General Stark Mountain

The Long Trail

Camel's Hump State Forest

Locate the trailhead.

Finally on my own with my own car in Vermont, I could go out hiking. Not that I went very far. A short way down state route 17 from Irasville where we were staying is The Long Trail. General Stark is 2.3 miles along and Massachusetts is just 155.6 miles away.



Going up, occasionally there would be an opening to see the view.




This guy was pretending to be part of the trail until he saw me moving and hopped. I didn't see him until he moved either and I was quite startled.



Moss and green and wet spots could be found everywhere.



And more green.



A snowshoe trail tried to come up and claim this as itself. The wisdom of snowshoeing this trail became questionable later on.



This trail is quite secure with itself, though. It doesn't need fancy signs or even whole words.



It was so shady that many times a flash is needed even though that takes away the contrast. Still, a pretty little flower.



This it the part that seems like it would be difficult to navigate in winter in snowshoes. This is just the first example of this particular trail type not often seen in the west outside of caves. Coming back shortly after going down this ladder I met a couple men with the dog. It was quite amusing hearing them find the ladder and try to figure out how to get the fairly large dog up it.



Of course, where there is so much moisture, there is fungus.



As I walked, I could sometimes see just the hint of blue sky about at head level to the left and could just detect similar on the right. I was walking along the ridge top but couldn't see to either side at all. Eventually the cut for a ski lift allowed for a view.



Judging by the sign that was clearly not to scale, I was about half way to my destination at this point. It is quite amazing to me that they are allowed to just chop out wide paths through the trees in order to be able to ski down the slop.



The trees I had emerged from and would return to.



The view from the platform.








Now, if you're getting tired from all the up and down, but mostly up, in this hike you can turn back having seen a little from this low spot. But if you feel you can go on, here's the next bit.




© 2007 Valerie Norton
Posted 7 July 2007
Last updated 8 July 2007