[at-l] Camel's Hump Report (so long I fell asleep writting it)

["trypticon" <trypticon@msn.com>]

Last Saturday we found the time on our brief Island vacation (the Island of Vermont, that is, hehe) to hike Camel's Hump.

The day was perfect.  The bull on the dairy farm across the street woke us up right on time at 5:30 a.m. as planned - just the right time to get up and cook up some of those Dakin Farm fresh pancakes with some hot, dark, maple syrup and melted butter.  What a way to start the day.  Of course, we simply turned over and went back to sleep, eventually getting out at about 10 a.m.

In any case, the day was going to be great.  The temp out on the street was around 65 or so and the sky was clear.  Staying in Hinesburg, C.H. looms in the distance - not too distant, though, that we can still make out some snow on the summit.  Stopped at the IGA and picked up some pretzels, cheese, and water.  Oh, almost forgot about b-fast - a 6 pack of the mini-chocolate donuts.  Not quite Dakin Farm, but it did the trick.

With our handy map in hand, we wandered the back roads of Vermont, sure that the parking lot and mountain was close.  Had to stop for directions, which were happily given to us.  There is a misconception of Vermonters.  They do not hate strangers.  In fact they welcome them.  Welcome them to spend their money in Vermont and then go back to New Hampshire.  (Vermont Bumper Sticker - "Welcome to Vermont.  Enjoy Your Stay.  Now Leave.").  Well, we eventually got to the Duxberry parking lot and joined the other 2000 people parked there.  I thought that we were pushing the limits when we had to almost partially block the entrance, but then I realized that our rented car had on New York tags, and the people there would expect as much.  So we parked, put n the boots, the backpack, and walked.

The walk was awesome.  It was not as crowded as I would have thought by the lot, but there were still quite a few hikers.  The person I was hiking with got up a head of me and like every 3/4 of a mile would wait.  She forgot that we were supposed to be hiking together.  I reminded her that it is sometimes strange how those without backpacks can move faster than those with (I got my revenge on the way down - I have total disregard for my knees and like to jump and bounce going down - Up = Bad, Down = Good).  The trees were turning (missed peak by about a week) or mostly turned, but it made the birches stand out all that much more.  I was wearing fleece, long sleeve wicking shirt, and a pair of long pants and got pretty hot.  By the time we reached what snow was up there, though, I was glad.  The Alpine zone part of the trail quickly became a stream from the melt of what had been like 10 inches of snow the week before.  I love my boots because, frankly, I give no regard to mud or shallow streams with them on.  And muddy I did get.  Scrambling up the rocks I wondered how this little dog I had passed earlier was going to get up there.  Later, I wondered how he was going to keep from blowing off of the peak!!!

Well, as we got to the clearing where Long Trail meets up, it became cold and windy.  We summitted to a really really cold wind.  But the view was extreme.  It was clear and I am sure that if it was not for the other mountains, we could have seen Canada.  Truly, I cannot find the words to describe that place, other than KEEP OFF THE GRASS.  For those of you who have been there, you know what I mean :) .

Alright, let me just finish by saying the next day (at least in the morning as we sadly left the paradise of Vermont), it was very much colder and the peak was obscured by clouds.  I do not think that we could have picked a better time to go up.

I envy any of you who live in Vermont.  Some day I will live there and my great great great grandkids can then claim that they are true Vermonters.  hehe

Dave  

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