Northern Vermont prominent peaks - need route information

I am planning some peak bagging this spring of some off-the-beaten-path prominent peaks in northern Vermont. There are five and they are all 3000 footers, they all have (or nearly have) 2000' of prominence and they are all away from the Long Trail.

What that means is that they should be good hikes with hopefully good views and should be relatively uncrowded. I know when I did Grass in southern Vermont (from the same list), it was a great hike and practically no one (except curiously 6 or 7 VFTTers) had ever done it.

What I'm interested is route suggestions, available maps, points of interest (any fire towers) and any other infomation that some of you folks will know. I just know a few of you have done these (since they are on the 3K list and the Fifty Finest list). Except for Worcester, which has been ocasionally discussed here, I know next to nothing about these peaks.

Here goes:

Worcester: elevation 3642', prominence 2472', DeLorme Atlas page 46, Worcester map.

East: elevation 3438', prominence 2227', DeLorme Atlas page 49, East map.

Cold Hollow: elevation 3327', prominence 2165', DeLorme Atlas page 52, Cold Hollow map.

Signal: elevation 3360', prominence 2140', DeLorme Atlas page 41, Signal map.

Gore: elevation 3332', prominence 1994', DeLorme Atlas page 55, Gore map.

Any and all information would be welcome, especially hiking route suggestions, but also including driving directions, cheap area motels, campgrounds, pubs, etc. Also which ones might be combined in a single day. You get the idea.

Pb

Right in my back yard! The trail on Worcester is in pretty good shape. There is also a connector trail from the summit that leads over Hogback and onto Skyline Ridge, which connects Stowe Pinnacle to Hunger Mountain. A fave trail run as well

Just in case you don't have the trailhead info:

From Worcester Village, take Minister Brook rd (NW) to Hampshire Hill Road, which you take a right. Somewhere near Hancock Brook road, there is a short road on the left (a small sign, perhaps) that leads to a pull-off for the trailhead.

There are some lovely openings below and at the summit, and interesting veins of white quartz in the rock. It's about 2.4 miles.

And Worcester is a GMC approved Mud Hike

East and Signal are county highpoints, lots of info on the Vermont County Highpoint Trip Reports page.

Thanks Kevin, Tim and Mo

Tim: How would an ascent from Stowe up to the Pinnacle/Hogback and then to Worcester compare to the route from the East (from Worcester village)? If I could spot a car in Stowe I might want to go up from Worcester and then down to Stowe.

I have also heard the ridge trail doesn't exactly go over the Worcester high point. Is the highest point obvious or marked in some way?

Looks like Signal or Cold Hollow may be the most "interesting" based on what information I have.

Keep it coming everyone.

Pb

Clarification on Worcester

In my original note when I wrote "Worcester", I did not mean "Mount Worcester", I meant "the high point of the Worcester Range".

I realize now that there is a section in the Vermont Day Hiker's Guide - sitting right on my shelf - on this area. The book notes: "the highest point (3642 ft.) is a nameless peak sometimes referred to as Mt. Putnam, located about 2.8 miles north of Mt. Hunger's south summit". It lies about midway on the ridge between Mt. Hunger and Mt. Worcester. The nearest named feature is Hogback Mountain, the spur jutting to the west off of the ridge. The high point is a few tenths of a mile south of the trail junction of the Hogback Trail with the Skyline Trail. The little red cross on the Topozone map in my first note is the right place.

Now that that's settled, here's the question: Of the 3 possible routes
1) from Stowe over the Pinnacle and Hogback
2) from the south via White Rock and Mt. Hunger
3) from the north via Worcester village and Mt. Worcester

So which is the best, most scenic, shortest, steepest, etc.?

I know there will be multiple answers, but with just one car I must make the choice. I have read good things about all three routes but I'd like some first hand knowledge.

Thanks
Pb

I'm planning on heading there Monday the 26th of April, Assume if it hooks up Stowe Pinnacle to Hunger it goes over that point referred to as Putnam,

Tim, any snow? I suspect yes, about how high?

Cold Hollow Mtns: Some years ago the GMC wanted to rename this peak and I wrote that nobody would want such a nothing peak named after them. As I recall the vote was favorable but nothing seems to have come of it. In essence, there is nothing good or bad enough to make this one memorable, just woods. There was a gated woods road up the brook.

Gore Mtn: Firetower long gone but the cabin still there, lower part disrupted by logging and upper part grown in a few years ago when I was last there. But this was on the Northeast Kingdom Mountain Challenge by the Vermont Leadership Center vtlc.org so maybe it has been cleared.

Cold Hollow Mountain

Papa Bear - I have done all those mountains that you are interested in. I just got home from VT - not hiking, but a fun day. Tomorrow, I will look at my maps and Delorme Atlas and send you info about Cold Hollow, Gore and Signal.

Update:

From Waterbury to South Hunger as of 4/26: Some snow & ice around 2800 - 3450 nothing too bad, poles & boots for kicking a few steps plenty

Skyline Trail along the top, plenty of snow still, If planning on hitting Putnam, bring snowshoes for at least another week. I only went as far as N. Hunger & post holing was annoying.

I've posted an itinerary here for doing these peaks in early June. Please go to that thread and respond if you'd like to join me.

Route information is still very welcome (and needed) on this thread.

Pb

The only books I had was a circa 1998 50 Hikes book & a circa 1992 (Outdated) VT Dayhikers book. In case you didn't know The Skyline Trail starts/ends right on South Hunger. From what I saw where the snow melted, the trails there are signed & well marked, the Worcester Range should not present any problems except identifying which top of a seemingly endless (especially in poor weather) progression of PUD's is the summit. (Herdpath might be noticeable when snow is gone but it was lightly traveled recently over the snow.

Does Skyline go over Putnam or nearby? I can't join in but I was impressed enough with area to plan another day next fall in the area for business & a hike.