The sun is just starting to rise over the lower nearby ridges in the distance and the temperature gauge reads 46 degrees! Perfect camping weather! I need to remember to grab my gloves for the chilly mornings ahead.
I arrive at the Route 11 Appalachian Trailhead just outside of Manchester promptly at 6am, and Christine is waiting for me in her car. I grab my things and throw on my shoes, making sure everything is tucked away in my truck so as not to invite any thievery In my absence.
The drive to the Kelley Stand Trailhead takes about 45 minutes. We arrive at the trailhead and I am on the trail a few minutes before seven.
The trail is a very popular trail with locals and the trail is wide and easy to hike, although it's still quite rocky and rooty with mucky mud thrown in for good measure. I am obviously the first one up the trail this morning, as I web walk the entire way up the mountain.
About two hours after I left Kelley Stand Road, and 1,780 feet of climbing, the trail emerges into a clearing on the top of the mountain. A locked caretakers cabin is just off the trail, with no caretakers in sight today. 25 yards further I reach the Stratton Mountain Fire Tower, an active tower that is open to the public.
I typically don't do fire towers. I'm not fond of heights, and the rickety steps terrify me. The last time I tried to climb one was in Smokey Mountain National Park, and I succeeded in climbing only two of the six flights before chickening out and descending.
However today I am feeling exceptionally daring by my standards, and the steps look sturdy enough, so I drop my pack and place my phone in my waist pack to climb the five flights up to the top. Unlike that tower in SMNP, this one has railings on both sides of the steps, and I make the ascent without difficulty, emerging into the four-foot sided square tower.
The tower landing is very narrow, with half the floor open onto the staircase. Many of the windows inside are broken out. I disturb several birds which are inside the tower, and they buzz my head, with one brushing my hair, before they make their escape out the broken windows. The wind is blowing through the empty windows, making an eerie whistling sound.
View from the tower is unbelievable. I have a 360° view of the top of the lifts at Stratton Ski Resort and Bromley Mountain to the north, the Taconic range of New York to the west, Mt. Greylock to the south, and into New Hampshire to the northeast.
I carefully make my way down the steps and back to terra firma, where I throw my pack back on to keep hiking. The trail descends 1,500 feet for the next three miles, when I see a sign for Stratton Pond.
I take a blue blazed side trail to the pond, which is worth the effort, as the pond is insanely gorgeous. The fifteen acre pond is the biggest one the Appalachian Trail in Vermont, and the blue sky is reflecting off the water, framed by the lush green of the surrounding woods.
I take a seat on an empty canoe rest and just sit and enjoy the serene beauty of the pond. A stiff breeze is blowing from across the pond and the water laps the shoreline in front of me. I am eating a snack when a loon blasts it's mournful wail nearby.
After a very leisurely 45 minute break, I leave the pond and continue my trek. The next two miles is rolling hills through beautiful yellow birch, ash, and beachwoods.
I stop at the Winhall River, which looks like a big rocky stream for another snack break and to filter water. Eagle Eye and Speedy cross the bridge. They spent the night at The Stratton Resort and took the gondola back up to the mountain top. They are continuing on to camp on top of Mount Bromley.
The next three miles are easy hiking and relatively level. I keep on the lookout for moose and bear, both of which have been spotted here recently, but the only wildlife is chipmunks and birds.
The trail then follows a very rough forest road for over a mile until the trail veers uphill. I look at my map and realize Prospect Rock is of the trail to the left. I walk through some hemlocks and see Speedy and Eagle Eye taking a break at the view, which looks down on the town of Manchester below. Mount Equinox stands sentry on the other side of Manchester. Eagle Eye and Speedy say there are a bunch of scouts who are staying at the next shelter who just left the lookout.
I consult my map, and see that my truck is parked only 5 miles away. I could have slack-packed today's hike if only I had the foresight. I check my booking app, but there are zero hotels available within 50 miles that are less than $300 per night. Of course, it's a gorgeous Saturday in the mountains! I contact the Green Mountain Hostel where I have reservations for tomorrow night, just in case they have a cancelation, but they are booked. I guess I will have to stay in the woods tonight and have another Nero day tomorrow!
Two miles later, I am walking down the blue-blazed side trail to the Spruce Peak Shelter. This shelter is one of the few enclosed shelters on the trail with four walls and a sliding barn door. It even has an old wood stove to keep people warm in cold weather.
There are indeed scouts and troop leaders here. They explain that they are working on their beginner camping badges and will be camping in the tenting area and not in the shelter. I think it's wonderful, and reassure the leaders that they won't bother me, and I set up my hammock in some trees on the other side of their location.
The kids are running around filtering water and setting up their tents while I boil water and hydrate my dinner. A leader and her son chat with me and ask me about hiking the trail. I overhear the boy excitedly tell the other hikers my name and that I'm hiking to Maine.
After dinner I am retiring to my camp and tying out my tarp when a leader walks up just to let me know that she'll keep the kids quiet tonight. I tell her it's really no bother and that I will have my earplugs in and hear absolutely nothing!
I am out before 8 PM.
Today's Stats: 15 miles, 2,612 feet gain
Trail Stats: 1,655 miles, 322 K feet gain
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