News Archives - Green Mountain Club

Bolton Lodge Restoration

September 7, 2017 by Mike Debonis Leave a Comment

In 1928, members of the Burlington Section set out to build a new shelter near Joiner Brook in Bolton to replace the deteriorating Dunsmore Lodge. What they constructed was probably the best and most inviting camp built on the freshly minted Long Trail System – Bolton Lodge.

The lodge was designed after the cottages of Wales and Ireland, four feet of cobble stone at the base, white stucco above, and a four-sided roof with round corners. Red and black shingles, trimmed irregularly, give the effect of a thatched roof.

For decades, this lodge welcomed countless hikers and outdoor enthusiasts to the forests and trails of Bolton Valley. (Read more about its history here.) Eighty-nine years later, Bolton Lodge is still standing and soon, because of some hard work and generous support, will reopen for overnight use.

Before we can get there though, we need help raising the final amount to complete this project.

A couple weeks ago I was out visiting the construction crew as they were hard at work tethered to the top of Bolton Lodge roof to cover it in new sheathing. Originally, they thought they could just remove the old asphalt shingles and reuse the original wood sheathing, but we weren’t that lucky… such is the way with restoring almost 90-year-old structures in the backcountry of Vermont.

To ensure we complete the historic restoration, we need to raise $10,000. Specifically, this support will help us install a new wood floor, restore the historic wood bunk beds, and finally build a wood shed to supply the modern wood stove on cold winter nights and a modern moldering privy to meet the needs of four season guests to the cabin.

We are excited and proud to restore this historic structure and bring it back into the Long Trail system and hope that you can help us complete the restoration by donating today!

Hunting Season Begins

August 31, 2017 by Kristin McLane 1 Comment

September 1st marks the start of Early Black Bear Season in Vermont, followed by many other hunting seasons throughout the fall. Hunting is allowed on all GMC owned and managed lands, including along the Long Trail and Appalachian Trail corridors in Vermont. Please be safe when you are hiking and be respectful of all trail users. The Green Mountain Club strongly encourages hikers to:

Wear blaze orange clothing, visible from both the front and back.
Avoid wearing brown or white, the colors of a deer.
Be especially careful while hiking in valleys and near roads and trailheads.
Avoid hiking during dawn and dusk due to low visibility.
Please leave dogs at home. If you do bring a furry friend, dress your dog with bright bandanas or a blaze orange vest.
Wave to make your presence known to hunters.

With the temperatures cooling and the leaves starting to change color, this is a wonderful time of year to go hiking in Vermont. It’s also a good time to refresh your safety awareness with regard to hunting season and general preparedness. A prepared hiker is a happy hiker! Have fun out there!

The Centennial Edition of the Long Trail Guide is here!

June 8, 2017 by GMC Staff 1 Comment

The Long Trail Guide is in! A limited number of books have arrived from the printers and will be shipping out immediately to those who pre-ordered. The rest of the books should arrive in a week and we will continue shipping from there. If you haven’t heard about the new edition yet, keep reading!

*Update: The printer surprised us by delivering the rest of the books the same day! The Visitor Center is stocked and orders will go out on schedule.*

LONG TRAIL GUIDE

The Centennial Edition
A Footpath in the Wilderness

Following the spine of the Green Mountains from Massachusetts to Quebec, the 272-mile Long Trail is Vermont’s rugged, world-renowned hiking route.

Whether you are an end-to-ender or a day hiker, the Long Trail Guide contains the information you’ll need to enjoy the scenery and solitude of Vermont’s highest peaks, including:

New and easier-to-read full-color topographic maps and elevation profiles
New shelter overview tables in each division providing quick reference information for shelters, camping, and water sources
Detailed descriptions of the route including shelter and trail history
Directions to trailheads and parking
Mileage tables and hiking times

Sales of this guidebook support the Green Mountain Club, a member-supported, nonprofit organization which has maintained and protected the Long Trail since 1910.

Order yours today! $19.95

Long Trail Guide Commemorative Set

A special commemorative set, with a Long Trail Guide retrospective authored by GMC and Long Trail history writer Reidun D. Nuquist, will be released this summer. Perfect for Long Trail history buffs, guidebook collectors, and anyone who just loves the trail.

Long Trail Guide Release Party and Storytelling Night

Thursday, June 22, 7:30-9:30 P.M.
Outdoor Gear Exchange, Church Street, Burlington

Check out the new Long Trail Guide, hot off the press 100 years after the first edition, and throw your name in the hat for a chance to share your best Long Trail story. Or sign up ahead of time at greenmountainclub.org/storytelling! Storytelling hosted by Maggie Mae Anderson, a Moth and Extempo storyteller. Drinks provided by Citizen Cider. We hope to see you there!

Mud Season Has Arrived!

April 7, 2017 by Kristin McLane 21 Comments

Spring has sprung, although it’s not always easy to tell in Vermont. One day it dumps 6″ of snow, the next it’s 50° and sunny, and the back and forth wreaks havoc on our beloved trails. When the snow finally melts in town and at trailheads, it’s tempting to hope that the entire trail will be just as clear and dry. But experience has taught us that snow and ice hang on late into May at higher elevations, and even into June on the highest peaks. And that middle ground between the trailhead and the summit? It’s a muddy mess.

As the snow melts and the spring rains arrive, the ground can only hold so much water. Deep and wide mud puddles appear, sometimes taking up entire sections of trail. But we’re not just trying to keep you from getting dirty. Trails that are oversaturated are vulnerable to damage from soil compaction and erosion with every footstep. Soil compaction degrades the quality of the trail by reducing its ability to absorb water, causing increased flooding later and making it harder for vegetation to grow. Erosion then carries the soil away, leaving rocks and roots exposed.

Think you can just walk around that mud puddle blocking the trail? Think again – while walking around muddy areas will keep you dry, walking on the edges of trails tramples vegetation, widens the trail, and causes more damage to both trail and environment.

Help us help you! Trail maintainers, many of whom are volunteers, work hard to keep Vermont’s trails in good shape. Let’s not add to their work.

You might say, But it’s so nice out! I want to hike!

Believe us, we get it! Hiking is what we live for, and it’s hard to beat that spring fever. First of all, keep in mind that what the weather is like at the trailhead is not necessarily what it is like farther up the trail. You could still be walking into winter if you somehow made it past the mud. Secondly, maybe try some different activities for the next two months: spring is a great time for other outdoor recreation like cycling, paddling, and even road walking. Check out our outings calendar to join a trip with a GMC section – we don’t just hike! Spring is also a great time to plan out your summer hikes. Who doesn’t love poring over maps and guidebooks? Or take a workshop and learn some new skills for later.

If you really can’t resist the call of the trail, stick to low elevations and south facing slopes, which tend to dry out earlier in the season. But even in those places, be prepared to turn around if the trail is suddenly muddy. One of the seven principles of Leave No Trace outdoor ethics is to only travel on durable surfaces. Rock is durable. Hard, dry soil is durable. Mud is not durable. Help us protect the trail for use the rest of the year by turning around when you come upon a muddy section of trail. The trails will dry out and harden again soon enough and you’ll be back out hiking before you know it.

Check out our list of suggested mud season hikes and even more from VT State Parks. Mud season has traditionally ended around Memorial Day but climate change is making it harder to predict what the season will look like. If it’s getting later in the season and you suspect the trail you want to hike might be dried out, it doesn’t hurt to check! Call the park that the trail is in for a status update, or call GMC’s Visitor Center at 802-244-7037 (or email [email protected]). We do our best to keep abreast of conditions and we are happy to share any information we have.

Most of all, thank you for doing your part to keep our trails in great shape! Vermont’s trails are some of its best features and we want everyone to enjoy them for a long time.

Bryant Camp has Reopened!

January 19, 2017 by GMC Staff Leave a Comment

This post was written by Mollie Flanigan, GMC’s Land Stewardship Coordinator.

On January 13, 2017, we celebrated the reopening of Bryant Camp, a historic cabin in Bolton Valley.

It was originally built by Edward Bryant sometime around 1930. He was a conservationist and skiing pioneer, who bought 4,000 acres in Bolton Valley in 1922 and developed a network of alpine ski trails, starting one of the first recreation areas of its kind in Vermont. After Bryant’s death in 1951, his Bolton Valley property was sold to a lumber company, and in 1963 it was sold to the DesLauriers family, who formed the Bolton Valley Corporation and constructed the access road up the valley and opened the Bolton Valley Ski Area in 1966.

In 2011 it was announced that much of Bolton Valley Resort’s Nordic and backcountry ski land would be sold to private interests and that the public would lose access to this area. Thanks to a community effort spearheaded by the Friends of Bolton Valley Nordic and Backcountry, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, and the Vermont Land Trust, the money was raised to purchase the land and transfer it to the State of Vermont to incorporate into Mount Mansfield State Forest. Over these years of changes in land owners, Bryant Cabin remained open to the public either through free entry or rental by Bolton resort.

When the Vermont Department of Forest, Parks and Recreation became the owners of the land, they needed a partner to manage the two structures on the property, Bryant Camp and Bolton Lodge. The Green Mountain Club agreed to be the manager of these facilities in order to ensure that these historic structures would continue to serve the public and provide recreational opportunities in Bolton Valley, but they needed major renovations before opening for that purpose.

Bryant Camp is nearly 100 years old. It is a low laying building, on a wet site, and so much of its foundation, flooring, and siding needed to be replaced. The camp had also never had a proper privy, which had to be built if the cabin was going to be opened to the public. In addition, the cabin needed a new woodstove, staircase up to the sleeping loft, emergency exit, and new wood shed.

The cabin is in a remote location, only accessible via a one-mile, uphill Nordic ski trail. Due to this, the renovations met with some anticipated, but difficult challenges. Transporting all the lumber and tools up to the cabin was impeded by the wet, eroding trail and early snowfall. The early winter made for cold and harsh working conditions which drew out the timeline for the project. The work was done by GMC’s construction crew, which was up for the challenge, and they were able to finish the renovations by the end of 2016, thanks to a lot of hard work.

The reopening of Bryant Camp took place on a clear but cold and windy day. GMC staff, board, and other guests gathered to make the trek up the one-mile ski trail, many of them hauling sleds of firewood to help stock the cabin. Once at the top, they were treated to hot chocolate and a thank you speech by Executive Director Mike DeBonis, followed by a ribbon cutting by GMC President John Page and tours of the cabin and brand new privy. Bryant Camp is now open for rental from August 1^st to March 31^st every year. Renters get the exclusive use of this rustic cabin, which sleeps up to eight guests, and has a woodstove and composting privy, right in the heart of the Bolton Nordic Ski Area. Rates are $95 for a weekend night, $75 for a week day. More details can be found and reservations can be made on GMC’s Rental Cabins page.

In 2017 GMC is planning to start renovations on Bolton Lodge, a historic Long Trail Shelter that is located at the southern end of the Bolton Nordic Ski Area. That cabin will also be open for public rental once renovations are completed.

GMC also has the long-term goal of bringing hiking back to Bolton Valley. We are planning on building trails that will connect Bolton Lodge and Bryant Camp to the Long Trail and provide for year-round recreation in Bolton Valley once again.