Northeast Wild

Dec 2022 -  ALERT: Glastenbury fire tower is closed to public use as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has recently deemed the tower structurally unsafe. Recreationists are asked not to climb or otherwise recreate on the Glastenbury fire tower. Trails in the area including the Glastenbury/West Ridge Loop remain open. Glastenbury Mountain from Rt. 9 in Woodford VT.  Green Mountain National Forest.  The parking area (1,380') has a good privy with TP, sometimes there is "trail magic".  The Appalachian Trail/Long Trail heads steeply north, gaining 600' in the 1st 0.6 miles, passes between split 12' boulders before mellowing in steepness.  FR 274 & a couple of other old woods are crossed (you can shorten the walk to the shelter by starting at the spring on Rt.9 halfway up Woodford Hill at 1,900' - it is ~1.1 miles & a 550' gain this way - best route if skiing, strong skiers could ski from the spring to well north of Little Pond Mtn).  Melville-N...

Lake Hancock, Congdon Shelter & Harmon Hill from FR 273 in Woodford VT.  Green Mountain National Forest.  FR 273 is driveable for 2.9 miles (parked) then becomes much rougher as an ATV/snomo trail.  There was some heavy machinery clearing an area nearby.  I saw a moose here while skiing a couple of winters ago.  After walking 0.8 miles, a good bridge goes R over Stamford Stream & that snomo trail crosses the Appalachian Trail/Long Trail in 300 yards (CS is then only 0.7 miles away or 1.9 miles from the start).  Continuing on FR 273, I crossed the AT/LT at 2.3 miles then reached Lake Hancock 0.1 miles further - nice pond, saw 5 mergansers & 2 people on an ATV,  also an old run-down cottage.  Took the AT/LT N for 2 miles to the shelter passing a view of a meadow, a beaver pond & Stamford Stream.  CS (2,088') is one of the older shelters around being built in 1967, roof leaked a little bit - it has 4 bunks for 2 people each ...

The high elevations (well over 2,000') in the Woodford/Searsburg/Somerset area hold snow into April - 2 feet on April 7, 2018.  Portions of the Appalachian/Long Trails and Catamount Trail pass through the area.