• About
  • Blog
  • Working together
  • Testimonials
  • Contact

Girl Gone Travel

Girl Gone Travel

North America, Travel
/
July 8, 2020

How We Hiked Mount Mansfield By Accident

Enjoyed this post? Give it some love and share!
Share

The family and I have been secluded in the Finger Lakes region of upstate NY since the pandemic took over. It’s been paradise. Our little vineyard cottage has been the escape that we have needed and with so much to do around the region, while still being able to social distance, we haven’t been bored. But, after 4 months we felt we needed a different scenery if only for a few days.

So we headed to Vermont, where there are plenty of places to explore nature. We started our first day a bit late, having decided to sleep in and take it slow. We found a trail head that promised to be no more than a 1.5 mile, moderate hike around some wetlands. Our greatest ambition for this trip was taking the Toll Road (by car) up Mount Mansfield, the tallest peak in Vermont, parking as far up as allowed and then hiking the last bit to the top. The cost however, for our group, was an estimated $60 and because it is a popular spot, we worried about the crowds we would encounter. So, we decided this casual, short hike – which we started around 1PM – would suffice while we mulled over the other option.

We checked the map and saw there were options between harder and more moderate trails.

We were dressed for a simple hike; sneakers, some water, a few apples, and our small doggies in tow. Not too long into the hike we realized that our trail was not surrounded by wetlands at all and we wondered if we made a wrong turn. But the trail was wooded and beautiful and though a bit of an incline from the onset, we thought a workout wouldn’t be too bad for all us. We saw a hiker coming down and asked him if there were any interesting view points and he stated that 25 minutes more would lead us to an incredible viewing spot. “We can do anything for 25 minutes,” we said to each other, and kept going. We had been hiking for 30 minutes at that point.

As we continued to walk along, the hike got steeper and we started coming upon rocks, that turned into boulders, that became the trail.

Honestly, we should’ve stopped there…or when we ran out of snacks…or when we ran out of water. But, the few hikers coming down kept telling us it was worth it, and some even said we only had one more mile to go…what they didn’t tell us was that it was all a steep climb over boulders.

Our first big boulder climb. We should’ve stopped here. My youngest was not thrilled.

The Mansfield peak, also known as The Chin, is 4,393 feet in elevation. The next peak before it is Adam’s Apple, 4,060 feet in elevation. The Toll Road’s highest parking point is at 3,850 and from there people can hike to The Chin.

By the time we realized that we were hiking up Mansfield, and making our way to Adam’s Apple, we were 30 mins away. The hike is 5 miles round trip, which doesn’t sound too awful for our family. But, those 5 miles felt like an eternity with all the boulders (and the wrong shoes on). We stopped a few times wondering why we were still going, but also eager to get to the top.

There were so many chances for us to stop and turn back. But our ambition got the best of us.

It took us 3 hours to get to the top. We were all so tired, and so thirsty. Our feet hurt and our puppies were wiped out. But the views made up for it.

As a family we went through all the emotions together: excitement, frustration, exhaustion, fear, anger, and relief.

Our way down was a bit more treacherous. No water meant we dehydrated pretty quickly, which for me, led to my leg muscles weakening fast, making the climb down difficult and dangerous due to my wobbly legs and loss of balance. The forest got dark fast, and we didn’t have head lamps with us, so we relied on our iPhone flashlights to guide the way. After several slips, a fall, and endless tripping over rocks and roots, we made it out of the forest at 10PM – 4 hours after leaving the peak.

I have hiked 13,000 plus feet in Colorado, and even climbed the Sun Gate (8,924 ft) in Peru, and the family and I have hiked Old Rag in Shenandoah (3,268 feet), but this was by far one of the most challenging hikes I have ever done, that my family has ever done together. I am so incredibly proud of all of us – including my boys and the doggies!

We also learned two important lessons: 1) never go by the estimates of other hikers as different skill sets lead to different perspectives of what the experience will be like and, 2) no matter what hike, always, ALWAYS pack extra food, water, and gear because anything can happen on the trail. Always be over prepared.

Would I recommend it? Yes, but if you are a slow hiker, start early and prepare for a challenging climb. The trail we took was called the Long Trail South, off of Highway 108, not too far from Stowe Ski Resort.

We went through all the emotions as a family during this hike; excitement, frustration, sadness, fear, anger, and relief – so, just your typical family outing. But, now we also have this incredible, crazy, unexpected adventure to brag about…and we saved ourselves $60.

Related

Enjoyed this post? Give it some love and share!
Share
Pin this Post
Share this Post
Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

You May Also Like...

Christmas Tree Hunting in Long Island, NY

December 12, 2008

Fort Tryon Park, Washington Heights, NY

December 10, 2008

Winter afternoon in the Bronx Zoo, NY

December 16, 2008
3 Comments
  • myline
    August 28, 2020

    Hi Carol, you have a great family. You are very lucky. I also have a plan to hike mountains with my family, but they always refuse. I’m very jealous right now how I wish I was part of your family lol. Thank you for sharing your journey.

    Reply
  • Linda Valentine
    January 9, 2021

    Awesome story and great advice. I am always starving after hiking. Usually the last part of any hike is about food! Lamps, water, phone…all important. So happy you pushed yourselves to such a great accomplishment as a family!

    Reply
    • caincarol
      Linda Valentine
      January 18, 2021

      Thanks! It was worth it for the memories alone!

      Reply

Leave a Reply to Linda Valentine Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Previous Post
What if we don’t go back to normal?
Next Post
Escaping to Nature During Covid

Categories

  • Asia5 Post(s)
  • Caribbean17 Post(s)
  • Central America4 Post(s)
  • Europe54 Post(s)
  • North America318 Post(s)
  • Oceana1 Post(s)

About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

Contact

  • caincarol@gmail.com

Follow @girlgonetravel

Things that make me happy: the sound of rain on th Things that make me happy: the sound of rain on the metal roof. So calming. 

#countryliving #fingerlakes #newyork
A moment in this little life I’ve created and lo A moment in this little life I’ve created and love so much. 

#fingerlakes #newyork #lakelife
Today’s morning was fueled by one of our fave sp Today’s morning was fueled by one of our fave spots in Geneva, NY - @monacoscoffee. We found this spot a few years ago, before we moved to the area full time while at a rental nearby and immediately fell in love with its community and cozy vibe, and delicious coffee. 

It’s even cuter than when we first visited while all the reasons we love it remain. Always worth a stop when in Geneva. 

#fingerlakes #newyork #genevany #coffeelover #coffeeshop
Sunsets and wildflowers. ❤️ #fingerlakes #new Sunsets and wildflowers. ❤️

#fingerlakes #newyork #summer #flxsummer
About last night. 🥹 Thank you to our family who About last night. 🥹 Thank you to our family who traveled from as far as WI and Ithaca to be here to celebrate our baby boy’s graduation last night. Congratulations @liamcain._ for all your special awards received for all the hard work you’ve done these past 4 years, your advocacy, your spirit, and your beautiful soul. We can’t wait to see what you do next!

We love you to the moon and beyond!

Congratulations to Class of 2025!!!! 🎉🥳
Another Finger Lakes coffee shop to add to your li Another Finger Lakes coffee shop to add to your list: @roastandtoastcafe_bar in Auburn, NY. 

Love their coffee, their vibe, and their selection of toasts! 

Cafe by day, cocktail bar by night!

#coffeeshop #auburnny #fingerlakes #coffeelover

Copyright © 2025 Girl Gone Travel | Privacy Policy | Copyright Notice