Vermont Beer Festival - Oh wait! Camel's Hump and Mansfield

Sorry, wrong Board! It was a great weekend of hiking and beer, not necessarily in that order!

We started the weekend off with a drinking session at the Vermont Brewers Festival. Awesome! Nuff said. More over there...( http://viewsandbrews.com/forums )

Saturday morning, Kerry accompanied us on a hike to Camel's Hump, up the Burrow's Trail. It's the shortest and definitely most popular trail for Camel's Hump. If you go, get an early start, or you will find hordes of people at the trailhead and the summit! The weather was pretty good too, so that probably helped increase the visitor count. We made decent time and were on top in about 2 hours. Others were much quicker, running up and down in MUCH less time. Apparently packs and even water bottles (the last thing casual hikers will forgo on short hikes), are optional in Vermont!

Views were good enough to see the Dax and the Whites (barely). The summit steward was a very friendly young man who pointed out numerous peaks! Thanks man!

We were back down by Noon, and worked at the Beer Fest Saturday evening, which gets you 'free' admission. Almost worth it... (long story)

Sunday, we got up early again and headed off to Mansfield, Vermont's highest peak. We went up the Sunset Ridge Trail and down the Laura Cowles. The SRT was mobbed, the LC trail had only one group on it besides ourselves. This was sort of a winter recon trip. No one seemed to know at the Ranger station how far you can get up in the Winter in a car. Any clues? The views were good but a tad hazy. We called Procook and met him at The Alchemist, which was CLOSED! Come on, not open till 3 on Sunday? We managed to have some great NE beers right down the street. Eventually 3:00 rolled around and we had a Rapture IPA at the Alchemist, probably my favorite from the festival.

A great weekend in Vermont!

http://viewsandbrews.com/temp/v2.jpg - Looking up at the summit from the Sunset Ridge Trail

http://viewsandbrews.com/temp/v1.jpg - Looking across the Ridge

Sounds like a great couple days.

The Blackpack Pub and Flyshop is a wonderful watering hole in Waterbury. Hope you made it there.

http://blackbackpub.com/

In the winter, the road is usually plowed as far as a wide spot about a mile below the gate, which is below a wide hairpin about 1/4 mile below state park complex & the summer parking. So, figure about 2 miles of approach walking between the road and the Eagle's Cut before getting onto SRT or Laura Cowles. The latter is a great winter route, IMO. It seems to get more use then than in summer, in fact -- it's fairly reliably broken out, whereas in summer you barely see anyone on it -- probably because of how sheltered it is until you get up high.

It's safer than the LT from VT 108, where there is the constant risk of getting annihilated by an out of control (and out of bounds) jerk on skis or a snowboard.

mirabela said:

It's safer than the LT from VT 108, where there is the constant risk of getting annihilated by an out of control (and out of bounds) jerk on skis or a snowboard.

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hey, thats me!

i usually avoid the underhill SP in the summer because i am cheap and dont like paying the $3 fee.
best summer route (IMO) is from the Mansfield trout club from nebraska valley.
i usually take the sunset ridge trail up in the winter because there is exposure early on. you break out of the trees quickly where LC trail is sheltered. i prefer the views myself.

Tom, Waterbury Res right next door to alchemist has some great brews on tap and great food as well.

mookie said:

Tom, Waterbury Res right next door to alchemist has some great brews on tap and great food as well.

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That's where we went, and I agree!

best summer route (IMO) is from the Mansfield trout club from nebraska valley.

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That is a beautiful and varied approach to the mountain but also a very long one. If you're headed all the way to the Chin, the RT distance is something like 16 miles.

Tom, by next year's festival there will need to be a new listing in the VT VNB.
Patrick Dakin, former head brewer at Norwich Inn is opening his own place in Royalton. http://freighthousebrewing.com/

He plans on it being a CSB(think CSA, but a brewery!). Also, open fermentation, I think. He was there pouring with Vermont Beer Company and Norwich Inn, and possibly pouring his own brew as well?
Anyway, I'll have to see what there are for nearby hikes to Royalton....

mirabela said:

That is a beautiful and varied approach to the mountain but also a very long one. If you're headed all the way to the Chin, the RT distance is something like 16 miles.

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a car/bike spot on 108 makes for a great hike.


The owner of the Res is a really great guy as well. i try and support his establishment whenever possible. i think the late opening time of the Alchemist helps his business as well.

that being said, i have never had a bad beer at the alchemist.

Jason Berard said:

Tom, by next year's festival there will need to be a new listing in the VT VNB.
Patrick Dakin, former head brewer at Norwich Inn is opening his own place in Royalton. http://freighthousebrewing.com/

He plans on it being a CSB(think CSA, but a brewery!). Also, open fermentation, I think. He was there pouring with Vermont Beer Company and Norwich Inn, and possibly pouring his own brew as well?
Anyway, I'll have to see what there are for nearby hikes to Royalton....

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Let me know when it is official!