Bigelow's Loop Saturday, 2-23-08

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MTNRUNR

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Jan 20, 2004
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Vernon, VT avatar: Old Goat
What an awesome day!!! Looking forward to reading about your hikes on this Beautiful Day :p

Met Rejean and Pierre at the Stratton Brook Pond road winter "trailhead"...plowed out spot for 2 or 3 vehicles about 200 yards in from routes 16/27...where they had slept overnight in thier vehicles...at 3:50 AM!!!

Donna dropped me off and headed back to bed at the Stratton Motel :D

We put snowshoes on, turned headlamps on and started in on the now packed snowmobile trail at 4:10 in 3 degree temp. With the moon shining brightly we could have gone along without the lamps. We talked and walked along at a decent pace. Shortly, things didn't seem right to Pierre. After checking his map we turned back. In about a mile we came to the intersection we missed...a good warmup :eek:

Soon, we started up the Fire Warden Trail, which had been traveled over last weekend (I believe). The Horn's Pond Trail appeared to haven't seen any travelers.

Pierre's plan was to do the loop counterclockwise to South Horn and bushwhack back to this trail :eek:

A little ways from there, there was a track to the left and we turned to follow it to do the loop clockwise. It soon ended where someone had camped. Returning we continued up the FWT.

By this time the sun had come up and it was looking to be a sunny day.

We reached jct with AT on the ridge about 8:40.

On the way up, Avery appeared to be very steep and rocky and I thought this should be "interesting! As it turned out the trail gradually cut across the back side to the summit. There was very little wind and decent views :p

We could clearly see West Peak and soon headed down. Stopped to check the shelter in the col which was locked up.

As I approached, Rejean and Pierre were standing on West Peak about 9:50...waiting for me to catch up :D

Carefully going down we headed to South Horn :p

Lost the trail on the way up and bushwhacked a little and soon found the trail and followed it to South Horn...YaHoo!!! It was now about 11:40 (I sometimes START hiking at this time :D ) What an AMAZING DAY!!! Hardly any wind and really decent views :p

Skipping on down the trail to the pond I felt great! Starting out we met a couple guys that came up the AT and were going to camp, and finish the loop tomorrow. Knowing the AT was broken out (and the Horn's Pond Trail wasn't) we opted to follow it.

Did a few small ups/downs and then down to jct snowmobile track and followed it back to the TH :p

Arrived at 2:38 and Donna was there to greet us. We successfully completed the loop in good time, in great conditions and with Great companions!!!

Thanks Pierre and Rejean for allowing me to join you on this wonderful adventure!!! Wish you the best of luck in BSP next weekend...
 
You are welcome Mtnrunr, it was great to hike with you
and Pierre on that beautiful day. The best hike of the
winter so far... and lots of sun.
 
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