Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-10-06
MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS
HOLD RENDEZVOUS AMONG GREEN
MOUNTAIN PEAKS.

Lincoln Mountain and other Nearby
Points of Interest-A Meeting Held.
The Appalachians who have made
Bread Loaf Inn their headquarters for the
week are enthusiastic over the region,
the hotel and the camp on Mount Lin
coin. They are people who are familiar
with the beauties of the New Hampshire
mountains and the Adirondacks and are
so, we'll pleased with the Green Noun
ta1ns that it is certain that this one is but
the vidette of a host of similar ones.
The train which brought the visitors
on Saturday had shown to them the
beautiful valley of the Black River, with
its towns and clustered villages peeping
out from the brilliant foliage; and al
though the hour of arrival was some
what late one, still some of the sunset
charms of the Middlebury intervales
were visible to be appreciated.
The cavalcade reached Bread Loaf in
the early evening and the visitors were
soon deep in the discussion of one of
mine host Battell's excellent dinners.
The rambling outlines Of the Inn caught
at once the fancy of the visitors, and
many were the exclamations of delight
as one after another of the public rooms
came In view.
On Sunday the visitors scattered them
selves among the many attractions of
the Bread Loaf tableland. Some attend
ed church at Ripton, while others stroll
ed to Pleiad Lake or to Silent Cliff. One
small party made its way to the summit
of Burnt Hill. Everyone enjoyed the
inviting prospects, although the biting
atmosphere of a premature winter pre-
vented those delightful delays which are
possible in more element seasons.
On Monday two parties were organic
ed, one to Granville and the other-a
party numbering 22-to the newly erect
ed cabin on Mount Lincoln. The day
was not at the outset pleasant one, for
after the start there were flurries of
snow, but these did not interfere with
the plans and the party, which included
seven ladies, had pleasant walk up to
the camp, a picturesque sunset and an
exceedingly lively and pleasant evening.
In the morning all but four ascended to
the summit of Lincoln and admired the
extensive prospect, which includes the
White Mountains, the Great Range ex-
cepted, the southern peaks of Ascutney,
Kearsarge and MonadnOck, the principal
peaks of the Adirondacks and the nearer
SUBMITS of the Green Mountains. Ex-
perts in the topography of each of these
districts identified a very large number
of peaks. The excursion was voted a
success and the party was enthusiastic
in its appreciation of the cabin and the
liberal spirit of Mr.. Battell, who has
made this mountain so accessible. The
club has camps and cabins of its own
and knows something about the fittings
and furnishings of such institutions, and
those of the Lincoln cabin elected uni
versal praise.
The Appalachian Mountain club has
educational functions as well as those
which include Its excursions, and In
Difference to these interests a meeting
was held In the casino at Bread Loaf
Inn on Tuesday evening. Among those
who were present were President Ezra
Brainerd of Mddlebury college, Edwin
/. II. Howell, treasurer of the Adron-
dack Mountain Reserve association, Hon.
Harvey n. Shepard, one of the club
trustees of public reservations, Prof. ID.
McGregor Means, one of the editors of
The Nation, Prof. Z. E. Boyce, for
merly of Mlddlebury college, and others.
In opening the meeting, John Ritchie,
Jr., corresponding secretary of the club,
the only officer who happens to be with
the excursion party, spoke briefly OF
President Brainerd's trips with the club
among the White Mountains, and called
him fo cnpaly from no fnlpacc n
his knowledge concerning the mountains
of Vermont.
Born in Vermont and fond of tramp
ing, President Brainerd is an apprecia
tive admirer of his native state. Al
though the White Mountains and the
Adirondacks, the neighboring ranges
have peaks of greater altitude, he feel:
that the Green Mountains have charms
and individuality. The name points tC
radical feature of the mountains, beine
translation of Champlain's name fo
the state Vermont. sit is interesting t
know" said the speaker, "why thes'
mountains are clothed with verddr
while their neighbors on each side ar
bare and rocky wastes. This is the di
rect result of the mineral constituents o
the SOIL. Inc Green Mountains are o
micaceous structure and the decomposl
tion of the ledges produces fertile soil
There are In Vermont alluvial deposit
such as form the fertile portions of othe
states, but the richness of the soil lie
not in these but in the upland pastures
which here are very fertile, but whic
elsewhere are oftentlmes devoid of plan
producing SOIL" President Brainer
outlined the difference between tn
Green and the Taconic ranges, and spok
of the great wall of quartzite whic
forms the western wall of the Gree
Mountains. The paper, which was {
exceeding interest, then dealt in SON
detail with local features, passing frol
the geology and topography of tn
region to its botany, in which he hs