Mount Mansfield

The highest point in Vermont is called the Chin. Early settlers decided the summit ridge of Mount Mansfield was a face staring at the sky and named it accordingly, so the state high point, at 4,393 feet, is one feature on a profile that also includes the Forehead and the Nose, each with its own trails and its own weather. The ridge runs above treeline for over a mile, carrying fragile alpine plants that have held on since the last ice age, and the hiking along it is some of the most exposed in New England. Stowe’s ski trails drop off the eastern slopes, but the ridge itself stays wild.

This map highlights the elongated ridge that sets Mansfield apart from its rounder neighbors. The contour lines trace a narrow crest running roughly north-south, with steep drops on both sides. The western face falls away sharply into the Nebraska Notch area, where the lines stack into dense bands. The eastern slopes are more complex, with the ski terrain’s open bowls and gullies creating subtle undulations in the topography that the contour lines faithfully record.