Burnt Hill Trail near Bread Loaf Mtn (2/24/07)

We started out about 8 am and wanted to do the Skylight Pond trail to the summit of Bread Loaf. The USFS 59 road is closed about a mile past the Middlebury College Campus and there is no parking except at the campus. We bare booted up Steam Mill Road (USFS 59) to a trail head a few hundred feet past the Burnt hill trail head which was already broken out. At about .5 mile the trail intersects with the Burnt hill Trail. This we followed to Long Trail junction at about two miles. We turned left (North) on the Long trail but quickly lost any sign of blazes, but as we were following a broken out section of trail we were not concerned. After only about a half mile the broken out section stopped. We looked for blazes for about 15 minutes but to no avail. The unbroken section had about 2 1/2 feet of very soft snow. It was much colder up on the ridge I would guess around zero, whereas it was in the low twenties at our car. We decided discretion was the better part of valor and headed back. Good thing.

Snow shoes are essental. On the return trip, a binding broke on one of my snowshoes, about a quarter mile from the trailhead. Barebooting it was exhausting. We left at 8:15 am and got back to the car about 1:30. Zippy was fine, loved the trip, and had no trouble with post holing. I left Chips at home as she is just not built for the cold like Zippy.

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