Trans Vermont Expedition (Nov.1 - Nov.5, 2007)

[mike h]

Congrats to all the VT expo guys - that looks like it was a great drive.

We should look into putting together a dirt road loop across VT-NH and Maine. Wouldn't be hard to include tangents to Quebec and New Brunswick too - northern Maine is the largest expanse of undeveloped land in the US east of the Mississippi. But much of it is paper company owned and the access is fee based - but the potential for a great loop exists.

 

[KevinNY]

Next year we may do a Trans Nova Scotia. Still up in the air. A loop to include some of the Maine destinations like the B52 wreckage and the locomotives would be fun too I'm sure.

 

[Jamooche]

where can I find information on the roads / maps? I am heading up that way in a few weeks and would like to check some of them out, if there isn't too much snow that is.

As Kevin said, Class IV town highways in Vermont are closed by the Town Select Boards from Nov. 15th to May 15th for snowmobile access and to prevent excessive damage during mud season. It's very important to follow these rules to A) preserve the trails for furture use and B) to continue positive responsible "tread lightly" off roading. This all helps to show people who are generally opposed to off roading that 4x4 vehicles can responsibly share the roads with XC skiiers, equestrian, ATVs, hikers, etc. without damaging the trails for others.

Stay tuned for info as to when the article will be published. I am only doing the photos and the website. I will also be updating our site soon with photos taken by other members on the trip. You'll see some of me where I was almost thrown off the roof of the blue D90 while taking pictures.

bootzilla - Which photo do you want and why?
________________________________
Jamil
1970 Land Rover Series IIA
2008 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon
http://www.jamilabbasy.com

 

[rctr03]

mine

ordered mine last week...

 

[7wt]

I'm looking forward to seeing the results of this. I'm planning to do a New England trip in the springso maybe I can steal a few ideas from ya'll :shakin:

Are you stalking me Carl???

 

[FusoFG]

Great Pictures!

My brother lives in Cabot, Vt and we'd like to drive some of those roads the next time we go.

Do you have a map or route that we can have?

Thanks

Tom

 

[VTXSPres]

As Kevin said, Class IV town highways in Vermont are closed by the Town Select Boards from Nov. 15th to May 15th for snowmobile access and to prevent excessive damage during mud season. It's very important to follow these rules to A) preserve the trails for furture use and B) to continue positive responsible "tread lightly" off roading. This all helps to show people who are generally opposed to off roading that 4x4 vehicles can responsibly share the roads with XC skiiers, equestrian, ATVs, hikers, etc. without damaging the trails for others.

Just a quick clarification here. Each town in the state regulates its own road closures for winter months and mud season. Some towns have no official guidelines at all on closures and others have complete ordinances governing the matter. Here's the general idea though:

November in general: hunting season is ramping up with the junior weekend the first weekend along with muzzle loading and bow and then the massive rifle season beginning the second weekend and extending through Tgiving weekend. Best to stay out of the woods for this month in general. Next year, we'll be doing TVTX the last weekend in October. Barnard happens to close the roads on Nov. 1 due to hunting season, but that is very rare.

December: First couple of weeks is usually fine to winter wheel in almost all towns, but Dec. 15 is the unofficial start of snowmobiling season. If there's snow, stay off the trails, but if there isn't, it's usually fine to go out. Do watch out for ice covered streams and rivers. They can be brutally hard to cross and the water will freeze instantly to your brakes and drive-train.

January - March: Usually way too much snow to wheel. VTXS does one very carefully timed maple syrup event at the end of March when there's just enough snow and ice to keep us from damaging the trails, but not enough to make the trail impassable, although in recent years, the snow has been so tough that we haven't completed the entire trail.

April to mid-May: Mud season. Absolutely, positively stay off the trails. We do one event in early May, but it's on private land.

Mid-may - October: good to go. Use the state maps and do some great exploring. The fall folliage period is the best time of all.

 

[shane4x4]

Awesome trip!
I'm thinking of putting something like this togethe for Colorado. The Trans Vermont Trip would be a good addition to my 4x4 Across America project.

 

[Jamooche]

I added another TVTX gallery by Andrew Baird:

http://www.vtxs.org/tvtx.htm

 

[LC/LR4Life]

congrats guys that is aweomse.. I know quite a few of these roads from when I attended University of Vermont. It should be a hello a trip. ADK related I'm from Keene/Keene Valley originally

I'm gonna be moving to the Keene area in about 2010/2011..... Just waiting on wifey to finish her university studies and get out of this miserable state (tx)!

I would hope that members of the VTXS who live in New Hampshire, Maine, and other New England states would look into saving these back country roads and trails as well. I would love to see a trans-NH, trans-Maine etc in the near future.... The trans Vt expedition should be a yearly event in my opinion.

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

That is just awesome.. I miss Keene just a ton... My parents moved to Montreal a few years ago and the house became a second home.. But they can barely afford it so they put it up for sale a year or two ago... Has not ever even really had any offers. They priced it way high on purpose I think to keep it as long as possible But will be a sad day when the fam no long lives / has a place in Keene. It was one of the hardest things I had to learn to let go when I moved out here and decided to mostly become a perminent resident...

 

[Paul R]

Man I love that area! I lived in the Newport and St Johnsbury area for a while and traveled/wondered around many of the backroads up north. Gorgeous area! I really wish I could get back east more often! :camping:

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Interesting related article about Vermont...
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/11/us/11roads.html?em&ex=1208145600&en=eaee737a53a88f0c&ei=5087

 

[cstamm81]

That is an interesting read. Is anyone up for planning a group trip in the summer / fall on VT's class IV roads? I'd love to go back up there and get to see the roads less travelled.

 

[Starscream]

Great trip! I love traveling to Vermont; every New Year's I go to First Night in Burlington. Maine and Vermont are definitely my two favorite travel destinations in the north east. I love all the history behind New England and the scenery is beautiful. One of these days, I want to take my 60 up there, I'm just a little nervous about making such a long trip. Anyway, you must have had a blast! I'm jealous.