Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-03-18
SMUGGLER'S NOTCH IS
PICTURESQUE COUNTRY
Interesting Facts About Historic
Opening between Mansfield
and Sterling Mountains Told
by Mrs. Alice H. PilOn of Es-
sex Junction

Mrs. Alice Fl. Pilon Of Essex Junction
contributes the following information con-
corning Smuggler's Notch. which is being
opened IN this season as never before TO
the tourists Of America as one of the
scenic beauty spots of New England.
Between Mansfield and Sterling Noun
tains. a deep gorge intervenes. known as
Smugglers Notch. through which In the
early settlement of that part OF the state,
bride road was kept open. Tradition
says that contra band goods were secreted
and found their way through II: but lately
no one disturbe its solitude, except 1t be
a hunter or one seeking an exhibition of
nature in her widest and most romantic
haunts.
ITO the latter there LIZ here opened a
rich field, for even the far-famed
Eranconia Notch presents no wilder Views
nor tower precipices than are found in
this sequestered glen. Entering this deep
gorge from the south. about six miles
north of Stowe. the traveller encounters
dense forest. through which n comfort
able wood road passes by the side Of a
brook for mile or more. a bride path
is then followed about two miles, when
a Mammoth Spring Is reached.
above stowe village. and 1852 feet above
the ocean, shoots out from beneath
Sterling mountain. and forms a brook of
considerable size which takes it's course
south and widens into West Branch. tho
principal tributary of Waterbury river.
Occasional glimpses of the peaks of
| Mansfield are caught from the road lead
ing up to the spring, and. as the latter
spot Is approached. tho preciptous-
walled sides OF Mansfield and Sterling
mountains crowd more closely upon each
other and are not more than 20 rods
apart. Boulders of gigantic size lie scat
tered in the gorge near the spring and
are quite numerous north of it. One OF
the boulders. about eight rods north from
the spring. has four spruce trees growing
Upon it. each Of which IL at least 80 feet
, in height. This rock has been christianed
Bingham's rock. 1t is s. feet long. % feet
high and about n feet wide.
Further north are seen many large
| boulders, but none more symmetrical
| than this. Among the larger ones meas
| ured is one which we call &. Allen Browns
| rock, in allusion to the jovial and gentle
manly companion who accompanied us
! to the spot at the time of our first visit
there.
| a northern spur from Mansfield, lies the
Lake Of the Clouds. a crescent-shaped
pond. in full view from the chin 1t is
one Of the most elevated bodies Of water
| In New England. being 5000 feet above
the ocean. A stream isuing from this lake
| after running about one-fourth of a mile
| tumblss down the precipitous walls Of
| the Notch and breaks the stiffness OF
| the spot by the music Of its waters.
From the Mammoth spring to the
north opening Of the gorge. the perpen
dicular and overhanging walls are
numerous and rise upon either side il
majestic grandeur. threatening to fal
and crush whatever may he below them
1t il quite evident that those huge
boulders fell from the adjacent lodges
| and, in some cases. their downward course
is traced upon the slope Of land beneath
the cliffs. and their length of leap is giver
by the distance between the deep in
denied holes along the path.
Near the northern opening of TIL,
Notch. and about four miles from carl
tong Hotel In Cambridge, and about eigh
miles north Of the village of Stowe. is /;
large rock about GO feet in circuit. which
became detached from It's parent bed IA
| up the mountain side about 80 years ago
and came laundering down the valley
, laying waste the giant trees and what
| ever CHANGED to be in its downwar,
course. producing a rumbling not unlik
an earthquake. which was heard far off
and shook the hills for miles around.
From the fact that the great slide o
| which the above named rock formed
part. occurred on the day of the Dirt
Of Barton Ingraham. whose parents re
sided In the neighborhood. the rock ma
received the name, and is known as Bar
toms Rock 1t IL evident that stron,
currents from the north plowed through
this gorge and gradually wore down tn
barrier that once existed here. and thu
the valleys OF the Lamoille and tn
Winooski we're united"