The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-07-30

Berkshires, and then on to the Green
Mountains; then follows the eastern
arm of the Vermont mountain ~"
over to the Connecticut River and
thence into the wonderful world of
New Hampshire mountains from Dix
vile Mountain TO Mount Mousilauke
and Monadnock. Whether the pedes-
trian follows a sky line trail perpetu-
ally or for variety seeks at times the
woodland roads among the foothills,
he is ever at home, for this is his
kind of a void We must make it
completely his own by celebrating
trails and shelters throughout the
whole region, so he will feel himself
perfectly welcome everywhere.
In Vermont we are attempting to
make the Green Mountains play a
larger part in the life of the people
by beginning a trail along the Green
Mountain Range, The Long Trail
which will lead eventually from
Massachusetts to Canada.
This is the project of the Green
Mountain Club, State Organization,
which seeks to make the Vermont
mountains play larger part in the
life OF the people. The club Is or
ganized in sections, each of which
has its own mountain territory, its
own part of the Long Trail to make,
its own shelters to erect, It's own
mountain hospitality to extend.
Every section is expected to appoint
committees on trails, shelters, excuf-
sions, publicity and membership.
In this work the Club has been
greatly aided by the State Forestry
Service whose plans for Fire Patrol
Trails in part of our mountain reg
ion makes their cause coincide with
ours. In the construction of large
part of the trail the Club and the
Forestry Service have worked togcth-
er to mutual advantage.
The present trail extends from Mt.
Killington to Sterling Mountain, a
distance of about $50 miles by trail.
The Long Trail promises to be-
come a most significant and charac-
teristic state institution in Vermont.
1t is no. only a playground for the
members of the Green Mountain
Club but also a field of operations for
boy scouts and the State militia 1t
may be that some day in the future
no Vermont boy will be allowed to
vote until he, open-eyed, hot-hearted,
has followed the Long Trail from
Massachusetts to Canada, peerng in
TO every nook and corner Of Vermont.
and thus inspecting as from q review
ing stand the realm in which he Is to
play his par, as ruler One of the
most interesting practice marches
made by Vermont militia was the
march Of a party from Company N
on the Long Trail a year ago through
Smugglers Notch. over Mansfield
Mountain. through Nebraska Notch,
over Bolton Mountain. and down to
the Winoosh Valley.
In n possible Western New Eng
land trail system Vermont forms, as
it were, middle term. The eastern
branch OF the proydential Vermont
mountain "Y' was evidently intended
o form a bridge between the White
Mountains Of New Hampshire and
the Green Mountains OF Vermont.
When New Hampshire mountain
rails are brought down TO the waters
Of the Connecticut. and the route is
worked out from the main Vermont
range along the heights which over.
look Caspian Lake and wonderful
Lake and the Connect
cut, then the White Mountains and
the Green Mountains will be connect
ed by an interstate trail In New
Hampshire the trails of the Dart
mouth Outing Club which will evontu-
ally extend from Hanover to the
Dartmouth College Forest Grants
will make it possible for the pcdos-
TRAN to make his way consistently as
a mountaineer towards Monadnock.
Just as inevitable as is the Yer
mont sta.e-long trail are cross-state
trails in Massachusetts, The Taconic
Range extending south from Yer
mont. the Ilousatonic Range con.
tnuous with the Green Mountain
Range invite the pedestrian to cross
Massachusetts on its western heights
and TO visit the Litchfeld Hills of
Connecticut. thus completing a sky
line tour through the Western New
England Highland.
But Nature recognizes no political
barriers. To the north OF the Green
Mountains and continuous with them
lie the Notre Dame Mountains OF
Canada. overlooking Quebec. and ex-
tending far to the North along the
Gulf OF the St. Lawrence. With the
cooperation of Canadian out-ofdoor
enthusiasts the tail system can be
made an international affair extend
ing far to the north. Modern ex-
petitions to Quebec would be pos
sible through forests and over noun
tains. but in q spirit foreign TO that
of earlier, more historic expeditions.
But If the Canadian boundary is no
barrier TO the extension OF the IVES
tern New England trail system. GER
tainly the boundary between New
York state and Connecticut should
prove to be no nsumountable OBJ