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
Green Mountain Club Speaker Series
This winter the club has had a robust set of speakers and events. Many have been recorded (take a look) and upcoming events can be attended in person or often by Zoom. Registration and details can be found here.
Topics include:
How to Love a Forest: The Surprising Story of Vermont’s Forests and What it Means to Care For Them
No More Pits: A New Era of Waste Management on the Long Trail
Setting the Overall Speed Record on the Appalachian Trail
Our 50th Annual Meeting
Celebrating 50 years! Our Section's 2025 annual meeting was held on February 2nd, at the Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Society in Middlebury. Details including the agenda, highlights and photos can be found on our
Annual Meeting page.
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.
Read more about the college's generosity in our newsletter and also on the GMC Website and Vermont Public.
Seasonal Update
Our Spring Newsletter includes a fairly detailed recap of the presentation made by Geology and Earth and Climate sciences Professor Will Amidon at our Annual Meeting in February. It's an excellent read and is sure to leave with with new facts and appreciation of Vermont's geologic history and formation(s).
You will also find updates on the annual meeting as well as reminders on spring hiking / mud season and trail closures due to bird nesting habitats.
Don't miss the very robust late winter and spring hiking season calendar updates, including art on the trail. Get out and enjoy the cooler weather fewer bugs and changing vistas as things move from white to brown to green!
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 activities on our Calendar!
As the seasons change your preparations will change as well. Late winter and spring in the Green Mountains, like all mountains, is changeable and unpredictable. Be prepared and be safe.
For a refresher on winter hiking you may want to review this information. And for options during mud season when many trails are closed or should not be used, this post from 2024 gives lots of suggestions.
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.