Choose Your Pace: Hiking and Walking Classics in Québec & Vermont
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At a Glance
What You'll Learn
- Observe the pristine natural beauty with an option of a spirited hike or a gentle walk.
- Learn along the trail with naturalists who interpret the scenery of Vermont and Québec.
- Discuss Québec's unique history, politics and culture while sampling the region’s great wines and cheeses.
General Notes
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Activity note: Check-in is 3:00 - 5:00 pm.
Afternoon: After you check in and have your room assignment, join us in the Great Room of the Lodge to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived.
Dinner: At the lodge
Evening: Orientation: 7:30 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Each full day, we will gather at 9:00 a.m. to get route maps (as appropriate) and hear about the conditions and challenges involved before boarding our vans. Hikers will be accompanied by two or three experienced Group Leaders (depending on group size), walkers by one or two. Participants are welcome to switch groups depending on how capable they feel on any given day. When crossing the US-Canada border, passports are required. We are generally back at the Lodge at approximately 4:30 p.m. The Lodge is a B.Y.O.B establishment. Alcoholic beverages are not served on-site but participants are welcome to bring their own. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/current conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Next, we will have an outline of the walks and hikes in this program. We’ll then have a presentation to learn about Glen Sutton, the Eastern Townships, and the general scene in this part of the world. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity note: Getting in/out of vans; driving about 10 miles, approximately 1/2 riding time. Three field trip choices: an easy woodland walk, a short Intermediate hike and a more strenuous Intermediate hike. Hikes 4-5 hours; varied terrain. Walks 3-4 hours; forest trails. Daypacks required.
Breakfast: At the lodge
Morning: Each day we gather at 9:00 a.m. to hand out the map of the day (if appropriate). A little pep talk on the rigors ahead and then we pile into our vans to head for the hills or, for the walkers, to our trails and laneways. Today is calibration day.....walkers tackle the Mountain-to-Village Trail, in the woods and based above the town of Sutton. Only a few miles and focussing on natural history the walk is easy but is a woods walk. The hike will be to the summit of the peak visible from the Lodge door: Mont Sutton. This hike is rated Intermediate and halfway into it is our lunch spot (by a highland lake) which also serves as a turnaround point for those wishing to return to the van. Please note that edgy weather or seasonal closures (nesting birds, trail washouts, etc.) may have hikers exploring other arteries of the Sutton Massif.
Lunch: We meet for a bag lunch at a pre-designated spot.
Afternoon: Hiking and walking continues. Participants are invited to switch groups depending on how strong or weak they feel on any given day. We are generally back in at the lodge around 4:30 pm.
Dinner: At the lodge.
Evening: Evening lectures commence at 7:30 pm. Topics might include Heart Healthy Living, Canadian History, American Invasions of Canada (1775 - 1871), Quebec Politics Since the Quiet Revolution, The Gerry Bull Story, natural history, Native Canadian history, International Adventure Travel tales. Each week has one free evening where guests can sample our world-class movie collection, play bridge or sample some local theatre (not included in price).
Activity note: Getting in/out of vans; driving about 26 or 60 miles, approximately 1/2 to 1 hour riding time. Two field trip choices: a gentle walk or an Intermediate hike. Hike 4-5 hours; hilly terrain. Walk 3-4 hours; flattish country laneways. Daypacks required. Hikers and walkers bring swimwear if choosing to swim in the lake.
Breakfast: At the Lodge.
Morning: Today's hike is in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. Pisgah Mountain overlooks wondrous Lake Willoughby and is rated an Intermediate hike. Net vertical elevation gain 1491'. Lunch on the summit. Mount Pisgah is known as the Switzerland of Vermont. Walkers will spend the morning exploring a lakeside trail in Knowlton, Quebec with a negligible net elevation gain.
Lunch: We meet for a bag lunch at a pre-designated spot.
Afternoon: Hiking and walking continues. In the afternoon, hikers descend to the shore of Lake Willoughby (swim anyone?) with a stop at an ice-cream shop on the way home to Glen Sutton. Walkers can swim, if desired, at our lunch spot by Brome Lake. Walkers then explore Louise Penny sites in and around Knowlton before a visit to the Abbey St Benoit du Lac, the maker of the best blue cheese in North America.
Dinner: At the Lodge.
Evening: Evening lectures commence at 7:30 pm. Topics might include Heart Healthy Living, Canadian History, American Invasions of Canada (1775 - 1871), Quebec Politics Since the Quiet Revolution, The Gerry Bull Story, Natural History, Native Canadian History or International Adventure Travel tales. Each week has one free evening where guests can sample our world-class movie collection, play bridge or sample some local theatre.
Activity note: Getting in/out of vans; driving about 70 miles, approximately 1.5 hours riding time. Three field trip choices: a gentle walk, an intermediate hike (4.2 miles) and a difficult hike (3.7 miles), approximately 4-5 hours; varied terrain. Walk 3-5 miles, approximately 3-4 hours; forest trails, flattish country laneways. Daypacks required.
Breakfast: At the Lodge.
Morning: Today we have three options: Walkers explore the Wiessner Woods, Stowe's Rec Path. A side visit to The Trapp Family Lodge of 'The Sound of Music' fame is also on the menu. The Intermediate hike is up Mount Elmore (net elevation gain 1,450').Today's difficult hike will be Vermont's highest peak, Mount Mansfield, 2,800' net elevation gain. The latter is not for the faint of heart and guide approval must be attained to participate.
Lunch: We meet for a bag lunch at a pre-designated spot.
Afternoon: Hiking and walking continues. Return to the lodge to relax, enjoy a pre-dinner drink and settle in for a fine dinner.
Dinner: At the Lodge.
Evening: Each week has one free evening where guests can sample our world-class movie collection, play bridge or sample some local theatre (not included in price).
Activity note: Getting in/out of vans; driving about 40 miles, approximately 1 hour riding time. Two field trip choices: a very gentle walk, and an easy hike. Hike 5.1 miles approximately, 1 Hour riding time; varied terrain. Walk (from the lodge door) 3-4 hours; forest trails, flattish country laneways. Daypacks required.
Breakfast: At the Lodge.
Morning: Today we have two field trip choices. Hikers will set out to explore a classic section of America’s oldest long-distance footpath, the Long Trail Devil’s Gulch. This is the easiest hike of the program. Walkers will set out directly from the Lodge along the Missisquoi River and hear tales galore from Prohibition to Marlon Brando to the Mossad to monarch butterflies.
Lunch: We meet for a bag lunch at a pre-designated spot.
Afternoon: Hiking and walking continues. We are back at the Lodge by 4:30 p.m. where there is plenty of time for a swim, a snooze or a snack.
Dinner: At the Lodge. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening: We’ll gather for the last presentation of our program. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Activity note: Check-out is 10 am
Breakfast: Enjoy our final breakfast together at the Lodge.
Morning: The airport transfer will depart at 8:30 am; approximate arrival at the Burlington airport 10:000 a.m. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!