Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-08-15
Trip to Mt. Mansfield.

Harriet f. Blodgett at the Center.
Trip to Mt Mansfield.
Old Mansfield on thy rocky face
The storms and years have lett their trace
| Strong lines and wrinkles deeper grow
| And on thy rugged features show.
| For ages thou hast silent stood,
Thy face above the mighty WOOD
| Gazing into the heavens blue
| While sunshine shimmered down on you;
Or when the clouds were round thy crest
And hghtnings, as al thy hehest,
/ Flashed out with fire from peak 70 peak,
| Or valleys deep below would seek,
While thunders crashed 70 shake the world
| As when earthis central fires hurled
| Thy form Of old into the air
| And set thee here in beauty fair.
| Grand king Of all Nerm0nt's green hills
| The gazing soul with grandeur nils
When We behold thy stern old face
| -THoMER WHITE
| The party Of "a who made the trip to
Mt. Mansfield Thursday, Aug. Sth, were
favored with fine weather and enjoyed a
delightful outing. Those who went
mem bers of the University club and
friends-were Rev.and Mrs. Homer White,
DIR. and Mrs. j. P. Clifford, Mr.. and Mrs.
j. ID. Denison, Mr.. and Mrs. NJ. NJ. Will
son, Mr.. and Mrs. A. b. Cushman, Mr..
and Mrs. L. b. johnson, Mr.. and Mrs. Jay
Read Pember of Woodstock, Mr.. and Mrs.
Guy Wilson of Bethel, V. /. Spear, Rev. F.
G. Rainey, James Hutchinson, c. II. Max
ham, Misses Georgia White and Grace
Kidder OF Bellows Falls, Misses Bessie
Holden and Annie Mead.
The route was TO Waterbury by steam
cars, thence TO Stowe, 10 miles over the
electric road--a very pleasant ride through
nice valley. The party took dinner at
the Green Mountain Inn, Stowe, and then,
by means of two and a three seated
| CONVEYANCE with two and three horses
1 nd a with fOnr hnrQeg
were hustled across five miles OF level
country to the foot of the mountain and
| began its ascent. There is a very good
road. not over-steep, leading to the hotel
at the top. II is a gradual climb for AZ
miles. Some Of the more active men OF
| the party walked the entire distance, while
nearly all took turns. The roadway winds
an even grade. II is closely bordered by
trees so that only occasional glimpses can
\ be had OF the view beneath until, just be-
1 low the summit, clear space is reached,
when a grand vista is opened up at once.
Thursday afternoon was showery, and as
the party reached this spot the clouds
hung heavy in 'sSmuggler's Notch" and on
them forked lightning was playing wildly
and the dull roar OF thunder could be
heard. II seemed like Dante's vision Of
the .sInfernor-weird and unworldly.
Bya rather long stretch Of the imagina-
tion, the top profile of Mt. Mansfield is
considered to resemble the human face,
turned toward the sky. There is the
broad round "Foreheadn at the south, then
the steep and rocky ssNose,p which defies
climbing on one side. Further north
along the crest are the "Lips"-two rocky
eminences, with cavernous "Mouth" be-
tween-and at the extreme north the
"Chin." which is the highest point. The
Summit House is at the foot of the''Nose."
II is quite commodious hotel and very
comfortable. All the comforts of the low
er world are found here. The service is
first-class. Thursday night the hotel
lodged 50 guests, the largest number under
its present management. The rooms, beds
and table are far better than might be ex-
pected.
A rafting shower entertained the party
Immediately on its arrival, but after sup
per the clouds cleared somewhat and those
who ventured on the Nose" in the face OF
the high wind got grand view OF ''all the
kingdoms OF the earth" DIR. Clifford and
Dea Cushman lost their "head-pieces,p
which were blown far over the cliff, but
fortunately regained them later.
The evening was passed pleasantly at
the hotel in games and conversation.
ssVic.n told all about the wonders of the
Pam American Midway, his description of
the "Trip to Heaven and Helln being
especially interesting to Bro. Rainey.
The party planned to see the sunrise
Friday morning from the top OF the
.Nose,n and turned out early Tor the pur-
pose, but the fog enveloped the mountain
so that il was impossible TO see ANYTHING.
Ii was then decided to wait until after
noon in the hope of clearing away. This
was realized about 10 O'Clock while p of
the "a were on their rough journey TO the
ssChinn about two miles distant from the
hotel From then on the day was fair and
the prospect grand and beautiful. From
the crest can be seen to the north and west
the whole Champlain valley, the lake its
entire length and the Adirondacks be-
You'd Immediately below is the village of
Underhill. then Jericho, then Essex juno
ton and Burlington on the lake shore.
Morrisville shows plainly to the eastward.
Other villages and wide eXpanse OF
meadow and farmland are seen. One
realizes that great deal of timber yet re-
mains to be cut, at least two-thirds of the
landscape being woodland. On perfectly
clear day the spires of Montreal can be
seen from the "Chin.n Turning around,
the view includes the Stowe valley and tier
upon tier of hills and mountains OF the
Green Mountain range.
A spring Of pure water bubbles out from
the rock only few rods from the very
summit OF the Chin, the highest
spring in Vermont. Under the "Chin,
like an adams apple" lies pond, eu-
phoniously termed, 1.-THE Lake of the
Clouds" Water is very abundant where
one would least expect il.
After good dinner eaten with especial
relish after the four-mile walk to the
''Chinn and back, the party babe adieu TO
Mansfield. which biologists claim is the
Oldest known eminence on earth, and were
whisked back to Stowe and home again on
the evening train.
II YOU have never visited Mt. Mansfield,
plan to do so at once.
(Other locals on next page.l