Sitting on Camel's Hump

Finally got out for the first overnight hike of the season. This a short one that one can also do in one day. 

I wanted the experience of being out in the woods more than just hiking through the woods and leaving miles behind me.

Starting in Duxbury, VT at the trail head at the end of Camels Hump Road.

The hike starts gently enough up Monroe Trail. After 1.4 miles I took the Dean Trail, passed by Hump Brook tent site and up to the Long Trail. A short .8 mile hike with some nice views to the right across a couple of wetlands of some dramatic rock faces that are add interest to the hike.

The Dean Trail is a bit steeper at places but still an easy hike. The crags that rise up above the fir covered slopes on the right side are a preview of what is to come.

Intersecting the Long Trail I went south a few hundred feet to get to Montclair Glen Lodge. 

The heavy duty log cabin has windows and a door which can be barricaded from the inside to keep out any intruding bears.

The “bear box” to safely store ones food about 50 feet from lodge is made out of heavy steel and is chained to a tree.

I did not see or hear any bears or other animals in the night.

The trees have been cleared just enough for the sun to shine on the picnic table in the afternoon and evening, which was much appreciated as it was a very cool evening and later, a  relatively cold night. I really enjoyed the altitude silence surrounded by a thick forest of evergreens. There were a few birds singing through the evening to add to the sensory enjoyment. A couple of local day hikers stopped by to chat. After that when the sun set the silence was near total, there is of course always the occasional jet liner passing overhead somewhere.

The log cabin felt like an ice box. The thick logs kept the cold insulated inside. In the morning I was met by a blast of warmer air opening the door. Stepping out of this refrigerator I did jumping jacks for a few minutes before I could even think breakfast.

The little brook a few steps away has some of the best water I’ve gotten on the Long Trail, any trail, so far. Looking forward to the water quality north of here on my September hike.

One of the unique experiences of this altitude is the smell of the evergreens. It is so strong and refreshing as to feel positively healing, clearing the nasal passages and the head.

Heading north on the Long Trail the trail winds up craggy cliffs from which there are some nice views south. The iconic profile of Camels Hump can be seen looming high between the trees and getting nearer after each scramble. By this time I strapped my hiking poles to my pack not to be distracted by them as each hand hold and foot step needed full attention.

By the junction of the Alpine Trail there was only bare rock and the boulder strewn steep slope to traverse to reach the summit. I started to enjoy the scramble and the views.

Reaching the summit was a bit anticlimactic as there were about 30 people up there, some no more than 4 years old. The grand views all around on a beautiful day explains why Camels Hump is such a popular mountain to climb. There was the addition of very dry air that made the views very clear.

Going down the north side was easy and just an ordinary hiking trail which explained the 4 year olds. It is a 3.6 mile hike through mixed hardwood forest back  to the parking. There are a few small streams crossing the trail for filtering and filling up water bottles.