courtesy PChen
courtesy PChen
courtesy PChen
courtesy PChen
Having spent a bit of time with the bouldering, we shouldered our packs back on (which we'd been using for a crash pad!), and headed over the pass of Smuggler's Notch and down a bit, to the trailhead of the Hell Brook Trail. The Hell Brook Trail is a very very steep path up the north east side of Mount Mansfield, and I was looking forward to seeing how steep.
courtesy PChen
courtesy PChen
courtesy PChen
courtesy GAshford
The path was indeed pretty steep - and it was made worse by a thin dusting of fresh snow which made everything pretty slippery. It got worse and worse as we got higher, until finally we stopped and all put crampons on (except for Ewart, who had chosen not to bring any). The day continued to be wonderful and clear, and I especially enjoyed the views back down into the rugged notch. On the cliffs on the opposite side of the notch, chunks of ice were melting and breaking off of the cliffs, making thunder-like rumblings and claps every once in a while.
