Destruction hit the Holyoke-Easthampton border early on October 8, when a microburst hit the base of Mount Tom and Route 141 connecting the two cities. Downed trees and power lines scattered the street and made the road impassable. Two cars were stranded amidst the destruction, but the drivers were soon rescued and left physically unscathed. “It all happened so fast, the noise was incredible,” Guy Ison, one of the drivers sidelined, told the Daily Hampshire Gazette when asked about the microburst.

Crews worked day and night to clear the road for commuters and bring back power and cable/internet service to Easthampton customers. Mountain Road, as the stretch of Route 141 is also known, was opened again the following Friday and all services restored.

“Everybody’s just doing their own thing right now,” says Lorraine Lucas of FiberTech, an internet provider for Easthampton and other communities. The access road with scenic views between the reservation and Route 141 remains closed as crews “do their own thing” and clear these seasonal ways.

With the important Mountain Road now clear and services returned, it may seem as though normalcy has returned. But those used to the beautiful foliage and trekking the trails see a definite difference. Avid hiker and Holyoke High junior Cara Burns remarks, “It’s so weird going up to the top [of Mt. Tom] and see all the trees gone. Last year the view with all the foliage was gorgeous, now it’s such a letdown, but still pretty.”

A spending plan is now being worked on in state legislature to reimburse Easthampton the $22,500 the microburst cost the city in three days.