GOOD TIMES JOURNAL // PHOTO SERIES 019 // KYLE DEMPSEY

Kyle Dempsey is a photographer and explorer based in the Berkshires, MA.  

My father’s old time friend and fishing partner is the owner of a rustic cabin on a secluded plot of land near October Mountain in Western Massachusetts. The post and beam cabin was handbuilt by him and sits on the edge of a small meadow above a beaver pond. We thought it would be the perfect getaway for the weekend, and it was. 

Realistically, the path to the cabin is only accessible by ATV as it is very narrow, running between two beaver dams, and full of brush and low hanging branches. I took my Land Rover Discovery down the path and just managed to squeeze by, ending up at the cabin with a few more scratches than I left with.

The cabin itself  is like a fairytale. There’s a large pavilion-like outdoor space with a huge stone fireplace and a couple of picnic tables that overlook the meadow. The inside of the cabin has high ceilings with massive beams of pine across, a wood burning stove and a couple of cozy corners with a bed in the middle.

We arrived early the first morning, unpacked and ate some oatmeal. The rest of the day was spent wandering around the nearby forest before we headed back for an afternoon snooze. A refreshing breeze crossed through the cabin and the leaves outside were rustling; a storm was rolling in.

Right as the sun was going down, the clouds lit up a pale pink hue. Thunder started cracking and the rain barreled down outside in buckets. We sat inside, listening to the drops against the window panes as we stoked a fire in the woodstove. We spent the rest of the night in the fine company of drinks in hand, some guitar-playing, and good conversation. Out there we had no responsibility, no cell phone service, and no stress. The perfect break and escape- sometimes an adventure weekend needs a healthy dose of cabin time!