Vermont cliffs now open to hikers

Hikers and rock climbers can return to Vermont cliffs now that peregrine falcon nesting season has ended. The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, in collaboration with Audubon Vermont, has confirmed that all the young falcons have learned to fly and should not be disturbed by human presence on the cliffs.

Swimming will still be allowed at Silver Lake in Salisbury, but access will be a little more difficult as the parking lot to the Silver Lake trail on Route 53 will be closed June 19-28, and July 15-16.Independent file photo SALISBURY/LEICESTER — The U.S. … (read more)

Hiking Vermont’s hillsides is a great way to enjoy a spring day, but the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and Audubon Vermont recommend people check to see if the area they are planning to hike or climb is open.

Our favorite approach for walking up the mountain has always been the hiking trail from the east side, which connects with the main trail from the west side a little over halfway to the top. 

Peak foliage is here, and over the next week there are numerous opportunities to get outside and enjoy it.

Whether you plan on walking to the top of Mount Abraham, the highest peak in Addison County, or just want to take a ramble in the woods, summer is a great time to get outside and enjoy nature by hiking.

Addison County friends Michele Hernandez Bayliss and Dean Ouellette have produced a marvelous guidebook “Climb Every Mountain” for Falcon Guides, detailing “46 of the Northeast’s 111 Hikes over 4,000 Feet.”

The Mount Independence State Historic Site in Orwell is offering a special, pre-museum opening guided hike into history on Saturday, May 6, from 1 to 4 p.m.

A pair of local hikers are looking to share their experiences — and invite others to make memories of their own — as part of a new book called, “Climb Every Mountain.”

Hiking Vermont’s hillsides is a great way to enjoy a spring day, but the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and Audubon Vermont recommend people check to see if the area they are planning to hike or climb is open.

Mud season is over and you will find that summer is perfect for enjoying Vermont’s landscape with a good hike — whether that is a 10-mile trek up in the mountains or a more modest ramble on some of the other low-key hikes in Addison County.

What happens in the woods stays in the woods. And that can be a problem. MATTHEW DICKERSON When I was young (many decades ago), if somebody asked a question that had a seemingly obvious answer, a common wisecrack reply was to ask the rhetorical question, … (read more)

The Green Mountain Club reminds hikers that mud season is here, so all trail users should stay off the wet and muddy high-elevation trails until they dry out, around the end of May.

Physical therapist Davida Murray is offering another way to support and connect local moms: a hiking group. The informal, free series is aimed at giving local mothers an opportunity to be active outdoors, and to connect with one another.

A crop of recent books about search and rescue in the mountains will keep you on the edge of your chair (or mountain crag), and give valuable insight on how to stay safe (see suggested reading below). Rescues are time consuming, expensive and dangerous, e … (read more)