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Club (1 1/2 miles; time, 3/4 hour down, 1 1/4 hour up). Mail, phone, lodging, food supplies.

Lake Mansfield is on the private preserve of the club and fishing is forbidden except to members. The club house is at the outlet of the lake and can be reached by auto from the east. The club house is also the southern end of the Kingsford Trail, a difficult but exceedingly sightly trail about 4 miles long and joining The Long Trail south of Mount Mansfield.

Leaving Taylor Lodge, two routes are available. One continues westerly through the bottom of Nebraska Notch, an extremely rugged and picturesque cleft in the mountains, partly filled with immense boulders. There is little climbing as the summit of the Notch is at about the same elevation as the Lodge, but the Trail is rough and should be traveled with care by hikers burdened with packs. In one place the Trail passes under a great rock, negotiating a vertical drop by a ten-foot ladder. The alternative route avoids the rough going in the bottom of the Notch by climbing up over the shoulder of a hill called the Sugar Loaf and rejoins the first Trail just beyond the Notch. This Trail is likely to be safer in winter but is not advised in summer because it misses so much interesting scenery.

A short distance farther west The Long Trail bears to the right at a fork, the left hand trail leading out 1 3/4 miles to the highway at Stevensville (3 miles from Underhill Center, and 21 miles from Burlington). The Long Trail climbs gradually along the west side of the range until it reaches the summit about 2 1/2 miles from Taylor Lodge. Here it is joined by the Kingsford Trail from the Trout Club. 3/4 mile farther north the Butler Lodge Approach Trail No. 4, from Stevensville by way of Butler Lodge, joins The Long Trail from the west at a point just south of the Needle's Eye

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at the south end of Mount Mansfield. Mabel Taylor Butler Lodge is a fine closed lodge, built of peeled logs, with permanent water near by and bunks with mattresses for 10 or 12; more if necessary on loft floor. It is about 5 minutes' walk from The Long Trail to the left. It was built by The Long Trail Patrol for the Burlington Section in 1933 as a memorial to Mabel Taylor Butler, who was a member of the Section and a lover of the Green Mountains. Its location is unsurpassed in sightliness by that of any other shelter on the Trail and it is a fine example of log construction. It is equipped with good stove and cooking utensils. It is planned to have a caretaker at this lodge; 25 cents will be charged for lodging. Taylor Lodge to Butler Lodge, 3 1/2 miles, 2 1/2 hours (southbound, 2 hours).

Mt. Mansfield is not only the highest and most rugged but also the most interesting mountain in Vermont. Its many attractions, side trails, etc., are described in a separate article on page 88, and the reader is also referred to the special map in the front of the Guide Book.

From the Needle's Eye the Trail climbs rapidly along steep ledges and soon comes out on the bare rocks of the Forehead, swept by forest fire many years ago. The summit of the Forehead, with an elevation of over 3,900 feet, commands a very striking view, particularly of the mountain itself.

At the top of the Forehead the Wampahoofus Side Trail No. 13, from Butler Lodge, joins The Long Trail from the west.

Beyond the Forehead the Trail skirts the west side of the Nose (there is a short side trail to the summit, elevation 4,062 feet) to the Mount Mansfield Hotel, located on the summit ridge of the mountain just north of the precipitous Nose, at an elevation of 3,850 feet. A private auto toll road