I’ve been on a bit of a blogging hiatus while working hard on Postmatic, but there have still been good outings, and this is one I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I go to Vermont occasionally to work with my partner Jason and visit family in Burlington. The region is dominated by two peaks, the Camel’s Hump and Mount Mansfield, both of which I’ve looked up at longingly on all my previous visits. This time around Jason invokes his (pre-) Father’s Day wish to do it with me.

The hike does not disappoint, taking us over a nice variety of terrain to the distinctive rock flats on the summit.

Overlook

Lake Champlain from Camel's Hump

These trails are so different from the hikes I do out west, it almost feels like a different activity altogether. Paths are cut through dense woods, making a “tread” that is much more alive and three-dimensional than I’m used to. Roots, moss, rocks, water, and steep grades combine to create paths that bear little resemblance to a level, dry Sierra trail. The water is especially odd to me. While we bake in extreme drought in Reno, here there is water coming out of every nook and cranny in this landscape. This is evident on the ascent, but it’s the descent that really throws me for a loop. It’s steep and often under flowing water. Jason offers to let me run the long way while he returns to the car and drives around to pick me up. I soon see a sign with a higher mileage than I expected and my feet are so muddy and slippery that I can’t really run at all. I worry that he’ll be waiting for hours, but fortunately the trail slowly dries out enough for me to high step along, though I stub my toe twice doing it.

Camel's Hump over bog

Unidentified caterpillar

Rock veg

In the end Jason and I converge on the trailhead simultaneously, perfect timing.