A Month of Adventures (Week Two): The Northeast Kingdom and Mt. Pisgah

View from the front windows of our cabin in West Glover, VT

This past Saturday is was time for Eric and I and the sled pets to move on from the wonderful Green Mountains of Vermont to the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont for our second week of vacation. As we packed, we were sad to leave (especially sad to leave our excellent internet coverage) but also excited to experience the Northeast Kingdom (NEK) of Vermont.

Contrary to popular belief, the NEK is not in the United Kingdom nor is it a Canadian province. The NEK is, as it sounds, in the north east corner of Vermont, nestled up against the Canadian border to the north and New Hampshire to the east.

On Sunday, Eric and I set off for a canicross hike up Mt. Pisgah in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont with Zoe, Sobo, and Acadia. This hike is notably easier (shorter with less elevation change) than our recent hike up Mt. Abe in the Green Mountains.

Sled puppy, Acadia, managed to hike both up and down this time, although she did nap at the summit.

Sled puppy, Acadia, napping at the top of Mt. Pisgah

And then she woke up...

Eric, Zoe, Sobo and a squirmy Acadia at the top of Mount Pisgah

We reached the summit approximately 1.5 hours after starting out. As we climbed (and climbed and climbed some more), Pisgah certainly seemed to live up to it's biblical origins and I done thought I'd see the "promised land" if I climbed much further. All joking aside, Mt. Pisgah does offer views of biblical proportions once you reach the top.

From the top of Mount Pisgah

Eric and the pups at the summit

Sobo resting in the shadows

To reach Mt. Pisgah, we drove from our cabin in West Glover, Vermont to Westmore, VT along the shores of Lake Willoughby.

The hike itself was approximately 3.5 miles round trip and about 2751 feet of total elevation change. Along the way, there were several sheer drop offs with views of Lake Willoughby. Mt. Pisgah defines the eastern wall of Willoughby Gap on the eastern side of Lake Willoughby, a land locked glacial fjord that is both a National Natural Landmark and a designated natural area by the State of Vermont.

Resting at the top of Mount Pisgah with Zoe and Sobo