blueberry – David Kotz

We were in the area of Burlington, Vermont for the long weekend, so I was eager to take advantage of the amazing hiking opportunities in this beautiful corner of Vermont. Sunday morning’s weather looked good – few clouds and almost no chance of rain – so Andy and I headed for Mount Mansfield. As Vermont’s highest peak at 4,393′ (1339 meters), with open summits offering grand views, it is an extremely popular destination. With the Stowe ski area on its eastern slopes operating an easy gondola ride close to the summit, even in summer, and with the proximity of Vermont’s largest city, I knew the trails would be busy on this holiday weekend – so we were on the trail before 8 a.m.

A pretty stream on the Sunset Ridge trail of Mount Mansfield.

It seemed odd to climb to an elevation of over 5,200′ in search of a mountain whose elevation is only 4,003′ (1220m), just barely earning it membership in the White Mountains’ fabled set of “four thousand footers.” But Mount Isolation, our diminutive goal for the day, is, well, isolated. There are no direct routes to its summit, a slight prominence along the lengthy Montalban Ridge sloping southeast from the shoulder of Mount Washington. But as we climbed above treeline into the extended alpine landscape surrounding Mount Washington, we were glad to have chosen this route. Read on, and check out the gallery!