The weather forecast looked a little dicey when I checked it in the morning, with a minus 20 wind chill forecast for Camels Hump Mountain in Vermont. But I knew from previous experience that my route was largely protected from the wind up until the summit, so I decided to go for it anyway. But I did pack extra face protection, just in case I needed it.
Camel’s Hump is an easy 4000 footer in Vermont and this was to be my second winter season ascent this year. While there is a respectable 2500 foot elevation gain, the summit is only a two and a half mile hike (five miles round trip) and a quite doable in a 3 hour hike up and down. It’s a steep climb though, so you get your money’s worth if you want to do some cardio with a winter load.
When I arrived at the trailhead I was surprised by how tightly packed the trail was. As I was to discover, the Burrows trail is a popular trail for skiers, snowboarders, and hikers who slide or sled down it in winter. I filed that fact in my memory, since it means that the Burrows Trail should be climbable in winter with just microspikes.
I started out barebooting, but soon realized that spikes were needed for traction and broke out my Hillsounds. I also carried snowshoes strapped to my pack because I didn’t know if the upper part of the mountain was broken out or had deep snow. I didn’t use them as it turned out, but there was a lot more fresh snow higher up and I could have used them if I’d wished.
The climb up Camels Hump is steep and relentless, and the snow became deeper and looser as I gained elevation. It was also snowing heavily, and I was covered with the stuff. This necessitated putting on a thin softshell layer over my fleece hoody to keep it from getting soaked. It pays to be vigilant with your layers in winter. You never know when you’ll be out longer than expected, so it pays to be conservative.
About halfway up the trail, I started leapfrogging with another hiker and a couple who were also ascending the peak. I like to strike up conversations with the the people I run into on hikes, so I broke the ice and started engaging with them in conversation. I’ve met some really interesting people this way, which makes sense. They’re obviously my kind of people too, otherwise they wouldn’t be hiking up this mountain in January!
The Burrows Trail leads to an opening in the forest at the Long Trail Junction. The Long Trail then winds around the summit counter clockwise before getting to a protected vegetated spot, which acts like an atrium of sorts before you step out onto the open ledge leading to the summit. When I got to this point, I composed myself and stepped out into the open, where the wind was howling and the summit was smothered in cloud and blowing snow. I climbed as high as I dared on the rocky summit because I was worried about getting blow off by the cold gusting wind. The wind was really that strong.
I hadn’t bothered putting on a face mask/balaclava because I knew my skin would only be exposed for a short time. I just hunkered down into the hood of my hard shell jacked under a wool hat and hoody.
I made it to the summit during a short lull in the wind and headed back down to the “atrium”. Reflecting, its funny how much one gets vested in summitting a peak, even though there would be no shame if you stopped 25 feet below its highest point. It’s just a human compulsion to complete something, I guess.
From there, I reconnected with the couple, and we chatted all the way down the Burrows Trail. It was a delightful and far ranging conversation on a snowy day in the woods.
When I got home, I decided that I will start gridding the Vermont 4000 footers, afterall. This means that I’ll climb all five peaks (Mansfield, Killington, Ellen, Camels Hump, and Abraham) in each calendar month of the year. I’m not in any rush to finish, but it’s a good way to meet other hikers who have similar goals and experience to my own. This was my fourth month climbing Camels Hump and my third ascent in the past year. It is a fun peak to climb and well worth the views at the top if you’re lucky enough to pick a good day.
