Grout Pond, VT in winter

[miehoff]

Hi.
I was wondering if anyone has stayed at Grout Pond and if there is any information as to what the "scene" is like there during the winter. Is it a party place for locals? Is it quiet and lightly traveled? Is there a lot of snowmobile activity?

I was thinking of going up maybe this weekend. Any quick information would be very helpful.

 

[Jay H]

I'd expect if anything, snowmobilers cause they could snowmile either from the LT or arlington stratton road or from the somerset reservoir where there is sure to be a lot of snowmobile usage in the winter... (as evidence from the plethora of snowmobile trail markers I saw from kayaking there last summer. Grout pond would be a very easy walk, let alone snowmobile from the Somerset Reservoir as well as arlington-stratton road.

I do not have any first hand knowledge though so I could be completely wrong.

Jay

 

[Guthook]

I was there last month for a day trip, and it looked like the east side of the pond had no snowmobile activity. The road to the pond from Kelley Stand Road is a snowmobile trail, but I only saw one pair of snowmobiles on it during the entire day. It looked like if you stuck to the east side of the pond, where many of the campsites are, you wouldn't see a lot of traffic except from the occasional skier. As for staying there, I saw no evidence that people had camped at all.

 

[Maddy]

I was there last month for a day trip, and it looked like the east side of the pond had no snowmobile activity. The road to the pond from Kelley Stand Road is a snowmobile trail, but I only saw one pair of snowmobiles on it during the entire day. It looked like if you stuck to the east side of the pond, where many of the campsites are, you wouldn't see a lot of traffic except from the occasional skier. As for staying there, I saw no evidence that people had camped at all.

Thanks for the update. Have been wanting to go out there with my pups but was concerned about snowmobile activity. I don't want them to have an encounter with one. I would go midweek so hopefully most of the folks would be at work. That is one very beautiful place.

 

[bcskier]

I took a high school outing club there overnight more than a few years ago so this advice is definitely dated but at that time the snowmobilers did not stay for the night. If you are using the cabin, it's pretty well yours (with the exception of others like you) for most of the darker hours of the day. As Guthook says the east side of the pond is not where the snow machines go so if you use one of the shelters you're likely not to see anyone. The road in and out needs to be shared with the machine traffic. The ski trails are off limits to them.

 

[hammerhead]

I think the cabin burned down. I'm not 100% sure though.

 

[AMF]

I don't think it burned completely, but is definitely closed. I've never noticed the area getting that rowdy. Too far of a trek in, and most 'bilers dont camp out.

 

[Quietman]

This thread from the Catamount Trail Forums says that the cabin is closed due to its condition. The GMNF site says that it is not available to the public at this time.

Too bad, I stayed there a couple of times in bad weather and it was a nice place.

 

[miehoff]

Thanks for the replies.

It is a hike in to Grout Pond itself, so I bailed on it this weekend since I was not prepared for the mile in, but I will treat it more like a backpacking trip and will be heading in sometime soon.

 

[Bolivia]

You used to be able to stay at the cabin. It had a stove in the 4 bunk bedroom and a fireplace in the main room. As an earlier post said, it is now closed - you can't stay in the cabin.

The trail around the pond is (was) restricted to snowshoers and skiers. Trails to/from Sommerset and Kelly Stand Rd are open to snowmobilers.

There are many tentsites just north and west of the cabin. There are also some tentsites and leantos on the east and south shores of the pond. The place is very quiet and beautiful. If you go on a fullmoon or a newmoon and don't have any cloud cover, you are in for a gorgeous night. You and your pups should do fine.