Final Highpoint of the Year, #34: VT. Mt. Mansfield (4395 feet). September 24, 2010

[TrishandAlex]

Copied from http://www.trishalexsage.com
Accompanying pictures and a video can be found there.
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Vermont: Mt. Mansfield, our 34th (and last) highpoint of the year!

Sage requested we ride on the gondola. Even though Alex and I don't particularly care for that method of ascent, we bowed to Sage's wishes.

Sage had a great time...

...while Alex and I clung to the sides and tried to calm our nerves. There is nothing wrong with the Mt. Mansfield gondola -- Alex and I just have a terrible fear of riding in gondolas and trams.

My worst fears were thankfully not realized (the gondola did not snap off the cable and send us plummeting to our deaths), and we reached the top unscathed.

From here, we took the Cliff Trail.

We topped out on the Long Trail and walked to the summit.

At the top!

We did not lounge on the summit for long; we had more important things than highpointing on our minds...

(The ice cream was delicious).

Not a bad year. 34 states -- pretty good for a 5 year old and a 7 year old.

Next highpointing stops -- Maine and New York...next summer. After that, we may be finished, or we may continue. That'll be up to the girls.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Just got my Apex to Zenith quarterly and 2010 HC Directory in the mail. I think that the three of you qualify for a "half way pin," if I am not mistaken!

The 2010 Annual Konvention is in Mississippi this coming weekend, I believe, if anyone is interested.

 

[Tom Rankin]

34! That's just $$$$ (censored for young readers) amazing!

Did you post on the high pointers web page, or send them a note? I'm sure they'd love to hear about it!

 

[Fisher Cat]

My worst fear as a kid on the Cannon tram was Godzilla biting the cables, and I didn't even get the channel that showcased Creature Double Feature in Jefferson.
Congrats to the 3 of you, what a year!

 

[TrishandAlex]

Just got my Apex to Zenith quarterly and 2010 HC Directory in the mail. I think that the three of you qualify for a "half way pin," if I am not mistaken!

Dr. D, I just got my quarterly in the mail also, but I have not yet had time to peruse it. I will see if we qualify for the half way pin, thank you!

34! That's just $$$$ (censored for young readers) amazing!

Did you post on the high pointers web page, or send them a note? I'm sure they'd love to hear about it!

Tom, thank you. I sent them a note and a link to my blog when I applied for membership.

My worst fear as a kid on the Cannon tram was Godzilla biting the cables, and I didn't even get the channel that showcased Creature Double Feature in Jefferson.
Congrats to the 3 of you, what a year!

Fisher Cat, good to know that Alex and I are not the only ones who fear gondolas/trams. I don't worry about Godzilla, but I do worry that the car will fall off the cables. I REALLY don't like those things.

 

[Little Rickie]

Love the stories, keep them coming and good luck next year. You haven't been to NY yet!?

 

[mirabela]

Thirty-four?! You guys really went on a tear, didn't you!

Congratulations, and I'm glad you enjoyed our backyard mountain. We like Mt. Mansfield very much.

 

[TrishandAlex]

Love the stories, keep them coming and good luck next year. You haven't been to NY yet!?

Thanks, Little Rickie. No, we haven't gotten to NY -- Mt. Marcy will be a backpack, since Sage is not ready to hike 15 miles in one day. I thought even backpacking it this year would be too much, considering all the other trips we took. But we'll get there next year, assuming the girls still want to play the highpointing game.

Congratulations, and I'm glad you enjoyed our backyard mountain. We like Mt. Mansfield very much.

Mirabela, we couldn't do this trip on a weekend (too many plans lately), otherwise, we'd have asked you and Isidora to join us. We hope to see the two of you again soon. Perhaps this winter..?

We like Mt. Mansfield as well...though I suspect that you and Isidora have climbed it properly and therefore have really experienced it (we took the easy route).

 

[SteveHiker]

...while Alex and I clung to the sides and tried to calm our nerves. There is nothing wrong with the Mt. Mansfield gondola -- Alex and I just have a terrible fear of riding in gondolas and trams.

My worst fears were thankfully not realized (the gondola did not snap off the cable and send us plummeting to our deaths), and we reached the top unscathed.

About 10 years ago I took the gondola up. We wandered around up there but it was late afternoon so we didn't go to the summit. There was a wedding going on that day and all the guests were coming up on the gondola too. Long story short, the power went out around 5. Typical, as it happened at my house all the time on sunny windless days. So they got the backup power going and they let all the non-wedding people go down first. We got on with another couple. The gondola descended about halfway and the backup generators failed. So the 4 of us sat there swaying back and forth for 20 minutes or so (which felt like an eternity). We did get a refund out of it, but I'm in no hurry to ever repeat that experience.

Glad to hear your trip went better.

 

[TrishandAlex]

Oh my, Steve -- if I had to sit in a swinging gondola for 20 minutes, I'd probably end up having a panic attack. Well, perhaps not with my kids, as I'd force myself to keep it together for their sake. Or, if we were close enough to the supports, maybe we'd just force the door open and climb down the pole...

 

[mookie]

awesome.
nice job crankin' out the highpoints.
those kids must have some cool stories to tell friends.

 

[TrailwrightBratt]

Fun TR as usual

So much for hi-pointing for this year.I bet you and the gals will continue,it is in your blood now.We will be looking for you guys in A-Z in the future.
Winter conditioning trips will be in order now.Keep us all up to date with more TRs.