I managed to get out earlier than the crowds this previous Columbus Day weekend (not that there are crowds within the Inexperienced Mountain Nationwide Forest like those within the White Mountain Nationwide Forest) to backpack a number of the longer trails to Stratton Pond and within the Lye Brook Wilderness Space. This space abuts the Lengthy Path between the Stratton Mountain Ski Resort and Manchester, Vermont. The realm is peppered with ponds and bogs filled with migrating birds, and the mountain climbing is comparatively flat, with few massive hills to climb. Situations have been excellent for having fun with the autumn splendor in a wilderness space and mountain climbing some quick miles.
In case you’ve been following my adventures this summer season and autumn, my mountain climbing miles have focused on ending the Inexperienced Mountain Membership’s Aspect-to-Aspect path record. This record incorporates the entire facet trails, often known as blue blaze trails, resulting in the Lengthy Path, which I hiked approach again in 2008. My buddy Ryan, often known as “Guthook,” hiked the facet trails when he labored on the GMC path crew way back, and he was my inspiration for this endeavor. It’s been an exquisite challenge to date, taking me to many areas of Vermont as I ponder a transfer to the state. In order for you a difficult and rewarding path record in Vermont to sink your tooth into, I’d extremely advocate it.
However the early arrival of colder temperatures, snow at larger elevations (primarily Mt Mansfield), and fewer hours of daylight means the race is on to see whether or not I can end the record this autumn or if I’ll nonetheless be engaged on it within the winter months. If we get important chilly and snowfall, there’s an actual probability I’ll need to postpone the completion till subsequent yr. However till then, I’m making full use of the respectable climate days wanted to shine off the above-treeline and extra distant trails I would like to complete.
That includes sequencing my remaining hikes to cut back the variety of days and journeys wanted to finish the required miles. I’m no stranger to this course of, having hiked all the paths within the White Mountains twice, an inventory generally known as “Redlining the Whites.” The local weather and entry limitations between these two places are comparable, though the Redline is a a lot bigger path record with over 650 trails.
This clarification justifies the seemingly whacky route I took on this newest backpacking journey, which concerned mountain climbing out-and-backs and partial trails to keep away from subsequent journeys or hikes in darkness with the shorter days of autumn and winter. Whereas following a less-maintained path by way of a wilderness space with minimal blazing is difficult when the tread is obscured by leaves, doing it when it’s coated in snow with fewer hours of daylight is loads sketchier and greatest prevented. Why not simply spend extra days to cowl all of the required trails? I’ve different private and business-related commitments that require my consideration, too. Hopefully, there shall be extra information on that entrance quickly.
Day 1
- Stratton Pond Path 3.7 (miles)
- Lye Brook Path West 2.4
- Department Pond North 4.0
- Department Pond South 4.0
- Camp at North Bourn Pond Tenting Space or thereabouts
Day 2
- Lye Brook Tr East 2.8
- Lye Brook Tr West 2.8
- Department Pond South 4.7
- Street Stroll West to Automotive 1.2
The primary day concerned driving to the Stratton Pond Trailhead, which ate up just a few hours of the morning, limiting the quantity of daylight I needed to 8 hours (sundown is now 6:30 pm). I solely obtained on the path at 9:30 am and knew I’d need to hunker all the way down to get the miles I needed. The plan was to hike up the Stratton Pond Path to its junction with the Lengthy Path, then double again to the Lye Brook Path junction and comply with it to the Department Pond Path. From there, I’d hike the higher half of the Department Pond Path to its junction with the Lengthy Path for 4 miles earlier than doubling again and mountain climbing the identical path 4 miles south.
The following day, I’d hike West alongside the Lye Brook Path once more for two.8 miles (about an hour) earlier than doubling again once more. The Lye Brook Path is 9.3 miles in its entirety, and I knew I didn’t have time to complete your entire factor, so my objective was to hike sufficient of it on this journey that I may come again and end the remainder as a day hike, reasonably than requiring an in a single day backpack to shine off the remaining miles. Day hikes are loads simpler to suit into my schedule than overnights.
Stratton Pond Path
The Stratton Pond Path is among the hottest trails in Vermont, however my automobile was the one one parked on the trailhead that morning. That at all times offers me pause and I hoped it wouldn’t be vandalized in a single day. Nothing to be finished, so I put it out of my thoughts and obtained on the path.
The leaves on the encompassing bushes had principally dropped, which was shocking because the foliage farther north was nonetheless pre-peak. The path was properly traveled, although, judging by the leaf litter, which was extra pulverized than on the path and alongside the sides. I needn’t have frightened as a result of the path was well-blazed with blue paint on the bushes.
The path follows low rolling hills with little elevation acquire, making for quick mountain climbing. All of the sudden, I heard a commotion and noticed a small gray bobcat racing towards me on the path, solely veering off on the final second into the adjoining woods. 5 seconds later, a a lot bigger and darker bobcat gave chase, racing up a tree when it noticed me earlier than leaping off and heading again the best way it’d come. I can’t clarify it, however the phrases to Jimi Hendrix’s model of All Alongside the Watchtower instantly got here to thoughts, although bastardized, “two bobcats approaching, and the wind started to howl.” Humorous what involves thoughts while you’re strolling and never excited about a lot.
As I approached Stratton Pond, I blew proper by the Lye Brook Path Junction signal, which I’d need to seek for later, and got here to some fairly complicated path signage concerning the location of the Stratton Pond Shelter and caretaker’s tent. I wanted to refill my water and figured there could be a water supply close to the Shelter, however there wasn’t. The shelter was additionally far smaller than I remembered from my final go to in 2008. So I hiked again the best way I’d come and all the way down to the Pond itself, the place there was presupposed to be a spring alongside the shore. It was dry, so I retrieved water from the pond and filtered it.
A chilly wind blew throughout the water, so I placed on my windshirt, cameled up, stuffed my bottle once more, and set off in search of the Lye Brook Path Junction. I used to be on the verge of asking the caretaker for assist, after I noticed an indication for the Stratton Pond Connector, which I’d additionally walked previous. It’s an extension of the Stratton Pond Path I’d hiked in on, connecting it to the Lengthy Path. Chagrinned, I hiked up it to the Lengthy Path junction after which again earlier than retracing my steps down the Stratton Pond Path to the Lye Brook Path Junction, which I subsequently discovered.
None of those trails are clearly marked on the GMC’s digital Avenza Map, both as a result of the map lacks the required decision, it’s outdated, or it emphasizes the Lengthy Path and never the facet trails. If I turn out to be extra concerned with the GMC, I believe I’ll advocate elevating the profile of the facet trails within the halls of energy as a result of I’ve gotten a lot satisfaction from mountain climbing them. They represent about 40% of the path miles that the GMC maintains and so they most likely want an advocate.
Now on the Lye Brook Path, I headed west once more over rolling hills. It follows the shoreline of Stratton Pond, and I loved the gorgeous surroundings on the opposite facet of the pond. I crossed over a boardwalk and handed a spur to a tenting space, which I didn’t examine however hope to sooner or later. That is an space value a repeat go to.
The path continues alongside a brook earlier than weaving by way of a maze of low spruce and dense woods abutting a lavatory. I crossed a stream on the Lye Brook Wilderness boundary and ultimately got here to a different tenting space on the Department Pond path junction. I hopped onto the Department Pond Path and headed north for 4 miles to its junction with the Lengthy Path, not sure how straightforward it could be to comply with because it travels by way of a wilderness space. Trails in designated Wilderness Areas are often far much less blazed to boost the wilderness expertise. I wanted not have frightened because the path follows an outdated logging street a lot of the best way that’s straightforward to comply with.
I flew up up this part of path, admiring the stream alongside it which shall be a future fly fishing vacation spot. The streams in Vermont have been fairly low this yr, which is simply as properly, as I’ve been targeted extra on mountain climbing than fly fishing. However I’ve been cataloging nice Tenkara fishing locations and this shall be certainly one of them.
I handed by the seldom-used Douglas Shelter. It’s a half mile south of the Lengthy Path, so it’s unsurprising that folks skip previous it. I continued to the Lengthy Path junction, filtered some water, and turned again round heading south alongside the identical path for one more 4 miles. I actually needed to get again to the tenting space close to the Lye Brook junction earlier than darkish to settle in, prepare dinner dinner, and chill out.
The nice campsites have been all gone by the point I arrived again on the tenting space, so I used a pre-existing tent web site close to the pond that I’d sped earlier. I arrange my Durston silpoly X-mid (my favourite tent), which I haven’t had an opportunity to make use of all yr, filtered water, and cooked dinner. It was chilly, so I slipped below my quilt, warmed up, and shortly fell asleep.
Lye Brook Path
After a sizzling breakfast of Cream of Wheat fortified with pecans and cranberries, I headed west once more alongside the Lye Brook Path to additional scale back the mileage I’d need to day hike on a return journey to complete the path. This part of the path will get far much less use than the others within the space, although, and following it was far more troublesome. Along with being coated with leaves, elements of the path are fairly overgrown, and it may actually use an excellent brushing. Whereas blazed, the blazes have been much more sporadic.
Whereas the path was tougher to hike, I loved myself and the problem-solving required to comply with it. However I obtained to considering, “why is that this path even on the side-to-side record?” It by no means intersects the Lengthy Path, which is meant to be the standards for inclusion. There are different trails on the record that don’t meet that commonplace as properly, like:
- Frost Path
- Cantilever Path
- Butler Lodge Path
- CCC Street
- Wampahoofus Path
- South Hyperlink
- Haselton Path
- Rock Backyard Path
- Bald Mountain Path
- Wanderer Path
- Beaver Meadow Path
- Black Swamp Path
There are additionally trails that ought to clearly be on the record, just like the Outdated Rootville Street Path however aren’t. One in all today, I plan to get a proof from the GMC. Within the meantime, I’m completely blissful to hike the paths on the side-to-side record, if just for custom’s sake.
I continued for about an hour west earlier than turning again round and mountain climbing again to the Department Pond Path Junction, this time turning south to hike one other 4.7 miles again to Kelly Stand Rd. This part of the path is sort of straightforward to comply with and will get far more use. I met a number of teams of hikers and backpackers heading up the path, having parked off a facet path at Department Pond. I continued previous that time, climbing the one important hill of this hike earlier than hitting the street and following it 1.2 miles to my automobile. The car parking zone was now jammed with vehicles, and my automobile had weathered the night time unmolested.
This was a brief journey however an excellent one. I’d met all my targets with time to spare and stay up for mountain climbing extra trails on the GMC side-to-side record.
Vermont Path Guides and Maps
SectionHiker is reader-supported. We solely generate income if you are going to buy a product by way of our affiliate hyperlinks. Assist us proceed to check and write unsponsored and impartial gear evaluations, newbie FAQs, and free mountain climbing guides.