A Web Calendar version of our events is now online. Use it to display and submit events.

Agenda and Minutes for section business are now posted here.

The Nominating Committee proposes:
  President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Buddington (*)
  Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Charlene Bohl (*)
  Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathy Gohl
  Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert Lorenz
  Trails and Shelters Coordinator . . . .Eric Seidel
  Membership Coordinator . . . . . . . . Lexi Shear
  (*) Elected in 2008 and 2009, eligible in 2010.
The election of section officers is held during the Section's annual meeting, April 9. Additional nominations may be made from the floor.

Taylor Series January 22
Carl Demrow was our 2010 Taylor Series speaker on Friday, January 22 at the Capitol City Grange; his topic was "the Range of Light," otherwise known as the John Muir Trail.

Gleason Brook in Camels Hump State Park, October 2009

Kids and parents, join the (Young Adventurers Club)!

A fall outing

Subscribe to the section mailing list.

Planning a trip? Check the sunrise/sunset times and some past easier trips and trip sequences

Vermont Hunting Season posted at the Vermont Fish and Wildlife website.

Under development:
Section Leaders' Handbook
The GMC Volunteers Committee is in the process of updating this handbook.

Celebrate the Green Mountain Club's Centennial. See a bit of its early history and scheduled events.

January 2010

January 30, Saturday - Cross-country Ski. Stowe. All abilities. Various distances. Stowe Mtn. Cross-country Ski Center. Trail Fee. Call Leader: Mary Garcia, 229-0153 for meeting time and place.

January 31, Sunday - Snowshoe. Duxbury. Moderate. 5 miles. Snowshoe to Montclair Glen Lodge via Monroe and Dean trails. Call Leader: Michael Chernick, 223-0918 for meeting time and place.

February 2010

February 6, Saturday - Snowshoe Festival. Waterbury Center. GMC Visitor Center. For details see Trail Talk and the GMC website

February 7, Sunday - Cross-country Ski. Greensboro. All abilities. Various distances. Highland Lodge Ski Touring Center. Trail Fee. Optional 6:00 P.M. dinner at the Lodge. Call Leader: Mary Garcia, 229-0153 for dinner reservations by February 1, and for meeting time and place.

February 9, Tuesday - Cross-country Ski. Stowe. All abilities. Various distances. Stowe Mtn. Cross-country Ski Center. Meet at 1:00 P.M. at the ski center for 1/2 day Trail Fee. Call Leaders: Nancy Jordan, 223-3935 or Sylvia Kingsbury, 223-2921 for meeting time and place.

February 20, Saturday - Cross-country Ski. Stowe/Waterbury. Moderate. 7 miles. Cotton Brook loop. Call Leader: Steve Lightholder, 479-2304 for meeting time and place.

February 23, Tuesday - Cross-country Ski/Snowshoe. Morristown. Moderate. 5 miles. Annual Chili Party at Beaver Meadow Lodge. Please bring your own bowl, cup, and utensils. The stove will be warm. Call Leaders: Reidun and Andrew Nuquist, 223-3550 or Nancy and Fred Jordan, 223-3935 for your party contribution.

February 27, Saturday, and February 28, Sunday - Snowshoe. White Mtns., NH. Moderate/Difficult. 7 miles to Zealand Hut. Possible snowshoe to Zeacliff. Overnight Fee at the Hut. Call Leaders: Charlene Bohl, 229-9908 or Charlene bohl@comcast.net or Paul DeLuca, 476-7987 or pdeluca420@msn.com for meeting time and place.

March 2010

March 2, Tuesday - Cross-country Ski. Stowe. All abilities. Various distances. Stowe Mtn. Cross-country Ski Center. Meet at MHS at 9:00 A.M., or after lunch at 1:00 P.M. at the ski center. Call Leader: Marilyn Wilson, 229-9851.

March 6, Saturday - Snowshoe. Mt. Mansfield Forehead. Stowe. Difficult. 5.2 miles. Ascend Frost and Maple Ridge trails from Stevensville Road. Descend Wampahoofus and Butler Lodge trails. Crampons recommended. Must call leader: Paul DeLuca 802-476-7987 or pdeluca420@msn.com for meeting time and place.

March 9, Executive Committee meeting

March 10, Wednesday - Executive Committee Meeting. All members are welcome. Call John Buddington, 229-0725 or president@gmcmontpelier.org for location. Agenda

March 11 2010 is the Centennial of GMC's founding. See the announcement from the July (1910) The Vermonter. A gala celebration is planned in South Burlington; all are invited.

March 11, Thursday - Snowshoe. Groton. Snowshoe around Kettle Pond. Easy. 3 miles. Snack at a lean-to. Meet at Lenny's Shoe Store, Barre, VT at noon. Leader: Steve Lightholder, 479-2304.

March 13, Saturday - Snowshoe. White Mtns., NH. Very Difficult. 8.56 miles. Mt. Adams Airline Trail. Ice axe, crampons necessary. Elevation gain 4500'. Lower summit options if weather does not cooperate. Must call leader: Paul DeLuca, 802-476-7987 or pdeluca420@msn.com for meeting time and place.

March 14, Sunday - Snowshoe. Duxbury. Moderate. 3.2 miles round trip. LT south from Winooski River to Duxbury Window. Bring lunch and beverage. Dress for weather. Call leaders: Reidun and Andrew Nuquist, 223-3550 for meeting time.

March 21, Sunday - Snowshoe. Duxbury. Montclair Glen Lodge. Difficult. 6 miles round trip. Possible by winter side trail. Leave from MHS parking lot at 9:00 A.M. Dress in layers. Bring lunch and liquids. Must call leader: Michael Chernick, 229-0918 or chernick5@comcast.net

March 27, Saturday - Walk/Snowshoe. Stowe. Mountain Road, Rte. 108. Easy. 4 miles round trip. From Barnes Camp (end of plowed portion of road) to height of land. Call leader: Ken Hertz, 802-229-4737 or hertzkj@myfairpoint.com for meeting time and place.

April 2010

April 3, Saturday - Road Walk. East Montpelier/Adamant. Moderate. 5 mile loop. Sodom Pond. Bring water and snack. Call leaders: Reidun and Andrew Nuquist, 223-3550 for afternoon starting time.

April 9, Friday - Montpelier Section Annual Meeting. Montpelier. Wood Art Gallery, at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, College Street, Montpelier. Speaker: Eric Scharnberg of the Cross VT Trail Association. Elect 2010 officers. Pass a budget. See page 1 for details. Agenda

April 10, Saturday - Road Walk. Middlesex. Alternate: snowmachine trail walk. Moderate. 5 +/- miles. Contact leader: John Buddington, 229-0725 about the need for snowshoes. Meet at 1:00 P.M. at the Rumney School, Middlesex.

April 18, Sunday - Hike/Walk. Stowe Bike Path. Moderate. 10 miles. Call leader: Michael Chernick, 229-0918 or chernick5@comcast.net for meeting time.

April 24, Saturday - Road Walk. Calais and Woodbury. Moderate. 5 miles. Around No. 10 Pond and Forest Lake. Meet at MHS at 12:30 P.M. or No. 10 Pond access at 1:00 P.M. Please call leader: Steve Lightholder, 479-2304 or steve.lightholder@yahoo.com.

May 2010

May 2, Sunday - Hike/Walk. Berlin. Irish Hill. Easy. 4 miles. Meet at Berlin Pond parking area. Possibility of walking around Berlin Pond if trails are too muddy. Call leader: Ken Hertz, 802-229-4737 or hertzkj@myfairpoint.com for meeting time.

May 11, Tuesday - Road Walk. Washington. Moderate. 9 miles. Class 4 roads. Little elevation gain. Meet at Lenny's Shoe Store, Barre, VT at 9:00 A.M. Leader: Steve Lightholder, 479-2304.

May 15, Saturday - Work Hike. Duxbury. Bamforth Ridge. All abilities. 2-5 miles round trip. Wear work clothes and gloves. Meet at MHS at 8:00 A.M. Leader: Ken Hertz, 229-4737 or trails@gmcmontpelier.org

May 16, Sunday - Wildflower Hike. Stowe. Easy. 2-3 hours. Cotton Brook section of Mt. Mansfield State Forest. Walk on forest roads. Identify 20 or more species of wildflowers, with possibility of visiting a forest stand about 150 years old. Meet at MHS at 9:00 A.M. or at 10:00 A.M. at the gate below the parking area at Cotton Brook. Leader: Joe Bahr, 244-6132

May 22, Saturday - GMC Annual Meeting. Waterbury Center. More information on page 4 of Trail Talk and on the GMC Website.

May 29, Saturday - Work Hike. Stowe. Smugglers' Notch. All abilities. 6 miles round trip. Wear work clothes and gloves. Meet at MHS at 8:00 A.M. Leader: Ken Hertz, 229-4737 or trails@gmcmontpelier.org

Contact Leader.  Notify the trip leader if you plan to participate.  You don't want to be left behind, and the leader wants to know how large the group will be. Check the suitability of the outing for your fitness, skill and equipment.

Always contact trip leader before bringing a dog.

Be prepared.  Always bring appropriate gear for the event you are attending - lunch, liquid, snacks, footwear and clothing appropriate to the season and weather. For example, a flashlight is recommended for all-day and winter events  since return after sunset is possible. And remember that weather in the mountains can be more severe than in the valleys.

Meeting Place.  Unless otherwise noted, trips leave from the Montpelier High School (MHS) parking lot.

Difficulty Ratings.  The rating levels of difficulty are easy, moderate, and difficult. See guidelines from the Trip Leaders' Handbook.

• Easy - Accessible to all in good physical condition; suitable for families with children.
• Moderate - Requires a degree of stamina; some previous experience is desirable.
• Difficult - Challenging events for people in good physical condition; previous experience necessary.