High Peaks Of Vermont Backpacking

Drive Time: 55 min Hiking Mileage: 3.7 miles Elevation Gain: 1,400 ft On this iconic Northeast backpacking adventure, we begin in Burlington and drive through rural Vermont to our starting trailhead. Our hike starts in lush Vermont deciduous forests full of maple, beech, and birch trees. Today is a relatively light day to get our legs warmed up for the next three days. Our hike takes us up 1,400 feet with some great views of the mountains and a unique cave, which requires negotiating a ladder.  Shortly after the cave, we join Vermont’s famous Long Trail. We’ll set up camp at an established tent site and enjoy the quiet forest with a delicious dinner cooked by your guide.

Hiking Mileage: 4.7 miles Elevation Gain: 2,195 ft Elevation Loss: 750 ft Today we’ll enjoy a tasty breakfast, then break camp and head out on the trail for a low mileage but rugged day summiting Mount Mansfield, Vermont’s highest peak! As we ascend the mountain we will quickly leave the trees behind and transition to rocky footing and over a mile of hiking above the tree line. Hiking above the tree line anywhere is a treat, but in the Northeast, it’s truly amazing. We’ll take some time to relax and enjoy the panoramic views stretching from New Hampshire’s White Mountains to New York’s Adirondacks. Your guide will prepare a picnic lunch before the group descends from the peak to the Long Trail’s Taft Lodge where we will spend the night. The historic Taft Lodge was built in 1920 and rebuilt in 1996. It is a rustic cabin with communal accommodations, similar to backcountry huts. There is often time on this day to relax at the lodge, or explore the area surrounding it, in the afternoon. We’ll cap today off with another guide-prepared, backcountry meal at the lodge.

Hiking Mileage: 6.8 miles Elevation Gain: 1,400 ft Elevation Loss: 2,050 ft This day begins with a long descent of Mount Mansfield into Smugglers’ Notch. After crossing the road in the Notch, we will begin our climb up Spruce Peak, another iconic Vermont summit, and the top of a winter ski lift. After ascending through lush forests, we’ll opt for a descent to a steep but beautiful vista, looking back through the notch. Then we’ll summit Spruce Peak and enjoy more dramatic Vermont views. We will wrap up today after descending from the peak and reaching majestic Sterling Pond, where we can enjoy the views from the lake and out over the valley. We will camp at a site nearby and enjoy a final, delicious backcountry dinner.