back on the Brook Trail which is the shortest and I think the easiest trail down.
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