COVID-19 Update June 9

Trails and Shelters: Trails on state and federal lands are open, but caution is still needed: staff and volunteers have not been able to perform the normal levels of spring trail maintenance or assessments. We will be operating with very limited field staff this season and will need your help in stewarding the trails.
To protect public health, shelters and privies on the Long Trail and Appalachian Trail in Vermont are closed. Trail managers are developing guidelines for the safe use of backcountry facilities and hope to open some facilities in a reduced capacity by June 26. If you plan to stay in the backcountry please familiarize yourself with and follow primitive camping guidelines for camping on state and federal land and know what land base you are on.  This is especially true for the private land that hosts the trail where primitive camping should be avoided altogether.
The Green Mountain National Forest food storage order geared toward minimizing black bear and human encounters and interactions put in place in July 2019 is still in effect in 2020.  What it means for backpacking is you need to either hang your food and other smellable items, or use a bear box (available at a limited number of shleters) or personal bear can, and you need to carry out any and all trash that you create, including food scraps.  Learn about the order and bear can options here.
Out-of-state visitors: The state restriction for out-of-state hikers to quarantine for 14-days is lifted for residents of certain counties across New England and New York that have a similar active COVID-19 caseload to Vermont (less than 400 active cases of COVID-19 per one million residents).  These residents may enter the state for leisure travel without quarantining.
Hadsel-Mares Camp at Wheeler Pond: On June 15th at 10:00 AM, we will open Hadsel-Mares Camp to new bookings between June 26 and October 31.  We plan to open the cabin for late fall and winter rentals on October 15th (subject to change).  A one-day “maintenance day” in which the cabin is free of guests will exist between all bookings.
New COVID-19 Camps Policy: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, GMC is taking the following measures to comply with State of Vermont requirements and promote renter safety.

1. Renters are required to complete this Certificate of Compliance on the day of their reservation.  Please complete before leaving for the cabin since there is unreliable cell phone service at the cabin.
   1. Guests who can not certify that they met the State of Vermont’s current residency or self-quarantine requirement may cancel their reservation and receive a full refund from GMC
   2. Guests who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should not stay at the camp and may cancel their reservation and receive a full refund from GMC
2. Renters are responsible for cleaning all touch surfaces at the cabin, outhouse, and picnic pavilion before and after their stay at the camp. Guests acknowledge that they are staying at a remote cabin that is not serviced or cleaned by GMC on a daily or weekly basis. GMC will make every effort to stock the camp with hand sanitizer, cleaning agents, and disposable gloves. However, guests should bring these items as well in case of an unexpected shortage.