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On its way to you, Jamie. I consider Mount Mansfield trail system one of the finest in the Northeastern states. I once had the goal of hiking all trails in the area, of which I counted around 30, not including the ski trails. Some of those trails were abandoned and have been lost to the forest...

Devil's Dishpan, 2017

Photo of Devil's Dishpan, 1976. Image credit: Bob Hagerman

Lake Mansfield is a reservoir nestled in the mountains west of Stowe, Vermont. Mount Mansfield (highest in Vermont) lies 5 miles to the north of the lake. It was created in 1901 by the Lake Mansfield Trout Club, who maintain it to this day. A lodge for members sits on the shore. Over the...

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Years ago a friend flew me over the Adirondacks and northern Vermont. I'm assuming these two photos show high Adirondack peaks, but am unable to identify them. Which mountains appear?

Here is another aerial shot from the same set. Prominent is the Forehead of Mt Mansfield with its many ledges and rocky outcrops. Behind is the Nose, elevation 4,064 feet and a selection of radio towers. To the right of it and lower down, an upper lift station of Stowe Ski Resort and other...

Rooting around in my old slides, I discovered this aerial view of the Tear Drop Ski Trail. It runs from the Forehead summit on Mt Mansfield down to the CCC road, all of which you can see in the photo, with Maple Ridge on the right. I was wondering if folks still ski it, and who maintains it.

A memorable photo of Gene with his PKBAGR license plate. My notes for the day read, "Bushwhack in Worcester Range [Vt.] with Gene Daniells, Fall 1978". The pic hid for years among my slides, finally got them digitized. I thought about writing a biographical profile of Gene, never did. Would...

DO YOU TRUST YOUR STERIPEN? I didn’t. I bought one thinking to try it out. Up until then I treated water by boiling or adding chlorine or iodine pills. I gave up on pumps when one got clogged with silt and pebbles. I charged up the steripen but never got around to using it for real. I couldn’t...

Yeah, well I thought I was smart to set up this tent beforehand, check for problems, broken poles, etc. Hiked to the campsite and began setting it up, only to discover a pole missing. It was loaned to me, I wasn't familiar with it, but how could I be so dense? My good fortune was that one of my...

FORGETFULLNESS! I was thinking of buying a new pair of hiking boots, since the tread on my current ones was worn down. Then I happened to do an inventory of all my clothing. Whoa! Discovered a new pair I bought 4 years ago but somehow forgot about. Again, uz it or lz it!

DELAMINATION! So I bought these pricey, heavy Asolo boots in 2009, more a mountaineering than hiking boot. Used them for a couple of trips and put them away in storage. Recently pulled them out for training, as I figured the weight would build me up. But... sole almost immediately delaminated...

You've saved your money and you've gathered your gear. You've chosen the state or province. Now to select the hike and the trail. What you need is a search function to find the perfect hike. The search should be customizable based on parameters like length, difficulty, and type of terrain. So...

In '76 one of the Ranger-Naturalists came down from the summit of Mansfield to Taft Lodge where I was caretaker at the time. He said something interesting had been found in the woods. I laced up my hiking boots probably faster than I ever had before or since. We hiked down the Long Trail and...

Registry and treasure chest removed. Thanks to M.D.B. for fetching it. Donation sent to local trail maintenance organization.

Sign encountered while hiking off-trail near the tourist town of Shuhe in southwest China's Yunnan Province. I left the area to avoid the possibility of getting stung. Later, when I examined the photo and wording closely, I realized it was a horned bee & wasp breeding area. The sign appears to...

I decided to retrieve and remove the register, what I call the treasure chest earlier on this thread. Let the place revert to nature, underground wilderness. By the way, the treasure is the box with a ping-pong chicken. Problem: It may be years before I return to the area, what with covid...

I incorporated some of the suggestions offered here into my online guidebook (thanks). If interested you can check it out at www.TrekHaba.com Developing a comprehensive guidebook, what a *huge* project. New respect for guidebook authors and editors everywhere! I discovered the importance of...

I read on a website somewhere that some of the high Catskill peaks are trailless, and it is hoped to keep them that way. I gathered that posting info is discouraged in order to force peakbaggers to determine their own route, with the effect of spreading out the use and avoiding herd paths. If...