Dorset Mountain(Green Mountain National Forest-Dorset, Vermont)

With clouds and fog hanging tough elsewhere, I headed over into Vermont to hike 3770 foot Dorset Mountain where the skies were clear and the sun was shining bright.  Dorset Mountain is one of the highest peaks in southern Vermont and can be accessed via a combination of woods roads/ ATV trails from the very end of Tower Road, where there is an informal parking area(Elevation 1475 feet).  

From the car, I headed NW on a very good woods road marked with blue blazes, with the fall foliage looking great.

 

The road climbs steadily up through nearly 100% hardwoods down low, with a pretty stream as your constant companion.

After about one mile of easy climbing, the woods road crosses a stream and then comes to a clearing where the remnants of a cabin can be found.

Once beyond the cabin site, the woods road begins to climb more steadily to the NE.  The ascent is unrelenting all the way up to a saddle at 2950 feet.

Once I hit the saddle, I found two unattended ATV's and screened views to the north.  The woods road/ ATV trail comes to a T junction at this spot, where I turned right(east).

 

The woods road/ATV trail changes character dramatically from here, with much more spruce replacing the hardwoods.

 

I climbed steadily for just under 3/10 of a mile east, where a steeper ATV trail comes in on the right heading SE.  This trail ascends steadily up to around 3580 feet, where a rock cairn marks an informal herd path up to Dorset's south summit.  

The herd path climbs very steeply up to a clearing and a view at the south summit, elevation 3725 feet.  The view is good not great, stretching far to the north.

 

The view takes in the nearby Danby countryside just above the treetops.

Just past the views, siting at the top of the peak, is the remnants from a fire tower that once graced the summit.  Today only the skeleton of the bottom section of the tower remains, which was originally erected back in the 1930's.

 

After checking out the views and the tower, I descended east on a very good herd path through a pretty spruce forest.

Down at a trail junction I came to one of the oddest things you will ever see in the woods.  A set of door handles literally built into the tree(Dorset-aka-"door set" haha)

Gotta love someone's sense of humor!

From door-set junction, I passed through a VERY muddy stretch on my way up NE to the wooded 3770 foot true summit.  A sign in canister and summit sign were found there as well as a couple of logs for sitting.

 Below the summit canister I found an odd collection of rusting pots?  Strange to say the least.

 

After enjoying a couple of peaceful minutes at the summit, I turned back, retracing my steps back down the mountain.  Just before hitting the saddle, I caught this nice view of Jackson Peak(Dorset's west peak) looming large.

Took my time on the descent, enjoying the glorious fall weather.

 

Doesn't get any better than this!

A straightforward descent via the woods road brought me all the way back down to the car after 7 miles of hiking and 2400 feet of ascent.  Didn't see another soul all day on a picture perfect fall day!

Map below.  Black X=Parking     Blue X=South Summit      Red X=North Summit