News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1914-06-24
Save Smugglers' Notch
From the Burlington Free Press]

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There is no spot in Vermont more de-
serving of preservation than Smug9lers'
Notch. 1t is part of that wonderland
| of Stowe scenery always glorious and
made more SO by the Interpretation of it
given to the world in Edward Martin Ia
ber's posthumous volume of notes. 1t
nestles almost directly beneath the high
head of Mansfield. 1t seems possessed
of the very concentration of the Green
mountain atmosphere and feeling. The
winding road from Stowe to Jefferson
vile is path of magic. 1t winds end
lessly between green Vermont hills and
toward blue Vermont mountains, and at
its most remote and awe-inspiring point
finds it's way through a deep defile be-
tween two mountains where the shade is
broken only in midday and the forest
trees grow greener than elsewhere.
In the heart of the Notch is the most
extraordinary spring in Vermont. Clear
as crystal, and pure as only a mountain
spring. can be, it throws up great vol
umn of water which tumbles unsteady
into bowl in the earth lined with quartz
sand, particles OF which dance perpetu-
ally in the Whirlpool Then the spring
slips away in the guise of mountain
stream. One can watch the dance of the
water and the sand and listen to the
music of it for hours at a time. Ii there
is anywhere in Vermont spot actually
alive with magic, it is this intensely
hollow where the clear water pours end
lessly up from the earth, and the shadows
over moss and ferns are undisturbed for
days at a time.
From the depths of the Notch not far
from the spring may be seen the swath
cut through the forest by a rock as big
as church which fell from it's place in
the mountain side few years ago, fell
clear of the mountain for a hundred feet
or more, rolled and bounded along for
perhaps a mile, grinding great fore
trees literally into nothing and here and
there sparing a cump of tall beeches or
naples by leaping over it. 1t is possible
to see perfectly the place in the over
hanging mountain side in which the stooe
fitted and from which it fell. The path
itself may be seen and the rock itself
which looms up not far from the road.
Not even Niagara can be more suggestive
of awful, resistless force. To see a
forest trodden down as though it were
standing grain, to think of the still re-
lentless work of the frosts year after year
prying loose such a monster of solid
stone, awakens the most dormant sense
of wonder and calls up thoughts too
deep for comfort.
The Notch is central to the mountain |
region. A good trail to the top of Mans |
field leads from it. On the other side the |
trail to the summit of Sterling mountain |
winds up by way of Sterling pond. 1t is
beautiful. 1t is romantic in aspect and |
fairly breathing with tradition. Vermont !
ought to possess it for a park. Even as
as an investment, as part of the forest
reserve, it ought to pay the State. And
as one CT the foremost of our scenic at
fractions its preservation would be
doubly worth while. If it is not pre-
served it will have to 90 the way of
other timberland.
The axe is already at work there and
N a short time in place of the green,
iorest-clad slopes which are its glory
will remain only naked ground and ach-
NC stumpage. The people of Vermont
ought to purchase Smugglers' Notch by
and present it to the State.
Then the State ought to improve the
Dad through it to make it more accessible
o automobilists. Who will be the first
o undertake this work