MEB
New member
Mission Vermont
Day 1. I wake up at 1:30 but there is still another 3 ½ hours before my alarm will go off so I toss and turn and toss and turn some more, and then some more. At 4:45 I can’t stand it anymore so I wake up Little Sister, we get dressed and hop in the car. Two stops and three hours later we arrive in Bethel, VT where we meet Andy. Rachel and I get our stuff, pile into Andy’s car and head on up the highway where we meet up with Cath and Steven. The agenda today is to hike Camels Hump and then Mansfield.
At 10:45 we are all geared up and start up the Monroe Trail. When I put my pack on it felt lighter than usual…come to find out I only filled one of my water bottles, whoops. As we make our way along the snow covered trail we make good time and are on the summit by 1:00. Unfortunately, we had no views at all, just wind and fog. We get back to the cars and then head up the road to Stowe.
The original plan for Mansfield was to head up the Long Trail but with it being so late in the day we decide to take the ski trail. It’s just before 4:00 when we start so we are dodging skiers as we begin our ascent. About less than half way up the skiers stop coming down but we are now in a very thick fog and can only see about 20 feet or so ahead. We finally reach the top of the Gondola line (in case anyone is wondering there are 32 towers) and start looking for the Cliff Trail. After searching we find it and start our way up. This trail was not broken out and after while we could no longer follow it. So, down we go.
Day 2. My alarm goes off at 6:00 and Rachel and I roll out of warm sleeping bags, get dressed and make our way to Pittsfield where we pick up Andy. The agenda today is to hike Abraham and Ellen. It’s a long drive to Lincoln Gap Road (it’s a long drive to get anywhere in Vermont) and thankfully we were able to drive a little over three miles up. At about 9:15 we head on up the road. The road walk was not too bad but we were all a little tired from yesterday and there was not much conversation. The trail goes along nicely, never getting too steep. Just below the summit of Abe Rachel and I decide to put our crampons on. The wind is blowing again and we scramble our way across the open summit quickly, well at least Andy and I did. A few minutes later Rachel makes her way back down into the trees where we are waiting for her. Did I mention we had no views? It did look as though the sun was going to break out a few times but it never happened. After a brief rest we continue along the ridge and a couple hours later we finally reach Ellen. It’s now 1:30 and we are not looking forward to retracing our steps back so we decide to take a ski trail down. Andy had found $50 (and a really colorful pipe) on the ski trail yesterday so he was prepared to pay someone to drive us back to Lincoln Gap. We make a quick stop at the lift operators hut, warm up and decide which trails to take down. At the lodge half way down Andy finds a cafeteria tray and we take turns using it as a sled on our final descent to the parking lot where we have no car. Wicked fun, fast and scary! Ok, so we are now in the lot and Andy goes to work trying to get us a ride. No takers. Then we see this one guy and Rachel walks up to him and asks if he’ll take us back…..and he said sure. Wicked nice guy! It’s about 4:00 now as we head back to Cavemen’s and we are all tired but there is still one day left and two more peaks to climb.
Day 3. My alarm goes off at 5:00 and Rachel and I roll out of our warm sleeping bags, get dressed and make our way to Pittsfield where we pick up Andy. The agenda today is to hike Mansfield and Killington. Four hours and a few stops later Rachel and I begin our way up Mansfield via the Long Trail. Andy was tired and decided to stay back on this one. We get into a good groove pretty quickly and make our way to the Taft Lodge where we meet up with two other groups. Never having been on any of these trails the gentlemen leading one of the groups recommends we take the Profanity Trail. This trail is steep and unbroken and a short way up we stop to put our crampons on. At this point the smaller of the two groups passes us. It’s still snowing fairly steady and there is not too much wind but the visibility is poor and the trail is difficult to follow. I finally see a sign off to my right and we head towards it to get our bearings. Looking up to the left I suddenly see the ends of downhill ski’s sticking up above the scrub and two men pop out in front of us. They had just come down from the summit so Rachel and I scurry along and follow their footsteps before they get covered up by the blowing snow. No wanting to linger around we reach the top and turn around immediately. Back at the Taft Lodge we take our crampons off and make a mad dash back down the Long Trail and we're back at the trail head 12:45. We meet up with Andy, get in the car and are off to Killington.
3:00 p.m. the three of us are ready to head out on our final peak of the weekend. Andy takes us up a really nice and easy green trail. Again, we are dodging skiers for an hour or so and get a lot of funny looks from the skiers. I think some of them are intentionally where swishing snow at us too. I guess I might have done the same too if I was skiing. I started making funny faces back at them. It’s still snowing lightly and I finally see the summit building just ahead of us. Yippee we are almost there! We then skip on up a set of stairs and take trail J to the top and we all high five each other. The way down was fun as we decided to take a black diamond bump run trail. Super fun and super fast, well not too fast as the bumps kind of slowed us down. We are back at the car at 5:30. Mission complete.
Not wanting to drive home in the storm predicted for Monday Rachel and I head back to Caveman’s. The driving is super slow and I’m starved. We stop at a Mobile station and fill up with gas. I get a “mother clucker” sandwich (wicked good) and we are back on the road. We arrive at Caveman’s to find everyone has gone home and the few that were staying had gone to town to watch the football game. The car is packed up in about 15 minutes and five hours later I finally pull into the driveway.
Here are some pictures http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/557028701xPwNjP
-MEB
Many thanks to Andy for being our Vermont guide! You’re the best! Seeing that I did not get one view at all I’ll be coming back for sure.
Day 1. I wake up at 1:30 but there is still another 3 ½ hours before my alarm will go off so I toss and turn and toss and turn some more, and then some more. At 4:45 I can’t stand it anymore so I wake up Little Sister, we get dressed and hop in the car. Two stops and three hours later we arrive in Bethel, VT where we meet Andy. Rachel and I get our stuff, pile into Andy’s car and head on up the highway where we meet up with Cath and Steven. The agenda today is to hike Camels Hump and then Mansfield.
At 10:45 we are all geared up and start up the Monroe Trail. When I put my pack on it felt lighter than usual…come to find out I only filled one of my water bottles, whoops. As we make our way along the snow covered trail we make good time and are on the summit by 1:00. Unfortunately, we had no views at all, just wind and fog. We get back to the cars and then head up the road to Stowe.
The original plan for Mansfield was to head up the Long Trail but with it being so late in the day we decide to take the ski trail. It’s just before 4:00 when we start so we are dodging skiers as we begin our ascent. About less than half way up the skiers stop coming down but we are now in a very thick fog and can only see about 20 feet or so ahead. We finally reach the top of the Gondola line (in case anyone is wondering there are 32 towers) and start looking for the Cliff Trail. After searching we find it and start our way up. This trail was not broken out and after while we could no longer follow it. So, down we go.
Day 2. My alarm goes off at 6:00 and Rachel and I roll out of warm sleeping bags, get dressed and make our way to Pittsfield where we pick up Andy. The agenda today is to hike Abraham and Ellen. It’s a long drive to Lincoln Gap Road (it’s a long drive to get anywhere in Vermont) and thankfully we were able to drive a little over three miles up. At about 9:15 we head on up the road. The road walk was not too bad but we were all a little tired from yesterday and there was not much conversation. The trail goes along nicely, never getting too steep. Just below the summit of Abe Rachel and I decide to put our crampons on. The wind is blowing again and we scramble our way across the open summit quickly, well at least Andy and I did. A few minutes later Rachel makes her way back down into the trees where we are waiting for her. Did I mention we had no views? It did look as though the sun was going to break out a few times but it never happened. After a brief rest we continue along the ridge and a couple hours later we finally reach Ellen. It’s now 1:30 and we are not looking forward to retracing our steps back so we decide to take a ski trail down. Andy had found $50 (and a really colorful pipe) on the ski trail yesterday so he was prepared to pay someone to drive us back to Lincoln Gap. We make a quick stop at the lift operators hut, warm up and decide which trails to take down. At the lodge half way down Andy finds a cafeteria tray and we take turns using it as a sled on our final descent to the parking lot where we have no car. Wicked fun, fast and scary! Ok, so we are now in the lot and Andy goes to work trying to get us a ride. No takers. Then we see this one guy and Rachel walks up to him and asks if he’ll take us back…..and he said sure. Wicked nice guy! It’s about 4:00 now as we head back to Cavemen’s and we are all tired but there is still one day left and two more peaks to climb.
Day 3. My alarm goes off at 5:00 and Rachel and I roll out of our warm sleeping bags, get dressed and make our way to Pittsfield where we pick up Andy. The agenda today is to hike Mansfield and Killington. Four hours and a few stops later Rachel and I begin our way up Mansfield via the Long Trail. Andy was tired and decided to stay back on this one. We get into a good groove pretty quickly and make our way to the Taft Lodge where we meet up with two other groups. Never having been on any of these trails the gentlemen leading one of the groups recommends we take the Profanity Trail. This trail is steep and unbroken and a short way up we stop to put our crampons on. At this point the smaller of the two groups passes us. It’s still snowing fairly steady and there is not too much wind but the visibility is poor and the trail is difficult to follow. I finally see a sign off to my right and we head towards it to get our bearings. Looking up to the left I suddenly see the ends of downhill ski’s sticking up above the scrub and two men pop out in front of us. They had just come down from the summit so Rachel and I scurry along and follow their footsteps before they get covered up by the blowing snow. No wanting to linger around we reach the top and turn around immediately. Back at the Taft Lodge we take our crampons off and make a mad dash back down the Long Trail and we're back at the trail head 12:45. We meet up with Andy, get in the car and are off to Killington.
3:00 p.m. the three of us are ready to head out on our final peak of the weekend. Andy takes us up a really nice and easy green trail. Again, we are dodging skiers for an hour or so and get a lot of funny looks from the skiers. I think some of them are intentionally where swishing snow at us too. I guess I might have done the same too if I was skiing. I started making funny faces back at them. It’s still snowing lightly and I finally see the summit building just ahead of us. Yippee we are almost there! We then skip on up a set of stairs and take trail J to the top and we all high five each other. The way down was fun as we decided to take a black diamond bump run trail. Super fun and super fast, well not too fast as the bumps kind of slowed us down. We are back at the car at 5:30. Mission complete.
Not wanting to drive home in the storm predicted for Monday Rachel and I head back to Caveman’s. The driving is super slow and I’m starved. We stop at a Mobile station and fill up with gas. I get a “mother clucker” sandwich (wicked good) and we are back on the road. We arrive at Caveman’s to find everyone has gone home and the few that were staying had gone to town to watch the football game. The car is packed up in about 15 minutes and five hours later I finally pull into the driveway.
Here are some pictures http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/557028701xPwNjP
-MEB
Many thanks to Andy for being our Vermont guide! You’re the best! Seeing that I did not get one view at all I’ll be coming back for sure.
Thanks UFC for opening up your home and providing a base camp for this adventure.
