Herd Path Mt. Mansfield: Where does it go?

[dscheidt]

Folks,

From the Long Trail just North of the Mt. Mansfield summit, the LT intersects the Hell Brook Trail. There is an unmarked trail that continues due north past the small pond. Where does it go after the pond? It seems to have been an old trail as there are some decaying bog bridges. I would be curious to know where it ends up. Does anyone know?

Daniel

 

[mookie]

i would be curious to know as well, i just thought it went around that small pond.....

 

[Kevin Rooney]

The small pond near the Hell Brook Trail is called Lake of the Clouds (has a nice ring, doesn't it?) and continues north to an even smaller pond called Bear Pond. I believe that trail is called the Bear Pond trail. It's about a mile out to the last pond from the summit.

 

[mookie]

The small pond near the Hell Brook Trail is called Lake of the Clouds (has a nice ring, doesn't it?) and continues north to an even smaller pond called Bear Pond. I believe that trail is called the Bear Pond trail. It's about a mile out to the last pond from the summit.

to me its just small pond

so the bear pond trail just ends kevin?

thanks

 

[Silverfox]

mansfield

Bear Pond Trail it is..looking at my 1966 guidebook... it reads as a 2 mile trail starting at the height of the land in the Notch, climbing steeply, passing the 2 ponds and ends at the Hell Brook Trail..Not sure when it was discontinued...

 

[dscheidt]

Herd Path on Mansfield

So where exactly did the Bear Pond trail originate in 1966? Behind the visitor center in the height of land in the Notch? It's nothing but cliffs there!

Daniel

 

[Silverfox]

I have never climbed the trail but the guidebook clearly reads.."The height of the Land"..which, if that is where the visitor center is must be the same place.. I will be over in that area next week and will check it out.. I remember it as being very steep though Hell Brook is no picnic

 

[Kevin Rooney]

to me its just small pond

so the bear pond trail just ends kevin?

thanks

Yes, I think it originates where the Hell Brook trail ends and continues north for a short distance. Have only been out there once, and it was on a cold, snowy December day and visibility wasn't that great. It was also several years ago, so whether it's even maintained or not I don't know.

Edit - Also - I don't think that Bear Pond trail comes down off the ridge, so other poster's references to visitor center may not apply. The only trail I know that comes off the ridge is Hell Brook, which is north of the LT and does drop down more into the Notch itself.

 

[Pete S]

Bear Pond Trail

What you are seeing is the upper end of the former Bear Pond Trail. The trail used to peak out at the junction of Hell Brook and the Adams Apple trail, and bottom out on Route 108 in Smugglers Notch, just below the information building / toilets. Its route went much closer to some of the southeastern cliffs in the notch. Hard to visualize , but it was much steeper than Hell Brook, and had many (exposed) view points. Much trail work was done on the trail by the VYCC from 1977-79, including flying in material for log bridging and waterbars. Unfortunately, the area containing the trail had a large land slide following days of rain a few years after the trail work was completed, wiping out much of the trail down into the Notch. The trail was never rebuilt following the slide.
Much to the dismay of many ice climbers, until recently it was listed as the descent route for a few climbs. Climbers had trouble finding it since it has not been there since the late 70's!

Hope this helps, Pete

 

[Kevin Rooney]

What you are seeing is the upper end of the former Bear Pond Trail. The trail used to peak out at the junction of Hell Brook and the Adams Apple trail, and bottom out on Route 108 in Smugglers Notch, just below the information building / toilets. Its route went much closer to some of the southeastern cliffs in the notch. Hard to visualize , but it was much steeper than Hell Brook, and had many (exposed) view points. Much trail work was done on the trail by the VYCC from 1977-79, including flying in material for log bridging and waterbars. Unfortunately, the area containing the trail had a large land slide following days of rain a few years after the trail work was completed, wiping out much of the trail down into the Notch. The trail was never rebuilt following the slide.
Much to the dismay of many ice climbers, until recently it was listed as the descent route for a few climbs. Climbers had trouble finding it since it has not been there since the late 70's!

Hope this helps, Pete

Good stuff, Pete - thanks.

 

[mookie]

GREAT STUFF!
will definately have to look for that next time im up there.
thanks for sharing

 

[Geeroves]

I found this thread and joined VFTT because I wanted to be able to post here about the Bear Pond Trail. The trail did indeed wash out, in 1984 I believe.

Apparently there's concern about safety and people trying to find the trail, so I edited my original post.

 

[TEO]

It's worth noting that three people have died while trying to ascend the old trail after the landslide wiped it out.

 

[TCD]

It's worth noting that three people have died...

Wow! Summer, or Winter? Falls; rockfall; avalanche?

 

[TEO]

My impression from a conversation with a friend who used to hold a senior position at the GMC is that they were from non-winter falls, and that on at least one of the occasions, it occurred when the trail was wet.

 

[VT_Wampa]

I recently hiked up the rock slide and connected the Old Bear Pond trail. I spend a lot of my time bushwhacking and searching out old, lost trails. There are a number of them on Mansfield.

This thread along with research, old maps and some recon helped me ascend from the height of the land on VT 108, up the rock slide, connect to sections of the old trail which I followed up to the ridge, over to Bear Pond, Lake of the Clouds and back to the trail system where Hell Brook intersects. It was an amazing hike complete with a near death, lightening/hail storm/hypothermia scare!

I wrote this long post about the hike/climb but then realized this isn't a trip report thread so I didn't post it. If there is any interest out there I can go into more detail or post a TR in the proper area.

Thanks to those of you who posted here. The info helped me greatly and it was one of the most fulfilling hikes and discoveries I have made while living in VT for the last 2 years.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Having gotten lost there once, sure post away!

 

[VT_Wampa]

Having gotten lost there once, sure post away!

Sorry to hear you were lost, though thats part of the fun.

I've been asked not to post further information on this by another member.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Can you send me the info instead? And we were only 'lost' for a few minutes...

 

[Geeroves]

I didn't realized anyone had read or posted on this thread in the last year and a half--apparently my email settings weren't set up to be notified. Thanks for the pics, VT Wampa.