54 DIVISION VI

Continuing, the Blue Ridge trail leaves the peak to the southeast and crosses the Mendon-North Sherburne Road 2 1/2 miles from the summit. Leaving this road, it drops a little to a brook which it crosses in about 1/4 of a mile. Then it climbs back to the altitude of the road and holds about the same elevation for 1 3/4 miles until it enters The Long Trail at a point nearly a mile north of Long Trail Lodge.

The round trip from Long Trail Lodge is about 15 miles with good footing all the way and no very steep grades. It can be made most easily by staying over night at Noyes Pond Lodge. Another possibility is to go directly to Blue Ridge Mountain from Long Trail Lodge and return by the same route. To do this, go north on The Long Trail for nearly a mile, turn left at the Blue Ridge Trail (blue blazes), follow the blue blazes for 1 3/4 miles, cross the Mendon-North Sherburne Road, climb gradually 2 1/2 miles to Blue Ridge Mountain. Return over the same trail. The total distance is 10 1/2 miles. All blazes are painted blue except where the route is over parts of The Long Trail.

Another side trip near Long Trail Lodge is to follow the Deer Leap Circle Trail which goes around both Big Deer Leap and Little Deer Leap Mountains. It affords no distant views but is a trail of easy grades and passes through some fine forest. It starts north along The Long Trail, passes the Blue Ridge Junction, turns sharply right around the Deer Leaps. A short distance after leaving The Long Trail there is a junction with the Deer Leap Lookout Trail to be described below. The Deer Leap Circle Trail goes straight ahead (nearly east) at this junction and gradually turns right to encircle the Deer Leaps. After it has turned nearly south, it joins the Appalachian Trail about 3/4 of a mile from the Deer Leap Lookout Junction mentioned above. At the Appalachian Trail Junction the Circle Trail bears right and comes out at the highway.

The total length of the Deer Leap Circle Trail is 2 1/2 miles. On this trail the blazes are painted blue except where the route is over parts of The Long Trail.

The third side trail in this region is called the Deer Leap Lookout Trail for obvious reasons. It goes directly over the summits of both Little Deer Leap and Big Deer Leap Mountains. It is a rather steep trail especially up Little Deer Leap, but the views from it are well worth the effort required to climb it.

It leaves the road opposite The Long Trail Lodge and passes close to the left of Deer Leap Camp. It climbs steeply first to Lower Deer Leap Lookout and then to Upper Deer Leap Lookout about 1/4 mile from the road. At 1/8 mile farther a sign indicates an Eastern Lookout from the top of a big rock just off the trail. A little farther on there is a Lookout to the northwest from the top of another big rock. The trail goes down two ladders from this rock and crosses the brook that supplies the Lodge with water. It climbs from the brook to the top of Big Deer Leap in 1/3 of a mile. Here there is a good lookout to the south and west between the straight trunks of the spruces that cover the mountain top. Passing to the north, the trail drops for a short distance to

DIVISION VI 55

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a fine lookout from the top of a rock which is reached by a ladder. This lookout is toward the north with a fine view of Carmel and its neighbors. In the next 1 1/2 miles the trail drops steadily to the junction with the Deer Leap Circle Trail which was mentioned in the description of that trail. This junction is just half way around the Circle Trail, so the distance back to The Long Trail Lodge is 1 3/4 mile either to the left or to the right.

The length of the Deer Leap Lookout Trail from Long Trail Lodge to its junction with Deer Leap Trail is 1 1/2 miles. A round trip over the Lookout Trail and back by the Circle Trail is 2 3/4 miles. All blazes are painted blue on this trail.

Leaving the highway at Sherburne Pass, and again entering the national forest The Long Trail follows the west side of the ridge for a short distance and then swings, by an old wood road to the east side where it continues through open hardwood forest to the old and little-used Chittenden-Pittsfield Road. This road is about half way between Sherburne Pass and Noyes Pond. Keeping generally on the east side of the ridge, the Trail continues through more open hardwood and finally crosses the ridge to Noyes Pond (sometimes called South Pond). Noyes Pond has a Camp and an old Shelter. The Camp (stove and bunks for 8) is located near the Pond but the Shelter, open front, simple cooking utensils and bunks for 10, is set on the slope about 100 yards back from the Pond. The Pond is a lovely little mountain lake with some trout. Near the Shelter is a fine spring. A rather steep approach trail leads west 2 miles to the Chittenden-Pittsfield Road near the south end of the Chittenden Reservoir. Sherburne Pass to Noyes Pond Camp and Shelter, 6.1 miles, 3 1/2 hours (southbound, 3 1/2 hours).

From Noyes Pond the Trail now keeps to the west side of the ridge with some fine views of Chittenden Reservoir. About half way to Mount Carmel it crosses a deserted and overgrown highway running east and west through a gap in the hills. On a side trail to the right is little North Pond, a gem in a setting of majestic forest overhung by cliffs. The Trail continues about 3 miles