Suggestions for a Loop

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Wendellator

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Hello i am not familiar with the Green Mountains and i am trying to plan a loop of about 15-20(over a day or 2) miles to do in the next week or 2. I am going to NH first for some WHite Mtn fun then going to drive down to VT. It will be 3 people in Great Shape, we will be finishing the Pres Traverse,and looking for a nice loop any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks
Wen.
 
This time of year, some of the access roads are close. The LT/AT Stratton and Stratton Pond loop would be a one night trip but you'll likely have a road walk. You can do a day hike loop over Camel's Hump or Mansfield but from NH, these locations are further away from MD, not closer. (Well not much closer)

If doing Stratton which has a tower allowing views, I'd consider a Catskill loop instead as they would be a little South of Albany and more on the way home. I'd look at an overnight including Black Dome & Black Head and part of the Escarpment Trail.
 
Mike mentioned a a good option of a Catskill Loop. Escarpment Trail came to mind right away. While there check out some of the falls around Platte Clove Road (road is closed for some of the winter but I believe it is still open now. It's been a few weeks since I've been there. Another option would be some time in the White Rocks area VT just north of Manchester. Maybe not as difficult as you would like but a thought. I'd be thinking the Escarpment/Devil's Path and on the drive home hit the Dutch Ale House in Saugerties NY or the Gilded Otter in New Paltz NY. Both are close to I-87.

Camel's Hump is a great hike (I haven't done Mansfield yet) and Burlington has the Vermont Brewery & Pub. Interested to hear what you end up with....
 
Thanks, Vermont Brewery say no more.Since we are doing the Traverse we were thinking of a chill hike for the way back.
 
There's a loop of 21.8 miles called the Glastenbury and West Mt. loop. It follows the LT/AT north from Rt.9 to Goddard shelter (about halfway) near the summit of Glastenbury Mt., then follows the West Ridge trail to Bald Mt. trail. It ends with a couple mile roadwalk.
 
There's a loop of 21.8 miles called the Glastenbury and West Mt. loop. It follows the LT/AT north from Rt.9 to Goddard shelter (about halfway) near the summit of Glastenbury Mt., then follows the West Ridge trail to Bald Mt. trail. It ends with a couple mile roadwalk.

I was going to suggest this one. There is a fire tower for views. I did it once and stayed at Kid Gore, adding a few extra miles. The trail both ways are beautiful. I enjoyed West Mt. Loop a lot. Highly recommend it.
 
Most of the hikes I know about in VT are in the Central/Northern area and may not be on the way home at all. But if you're going to try to get to Burlington regardless of the implications to your driving schedule, there are some appealing options that you might consider.

Mansfield loop from just below the Underhill State Park. The gate is just below the State Park entrance. Up through the park, head South on the CCC road, up Maple Ridge to the forehead, take either the LT or any of several sub-ridge canyon trails North to the Chin, back down Sunset Ridge and out. I don't know if it's quite in the mileage you're looking for but you'll be covering about 30% of the open ridgeline hiking in the state in one trip.

Camel's hump via LT from the River Road (aka the old Bamforth Ridge trail) up to the summit. It's a 12.2 out and back that you can make a longer lollipop loop out of by continuing past the summit and wrapping around the summit on the Alpine trail. The section of the LT just to the south of the summit is pretty awesome. Much of the middle portion of the trail is open ridgeline with excellent views. And between the low starting elevation and the numerous ups and down along the ridge, I would guess it's in the vicinity of 4200' elevation gain.

Two of the nicest, toughest hikes in VT.
 
Might be too late for you but the Stevensville TH on the west side of Mt Mansfield makes for some nice loop hikes. A summit traverse involving the Maple Ridge and Sunset Ridge trails and the CCC Road makes about a 9 mile loop. Get a map and little imagination and you could easily make that longer. Perhaps add the subway or cliff trails, could be extra challenging if icy. 9 miles in winter conditions would in theory be slower going anyways. That was one of my favorite summer loops. Perhaps head for Nebraska Notch to expand the loop.

Not a loop, but climb Camel's Hump via Bamforth ridge this time of year would be a very challenging day out or 2 days. Potential for route finding, not sure it gets allot of traffic on that route in winter. It's about 13 miles out & back if I recall, (~4K elevation gain) you can expand that by making some loops around the summit area (see map).

Edited to add --> My apologies to GM Goat, I missed his post, looks like I regurgitated it. (seriously I did not see it until I got done typing the above and was proofing it). He is describing roughly the same Mansfield loop I am, you can start it from near Underhill SP or Stevensville. Being cheap, I always preferred to avoid the SP fees and crowds and started at Stevensville. That is no issue in winter, the SP is closed, you would park about a mile below it where the plows stop.
 
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Mt Mansfield it is, i also believe in being frugal..that way you can have more money for the important things after a hike. Cold Adult Beverages
 
Mike mentioned a a good option of a Catskill Loop. Escarpment Trail came to mind right away. While there check out some of the falls around Platte Clove Road (road is closed for some of the winter but I believe it is still open now. It's been a few weeks since I've been there. Another option would be some time in the White Rocks area VT just north of Manchester. Maybe not as difficult as you would like but a thought. I'd be thinking the Escarpment/Devil's Path and on the drive home hit the Dutch Ale House in Saugerties NY or the Gilded Otter in New Paltz NY. Both are close to I-87.

Camel's Hump is a great hike (I haven't done Mansfield yet) and Burlington has the Vermont Brewery & Pub. Interested to hear what you end up with....
Platte Clove Road is closed as of 11/15, but the Dutch Ale House is open! :D
 
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