Netop Mountain (2875') and Dorset Hill (2782') - Dorset, VT - 4/14/19

For this hike, I chose start from a parking area called "Baker Camp" on the National Geographic map.   From Dorset, follow Dorset Hollow Road to Upper or Lower Hollow Road to Tower Road to Grouse Road (private).  Grouse Road splits at the end and the Forest Service has built an access road to a parking lot.  Stay left at the end of Grouse Road to utilize this parking area.  A sign labels it as "Dorset Hollow".  A kiosk has just been built, but does not yet contain any information.

The new kiosk at "Dunham Hollow"

Dunham Hollow parking area.

I didn't know if I would be bushwhacking or following an old logging road or woods road on this day.  I didn't expect a trail, but a trail was there.  It was soon apparent that the trail was in the process of being built and it is a single track mountain bike trail.  Afterwards I found out on the internet that the Northshire Area Trails System of VT, (NATS) is building a 3.9 mile trail up Netop Mountain.   I followed this for awhile, but, being designed for bikes, it had more switchbacks than I wanted for climbing. 

The single track trail

I left the single track trail to do an easy bushwhack up the side of Netop Mountain to the ridge.  

I gained the ridge near the southern sub-summit of Netop Mountain.  I went there first, then continued on the lightly treed ridge to Dorset Hill.  I followed an old woods road.  Next I retreated my steps and went to the true summit of Nepot and northward to the end of the ridge.    

Dorset Hill

Stratton Mountain in the distance.

Netop Mountain in the background.

A closer look at Netop Miuntain

Netop Mountain

At the northern end of the ridge, I dropped down the western flank of the mountain to return to the car, crossing the single track trail at several points along the way.

A birdhouse in the parking area.

Netop Mountain on the left, Dorset Hill on the right (taken from Upper Hollow Road) 

These woods are quite open and the walking was easy.  Several woods roads made the walk even easier.  The views were mostly filtered through the bare trees, but it was a nice walk nonetheless.

   

Hike Stats:

Hike Distance:  6.8 miles

Hike Time:  4 hours

Total Vertical Gain:  2200'

The route

Mother Myrick Mountain - Dorset, VT - 4/8/18

Today's goal was Mother Myrick Mountain in Dorset, VT.  My approach was from the Nichols Hill Road.  I believe Beartown provides an alternate approach, but I didn't have much information on that so I decided to stick with the Nichols Hill approach.  

This route follows a woods road all the way to the summit.  There are junctions with other woods roads along the way, so pay attention to your surroundings if you go.

A fresh 6" of snow was on the ground from Thursday yet no one had ventured in this way since that time.  I chose to wear snowshoes, although I could have done this hike almost as easily without them.

This route is a semi-circle, but it provides for a moderate ascent grade as opposed to a short steep direct ascent.    

   

The start of the hike.

There is a small parking area at the end of Nichols Hill Road.

A first look at Mother Myrick in the distance.

An interesting side story to this mountain lies in the fact that it was the site of a plane crash in 1972.  Parts of the plane are still on the mountain, ust southwest of the true summit.

The plane was not at this location, but the sign was indicating which way to go. 

Wide open woods on the mountain would make some great back country skiing.  Even on this day there was enough powder that decent skiing would have still been possible.

There is a viewpoint that lies just a few feet from the true summit.  When Rev and I got there, a snow squall was obscuring the view so views were non-existent.

Nothing so see at the moment.

I'm not used to open ridges like this. 

Starting to see something...

After the summit, I continued south on the ridge a short ways before seeing the small piece of airplane wing.  I did not see other plane parts, but the fresh snow may have been hiding them.  I continued to the south end of the ridge before turning around to retrace my tracks out. 

A piece of the plane wing.

On the way back I was able to get a view from the summit viewpoint.   I caught up and passed one couple on the way down.  I also left the woods road to take a shortcut to save some miles of hiking.

This was a clear as it got while I was there.

This may have been my last day out on snowshoes this spring, but you never know.  This was a nice area.  I may come back to see the area again in the summer or fall and look for more plane wreckage.

  

Hike Stats:

Hike Distance:  8.9 miles

Hike Time:  4 hours, 10 minutes

Total Vertical Gain:  ~2500'

The route