NewEnglandTrailConditions.com
NewEnglandTrailConditions.com:
MA
|
ME
|
NH
|
RI/CT
|
VT
|
Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mendon Peak, VT
Trails
Trails: Skidder trail, herd path
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, August 4, 2019
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Plenty of parking when I arrived late Sat, and when I hiked on Sun. Lot did fill up by mid morning when I departed 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: There are 4 water crossings over Eddy Brook to get to the steep skidder trail with Cairns. There are a lot of diverging old tracks, so it helps to know. Also, the track I took up is a snowmobile and XC ski trail (Catamount). At each of the Eddy Brook crossings, there are yellow signs directing snowmobilers off the peak down to Wheelerville Road (Bucklin Trailhead) 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Very easy to pass through the skidder tracks and follow the herd path. 95% as good as a well maintained trail and better than many of the lesser used official trails 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Nope 
Bugs
Bugs: Tolerable. Some biting, but mostly just buzzing 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: This route to bag Mendon was orders of magnitude easier than what was experienced last year (attempted from the Long Trail via Little Killington). The most difficult thing was navigating the old skidder tracks to get to the point where the actual whack takes off. When you follow the old road past the gate, you will pass by someone's camp. Keep on going. When you see a RED blaze (property line marker) plan on veering right at the next fork. It's a grassy field. Follow that track and you will soon be crossing Eddy Brook 4 times. After the 4th crossing, follow th esteep track up and past a couple of switchbacks (marked by cairns) The last switchback has an old logging choker chain on it. That is your cue to start looking for the start of the whack a little further up the hill. Look for sticks formed into arrows on the ground and a ski patrol rescue sled propped against a tree for the turn uphill. The herd path from this point is very distinct and easy to follow all the way to the little hump to the left of Mendon, down and up the col and on to Mendon proper.

Views available off the first little bump. Veer left from the track out to a little cliff.  
Name
Name: Al-X 
E-Mail
E-Mail: powerpackager@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2019-08-04 
Link
Link: https:// 
Bookmark and Share Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense.

Copyright 2009-2024, All Rights Reserved