Trip Review: Southern Vermont

This review just kept getting shunted to the backburner, and for no good reason! The trip was fantastic.

An unexpected woodland pond, surely a playground for moose

Southern Vermont Weekend Trip Review

Background: A friend of ours who had never gone backpacking asked Jeff if we all could go sometime so he could see what we make a big fuss about. I think that was a Monday. By Wednesday night we had half-cooked a plan to go to Vermont. I had a strange work schedule that week which allowed me to both run down to Paragon Sports and pick up a map of Vermont and also to stop by my alma mater to borrow some extra equipment.

baby ferns unfurl in the new warmth

Transportation: Our dear friend Matt took the train to his parents house in New Jersey Thursday night to pick up his car, drove it back to the city, and we left after work on Friday June 5. Gas and tolls were about $60 altogether.

Our trail started just outside Bennington. Getting there (including time spent a little disoriented/lost in Vermont) took 3 and a half hours from northern Manhattan.

A calming view from the top of Glastonbury Mountain. Not a building in sight.

Trail Conditions: The only other people on the trails were through-hikers doing the Appalachian Trail. They are a varied group, and very odd people to share trails and lean-tos with. The weekend was gorgeous, sunny, clear, but not too hot yet. Matt had forgotten his sleeping bag and was moderately cold in his makeshift wrap of the tent's rain fly, a tarp, and his hammock.

Vermont is not extreme in its mountainry. When we summitted the 3748 foot mountain/hill above our second shelter and shimmied up the firetower, we were greeted with a very pleasant view of rolling verdant hills. It's the kind of scene that gives me peace in my soul, but does not necessarily suck the breath out of my lungs with awe. This is by no means an insult to Vermont. Anyone living in New York knows that peace in the soul is absolutely priceless.

The trails were bursting with new life. Trees, shrubbery, the forest floor, all were exuding nuanced shades of green. Frogs, moose, chipmunks and squirrels were as excited as I was. Unfortunately for me, the gnats were also out and about and quite thrilled to have me around as a snack.

As we started hiking on Saturday morning, I giggled with glee at an exciting discovery:

ramps were growing everywhere. (They are the elongated leaves above)

I immediately harvested a few untrampled specimens, shook off the dirt and tied them to my pack.

At dinner, I rinsed them off, gave them a rough chop, sauteed them in olive oil, and tossed them into our pasta.

Food:

Breakfast
10 packets oatmeal--a little short of the 12 I should have rationed. My only excuse is not being used to planning food for 4.

Lunch/Snacks/Emergency Rations
1/2 jar of peanut butter
10 tortillas

1 large tub of hummus
1 gal. homemade GORP
1/2 lb. parmegiano reggiano (mostly used for dinner, but also eaten as "cheese flakes" for lunch)

I think most people would be happy to eat this at home, let alone in a beautiful forest after a good day of hiking. It's no harder to make on the trail than boxed mac & cheese, so why not?

Dinner
1 lbs. Barilla Plus angel hair/thin spaghetti

1 packet Knorr creamy pesto sauce
1/2 c pine nuts [as I've said before: bad for dieting, great for backpacking]
pint-container olives in olive oil
foraged ramps