Page 8 - Aug_2014

Exploring
Smugglers’

Notch

BY EVAN JOHNSON

Taylor Luneau climbs on the exposed schist face above the Notch.
Photo by Tim Farr

of the mountain 2.4 miles before meet- (the site of Stowe’s smaller Spruce Peak
ing with Sunset Ridge before The Chin. area). From the northern side of the road
The southern parking area has access (driving from Jeffersonville), hikers can
to southern extent of Mansfield ridge, take the moderate 1.1-mile long Sterling

with the Frost Trail, Butler Lodge Trail Pond Trail to the summit of Sterling,
and the Long Trail climbing up to The where it intersects with the Long Trail
Forehead.
at Sterling Pond. After reaching the
Hikers can also access the Long Trail pond, you can hike another .3 miles to
from the base area of the Stowe side of the Sterling Pond Shelter for a rest or an
Vermont 108 at the Barnes Camp His- overnight stay.

toric Site as well as in the base area of On the other side of the Notch, the
Stowe Mountain Resort. The South- northbound Long Trail leads 4.3 miles
bound trail advances up the eastern from a parking area near the Barnes
flank of Mount Mansfield 1.7 miles to Camp Historic Site to Sterling Pond.
the Taft Lodge. Hikers can opt to stay
on the LT for another .6 miles or take Climbing
the steeper Profanity Trail .5 miles to As the glaciers receded thousands of

The Chin.
years ago, they left the landscape of the
Brad Moskowitz climbing Hidden Gully in the Notch, home to dozens of sport and Ice
Hikers looking for higher elevations, Notch littered with massive boulders
climbs year round.
but wanting a shorter walk can experi- and outcroppings composed of schist.
Photo by Josh Bossin
ence Stowe’s Toll Road, which starts 5.8 From beginner scrambles to daunt-
miles from the intersection of Vermont ing top outs, the Notch has a variety of
100 and 108 in downtown Stowe. The problems within a short hike from the
JEFFERSONVILLE — Wedged in a offers plenty of hiking. Most notable is road makes a 4.5-mile ascent in about road. Areas behind the main parking
narrow crack between Mount Mansfield Vermont’s highest peak, Mount Mans-
and Sterling Mountain, Vermont 108 field. With a summit of 4,395 feet, mul- 20 minutes (depending on traffic and lot and visitors center, the parking area
carves a wild, winding road through the tiple trails run up the mountain from weather) and ends with views of the Ad- near the Hellbrook Trail and the very
towns of Jeffersonville, Cambridge and every direction. From parking areas in irondacks and Lake Champlain. At the top of the notch all have a number of
top, you can park your car at the Mt. popular problems that dry out quickly
Stowe. While the road sees automobile the Notch, hikers can reach the 4,060- Mansfield Visitors Center and hike on due to their elevation and exposure.
traffic for only a portion of the year, it foot high Adam’s Apple by way of the the Southbound Long Trail just .2 miles The Notch is also a destination for
is a year-round highway for outdoor ad- Hellbrook Trail, a difficult .9 mile hike to The Nose at 4,062 feet or hike just sport and trad climbing in the sum-
venture.
that advances from the north. Hikers
In the spring and summer, you can can choose to take the Hellbrook Cut- over a mile on the Northbound Long mer and fall as well as ice climbing in
find trails to hike, rock to climb and off, which extends .7 miles to the Taft Trail to The Chin. From The Chin, you the winter. Tim Farr, a guide with Bur-
can make a loop back to your car on the lington-based outfitter Petra Cliffs, has
swimming holes to cool off in. In the Lodge on the Long Trail or follow the Cliff Trail.
been guiding trips into the Notch for the
winter, you can expect to find snow- trail another .4 miles to the Lake of the An alternate route is Stowe’s Gondola past four years and says climbing in the
shoers, skiers and a few ice climbers. Clouds and then the Adams Apple, .2 Skyship, which whisks you from the Notch involves some exploring.
Burlington-based outfitter Petra Cliffs miles beyond that. The Chin, the sum-
returns to the Notch each February for mit of Mount Mansfield, is 1.5 miles by base of Stowe Resort all the way to the “It’s more of an alpine environment
its annual Ice Bash, a full weekend of way of the Hellbrook Trail.
Cliff House, where you can access the and requires more route finding and
clinics, competitions and some of the Mount Mansfield can also be ap- Cliff Trail to the Chin to the north or navigating,” he says. “Unlike other ar-
the Nose and Forehead to the south.
eas where you walk right up to the base
best ice climbing in Vermont.
proached from the west from two park- To the east of Mansfield on the oth- of the cliffs, the Notch is known to re-
If you haven’t been there, or it’s been ing areas in Underhill State Park. The er side of the Notch Road is Sterling quire a little more scouting.”
a while, there’s no time like the fall—the more northern parking lot in the park Mountain at 3,100 feet high (one of For climbers looking for classic sport
colors are stunning— for a visit.
accesses the difficult Sunset Ridge Trail
(3 miles) up an exposed ridgeline to The the three peaks of Smugglers’ Notch climbs in the Notch, Farr recommends
Hiking Chin, while the advanced Laura Cowles Resort) and slightly to the south, neigh- “Beanstalker Buttress,” a fun and ad-
The area around Smuggler’s Notch
Trail shoots up the steeper west flank
boring Spruce Peak, rising 3,320 feet
venturesome two-pitch 5.8 route located

6 VTSPORTS.COM
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014