Vermont Mountains & Hiking

07/22/2018

 
     

 

 

  • MOUNTAINS IN VERMONT

    The Appalachian Mountains extend into Vermont.  Here is a list of the heights of the mountains, starting with Mount Mansfield, the highest at 4393 feet above sea level. Ski areas on mountains in red. See the list : http://skicentral.com/vermont-map.html

    Mountain Ski Area Height (feet) Height (meters) Town
    Mount Mansfield Stowe 4,393 1,339 Underhill
    Killington Peak Killington 4,235 1,291 Killington
    Mount Ellen Sugarbush 4,083 1,244 Warren
    Camel's Hump   4,083 1,244 Duxbury
    Mount Abraham   4,006 1,221 Lincoln
    Lincoln Peak Sugarbush 3,975 1,212 Warren
    Pico Peak Pico 3,957 1,206 Killington
    Stratton Mountain Stratton 3,940 1,201 Stratton
    Bear Head   3,940 1,201 Enosburg Falls
    Little Killington Killington 3,939 1,201 Mendon
    Jay Peak Jay 3,858 1,176 Westfield
    Equinox Mountain   3,840 1,170 Manchester
    Mendon Peak   3,840 1,170 Mendon
    Bread Loaf Mountain   3,835 1,169 Ripton
    Nancy Hanks Peak   3,812 1,162 Warren
    Skye Peak   3,800 1,158 Killington
    Big Jay   3,786 1,154 Montgomery
    Mount Wilson   3,780 1,152 Ripton
    Dorset Mountain   3,760 1,146 Danby
    Glastenbury Mountain   3,748 1,142 Glastenbury
    Shrewsbury Peak   3,720 1,134 Shrewsbury
    Sterling Mountain Stowe 3,714 1,132 Morristown
    Ethan Allen Mountain   3,688 1,124 Huntington
    Bolton Mountain Bolton 3,680 1,122 Bolton
    Stark Mountain Mad River 3,662 1,116 Fayston
    Mount Putnam   3,642 1,110 Worcester
    Madonna Peak Smugglers 3,640 1,109 Morristown
    Mount Grant   3,623 1,104 Lincoln
    Rams Head Killington 3,600 1,097 Killington
    Snowdon Peak Killington 3,592 1,095 Killington
    Mount Snow Mount Snow 3,586 1,093 West Dover
    Mount Hunger   3,539 1,079 Barnard
    Mount Roosevelt   3,528 1,075 Ripton
    Farr Peak   3,522 1,074 Chittenden
    Haystack Mountain Now is private 3,445 1,050 Wilmington
    East Mountain   3,439 1,048 East Haven
    Peru Peak   3,429 1,045 Peru
    Styles Peak   3,394 1,034 Peru
    Signal Mountain   3,370 1,027 Groton
    Mount Carmel   3,365 1,026 Chittenden
    Belvidere Mountain   3,360 1,024 Lowell
    Ludlow Mountain Okemo 3,344 1,019 Ludlow
    Gore Mountain   3,332 1,016 Norton
    Cold Hollow Mountain   3,330 1,015 Belvidere
    Bald Mountain   3,315 1,010 Westmore
    Bromley Mountain Bromley 3,284 1,001 Peru
    Worcester Mountain   3,274 998 Worcester
    Burke Mountain Burke 3,267 995 Burke
    Monadnock Mountain   3,148 960 Lemington
    Mount Ascutney Ascutney 3,140 955 Windsor
    Mount Aeolus   3,125 953 Dorset
    Grass Mountain   3,109 948 Arlington
    Mount Tabor   3,043 928 Peru
    Spruce Mountain   3,037 926 Plainfield
    Bald Mountain   2,857 871 Woodford
    Mount Pisgah   2,752 839 Westmore
    Kirby Mountain   2,750 838 Kirby
    The Dome   2,748 837 Pownal
    Prospect Mountain   2,740 835 Woodford
    Mount Hor   2,654 809 Sutton
    Hogback Mountain Hogback # 2,410 735 Marlboro
    Wheeler Mountain   2,365 721 Sutton
    Mount Anthony   2,343 714 Bennington
    Barton Mountain   2,235 681 Barton
    Gile Mountain   1,873 571 Norwich
    Mount Ephraim   1,490 454 Springfield
    Snake Mountain   1,287 392 Addison
    Mount Tom   1,250 381 Plymouth

    # Closed

    Look at 1248 Mountains in Vermont at www.expertgps.com/data/vt/mountains.asp

    Ski areas in New England, listed by vertical drop is at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_New_England_ski_areas_by_vertical_drop  Those in Vermont are below:

    Rank in NE Rank in VT Resort Name Vertical (feet) Skiable acres Trails Lifts
    1 1 Killington # 3050 752 140 22
    3 2 Sugarbush 2650 578 111 16
    4 3 Smugglers' Notch 2610 1000 78 8
    5 4 Stowe ## 2360 485 116 13
    8 5 Jay Peak 2153 385 76 8
    11 6 Okemo 2100 632 119 19
    13 7 Stratton 2003 625 92 11
    14 8 Mad River Glen 2000 815 45 4
    15 9 Burke 2000 260 45 3
    17 10 Pico 1967 214 50 7
    19 11 Mount Snow  ### 1700 588 107 19
    20 12 Magic Mountain  * 1700 195 40 4
    21 13 Bolton Valley 1625 165 71 6
    25 14 Bromley 1334 300 45 10
    35 15 Middlebury College Snow Bowl ** 1040 110 17 3
    46 16 Suicide Six 650 100 23 3
    49 17 Cochran's Ski Area *** 500 30 6 5

    #    Killington, Ramshead, and Snowdon               ##  Mt Mansfield and Spruce Peak (Sterling Mountain)

    ### Originally called Mt Pisgah, now is Mt Snow.     * Located on Glebe Mountain

    ** Located on Worth Mountain                                  *** Now a 501C3  See http://www.cochranskiarea.com/history

    A listing of the physiographic regions of Vermont is found in: http://academics.smcvt.edu/vtgeographic/textbook/physiographic/physiographic_regions_of_vermont.htm  Also, read about the Geology of Vermont.

    MOUNTAIN ROADS

    You can drive up the toll road to the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire.  But there are six mountains in Vermont that have roads to the summit:

    Mount Mansfield (elevation 4395') has a 4 mile toll road built in 1856.

    Mount Equinox (elevation 3848') In Manchester, has a 5.2 mile "Skyline Drive toll road.

    At 3,848 feet above sea level, the summit offers breathtaking panoramic views of the Green, White, Adirondack, Berkshire and Taconic mountain ranges. Several paved parking areas provide spectacular views, but most outstanding is the Skyline Drive itself as you drive along the crest of the mountain on your way to the summit. The Green Mountains, The Valley of Vermont and the White Mountains of New Hampshire may be seen to the east. The Adirondack Mountains of New York provide the backdrop to the west, and the Taconic and Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts to the south. Guard rails have been installed almost the entire length of the drive making it one of the safest, best engineered, well constructed toll roads in the country. 

    At a very early date, roads were built through the gaps on the south and north sides of Equinox, the former being known as “Southeast Corners” and the latter as “ Beartown”, names they retain to this day. It was not until sometime toward the middle of the last century that a wagon road was built to higher altitudes, when along about 1860 or 1870 Frank Orvis and a group of Manchester residents built a road from Beartown Gap to Lookout Rock directly above Manchester. This road , which did not start from the bottom of the mountain nor reach the top, was approximately 1,600 feet in altitude.

    The actual summit could be reached from the end of the road by a trail about 3/4 of a mile long, but since there already was a splendid view from Lookout Rock therefore the road was never extended beyond the rock to the summit. A small structure known as the “Mountain House” was built and used as a shelter for many years. Because of the costly maintenance and the roads unsuitability to more modern traffic , this road became obsolete in the early 1900’s and has long since fallen into disuse although its route still can be readily discerned by foot.

    Construction of Skyline drive began in 1941, but was suspended because of the war until 1947, when it was completed. Today it remains as the longest, privately owned, paved toll road in the United States. 

    Okemo Mountain (elevation 3344') In Ludlow, has a free 4.5 mile road that is a ski trail in the winter.

    Burke Mountain (elevation 3267').  In 1860, Joseph Hall, a man who had helped build a carriage road up New Hampshire's  Mt. Washington, hacked a small road to the summit.  An improved toll road was completed in 1935 or 1939.

    Mount Ascutney (elevation 3144') has a 3.7 mile toll road. See description and hiking trails. The name "Ascutney" comes from the Abenaki word Ascutegnik, which was the name of a settlement near where the Sugar River meets the Connecticut River. The Abenaki name for the mountain is Cas-Cad-Nac, which means "mountain of the rocky summit"

    The absence of other nearby mountains makes Ascutney a "monadnock". 

    Mount Philo Located in Charlotte, (elevation 988') has a 1.4 mile toll road.   Vermont's oldest state park, created in 1924, is at the summit. The view from the summit is terrific.  See  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Philo_State_Park and http://mtphilo.com/

    SONDERGELD SKIING

    Don got hooked on skiing in 1956, joined the Hartford Ski Club, because it owned a lodge near the single chairlift at Mad River Glen in Vermont where he learned to ski.  Mad River Glen was one of the first ski areas developed in Vermont.  See: http://madriverglen.com/mountain/history The Ski Area is on General Stark Mountain and part the scenic Monroe Skyline portion of the Long Trail.  See http://www.starkmountain.org/

    After he was married in 1957, he needed to study for actuarial exams and could only afford to ski at most one day a week, usually a Sunday when Don and Mary would take a day trip to Mount Snow in Southern Vermont.  Read about the history of  Mt Snow (Mt Pisgah) at http://mountsnow.com/mount-snows-history/

    In 1965 we bought property in  Hubbardton, VT on a lake and for many years we had family season passes at Pico where we joined the Pico Ski Club.  All of our children became ski instructors there and received free season passes by teaching children to ski on Sundays. The Appalachian Trail and Long Trail are common in the southern part of Vermont and go over Pico.  Just north of Pico the Long trail continues north ad the Appalachian Trail heads east to NH and ME.

    Pico ski area at one time was owned by the parents of Andrea Mead Lawrence.  Andrea won two gold medals at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo.  See http://universalsports.com/video/countdown-to-sochi-reliving-the-glory-with-andrea-mead-lawrence/  Also see http://picoskifoundation.org/PSEFpeak.html

    MOUNTAINS and ROCKS

    The Taconic Mountains extend into Vermont as far as Brandon. 

    See: http://academics.smcvt.edu/vtgeographic/textbook/mountains/mountains_of_vermont.htm  

    Eagle Rock is part of the Taconics.  The three major "rock industries" are Granite, Marble and Slate.

    Click here for info on the web. Granite comes from the area around Barre.  The Rock of Ages quarry in Barre is well worth a visit.  Marble quarries are in the Rutland area.  Visit the Marble Museum in Proctor.      

    Slate is found near Fair Haven, VT and Granville, NY. The Slate Museum in Granville is also quite interesting. Granville has been called the "Colored Slate Capital of the World." Quarries in the town mine slate that comes in colors such as green, gray, gray black, red, purple, mottled green and purple.   See http://www.slatevalleymuseum.org/

     PITTSFORD RIDGE and GRISWOLD PEAK  in the TACONICS

     I petitioned the State of Vermont In 2003 to officially name two areas in the Taconics.  The petition was granted.

    One purpose was to request that the ridge, which separates Hubbardton from Pittsford, and lies between Grandpas Knob and Biddie Knob, be named Pittsford Ridge.  History books written about the Battle of Hubbardton, fought on July 7, 1777, refer to Pittsford Ridge, but the name does not appear on maps.

    The second purpose of the petition was to request that the highest point at the south end of Pittsford Ridge in Hubbardton's South East corner, be officially named Griswold Peak.  The 1897 US Geological Survey shows its elevation at 2100 feet (the 1946 survey shows it at 2006 feet).

    The Andersons, who live on the East Hubbardton Road in Castleton, VT, own property in Castleton up to the Hubbardton line plus 150 acres in the south eastern corner of Hubbardton, that was owned by the Griswold family.  The Griswolds sold the 150 acre parcel in 1920.  Every time that property was sold it was referred to as the "Griswold Lot".  It is still referred to by that name by the Andersons.  There are no Griswolds still living in Hubbardton. The peak is not being named after a living Griswold but for the Griswold family that owned the property for many years in the 1800s and early 1900s.

    See: http://docs.unh.edu/towns/VermontTownList.htm You can find Griswold Peak at 2006 elevation plus the Pittsford Ridge area on the following 1946 topo of Proctor:

    TACONIC MOUNTAINS See pubs.usgs.gov/bul/0272/report.pdf  The profile of the Taconic Range, north of the Massachusetts border, is cut and eroded by the Hoosic River as it turns west and then south toward its confluence with the Hudson River, and by its tributary rivers in the vicinity of Bennington, Vermont. Mount Anthony 2,320 feet, notable for its caves, stands as a satellite peak above the surrounding eroded terrain.

     

    North of Bennington, the taconic  range gradually rises to its highest prominence. A notable summit in the Taconics is Grass Mountain at 3,109 feet in elevation in Arlington..  It is southwest of Mount Equinox.   See topo below. 

     

     

     Mount Equinox in Manchester, at 3,850 feet, is the highest point of the Taconic Mountains in Vermont. See www.equinoxmountain.com/mountain_statistics.php  Also see topo of Mount Equinox below.

    Green Peak (Mount Aeolus) is to the northeast of Mount Equinox..

     

     

    Mount Aeolus is northeast of Mount Equinox at 3,230 feet.  Its name is derived from Aeolus, the Greek god of the wind. The Board on Geographic Names ruled in favor of the current name in 1986; prior to that time, the mountain had also been referred to as "Green Peak" (on the above topo map) and "Mount Eolus." Mount Aeolus has several defunct limestone quarries.  It lies 1.5 miles west of the community of East Dorset.  Aeolus Cave is an important bat hibernaculum. Designated hiking trails are located on Mount Equinox, Dorset Mountain, and Mount Aeolus, and several other peaks within the region.   Stay at Aerie Inn: aerieinnofvermont. It was the Birthplace of Bill Wilson., the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. The building was constructed and opened as a hotel in 1852 in the small Vermont marble quarry village. The owners were the Griffith family. William (Bill) Griffith Wilson was born on November 26 of 1895 on the ground floor behind the bar of the hotel during a snow storm.  It was originally  the Mount Aeolus Inn and Tavern, then the Wilson House.  See history at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Aeolus_(Vermont) and https://urbanpostmortem.wordpress.com/2015/07/13/between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place/   In 1942, Fred Pabst moved the J Bar from Mt Aeolus Ski Area to Bromley Ski Area.  See  www.newenglandskihistory.com/biographies/pabstfred.php and   www.vtliving.com/fredpabst/.  Citing a lack of snow, the Mount. Aeolus J-Bar was moved to Fred's Bromley, VT development in 1942. See www.nelsap.org/vt/mtaeolus.html

     

    Dorset Mountain in Danby, at 3,770 feet, is flanked:

    to the south by Netop Mountain, Dorset Hill, and Mount Aeolus;

    to the west by The Scallop;

    to the northwest by Woodlawn Mountain; and

    to the southwest by Spruce Peak and The Gallop, subordinate peaks on the combined northern ridge of Bear Mountain and Mother Myrick Mountain.

     

    At 3,770 feet in elevation, Dorset Mountain was proposed as a ski area called "Dorset Hollow" with over 3,000 vertical feet which would have made it the larrgest in Eastern US. The overall project called for one aerial tramway, nine double chairlifts, two T-Bars, four base lodges, 16 miles of ski trails, and 70 acres of open slopes, covering six mountain peaks. In addition to the ski facilities, a golf course, tennis courts, pools, horse stables, a village, 100 chalets, and up to 250 hotel rooms. The developers, Dorset Associates, Inc., were in ownership and/or control of the 3,000 acres slated for the project which died around 1966.See www.newenglandskihistory.com/cancelledskiareas/Vermont/dorsethollow.php The first  phase of development would have been on 2867 foot high  Netop Mountain

    See www.happyvermont.com/2014/06/03/dorset-hollow-ski-area-never-came/

     

    Below is a topo that includes Dorset Mountain (and Dorset Peak) and Netop Mountain to the south.

     

     

     

    Immediately north of Danby, Vermont, the Taconic Range broadens and becomes shorter. It exhibits several parallel ridgelines, dominated to the west by mountains composed of slate and similar rock, most notably the ridgeline of Saint Catherine Mountain 1,200 feet, with its conspicuous 5-mile  long cliff face visible from Wellsand Poultney. The area around Lake Saint Catherine contains extensive slate quarries. The ridgeline to the east, composed of schist and phyllite, is dominated by the 7-mile  escarpment of Tinmouth Mountain 2,835 feet, overlooking the Valley of Vermont to the east in the town of Tinmouth.

    Near the end of the range, in the vicinity of Rutland, Vermont, the Taconic Mountains show several prominent peaks with dramatic, irregular cliff faces clearly visible from U.S. Route 4 west of the city of Rutland; these include Herrick Mountain 2,726 feet; Grandpa's Knob 1,976 feet, the former site of the Smith-Putnam wind turbine, the first large-scale electricity-producing wind turbine; and the butte-like Bird Mountain (also calledBirdseye Mountain) 2,216 feet, home of the Bird Mountain Wildlife Management Area and notable as an important raptor migration path and nesting site. 

    North of Grandpas Knob are Griswold Peak 2,006 feet, , Mount Zion 1,229 feet, Eagle Rock 1,325 feet, andBiddie Knob 2,008 feet . Also part of the Taconic Mountains are the foothills of the Lake Bomoseen region west of Birdseye and Grandpa's Knob, notable for their extensive slate quarrying operations. The Taconics end in Brandon.

    North of Grandpa's Knob, the Taconic Range soon diminishes into scattered hills which extend north into theBurlington, Vermont region. Isolated summits in this area include Snake Mountain 1,281 feet, a Nature Conservancy preserve featuring a variety of rare and endangered species.  It is also called Grand View Mountain, an isolated mountain located in Addison and Weybridge, Vermont.  It belongs to a series of scattered hills extending from the greater Taconic Mountains geology. Snake Mountain contains the state of Vermont's 1,215-acre (492 ha) Snake Mountain Wildlife Management Area and The Nature Conservancy's Willmarth Woods Sanctuary.[2] Several hiking trails ascend the mountain (one climbs the western face and the second climbs the eastern face). Seen from the west, the mountain rises dramatically (with its prominent sheer cliffs) out of the nearby valley making it easy to recognize from other nearby hills and mountains.

     

    The mountain was once the site of The Grand View Hotel, built in 1870 by Jonas N. Smith. The hotel burned down but its foundations and the open vista of Lake Champlain remain. Smith's stage coach road to the summit is now the primary hiking trail. In memory of the hotel, the view from the summit is named "Grand View."

    Also to the north is  Mount Philo 968 feet, home of Mount Philo State Park with its mountaintop campground with a short auto road to the summit.  There you have a terrific 360 degree view. These two mountains are not part of the Taconics.

     MAJOR HIKING TRAILS

    Stratton Mountain  Stratton Mountain claims a unique role in hiking trail history. In 1909, James P. Taylor (1872–1949) was on the mountain when he conceived the idea of a trail from Massachusetts to Canada, which became Vermont's Long Trail

    While on the summit of Stratton during the construction of the Long Trail, Benton MacKaye (1879–1975) considered that it would be a good idea to have a trail spanning the entire Appalachian Range. The result was the Appalachian Trail, a 2,170-mile (3,490 km) National Scenic Trail from Georgia to Maine. In southern Vermont, the two trails are contiguous, crossing the summit of Stratton from south to north. A short (.75-mile), relatively flat side trail leads from the summit to the Stratton Mountain Resort.

    Appalachian Trail  This well known trail goes from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine.  It is approximately 2,184 miles long. It was completed in 1937 and took about 15 years to build. The trail passes through the states of Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.  The Appalachian Trail, the Continental Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail form what is known as the Triple Crown of long distance hiking in the United States. Thundering Falls east of  Long Trail Lodge: http://www.greenmountainclub.org/news.php?id=309 Directions at http://www.northeastwaterfalls.com/waterfall.php?num=383&p=0

    Long Trail  This is a 273 mile long hiking trail located in Vermont, running the north south length of the state. It is the oldest long-distance trail in the United States, constructed between 1910 and 1930 by the Green Mountain Club. The Long Trail traverses almost all of the Green Mountains' major summits, including (from south to north) Glastenbury Mountain, Stratton Mountain, Pico, Killington Peak, Mount Abraham, Mount Ellen, Camel's Hump, Mount Mansfield, and Jay Peak.  The Long Trail was the inspiration for the Appalachian Trail, which coincides with it for 95 miles in the southern third of the state. The Appalachian Trail heads east to New Hampshire near the Long Trail Lodge in Sherburne Pass just north of Pico.

    If you are in the northern part of Vermont try Belvidere Mountain.  http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/840396 and http://www.summitpost.org/belvidere-mountain/261999 and http://www.travelthekingdom.com/listing_detail.php?id=484 and http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/geo/bmtn.htm This is part of the Long Trail. Also see http://www.greenmountainclub.org/page.php?id=2  Finally: https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=110998130594565901356.000461bda8ba1146bae66&dg=feature

    North Country Trail  This is  a 4600 mile trail ends at Crown Point, New York. There are plans to  connect it to the Long Trail in Weybridge, Vermont.   See http://northcountrytrail.org/

    Catamount Trail  This is a 300 mile long snowshoe and cross country ski trail in Vermont.  You can travel from  Inn to Inn: http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/trips/americas-best-adventures/ski-catamount-trail/  Learn about the trail: http://www.catamounttrail.org/trail/

    Also see: http://www.trailsource.com/scripts/three.asp?STATENAME=VERMONT&TYPE=HIKE

    HIKING IN VERMONT

    Eagle Rock Hike and High Pond Hike  Take an easy hike to the summit of Eagle Rock or to High Pond in Sudbury (via the Nature Conservancy Trail on Ganson Hill Road East, or via  Delancey Road).   Examine the topographical maps. Look at two maps: Topo of High Pond and a topo of the road from Brandon to High Pond area. Be sure to examine these hyperlinks. Also see info on Ganson Hill Road and Delancey Road.  About 700 feet of verical.

    Haystack Mountain in Pawlet   Although only a modest 1919 feet elevation at the summit, the sheer cliffs and dramatic outcrops of slate and quartzite make this a truly memorable place to hike.                                 See hiking trail: http://walkingman247.blogspot.com/2014/01/north-pawlet-hills-vermonthaystack.htm  and pawletvermont.com/tag/hiking-vermont/ 

    Haystack Mountain in Pawlet Vermont is a great 2 hour hike.  It is 3 miles round trip and the trail leads you to the summit with a fantastic 360 degree view. 

    Once called the Gibralter of the America, Haystack affords the hardy hiker one of the best panoramic views in Southern Vermont.

     

    Start from the center of town and proceed 1.7 miles North on RT 30. Make a Right turn at Waite Hill road (dirt) and go exactly 1.6 miles and park at the entrance to Tunket Road, this is the entrance to the hike. Walk up Tunket Road.

    id vtpa0021 name haystack mountain pawlet vt general era 1910s year

    Birdseye (or Bird) Mountain  This is just east of Castleton on Route 4A.  See a terrific video on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zn4_G131NA See the Vermont Fish and Wildlife web page that describes its 770 acre property at http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/library/maps/Wildlife%20Management%20Areas/Rutland%20District/Bird%20Mountain%20WMA.pdf  Deb Markowitz, former Secretary of State and currently Secretary of Natural Resources climbed Bird Mountain the weekend of 9.29.13 in 2.5 hours.  The trailhead is 1.8 miles south of Route 4A on Birdseye Road, just east of Castleton. http://trailfinder.info/trail.php?id=385  Also Birdseye Mountain was a former ski area  http://www.nelsap.org/vt/birdseye.html  

    At one time there was a ski area there.  See www.nelsap.org/vt/birdseye.html

    Herrick Mountain Herrick Mt is 500 feet higher than Bird Mt in elevation. Herrick Mountain is just south of Bird Mountain and has a hiking trail. Herrick Mountain is a 2,727 ft mountain peak.  It ranks as the 209th highest mountain in Vermont - See more at: http://peakery.com/herrick-mountain-vermont/#sthash.Ovp6XN3D.dpuf

    Mount Zion See www.afana.org/taconic.htm This beautiful site is located on Carson (Kit) Davidson's property near the Hubbardton Battlefield. There are trails to the top of Mount Zion and a terrific Japanese Garden on the West Side of Monument Hill Road on 200 acres and a trail to a waterfall on the East side of Monument Hill Road on another 200 acre parcel. 

    For info and directions see: http://dayhikinginrutlandvt.blogspot.com/2011/07/mt-zion-and-japanese-gardens.html  and http://mountaintimes.info/news/features/2013/07/hubbardton%E2%80%99s-japanese-garden-and-mt-zion-trails-offer-a-peaceful-stroll-through-a-unique-vermont-landscape/  and  http://www.afana.org/taconic.htm and http://www.castletonspartan.com/news/mt-zion-man-offers-reflection-paradise-1.998410#.Ug52Pa7D8fc  and                    http://www.vermontneighbornetwork.org/other-inspirational-stories.html                                                                                   

    Alyssa Bennett lives on the property as its manager. Her cell is 802-598-2404  She also works for Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department and has helped survey Vermont’s cave-hibernating bat species.  Mickie died in 2012.  Kit's phone in Hubbardton is 273-2982  See maps and description of trails    Here are some pictures that were taken on August 16, 2013                                                                                                                                            

    Here is Kit and the view from his home looking south towards his Japanese Garden. Alyssa on right..

    Camel's Hump    A terrific day hike is Camel's Hump which has a granite dome which provides 360 degree views.  See Hiking info on Camels Hump.  Also, consider hiking the  "Monroe Skyline" on the Long Trail which requires two cars and takes all day or two days.  Many topological maps can be found at http://docs.unh.edu/nhtopos/nhtopos.htm and at http://docs.unh.edu/towns/HubbardtonVermontMapList.htm 

    Mt Ascutney  See description and hiking trails.  It is a monadnock located near Ascutney, Vermont, with a summit elevation of about 3130 feet.

    Photo of Mount Ascutney

    Mt Mansfield See www.summitpost.org/mount-mansfield/150938 and www.everytrail.com/guide/mt-mansfield and you can hike up from Underhill State Park www.vtstateparks.com/htm/underhill.htm

    Mount mansfield 20040926.jpg

    NH Mountain Hiking

    Mt Philo  Also consider Mt Philo State Park, a 45 mile drive north on Route 7 in Charlotte, Vermont. The 168-acre park is located atop Mt. Philo (968' elevation) and overlooks the Lake Champlain Valley and the Adirondack Mountains of New York. This is Vermont's oldest state park, created in 1924. There is a 1.1 mile toll road you can drive to the top for picnicking and camping.   Admission is $3. You can also hike to the summit.  The views are spectacular, with a great view of Lake Champlain.                            

    Home Photo Galleries Travelogues and Photos Camping in VermontView from Mt. Philo State Park, Vermont | Escudero

    Mt Horrid  It is 8 miles east of Brandon at the junction of Route 73 and the Long Trail. The elevation of the "Cliffs of Mt Horrid" is about 3,200 feet, 1000 feet  above Brandon Gap.   

     http://www.summitpost.org/great-cliffs-of-mt-horrid/346627  and http://www.rei.com/guidepost/detail/vermont/hiking/mount-horrid-and-the-great-cliff-trail/39332 Brandon Gap is one of the Gaps included in the Six Gap Bicycle ride. http://www.northeastcycling.com/six_gaps.html  A short hike to the top of the cliffs.

    Mount Horrid Observation SiteMount Horrid

    Snake Mountain An hour hike to the summit.  Three miles south of the junction of Route 22A and Route 17. See http://www.hikenewengland.com/SnakeVT080511.html

    Bald Mountain - Tim's Trail   A nearby hike is on "Tim's Trail" an easy 2.8 mile loop along the side of Bald Mountain in West Haven VT near  Whitehall NY.  Bald Mountain  is 1065 feet high, whereas the elevation of Lake Champlain is just under 100 feet.   In 2007 Caitlin Whitney counted 32 Leopard Frogs on Tim's Trail.  You will have great views of the South Bay of  Lake Champlain

    From Rutland, VT, take Route 4 West. Then from Route 4  you will cross the state line from Vermont into New York. From the state line, continue west on Route 4 for about 5.5 miles, crossing a set of Rail Road tracks. Turn north (right) onto Route 9A just across from where there was a garden center. Route 9A takes you by the Skene Valley Country Club.  Travel about 1 mile on Route 9A, and then turn left onto Route 9 at the T intersection.  Take the first right onto Route 10 (Doig Street).  Drive a half mile, then turn left onto the dirt road (the paved road curves right).  Cross the bridge over the Poultney River into Vermont and turn left on the unmarked Galick Road.  (Ward Marsh is to the right) The parking area for Tim's Trail is .7 miles down the dirt road on the right.  Please be advised that this road is often flooded in the spring. The parking for the Susan Bacher Memorial Trail, a 2.5 mile loop trail, is another mile down the road from Tim's Trail.   See Topos of the area.

    Mount Moosalamoo in Salisbury, Vermont  (See Map)

    Lake Dunmore is at 571 feet in elevation.  Mount Moosalamoo is at 2659 feet in elevation, a rise of 2088 feet.  See  www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/greenmountain/recreation/recarea/?recid=64903&actid=29 and moosalamoo.org/activities/hiking/                                                                                      Maps at moosalamoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Moosalamoo-Map.pdf

    A four hour hike at www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/greenmountain/null/recarea/?recid=64933&actid=29

    From East Middlebury, travel east on Route 125 for 6.8 miles, turn right onto Forest Road 32 and follow it 3.3 miles. Turn right onto Forest Road 24, which is the access road to Moosalamoo Campground. Parking is on the right at 0.4 miles, outside of the campground gate.

    At Blueberry Hill in Goshen we have: www.trailfinder.info/trails/trail/blueberry-hill-area-trails

    HIKING IN NEW YORK

    New York: The very best hikes are in the Adirondacks.  The "High Peaks" in the Keene Valley area are well described in http://adirondackhikingtrails.com/  Also, visit nearby Lake Placid. The High Peaks are "46" peaks over 4000 feet in elevation.  See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adirondack_High_Peaks  "46" may not be absolutely correct. I have climbed Marcy, Algonquin, Haystack, Dix, Colden, and Giant. Also  see www.adirondack.net/keene-valley/

    View from Algonquin Peak: (left to right) Pitchoff, Cascade, Porter, Big Slide, Yard, Phelps, Giant, Lower Wolfjaw, Upper Wolfjaw, Armstrong,Gothics, Saddleback, Basin, Nippletop and Dix, Hough, Marcy, Gray, Skylight, and Colden (foreground)

    Mountain Height (ft / m) Rank   Mountain Height (ft / m) Rank
    Mount Marcy 5,344 / 1,629 1   Seward Mountain 4,361 / 1,329 24
    Algonquin Peak 5,114 / 1,559 2   Mount Marshall 4,360 / 1,329 25
    Mount Haystack 4,960 / 1,512 3   Allen Mountain 4,340 / 1,323 26
    Mount Skylight 4,920 / 1,500 4   Big Slide Mountain 4,240 / 1,292 27
    Whiteface Mountain 4,867 / 1,483 5   Esther Mountain 4,240 / 1,292 28
    Dix Mountain 4,857 / 1,480 6   Upper Wolfjaw Mt 4,185 / 1,276 29
    Gray Peak 4,840 / 1,475 7   Lower Wolfjaw Mt 4,175 / 1,273 30
    Iroquois Peak 4,840 / 1,475 8   Street Mountain 4,166 / 1,270 31
    Basin Mountain 4,827 / 1,471 9   Phelps Mountain 4,161 / 1,268 32
    Gothics 4,736 / 1,444 10   Mount Donaldson 4,140 / 1,262 33
    Mount Colden 4,714 / 1,437 11   Seymour Mountain 4,120 / 1,256 34
    Giant Mountain 4,627 / 1,410 12   Sawteeth 4,100 / 1,250 35
    Nippletop 4,620 / 1,408 13   Cascade Mountain 4,098 / 1,249 36
    Santanoni Peak 4,607 / 1,404 14   South Dix 4,060 / 1,237 37
    Mount Redfield 4,606 / 1,404 15   Porter Mountain 4,059 / 1,237 38
    Wright Peak 4,580 / 1,396 16   Mount Colvin 4,057 / 1,236 39
    Saddleback Mt 4,515 / 1,376 17   Mount Emmons 4,040 / 1,231 40
    Panther Peak 4,442 / 1,354 18   Dial Mountain 4,020 / 1,225 41
    Table Top Mountain 4,427 / 1,349 19   Grace Peak 4,012 / 1,223 42
    Rocky Peak Ridge 4,420 / 1,347 20   Blake Peak 3,960 / 1,207 43
    Macomb Mountain 4,405 / 1,343 21   Cliff Mountain 3,960 / 1,207 44
    Armstrong Mountain 4,400 / 1,341 22   Nye Mountain 3,895 / 1,187 45
    Hough Peak 4,400 / 1,341 23   Couchsachraga Peak 3,820 / 1,164 46

    HIKING IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

    New Hampshire: An excellent day hike is Mt Chocorua near North Conway.

     http://www.mountainsummits.com/mountains/newhampshire/chocorua.htm  

    For Mount Washington and other hikes, see: http://www.slackpacker.com/map_nh.html  

    In Franconia Notch a great hike is Mount Lafayette.  http://www.hikenewengland.com/FranconiaRidge001021.html The Franconia Inn http://www.franconiainn.com/ in Franconia Notch and Notchland in Crawford Notch  http://www.notchland.com/ are both terrific. 

    Have dinner at the the Appalachian Mountain Club's Joe Dodge Lodge in Pinkham Notch at the base of Mount Washington. http://www.outdoors.org/lodging/whitemountains/pinkham/before-you-go.cfm 

    Drive up the Auto Toll Road to the top of Mount Washington or take the Cog Railway http://www.thecog.com/ from Bretton Woods.  Stay or dine at the old hotel  http://www.omnihotels.com/FindAHotel/BrettonWoodsMountWashington.aspx?cid=sd_psg_g-mtwash&gclid=CPvU0Pn6orcCFUOe4AodClAAYA

    Drive along Route 112, the 35 mile scenic "Kancamagus Highway" between Lincoln and Conway, NH. http://www.kancamagushighway.com/

    OLD MAPS

    All Vermont Counties               www.old-maps.com/vermont/vt_cd_pdfs/ 
    Scott 1854 Rutland County     
    www.old-maps.com/vermont/vt_cd_pdfs/Rutland1854-lowres.pdf 
    Beers 1869 Rutland County    
    www.old-maps.com/vermont/vt_cd_pdfs/Rutland1869_wb.pdf

    HUBBARDTON GULF  (and FIVE OTHER GULFS IN VERMONT)

    The Hartford (CT) Ski Club had a lodge near the single chair lift at Mad River Glen. As a member, I learned to ski there, but it was a long drive from Hartford.  When my buddies and I got to Granville Gulf we would stop the car and hoot and holler as we were almost there. After Mary and I bought property at Beebe,  I knew we were almost there as we appeared to be going through a gulf, which I called it Hubbardton Gulf.  I submitted a petition to the State of Vermont to name  the area of Rt. 30 south of Beebe Pond: Hubbardton Gulf.   That name was approved in 1975.  An October 16, 1975 article in the Rutland Herald was titled Hubbardton-At Last-Has a Gulf of Its Own. ... It now joins a select few in Vermont:  Proctorsville, Northfield, Williamstown, and Granville.  

     

    Ganson Hill West

    632 feet

    Beebe Pond

    618 feet

    Hortonia Road

    456 feet

    Austin Pond

    442 feet

    Change in Elevation

    176 feet

    Change in Elevation

    176 feet

    The Ottawa Citizen had a short article on Vermont's Gulfs dated June 20, 1959: http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2194&dat=19590620&id=80sxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=deQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5695,1204372 Put your cursor on the Ottawa Citizen page to scroll.

    Below is a 1946 topographical map of the area:  http://docs.unh.edu/towns/VermontTownList.htm

    Brookfield Gulf:  Route 12 runs through this gulf located south of East Roxbury.

    Granville Gulf: The Mad River flows north along Route 100 in the gulf, then through the towns of  Warren, Waitsfield, and Moretown before entering the Winooski River just downstream from Middlesex, and then to Lake Champlain.  (The beautiful 35 foot high Moss Glen Falls are located in  Granville Gulf. There is another 125 foot high Moss Glen Falls in Stowe.)

    Hubbardton Gulf:  Route 30 runs through this small gulf north of Route 141.

    Northfield Gulf: The Dog River flows north through the gulf along Route 12  to the Winooski River in Montpelier and then flows west into Lake Champlain.

    Proctorsville Gulf: The Williams River runs from Andover through a corner of Ludlow and then along Route 103 into the bottom of the gulf  to Chester and into the Connecticut River in Rockingham.  (The Black River in Ludlow follows Route 103 though Ludlow and then east along Route 131 through the Cavendish Gorge to Perkinsville then south to Springfield and then east into the Connecticut River.) 

    Williamstown Gulf: The Stevens River flows north along Route 14 though the gulf to Williamstown and then into the Winooski River in Barre, then west to Lake Champlain.

    VERMONT'S GAPS AND NOTCHES (Gorges, Gulfs, Hollows, or Valleys are not listed) http://vermont.hometownlocator.com/features/physical,class,gap.cfm 
    Data below is sorted by name and also  by county.           

     

     

    Sorted by Name

     

     

     

    Sorted by County

    Name

    County

    USGS Topo Map

     

    Name

    County

    USGS Topo Map

    Appalachian Gap

    Chittenden

    2375

     

    Braintree Gap

    Addison

    2395

    Ascutney Notch

    Windsor

    1056

     

    Brandon Gap

    Addison

    2175

    Bear Notch

    Orange

    1135

     

    Granville Notch

    Addison

    1407

    Bloodroot Gap

    Rutland

    3100

     

    Lincoln Gap

    Addison

    2434

    Braintree Gap

    Addison

    2395

     

    Middlebury Gap

    Addison

    2142

    Brandon Gap

    Addison

    2175

     

    Monastery Gap

    Addison

    2379

    Buzzell Gap

    Essex

    1880

     

    Pine Gap

    Addison

    2572

    Chilcoot Pass

    Lamoille

    2956

     

    Texas Gap

    Addison

    2211

    Daniels Notch

    Lamoille

    2349

     

    The Natural Turnpike

    Addison

    2037

    Devils Den

    Rutland

    2142

     

    Mad Tom Notch

    Bennington

    2441

    Devils Gap

    Lamoille

    1270

     

    The Notch

    Bennington

    1148

    Eagle Hollow Notch

    Orange

    1247

     

    Appalachian Gap

    Chittenden

    2375

    Eden Notch

    Orleans

    1348

     

    Nebraska Notch

    Chittenden

    1886

    Foster Notch

    Orange

    1759

     

    Needles Eye

    Chittenden

    2664

    Granville Notch

    Addison

    1407

     

    Buzzell Gap

    Essex

    1880

    Hazens Notch

    Orleans

    1788

     

    Chilcoot Pass

    Lamoille

    2956

    Huntington Gap

    Washington

    2201

     

    Daniels Notch

    Lamoille

    2349

    Lincoln Gap

    Addison

    2434

     

    Devils Gap

    Lamoille

    1270

    Mad Tom Notch

    Bennington

    2441

     

    Smugglers Notch

    Lamoille

    2169

    Middlebury Gap

    Addison

    2142

     

    Bear Notch

    Orange

    1135

    Monastery Gap

    Addison

    2379

     

    Eagle Hollow Notch

    Orange

    1247

    Moretown Gap

    Washington

    1565

     

    Foster Notch

    Orange

    1759

    Nebraska Notch

    Chittenden

    1886

     

    Tebbetts Notch

    Orange

    1391

    Needles Eye

    Chittenden

    2664

     

    The Notch

    Orange

    2041

    Pine Gap

    Addison

    2572

     

    Eden Notch

    Orleans

    1348

    Plymouth Notch

    Windsor

    1440

     

    Hazens Notch

    Orleans

    1788

    Randolph Gap

    Windsor

    2326

     

    Bloodroot Gap

    Rutland

    3100

    Rochester Gap

    Windsor

    2087

     

    Devils Den

    Rutland

    2142

    Roxbury Gap

    Washington

    2395

     

    Sherburne Pass

    Rutland

    2155

    Sherburne Pass

    Rutland

    2155

     

    Telephone Gap

    Rutland

    2313

    Smugglers Notch

    Lamoille

    2169

     

    The Elbow

    Rutland

    1955

    Stockbridge Gap

    Windsor

    1575

     

    The Narrows

    Rutland

    95

    Tebbetts Notch

    Orange

    1391

     

    Wetmore Gap

    Rutland

    2608

    Telephone Gap

    Rutland

    2313

     

    Willard Gap

    Rutland

    2247

    Texas Gap

    Addison

    2211

     

    Huntington Gap

    Washington

    2201

    The Elbow

    Rutland

    1955

     

    Moretown Gap

    Washington

    1565

    The Narrows

    Rutland

    95

     

    Roxbury Gap

    Washington

    2395

    The Natural Turnpike

    Addison

    2037

     

    Waitsfield Gap

    Washington

    2231

    The Notch

    Bennington

    1148

     

    Wind Gap

    Washington

    2818

    The Notch

    Orange

    2041

     

    Ascutney Notch

    Windsor

    1056

    Waitsfield Gap

    Washington

    2231

     

    Plymouth Notch

    Windsor

    1440

    Wetmore Gap

    Rutland

    2608

     

    Randolph Gap

    Windsor

    2326

    Willard Gap

    Rutland

    2247

     

    Rochester Gap

    Windsor

    2087

    Wind Gap

    Washington

    2818

     

    Stockbridge Gap

    Windsor

    1575

    Topo Maps in Vermont: http://www.topozone.com/states/Vermont.asp  Search Counties by any of the following categories.  The following is from Rutland County, but Gulfs, Gaps, Gorges, Glens, Hollows, and Valleys are shown in the last category: "Valley".

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    Airport

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    Area

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    Basin

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    Bay

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    Bend

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    Cemetery

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    Church

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    Cliff

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    Crossing

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    Dam

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    Trail

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    Valley

     

    MT EVEREST  is 29,035 feet high

    http://iinterestingfacts.blogspot.com/2010/03/interesting-facts-about-mount-everest.html

    MT MCKINLEY now renamed DENALI   is 20,310 feet high

    http://www.livescience.com/40595-denali-mount-mckinley.html

    http://news.yahoo.com/white-house-says-mount-mckinley-renamed-denali-210234767.html;_ylt=A0LEVkAJAPNVpkYALhgPxQt.;_ylu=X3oDMTEzNjdzc3M0BGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMyBHZ0aWQDRkZVSUMwXzEEc2VjA3Ny#

    BASE TO PEAK  VERTICAL

    www.webodysseum.com/technologyscience/the-worlds-tallest-mountain-from-base-to-peak/

     

    ________________________________

     

     

     

     

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    This site was last updated 09/11/15