West Peak (New Haven County, Connecticut)
- Should not be confused with West Rock, another traprock summit in Connecticut
| West Peak | |
|---|---|
 View from West Peak | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,024 ft (312 m) |
| Coordinates | 41°33′45″N 72°50′40″W / 41.56250°N 72.84444°W |
| Geography | |
 | |
| Location | Meriden, Connecticut |
| Parent range | Hanging Hills / Metacomet Ridge |
| Geology | |
| Rock age | 200 million yrs. |
| Mountain type(s) | fault-block; igneous |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Metacomet Trail |
West Peak, 1,024 feet (312 m), of the Hanging Hills, is the highest traprock peak in the state of Connecticut. The peak hangs above the city of Meriden 700 feet (213 m) below and is characterized by its vertical cliffs and sweeping views of southern Connecticut, Long Island Sound, and the Berkshires to the west. On a clear day, Mount Tom of Massachusetts can be seen 47 miles to the north.
The 51 mile Metacomet Trail crosses West Peak. Activities enjoyed on the peak include Hiking, picnicking, and bird watching (West Peak is an important raptor migration path).
Edwin Howard Armstrong, who invented FM radio and who was a network radio pioneer, used West Peak for the location of one of the first FM radio broadcasts in 1939. His original 70' tall radio mast is still there. Currently West Peak is home to six FM broadcast stations, including WPKT, WWYZ, WZMX, WDRC-FM, WKSS and WHCN.
Black Dog
Many people believe of the old myth of the Black Dog. The Black Dog is said to roam around the mountains. Having no voice, and when it runs it does not create any dust stir up or anything. As if it is not even on the ground. There is a saying about it that goes like this,
Once is for joy, Twice is for danger, Three times for death.
You can find multiple stories of people who died seeing the Black Dog all across the internet. One story is that a mountain climber had come to West Peak to hike. He saw the dog once, as it followed him up the mountain and disappeared when he started back down the mountain. He then went into a restaurant and asked about the Black Dog. The waiter told him the riddle which interested the climber. A few years later he brought a few of his friends up the mountain. One of his friends had already been there and said he had seen the Black Dog twice before. After the man's friend had seen the Black Dog again that day, he fell to his death on the groups' climb up the mountain. That is when the man saw the Black Dog again. Finally, a few years later, that man went climbing again, saw the Black Dog, and fell to his death. Although not many of these stories can be confirmed, it is still a mystery to people everywhere.
See also
- Metacomet Ridge
- Adjacent summits:
| < East | North ↑ | |
|---|---|---|
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References
- Connecticut Walk Book 17th ed. Connecticut Forest and Park Association.
- This Week in Amateur Radio Cited Dec. 13, 2007