The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-02-19
BOLTON TRAIL TO MANSFIELD
An Eieht-Mle Jaunt With Two Shell
tiers on the Way

The Mountaineer had the following
interesting article on Green Mountain
trails In a recent issue OF the Boston
Transcript:
In q local publication the Green
Mountain club has made note OF the
work accomplished by Its members
and sections during the past season
The Mansfield and Stowe sections
have worked together and the net re-
suit is a continuous trail from the top
of Cancels Hump over Mansfield and
down into Smuggler's Notch, more
than rs miles in all The Cancels
Hump club has already the regular
trail from the railway to the summit
and in addition there Is new trail
from Bolton, from which in the OPP
posite direction the new path leads to
the top Of Mansfield.
To Cancels Hump the trail is four
and one-half miles long, and at three
quarters of the way up habitable
lumber camp affords shelter and an
opportunity to remain over night. AT
Bolton the two trails are separated
by the Winooski river and the ferry
across in a small boat Is one OF the
varieties of the tramp.
Leaving Bolton the Mansfield trail
first makes Bolton mountain through
woods with outlooks back at CameFs
Hump. II is eight miles to the top
of Bolton mountain, with two oppor-
tunities for shelter on the way. The
trail then makes north down the slope
OF the mountain into Nebraska Notch,
where the Lake Mansfield Trout Club
has a camp at which the wayfarer
may find a meal or nights lodging
Thence the trail Is west through the
notch, using an old abandoned stage
road, and at the height OF land the
route swings again to the north. cross.
Ing Mt. Admiral Clark pretty. high
UP and presently attacking the long
southern slope OF Mansfield itself, but
few minutes drop over the lodges
to the Summit House.
The distance here Is four miles. Al
the house there is a diversion TO the
mountain regular carriage road which
is followed down for a long way
path making off at length parallel to
the road into Smugglers' Notch. This
trail is the one cut by Justice Seneca
Hazelton this year and is gift by
him to the club. II passes along the
eastern side OF the mountain under
the cliffs and taps the road into Snug
glers' Notch. In a previous mention
Of this path. The Mountaineer had
information which seemed to locate
this path In another place. II was
reported to be from the Chin by direct
drop to the little Lake OF the
Clouds" and thence to the Notch.
This would seem to be the Logical
solution of a mountain way, for al
ready the we'll worn path runs alonl
the top OF Mansfield for its mile oil
30 of extent, and this ridge walk can
not fail to prove one OF the delights
| OF a tramp here. while the scramble
| down to the Notch couple OF thous
and feet below is OF the kind thai
always interests those who are ou'
for the varied pleasures OF tramping
The Mountaineer suggests to the Yer
| monters this as an alternative and no
without some experience, for at leas
three little parties Of the Appalachian
Mountain club in their trips to thi'
splendid summit have taken the facil'
out an example OF the phenomen
It is interesting to learn that thu
Green Mountain Club has explored
the Cave OF the Winds, little wal
1 below the ridge in one Of the ravinel
OF Mansfield. BY means OF knottet
ropes the members OF the party low
cred themselves TO the floor OF thu
cave about 100 feet, rather exciting
scramble. Electric lanterns showe'
the cave to be assure In the rocl
in which one may travel perhaps
three hundred feet before the narrow
ing walls stop progress. In height !
is from few feet TO more than thir
~. This is one of the caves In whicl
ice is 10 be found even In the middl,
Of summer.
Such caves are now known to b,
quite common In certain portions o
the country and hardly any mountain
region In the Northern states is with
out an example of the phenomen
on. There are number Of others Il
Vermont. half dozen in New HamT
shire. a good many in New York, tw'
or three In Massachusetts, and on
or two in Connecticut. Such ones a
this on Mansfield are generally con
sidered to be refrigerators whicl
through fortunate location and expos
ure preserve the ice OF winter into o
even through the heated season.