Day 32: Finding a Place to Sleep Around Bears and Puffers

• Notch Road (186.1) to Puffer Shelter (196.1) for Rock Rabbit, Stowe Area for Anniversary and The Historian 
• 4029 ft ascent, 1036 ft descent, 540 ft/mi
• Bonus Miles: unknown

The morning dawned typically Vermont gray. The Historian and I know the color. Northwestern Montana excels at it also. I think of it as the no color color. It is a product of northern overcast weather with little sunshine. It fit our somber mood. We have confidence in our plan, but it is sad to see us separated with one hiking and two in waiting. I don’t know if a bluebird day would have cheered us up or insulted our feelings. 

An Early Start

We were up at 5. Our friends were up to see us off and supplied with yet one more round of exquisite coffee.  We were out the door by 7. 

We had the route back to the trail nailed, as this was our third trip in as many days. We deposited Rock Rabbit back at his trailhead. He was headed over Mansfield. We expected to see him in 2 and a half days. 

Boardwalk Surprise

After depositing Rock Rabbit, we decided to look around the 3 mile road walk to see if any other hikers needed a ride to the store or other support. 

We saw two hikers and asked if they needed anything. When we got closer, we recognized each other but with a moment of dizzying confusion. My brain was sorting through earlier LT encounters when the other hiker recognozed The Historian and recalled we had shared hostel space at Angels Rest on the AT in Virginia the summer of 2025. The long distance hiking community is small. 

We felt reassured that someone we knew was coming behind Rock Rabbit. I thought perhaps they could hike together some. Rock Rabbit told us later he was surprised when a stranger called his name. He also said after a visit, Boardwalk and his companion motered off at a shockingly fast speed. 

Regrouping Below 

Our plan as support people was to move up to the Mansfield area and find a place to camp for the three days Rock Rabbit would be crossing the alpine areas. 

Having seen Boardwalk, our spirits were a little higher. Soon we unexpectedly drove by the Ben and Jerry’s factory. On a whim, we turned in to see if we could go on the tour. 

We were a couple of hours early, but as we had no where to go, we just waited in the car. It felt odd to sit there doing nothing but we tolerated it as a new experience.

The Tour

The tour access was oh, so Vermont. A long, steep climb. 

We got the last two tour tickets and joined two coiffed and bedazzled bus tour groups. Although we were the same age cohort, we felt very unlike the people around us. Thankfully, we had recent baths so our aroma was neutral. 

The tour was fun. The free sample ice cream treat they gave out was far larger than we expected based on hiker’s comments about the tour. We guess people used to putting away a pint at a time have unusual expectations. 

Smugglers Notch State Park Campground

We arrived in the Stow area and happily found the State Park had campsites available. We were offered a choice between 3 sites with private leantos. There was even a wireless network to use. 

We excitedily selected our site and then headed down to Stowe to find groceries for our three day stay. 

We had no news from our hiker above, but were eagerly nesting to provide him perfect support as he needed.

The Commissary 

We found a delightful whole foods store close by and shopped for interesting food. We selected locally made spaetzel and fresh greens. A lovely conversation with the butcher led us to a pork loin from a local farm. 

We proudly carried our spoils to the car, looking forward to camping out in our shelter for 3 days. 

The Car Door Bites

I placed the box of food in the backseat and stepped out of the way of the door. The car was on a slope and the door slammed shut on my finger. 

I won’t go into the details other than to say I feel queasy writing about it. We made another Vermont emergency room visit where they patched me up. The bone in the tip was broken but the cut clean so after treating me for shock, I was released with a stack of bandaids, a splint, and some nausea meds. 

Rock Rabbit Checks In

Up top, Rock Rabbit has made it to Puffer shelter at 3:37 pm and sas getting setteled for the night. We decide not to tell him of the crazy car bite. 

It is getting very cold down here so we are a little worried about him up top. He recently replaced both his old sleeping bag and thin folding pad with a zinbivy and Nemo tensor so we are hopeful he will sleep warmly. 

Meanwhile, Back at Camp

When we got back to our campsite, The Historian quickly set up our tent inside the shelter since we did not have to share with others. It was going to be a cold one, the sun had not set and it was already in the 30s as best we could tell.

I scampered to getting our food cooked, eaten, cleaned up and stowed before dark. The park staff told us there were “pretty aggressive’ bears around so store our food in a locked car. They specifically mentioned the bears could open car doors. They also said to call them if a bear came and they would bring the air horn. 

Eating in the Car 

The wind was whipping around and  the temperature dropping. After having gone into shock this afternoon, I was still quite cold. We decided to eat in the car and then lock up and dive in the tent. 

Dinner was almost as good as I wanted it to be, given my dilemma in using my tiny knife to slice it with a splint on my finger. 

Dark, Horns, Cars, and Bears 

Because I was so cold, I agreed to let The Historian drive us to the bathroom rather than take the 2 block walk in the dark.

We arrived back at our site and started getting ready to go to bed. Suddenly, car horns started going off around us. Soon, air horns joined in. Bear cacophony. 

A Monster in the Dark

So what. We know Bears, they live in our yard. Keep your stuff put away and keep your distance.

It was dead dark. The Historian was standing at the back of the SUV we rented and I was sitting in the front. Suddenly my door opened. I pulled on it to close it and could not get it to move. 

I looked at The Historian clearly visible in the light at the back of the car. I said, “Arr you messing with my door?” thinking it might be an automatic feature. 

“No.” 

I looked into the dark beside the door and could and see nothing. I grabbed the door again. I wrestled with the monster in the dark on the other side. Finally, the door broke free suddenly and I slammed it shut. Yelling for The Historian to get in the car I flashed my headlight like a strobe. 

As soon as he was in, I locked the doors. I never saw a bear. Perhaps the monster with my door was something worse. 

I Can’t Do This

Never a wennie, I wennied out. I was still shivering from cold from the accident, I was sad, and needed sleep. 

I went online and found a hotel close that had a halfway affordable price. I called them and told them our sad tale and she said, “Awww. Come down. I will get you a room.”

We took the poles out of the tent and the air out of our pads and jammed it all in the back of the car. I called the ranger and said we had to leave. They refunded us 2 nights. 

The motel was wonderful. Two clean beds and a small kitchen and a bathroom. And, no bears or monsters. 

Meanwhile, Up Top

Rock Rabbit is not much of a shelter rat. He prefers the privacy and elbow room of his own tent, not to mention avoiding all the snoring and potato chip sounds from sleeping pads. 

Puffer Shelter does not allow tenting so shelter accommodation it was. Having arrived early, he took a corner and tucked safely in for the night. 

All of Us at Rest

After our somber start and eventful day, each of us found a peaceful place to rest our heads. Tomorrow is a new day and will bring new adventures. After a good night’s sleep, we can hope for a bluebird day.