Vermont 2023 {Gilpin Mountain, Cajun's Snack Bar, Provisions}

16 September 2023 - On Saturday morning we hiked to the top of Gilpin Mountain, which sounds epic, but really wasn't too long or too hard or even too evident that we had reached the top. This is just part of The Long Trail that goes from the north end to the south end of Vermont, and which we have hiked a portion of across the street to the top of a ski run at Jay Peak Resort. There were so many trees that there wasn't a view. But we could see sky through the trees at the horizon, so we knew we were at the top. As always, so many mushrooms, so much green! It felt great to get out in the mountains nearby.

Doesn't this look like a woman with a skirt?

I love the colors!

So yellow!

Group shot at the top!

This one looks like some creature from Star Wars.
Jar Jar Binks, maybe?

Some leaves on the ground, but most still
on the trees and most still very green.

This one was a slimy blobbish thing.

We called the the stair section because . . .
wait for it . . . there were rock stairs!

Even the roots of the birch are shimmery!

Now we know what to call the road that we go over
from Montgomery to Jay Peak! We had named it
Monty's Notch because we hadn't ever learned its
real name.

Pancakes, anyone?

We can access another trail, called
the Catamount Trail, which is technically a cross
country ski trail, from this same parking lot, 
so we'll definitely be back to check that out soon!

After our hike, we had a treat for lunch: shrimp po boy, haddock sandwich, shrimp dinner and a bacon cheeseburger from Cajun's Snack Bar near Lowell. Oh man, we have wanted to eat at this place for years, having driven by it over and over, but the other times we've been here it wasn't open (because we were here later in the fall). It's still open this year, so we had to try it! And it was amazing! Best shrimp, best fish sandwich . . . ever!

Waiting for our food, things got a little silly.

We made a loop on our way back and drove over
Hazen's Notch to Montgomery and then back to Jay.
And as we were driving, we noticed Gilpin Mountain!
It's that bump right in line with the road. And we had
been on the tip of it just a few hours ago!

Cal wanted to visit Provisions, the Jay Peak
General Store/Gift Shop and she was so excited
to see they had a frazil machine!