For
the full text that goes with this report, go here.
Here's a
piece of the USGS Burlington topographical map showing the location of the
Brownell Mountain power line (north is approximately the top of the
page). The bottom elevation at which I started my hike is at the dirt
road to the east of the mountain (shown in red dashed lines, look below the M
in Brownell Mountain on the map) at approximately 490 feet in
elevation. The top of the mountain is approximately 840 feet, generating
a total vertical drop of about 350 feet. Due to a large depression near
the top of the mountain, I stopped my hike at an elevation of around 810
feet. The horizontal distance is approximately 0.25 miles or 1320 feet,
and a rise of 350 feet gives us 350/1320 or about a 26.5% grade (slope).
This converts to an overall slope angle of 14.8 degrees, however the two main
steep pitches were in the 20+ degree range.
Here's
the Brownell Mountain power line as it looks
from route 2A. It actually looked steep enough to be fun even from the
road.
The view from the woods along the edge of the power
line as I came to the top of one of the steep sections. This is looking eastward at what I believe was
the Chin of Mt. Mansfield. The line you see in the middle of the picture
is the power line itself.
Here's
the airway beacon at the top of the power line. A 60 foot ditch in front
of the tower ruined the chance for sustained vertical from the top.
Getting ready to switch to skis at the top of my run. The black objects on top of my poles are my
gloves; an effort to keep them out of the snow. The normal strap I use
for securing the tops of my skis was too small to fit on my midfats,
so I had to substitute by using one of the idiot cords from my gloves.