64 DIVISION VII
Middlebury is the seat of old Middlebury College, which has famous summer schools, there, at Breadloaf Inn and at Bristol. It is a quiet, attractive town on the main line of railroad between Boston or New York, and Montreal. The Lake Pleiad Section of the Green Mountain Club maintains the Trail between the Brandon-Rochester Highway and Mount Roosevelt. For further information, write Prof. P. C. Conant Voter, Sec'y, Middlebury, Vt.
For an inspiring near view of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks a side trip may be made to Snake Mountain, 10 miles west of Middlebury in the town of Addison. A 2-mile walk up an old road leads to summit, where steel tower permits a magnificent view including sky line of a large portion of The Long Trail.
As The Long Trail continues north from Middlebury Gap, it soon begins to ascend a ridge. In about 1/2 mile at a sharp turn, a side trail leads to Silent Cliff and Cave, whence there is a striking view of Monastery Gap and the mountains to the south. About 1 1/2 miles farther on, the Trail leads to Burnt Hill Lookout, with a fine view to the west over the Ripton Basin. A short distance north of the Lookout, the Burnt Hill approach trail (blue blazes) diverges to Breadloaf Inn, three miles distant. This trail may be used by those who approach The Long Trail from Middlebury and Breadloaf Inn, and wish to go to Boyce Shelter and points north on the Trail. In another mile from the junction with the Burnt Hill Trail, The Long Trail reaches Boyce Shelter. A short distance before reaching Boyce Shelter the hiker notices a side trail that diverges west to join the Burnt Hill Trail leading to Breadloaf Inn. Distance from Burnt Hill or Boyce Shelter to Inn, about 3 miles.
Boyce Shelter (1925-26), open front, unpeeled logs; bunks for 12 or 15, stove, cooking utensils and
DIVISION VII 65
good water; in dry season, water farther down brook.
Lake Pleiad Camp to Boyce Shelter, 3.6 miles, 2 1/2 hours (southbound, 2 hours). Allow 1/2 hour extra for side trip to Silent Cliff. Middlebury Gap to Boyce Shelter, 3 1/4 miles, 2 1/4 hours (southbound, 1 3/4 hours).
North from Boyce Shelter, the Trail passes over Mount Boyce and the two peaks of Battell Mountain. Between the north and south peaks of the latter, a short side trail runs eastward to Sky Light Pond, a pretty little lake only slightly lower than the north peak of the mountain itself. From Battell Mountain the Trail runs north and then ascends steeply to the southeast end of the ridge of Breadloaf Mountain, whence it goes in a northwesterly direction to the summit. Here in a cleared area is a tower from which superb views are to be had in all directions. On a short trail to the west of the tower is the West Lookout over the Champlain Valley.
Breadloaf Mountain and The Long Trail can be reached from the west by way of South Lincoln and the approach trail through Breadloaf Glen described below. This approach trail connects with The Long Trail at the head of the glen, above Emily Proctor Shelter and near Breadloaf Shelter. There are store, telephone and postoffice at South Lincoln.
In going north from the tower on Breadloaf Mountain, the hiker retraces the trail by which he came, and after a few rods finds the fork where The Long Trail diverges to the north. A half mile of easy walking brings him to Breadloaf Shelter, at the head of Breadloaf Glen. Just before reaching the Shelter, The Long Trail leaves Battell Park and re-enters the Green Mountain National Forest. This Shelter (1931) has accommodations for 12, cook-stove, simple cooking utensils; good water near by.
Machine-read from the 1937 scan. Text is the OCR’d original, unedited — including its age and its typos.
