Although
as a kid I always enjoyed hikes with my family, it wasn't until I was
in college that I bagged my first 4,000 footer. It seems quite fitting
that my first 4,000 footer is still my favorite. I think the primary
reason is that it is the only 4,000 foot peak in Vermont accessible only
by foot. No gondolas, no chairlifts, and no auto roads. As a lover of
mountains, I support any form of mountain exploration, but the allure
of a mountaintop accessible only to hikers is something quite special.
By
now, I've probably hiked Camel's Hump several dozen times, but I never
get sick of it. I've hiked it straight up and down the Burrow's trail,
I've done the Forest City, Long Trail, and Burrows loop, and I've hiked
it as part of an overnight trip on the Long Trail. My favorite ascent,
however, has to be hiking it from the Long Trail southbound starting at
the Winooski River in Jonesville. It makes for a wonderful 12.5 mile
day hike, made even better on a clear, sunny, winter day.
My
very first hike of Camel's Hump was a 2.4 mile ascent of the Burrows
Trail, a 1.9 mile traverse of the Long Trail, and 1.3 mile section of
the Forest City trail. Although a great loop, if I were to hike it now I
would do it in reverse.
Here is a series of pictures from my Camel's Hump hikes over the years.
