Elevation gain: 3563'
Trails used: none(unless you count ski trails), road walk, bushwhacks
Our original plan was to start doing the first section of the Appalachian Trail from
the Massachusetts border into Vermont where the Long Trail also begins. It would require a car spot off Route 9 outside Bennington, Vermont and then driving around to the North Adams, Massachussetts side and start from there. This is approximately 18 miles.
By the time we got to the northern end of the hike, we were running behind schedule so we opted to do this some other time as we would possibly be finishing sometime around 6 or 7 p.m. So we broke out the trusty Vermont gazetteer and found some nearby peaks we could do.
Our first hike was up Prospect Mountain in Woodford, Vermont. It once operated as an alpine and Nordic skiing area but currently is cross country skiing only, and relies on natural snow for its trails. All the T-bars for the lifts are still in place but there are no operable ski lifts.
We parked at the base lodge and took the defunct old ski trails up from here. The clouds remained for the entire hike.
Obviously there were no skiers today, as there is no snow!
A pretty uneventful hike on the ski trails as the sky was socked in for the entire trip up.
The old lifts and dreary fog did make for some eerie pictures at least.
On the way down the main ski lift, we spotted this deer standing in the middle of the slope.
Oh deer...it turned out just to be a decoy. Awesome deer selfie.
Our second hike of the day was a short drive away in Bennington County in Vermont. We would be road walking in a good ways, then bushwhacking up to Houghton Mountain (elevation 3095'), then back down to a old logging road and then back up to East Houghton Mountain (elevation 2970').
We parked at the start of a forest road not knowing how far we would get a vehicle down. Turns out we could have driven a good 2 or 3 miles in saving a lot of distance, but walking on forest/logging roads lately is what we do best!
Thankfully the water crossings were all well bridged as they were flowing pretty good today.
The good road eventually turns into a much rougher road that is closed to wheeled vehicles and is apparently called the Old Stage Trail.
We saw plenty of these little guys today on the road. Sadly, some of them were flattened dead by vehicle tires.
Greg walking the road close to where we started our whack up to Houghton.
Great bushwhacking woods abound!
Approaching Stamford Bog Peak we hit a semi dense patch of hobblebush that we pushed through (it didn't last for too long).
Once back down we walked an old logging road that led us to Mud Pond, which we passed by on the return trip to the main road back to the car.
We drove back towards home for our third hike of the day, Hyland Hill in Westmoreland, New Hampshire. Hyland Hill is the highest point in Westmoreland and has a fire tower on its summit, as well as some communication towers.
A camera was set up to watch a pile of wood. No, seriously! Big Brother is watching you!
To get to the firetower we walked the road all the way up. We did see a pickup truck go by us but where it went, we aren't sure since it never passed us again.
The Hyland Hill fire tower (the cab was closed and locked).
Greg braved the trip up to the highest landing to try and get some decent pictures and views. Monadnock in the distance.
Mount Ascutney in Vermont.
The communication's array on the summit. You need to climb all the way to the top on some rickety stairs to get these views.
All told, it turned out to have been a good decision to head west for the day. We beat the rain and as day wore on, it was incredibly wonderful late spring weather. Not a speck of snow was seen all day, and not a drop of rain fell on us while out hiking. Hopefully the rest of the year brings the same kind of weather and fun!
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Hey Guys - wondering if you can more specifically the road you took to get into Houghton and East Houghton? They are on my list to climb.
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