Green Mountain Club (GMC) Bread Loaf Section
We are the Bread Loaf Section of the Green Mountain Club (GMC) in the Addison County area of Vermont. Non-members are always welcome at our events and outings. Read about who we are on our About page.
Upcoming Events & News
Annual Meeting
The Section's annual meeting will be held on February 2nd, at the Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Society. Doors will open at 6:00 PM. More details can be found here or on our calendar.
Bread Loaf Section News
In significant news, we are thrilled to report that Middlebury College has graciously donated a trail right-of-way to the Green Mountain Club permanently protecting a 1.5 mile section of the Long Trail that crosses over Worth Mountain and the Middlebury Snowbowl.
The route of the LT by Pleiad Lake and up Worth Mountain was first depicted in the Green Mountain Club’s 1920 Long Trail Guide. Middlebury College was granted the land from Joseph Battell in 1916 and the first downhill ski trails were cut in 1934, making the Snowbowl one of Vermont’s earliest ski areas.
The right-of-way has been a long standing project between Middlebury College and the GMC, and represents a major step forward in gaining protection for the few remaining unprotected miles of the trail. Read more about the college's generosity in our newsletter and at these other links as well.
Seasonal Update
Our Winter Newsletter includes more information on the donation by Middlebury College as well as a lemonade from lemons essay by the section's outing leader Ken Corey as he worked through his recovery from an early season injury.
There is also a nice recap of our Fall Program Packrafting in Gates of the Arctic National Park.
In sadder news there is also a touching memoriam for Deborah Lewis who has been an active leader in our community for many years.
Don't miss the very robust late fall and early winter hiking season hiking and activity calendar. Get out and enjoy the cooler weather fewer bugs and leaf free vistas.
OUR PHOTO LIBRARY
Check out where our volunteer leaders have been leading group activities and take a look at the photos captured by our members.
Check out other Bread Loaf section hikes, bike rides, and paddling activities on our Calendar!
As the seasons change your preparations will change as well. Winter in the Green Mountains, like all mountains, is no joke. Be prepared and be safe.
For a refresher on winter hiking you may want to review this information.
Tools and Crews!
2024 was a busy year for our volunteer trail crews.
2024 was a busy year for our volunteer trail crews.
Below: An enthusiastic Middlebury College student crew in early September 2023 put in 2 drainage structures in the first 1/4 mile or so of the LT south of Middlebury Gap.
Hike safely in all seasons!
To help ensure a safe and fun outdoor experience, we strongly encourage you to read and learn from these online resources before heading outside.
Plan for changing weather conditions especially at higher elevations. Read trail updates, check the weather & bring a map.
Layered, like a cake. That's the way to approach winter hiking so you can manage your body temperature and stay dry regardless of the outside temps. For winter in particular, here is a list of safety essentials including nutrition, hydration, illumination (b/c it get's dark early and quickly) and seven other categories of gear and preparation.
Find a Bread Loaf Section volunteer-led group hike
or check our resources and find a hike to do with your family & friends.
or check our resources and find a hike to do with your family & friends.