Day Hike Advice from the Middlebury Mountain Club

Author: Mandy Walker

Planning a Day Hike

Right now we are entering mud season, which means don't plan on hiking if you are scared of getting dirty. Wear rugged shoes. For a short day hike, low-top hiking boots or trail runners that you don't mind getting wet are the best choice. If it's been raining recently, wear water resistant or leather hiking boots so you are not afraid to walk THROUGH the mud. Gaiters, though fashionably questionable, might be a good idea to keep the mud and debris out of your shoes and socks. Make sure you bring at least one liter of water with you and drink at least one before you even start hiking. In a small backpack bring an extra windproof layer, a warm layer, shades and a couple snacks that make you happy like a granola bar with peanut butter or personalized trial mix compliments of the Proctor cereal bar. As the weather warms up, I'd also throw a towel in the car in case you spot a seductive water hole on your way back to campus.

The Middlebury Mountain Club (MMC) is a great resource for all outdoor aficionados. From hiking guides to gaiters, from sleeping bags to stoves — if you need it, we got it. So come to the MMC gear hours in the attic of Adirondack House 7 to 8 p.m. Monday and Thursday. Also check out the MMC board in the mailroom or the Web site (www.middlebury.edu/~MMC) for overnight trips, canoeing adventures and guide seminars that go out every weekend this spring.

Mud Season

The fifth season in Vermont is mud season. Rain and melting snow at higher elevations keeps many of Vermont's hiking trails wet and muddy throughout the springtime. Hikers pummel the saturated soils, causing irreversible erosion and damage to the surrounding ecosystem. The Green Mountain Club (GMC), Green Mountain National Forest and the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation ask that outdoor enthusiasts take precautions and exercise good judgment when choosing hiking routes between the sugaring season and Memorial Day Weekend. Due to the sensitive alpine vegetation on the summits of Camel's Hump and Mount Mansfield, the state of Vermont closes these trails from mid-April to Memorial Day.

Here are some guidelines for hiking during mud season compiled by the GMC.

First, if the trail is so muddy that you need to walk on the vegetation beside it, turn back and find an alternate route.

The GMC also advises hikers to remain in the lower elevation hardwood forest (unless muddy!) and avoid the conifer forests at higher elevations.

Finally, they suggest hiking THROUGH the mud, not around it!

Peregrine Falcons

Peregrine falcons became extinct from Vermont and eastern North America in the 1960s, mainly due to the chemical DDT. Since then they have been reintroduced to the areas and are experiencing an astonishing come back. Still, there are many factors that threaten peregrine falcons. These include the encroachment of development, direct human disturbance, environmental contamination, predation and increasing variability in temperature, precipitation and weather events. When hiking in the spring and early summer, take note of the trails closed due to peregrine nesting and obey all instructions. These awesome raptors have been known to nest in areas surrounding both Snake Mountain and Rattlesnake Cliffs.

A Side Note to Seniors

The following hikes give one an amazing perspective of the landscape that has been your home for the past four years. All three of the preceding day hikes are musts before May 26. So get together a group of friends, pack a picnic and your camera and get out there one last time!

LOCAL HIKES

Snake Mountain, 3.6 miles round trip, mellow hike

Snake Mountain is a great hike if you only have a couple free hours. It is a fairly short, mellow hike but offers a spectacular view of the Champlain Valley and the Adirondacks. The summit of Snake Mountain is a fantastic place to picnic, watch the sunset or star gaze. It's also an outstanding hike under a full moon!

Directions: Take Route 125 West to Route 22A, drive north for 4.5 miles to Wilmarth Road. Turn right and continue to end and junction with Mountain Road. Turn left and parking area will appear shortly on left. The trail begins on the opposite side of the street near a small red shed across from a white farmhouse. Approximately 10 minute drive from campus.

Rattlesnake Cliffs and Silver Lake, 4.8 miles round trip, mellow hike

This is another superb hike for busy Middlebury students who can't manage being away from the GIS lab or thesis cubby for more than a few hours. Follow the Rattlesnake Cliffs Trail from the parking lot. From the summit, you can view the Green Mountains to the south and the Adirondacks to the west. On your way down try the Aunt Jenny Trail, which will lead you to the Falls of Lana. This is a great hike as the temperature begins to heat up — both the Falls of Lana and Lake Dunmore are super swimming sites.

Directions: Drive south on Route 7 and turn left onto Route 53. Follow Route 53 to the parking lot on the left, 0.4 miles past Branbury State Park (Lake Dunmore). Approximately 15 minute drive from campus.

Mount Abraham, 5.2 miles round trip, rugged hike

This is personally my favorite hike in the entire Green Mountains. Not only does it offer an amazing 360-degree view from its peak at 4,006 feet, but it also offers a diverse and unique ecosystem. Following the Long Trail North from the parking lot, the hike begins in the familiar hardwood forest and slowly transitions into the spruce and fir tree forest, which then shifts into a fragile rocky alpine environment. The rare alpine vegetation on Mt. Abe's summit is extremely fragile so be careful to only walk on designated areas. On a clear day, the White Mountains of New Hampshire can be seen to the east, Mt. Mansfield and Camels Hump to the north, Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks to the west and the chain of the southern Green Mountains to the south. Apparently you can also see Bicentennial Hall in the Champlain Valley below.

Directions: Drive north on Route 7 out of Middlebury. After 8 miles, turn right onto Route 17. Follow Route 17 all the way into the town of Bristol. Just after you pass the construction of the new bridge, turn right onto Lincoln Gap Road. Follow this road all the way to the top of Lincoln Gap. There is a parking lot at the top of the gap. Follow the Long Trail North to Mt. Abe. Approximately 35 minute drive from campus.
Sources consulted: www.greenmountainclub.org, www.nwf.org/northernforest/peregrine.html
Compiled by Mandy Walker '02.5