Sterling Gorge is part of the Stowe Land Trust and contains the Catamount Ski Trail, VAST (Snowmobile) and hiking trails. A truly pleasant and quiet place to ski. However, a new map gave me over confidence and despite what she said:
I thought I knew where we were.
I did not. It was a long detour to get home through driving snow and winds. Still, we will return because what a fun place to ski.
I am writing most of these several months after the actual hikes so I think this was at Mount Mansfield and this is the only photo I have. It is of a snowy brook. Surprising I know.
This is actually the foothills of Old Speck Mountain in Maine. It is a beast and the second time I was on my new snowshoes. Unfortunately they failed to work properly and we had to turn around before I injured myself. Some day we will return and claim it.
A really cool waterfall. It will reappear in a later entry.
Just stunning marshmellow snow.
It was about 1.5 feet deep and it tired Sal out a lot. This trip actually convinced us that he shouldn't join us again for his own health.
The view from the almost top. This was never going to be an ascent to the peak but we still found a good view.
Again this is a place we have climbed before but revisiting it in the winter was a very different experience.
Sal and I, ready to head out, clothed in my wool viking tunic that I designed and sewed. It is based on a vintage design and I have used it consistently for the entire winter as my primary outer garment and it is brilliant.
Crazy icicles and moss. What a color combo.
And stunning ice on the trees.
This did not reflect the actual mood of the trip. For reasons I don't remember we did not document the fact that the whole steep trail was a literal waterfall of ice. My crampons served me brilliantly but sadly Heather lacked such devices and we turned around about a quarter of a mile from the top because we could not safely go on. One of the hardest hikes we have done.
Mount Mansfield has become one of our more commonly visited winter playground. There are so many trails that dots its massive flanks. This particular hike was up Sunset Ridge (one we have done in the summer) to Cantilever Rock.
This was one of the last hikes Sal joined us because his short hair on his underbelly does not protect him against deep snow.
Just the coolest frost and icicles. I used my crampons for parts of this were ice was bad.
This is the rock, I would say over 20 feet long it just hangs over the trail.
And overlooks the valley.
If that doesn't show desolation I don't know what does... Mount Hunger is located east of Stowe, VT. It is part of the Worcester Range, a place that we have explored several times. There was heavy snow so not many pictures nor views.
