Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-08-22
A DAY ON CAMEL'S HUMP
Annual Field Meeting of Green
Mountain Club Enjoyed.
Changes and Improvements at the
Camp and In the Trails Make the
Ascent OF the Hump
Easier.

nit Of Cancels Hump August 10 with
good attendance. 80 In all. Some spent the
night of the 18th at the camp of the Cam
els Hump club, others the night of the
18th. The popular route was the Duxbury
trail for the round trip, though n dozen
returned by the Huntington trail. The
Cemers Hump club was represented by
dozen of It's members
While the atmospheric conditions were
not absolutely perfect, those who climbed
the mountain felt amply repaid. The most
impressive view was that OF Mt Mans
field. No one can be said to have really
seen Mt. Mansfield until they have seen
this mountain from Cames Hump. Mt.
Mansfield is so large In It's broadside that
the effect of height Is lost In the effect of
mass. Seen along It's ridge, the contour
of the mountain is sharply conical, en-
| phasized by the upthrust of the huge chin.
! This Increases the effect OF Its height. and,
though 20 miles distant Mt. Mansfield lit
orally towers over Cancels Hump. To the
south. n vista of tumbled peaks and ridges
| stretches for 20 miles until Pico and Kill
| ington ohstruct the view. Charming val
| leys. which lie between the foothills and
! the main range on both sides invite, ex-
! ploration r. w. Ross Of the State for
estry department has located and blazed
Il line of trail to Lincoln mountain from
| Camel's Hump. The Mansfield section
will bush out and guide post this 25 miles
of trail as It's contribution to the long
| trail for this season. Another year a
camp will be built midway on this trail.
! The forestry department has located an
other trail UP Camcl's Hump as none of
| the exist ing trails conform tn tho reniiire.
ments of the fire patrol trails of the de-
partment. This trail leaves the Duxbury
trail whore the steep climb begins and.
winding about the north slope of the
mountain, arrives at the camp Of the
to keep the trail down to a grade not to
exceed 10 per cent as all fire-patrol trails
are pack trails. This means that by an
| ed on horseback.
CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS AT
THE CAMP,
This season the camp Is in charge
of two juniors of Norwich Univer-
sly. A. L. Finley and f. +
Coolidge. Formerly the caretaker
sold camp supplies ana the visitor
cooked his own meals with the fro
and utensils provided by the camp. but
this season the young men have un-
dertaken the entire affair and furnish
meals at moderate cost. leaving the
VISITOR all of his time to reap the
benefits of the climb. Three tents are
provided with stoves. and some spring
wire cots are to be added for the bene.
fit of those who 40 not care for balsam
/ 1
bury trail is n pile OF lumber on Its
way to the summit whore 1t will soon
be transformed into a cabin IS feet
square. Piles of metal plate lie with
the lumber. for DYING to the healthy
appetite of the fretful porcupine, the
| cabin must be tin coated. A tight AMI
dry cabin on the summit will invite
the ascent OF the mountain on snow
shoes with shelter and a fire possible
at the top. Those who prefer camp
ing independently will hnd Ia miles
below the summit, on the Bolton trail.
a hahitable lumber camp. with hunks
and two good stoves. The register o:
the camp shows that 1900 climbed the
| mountain last season. Some other
registering was done in the early
morning hours of the 18th, when the
thermometer registered 80 degrees.
THE HUNTINGTON TRAIL
This trail to Cancels Hump, while not
the most accessible. Is certainly the
! most beautiful approach to the mountain.
The route is by rail to Richmond, by
team or stage to Huntington Center, nine
miles, thence by road to the base of
the mountain, three miles The trail Is
| three miles to the summit and leads on
| an easy grade through a virgin forest.
| Spruce trees were seen on every side
from u to 16 inches In diameter. and
| from 80 to ~ feet to the first limbs.
| One yellow birch three feet in diameter
was found by the trail side. and many
| two feet and upwards in diameter. The
| State forester is on the job as the pla-
card warning against forest fires was
| found on the trees by the trail-side The
destruction of This bit of primcval forest
| would be a crime. AS the trail climbs
above the forest the view. looking back
ward toward Lake Champaign. will In
| vite many u halt Any one who wishes
| to realize climb TO the summit of
| Camels Hump to its fullest extent
should MS" I've Huntington trail at least
one way.
| ACCOMMODATIONS AT HUNTING
| TON
| Those of the party who camped on
| the mountain the night of the 10th re-
turned By the Huntington trail. Since
| the hotel at Huntington Center is closed
dinner at q farm house was the only
prospect The farm house was easily
found. The trail leading into Its door
yard. the last house ON the road from
the Centre, The owner, c, L. Tart, and
his wife were hospitable. and soon
served a welcome and appetizins dinner.
For the information of those who wish
to try the Huntington trail, meals and
lodgings are always to be had at the
Tart farm. Automobiles may be run to
| the door. and cars and teams sheltered
in good barn. all at moderate cost. The
| Green Mountain club endorses any ef-
fort on part of the people which tends
to make the mountains more accessible
| Automobile parties can make the round
| trip to the summit from Burlington be-
tween 500 II, m. and 900 p. III, by this
route and have at least three hours on the
summit. by team the start must be ear
| lier. By the Richmond route, the return
to Richmond must be made By 500 D. m.
to connect with the last train back to
Burlington a stop at the Tart farm over
night gives the longest day on the noun
| tain.
| Those who enjoyed the dinner cooked
by Mrs. Tart found IT not only appetizing
and satisfying but possessed of unsus-
pected dynamic qualities which strongly