The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-07-30
MEASURING THE TRAIL
continued from Page onel

modations nearby BY having a per-
nit it was our privilege to enjoy the
hospitality of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard
at the dam and those two feeds, sup
per and breakfast. and the real beds
will long be remembered
On Wednesday we we're Joined by
Mrs. Mary Adams and Misses Hilda
and Martha Pratt who motored over
from Bennington bringing additional
supplies 1t was with regret we had
to bid Mr. Newton goodbye for we
were just beginning to get used to
the trip and enjoy it even better than
the first two days His injured knee
would not permit him to hike fur |
Their. The day spent in going from |
Somerset to the Grout Job will be re- |
membered by the weight and size Of |
the packs which included not only |
4 days provisions and blankets, but
material for trail marking which
made quite load in itself. The
night stop was made at the camp of
s. b. Hawks who has so generously
allowed its use to members of the c.
NJ G. On Thursday section of the
Long Trail between the dam and the
GIout job was relocated to avoid for
all time the overflow from the reser
| vOir. This was accomplished by
| swinging from what is known as the
| Weathering clearing to the Marshall
| 4 camp, hitting the old railroad bed 10
camp II and thence to the highway
near the Grout job by good trail
that is always passable although a
mile or two longer than the original
route. Because Of the Somerset dam
property being closed to visitors q de-
tour was marked from the Somerset
highway connecting with the new sec
ton OF Long Trail at Marshall 4
camp. Thursday was a memorable
day because Of the wet Not being
wet enough from perspiration after Is
or 20 miles hiking during the day the
weather man thought best to let
loose a thunder shower, nigh on TO
cloud burst. just as we were on the
last lap back to the Hawks camp. But
what of the wetting while we had
visions of nice hot supper awaiting
ut with some of Mrs. Adams delicious
biscuits. so onward we plodded in the
downpour four miles and a half to
camp only to find the rest Of the par
| ~ Just in from Grout pond and hav-
ing undergone the same baptismal ex-
| perience as We With considerable
| juggling of clothing OF all sorts every
one made themselves fairly present
Il q Ff ttl ic,l,
before us, hot biscuit and all. And
my! didn't everything just hit the
spot!
Friday brought the mountain
climb and Stratton mountain or
"Minicknung" as the old Indian name
used to be, is well worth climbing
The Long Trail from the south has
recently been pushed out by the
| Stratton Mountain Club and is a
steady. easy grade nearly all the way
to the summit where there Is the
60 foot steel tower. On clear day
which we were unfortunate in not
; having, one can see many miles in
every direction; to the north is Kill
ington, east the White Mountains IN
New Hampshire, south the Berk
= ! shires and west the Adirondacks all
lying cut like one great map. The
forester's cabin some little distance
+ east down the mountain was visited
. but like Camp eleven was not an in
ylting place to spend the night TAX
ing chance with the weather there
could be no more ideal spot to max,
an open camp than on the summi
and accordingly all set about gather
ing and cutting up balsam ant
spruce boughs which are plentiful ant
easy to procure for bedding. With Z
: leanto covered with ponchos for tn,
. ladies' and balsam bed directly un
der the tower for the men a comfort
able night was spent in true CAM
style not the least of which comfor
! was rousing camp fire that wal
kept burning all through the night.
Saturday put us on the home
stretch. The trail down to the Du
fresno job is rather rough, having
been blazed through only last season
and with very little bushing out done
> but IL Is well marked and only littl,
over two miles in distance. At the
Dufresne job the old camp has beer
burned and smaller one rebuilt So
that shelter can be had If necessary
The trail TO Prospect Rock and Man
chester is in fine condition except fol
the first half mile which is over old
corudroy and rather rotten. but on
the whole is the easiest trail TO hike
over of any the Bennington section
!, AT Prospect Rock was the surprise
for all who had not before beer
there as the splendid view through
, | Downer Glen to Equinox and the
Valley and mountains north car
hardly be described In words Here
the last marker on the trail wa.
placed. the 51st mile from the state
, line, along with several other guide
signs and here ended not only {
| happy week OF good wholesome
healthy recreation, but II was {
source of satisfaction to know thai
the entire Bennington section OF the
Long Trail was we'll marked and that
the mileage was known quantity
rather than inaccurate compilations
from maps and personal Judgment
The distances form the Massachusetts
line to objective points are as fol
lows:
state Line to Sucker Pond, I
miles
| plnEn plara IN r,ilau