| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Knox Mountain (Orange), VT |
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 | Trails: |
Old trails, herd paths |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Thursday, October 6, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at a gate off Smith Road, where a sign forbids hunting, fishing, and trapping, but it's OK to go in otherwise. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Leaves - Significant/Slippery |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
There are old trails and woods roads/snowmobile trails all over the place. Great area to explore. The trails up high have no markings, though. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
A decent amount of non-biting bugs out due to the warm weather today |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Knox Mountain is a hidden gem east of Barre - I'd heard many interesting things about it and wanted to do it soon after I moved here (Spencer Morrissey called it one of VT's best trailless peaks in a VFTT post). Especially on a nice Indian summer day like this one.
I heard about paths up high from Peakbagger.com, but didn't know where they began, so started by bushwhacking from the VAST trail near Smith Road. Woods were generally open except for one 100-yard scrappy section. At the top of the west ridge, I came across a ledge with an excellent view and an old trail. It led all the way to the west peak (2,837'), where there was another ledge and a campfire ring. A fainter path branched off left just before the ledge, which led to the saddle between West Knox and Knox, where I picked up a woods road. That led to the top. The summit area has several wonderful open meadows - from moose grazing? The two primary open areas are on the west and east ends of the summit, with fabulous views. Highly recommended.
I followed the paths back over West Knox - from the first open ledge mentioned earlier, the path continued down, zigzagging over several ledges. Some care had to be taken to follow the path where it made sharp turns. It dumped me out back at the VAST trail just north of posted no-trespassing land, and I followed the VAST trail back north 1/2 mile to my vehicle. The path is very hard to find from the VAST trail; an old stump is the only indicator. But it's a pleasant way to go up Knox! |
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 | Name: |
Dan Saxton |
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 | E-Mail: |
daniel.saxton7@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-10-06 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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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. |
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