Green Mountain National Forest Hike
6.6 mi
Distance
3 hrs 1 min
Time
terrain
2,239 ft
Elev Gain
Overview
This is a moderate out and back trail to Dorset Mountain, South Peak in Green Mountain National Forest.
Rate this Hike
★★★★★
did Mt Aeolus starting at School St and finished at the Quarry. First half is a no brainer, further up from lookout and the trail is poorly marked. Bushwhacked with faint, old trail ribbons to the peak but no way down the rocky face. Stay west of the peak or you’re deep in the bush. You’ll come to the south face of Owls head.
★
★
★
★
The trail may not be officially a trail, but it was a very easy trail to follow. The woods road section is quite flat. After crossing the dry stream bed, it become an ATV trail until you reach the pass. The climb to the pass is steady and follows a very pleasant cascading brook through the woods. When you reach the pass take a right and follow another ATV trail. When you reach a cairn with a right turnoff, take the narrower, steeper herd path as it approaches the two peaks. I would suggest taking the right turnoff towards the south peak and the old fire tower for the best views of the hike along with a possible camping spot. The trail continues past the fire tower towards the north peak. There are some signs to help you towards the north peak but it’s pretty intuitive. In typical Vermont fashion there’s a giant mud pit between the two peaks.
On the way down, be careful of the plethora of turnoffs to make sure to go back towards your car.
★
★
★
Public Tracks
Dorset, 94 of Winter New England 100 Highest
Another "Spring" day in the beautiful southern Greens. Returned to Dorset for a Winter turn this time. Sections of trail along the logging road beyond Tower Road were without snow, but by 1600' it was more consistently several inches deep except around some of the water bars.
Followed a snowshoe track up to a point a couple hundred yards from the junction with the old ridge logging road, where a tree had fallen. The snowshoe track just stopped there and they seem to have turned around, as there was no other noticeable track beyond that point. I knew where I was going, though.
Well, I knew where I was going, but I ended up preoccupied enough to miss the "traditional" turn off the ridge logging road. No matter, though, as I realized at the one after, and took it since I figured it would likely head straight for the summit or intersect with the herd path between the north (summit proper) and south (old tower) peaks. Thankfully it did end up intersecting, and I found that whole section of the herd path to the summit had been broken out by a snowmobile at one point (close quarters for such a thing!).
At the summit, the sign is gone but the canister was there (this one opens from the top). I couldn't find any register entries since late October (Beaupre/Haynes on 10/27 and Harley on 10/29). Hopefully the sign lay beneath the 2-ish feet of snow on the summit somewhere... Took the traditional herd path over to the North summit to visit the old tower again, then "whacked" down to join the traditional herd path and eventually the ridge logging road again. Had fun along the way in a few places, "snowshoe skiing/glissading" down stretches with enough snow to allow it.
Above that downed tree, was breaking trail and sunk up to 12-15" down in places mostly because the snow was so soft from two days with temps in the upper 40s; not terrible, though. Overall there doesn't seem to be more than maybe 2-3 feet of snow on this mountain up high - less than a foot down low. Took a total time of just under four hours -- 2h15m up, 1h30m down. 94 of Winter NE 100
