It’s a GMVS Summer Camp tradition to start off the week with a long hike, and the weather was perfect for this jaunt along the Long Trail. Starting from the parking lot at Sugarbush South, we hiked up the steep ski slopes to the top of Castle Rock, then traversed North.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T-m_IgCtudY/T_M44sf7Z_I/AAAAAAAADp0/BH-ZdGzFVSo/s1600/GMVSCamp1Hike01.jpg")
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w3ZR2VRX6z8/T_M48KvA8yI/AAAAAAAADp8/WIl0lYiqBhg/s1600/GMVSCamp1Hike02.jpg")
The first of three summits was the hardest to obtain: Castle Rock is a tough hike (even though our local skiers Noah and Eliot claimed that the ski down is “boring”) and it took us a good hour and a lot of the water supply we carried to get up there.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--IdFOftc0d0/T_M4-69q7eI/AAAAAAAADqE/0enTfHVmkqc/s1600/GMVSCamp1Hike03.jpg")
Once we made it to the top of the ridge, the views were incredible for the duration of the hike, with just enough clouds to make the sky interesting while keeping us in the sun the whole day.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QDkCUlj5C4k/T_M5B_cTQoI/AAAAAAAADqM/LwyyHTk-qN8/s1600/GMVSCamp1Hike04.jpg")
Smiles all around!
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vlc2R7FbKHw/T_M5HAsP_nI/AAAAAAAADqU/j9LOUbWMkQc/s1600/GMVSCamp1Hike05.jpg")
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ocMSvHlU1d0/T_M5Mb8S-uI/AAAAAAAADqc/XSiQHpBPvnM/s1600/GMVSCamp1Hike06.jpg")
The second summit was Sugarbush North, where we struggled to find the entrance to the Long Trail. Fortunately our guides Noah and Eliot were once again able to steer us in the right direction, and we bushwhacked twenty meters through the woods to get back on track. First, an amazing lookout from the top of North.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--ZLx-RLw5y4/T_M5OxRL6nI/AAAAAAAADqk/JnxqZAuN72Q/s1600/GMVSCamp1Hike07.jpg")
Heading down the trail with the Champlain Valley and Lake Champlain in the background.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--nU6aHzJj1I/T_M5REpCXWI/AAAAAAAADqw/BjTvyDYMt68/s1600/GMVSCamp1Hike08.jpg")
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PUmzNrB_OZg/T_M5UY_xAtI/AAAAAAAADq4/bsZPUS-c8F0/s1600/GMVSCamp1Hike09.jpg")
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RR0yI4oFiYI/T_M5XNd4V-I/AAAAAAAADrA/F5a_M-40UNE/s1600/GMVSCamp1Hike10.jpg")
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CvMhoMBWO6U/T_M5ayzuOrI/AAAAAAAADrI/atE5P5YjHNI/s1600/GMVSCamp1Hike11.jpg")
We made it all the way over to the top of Mad River Glen, then crossed down under the lifts and met up with Justin and Rafter on the RAT trail to finish the day. A terrific start to camp with high spirits and enthusiasm for the outdoors the whole day: even on a 4-hour hike!
