Deep in the Northeast Kingdom lie the Kingdom Heritage Lands, 132,000 acres of former and current timberland conserved for public access since 1998. The remote and undeveloped area is mainly the domain of wildlife, logging trucks, hunters and snowmobilers.

Recently, however, increasing numbers of rock climbers have frequented a stunning band of chiseled granite towers set in the middle of the Kingdom Heritage Lands, at a cliff 30 minutes south of the Canadian border and on the northern edge of the Nulhegan basin.

“As soon as you reach the cliff, your jaw drops,” Mischa Tourin, executive director of the Climbing Resource Access Group of Vermont — or CRAG-VT — said last week. “It all is perfect 90-degree angles, like it was built by rock climbers with rock climbing in mind.”

Climbers first explored the cliff, known as Black Mountain (not to be mistaken for Black Mountain Natural Area in Dummerston), around 2005, but only visited it sporadically until it was added to the second edition of Vermont’s comprehensive outdoor climbing guidebook, “Vermont Rock,” in 2022.

Alongside the subsequent increase in use of the cliff, the nonprofit CRAG-VT has spent the past few years working with landowners and easement-holders to preserve access, including creating a climbing management plan and establishing rock climbing as an “acceptable form of recreation” on the Kingdom Heritage Lands.

As part of that effort, six weeks of trail work on the area’s rugged and steep approach trail have been completed over the last two years by NorthWoods Stewardship Center, with significant funding from the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation.

According to Tourin, outdoor rock climbing in Vermont was, for a long time, defined by the schist that runs along the spine of the Green Mountains — a unique rock covered with tiny impressions, used by rock climbers as “holds.” In contrast, Black Mountain is made up of strong granite covered in “perfect” parallel cracks of varying sizes, Tourin said, which geologically has more in common with the White Mountains of New Hampshire or world-class climbing areas like Yosemite.

The power-line access road that leads to Black Mountain on September 4, 2021. Photo by K. Fiegenbaum/VTDigger

Those cracks, Tourin said, are very conducive to “traditional” climbing, where participants jam their hands and feet into the crack to move upward and place expansion gear — attached to a rope — in the cracks to catch a fall or help facilitate a descent.

“I think I feel comfortable saying that (Black Mountain) is the best place in the Northeast for crack climbing, as far as the number of crack climbs in one cliff,” the longtime climber and guide said. About 70 different routes have been established at the area, most of them of moderate or advanced difficulty.

However, reaching “Vermont’s premiere crack climbing mecca” can be quite the trek.

Black Mountain is located about a three-hour drive from Burlington, on the edge of Averill (population 21) and Lewis (population 0). Following a GPS will likely lead to a dead end, and a high-clearance vehicle is recommended.

The cliff is even a sizable distance from the Northeast Kingdom towns of St. Johnsbury (one hour and 30 minutes) or Newport (one hour), since users generally drive all the way up to the Canadian border in Norton before traveling 6.2 miles south on a slow, rocky power-line access road to reach Black Mountain’s parking area.

“It’s definitely far away,” Tourin said. “The last few times I’ve been there, it certainly seems like more folks in Canada have noticed that it’s a pretty good climbing resource because it’s only a couple miles south of the border.”

Before CRAG-VT’s involvement, the ordeal to reach the base of the cliff didn’t stop at the parking area. Up until a couple of years ago, visitors had to try and locate the access trail, which was steep, prone to erosion, often muddy and lined with prickly plants that latched onto any nearby pants leg.

As of last month, however, trail workers have fully established a sustainable approach trail that includes a welcome kiosk, 38 stone steps, four wooden ladders and 160 feet of retaining wall, a recent CRAG-VT newsletter explained. 

Julia Vitale climbs at Black Mountain in Averill on October 9, 2022. File photo by Mischa Tourin

“Next phases will continue base-of-cliff stabilization, assess more complex gully issues, and explore parking improvements,” the newsletter read. “This work moves us closer to a fully sustainable Black Mountain for years to come.”

According to Tourin, CRAG-VT’s work lies not only in securing access to climbing and stewarding cliffs but also in building community. To that end, the group held weekend member meetups titled Kingdom Climbing Weekend this year and last, renting out cottages at Quimby Country resort in Averill.

“We started it off maybe as a one-time thing to celebrate the start of (CRAG-VT’s) corridor manager agreement,” said Tourin, adding that most of those 40 participants wanted to return the next year to what he described as a “magical little family camp” on a lake.

“It’s a pretty great event and a pretty cool way to bring, I think, a little bit of money into the local community there,” he said.

While the remoteness of Black Mountain can be a draw, Tourin said it’s hard to gauge the future of the climbing area due to its location.

“It’s an amazing cliff,” he said. “I don’t know if it will ever be super crowded, just because it’s so far tucked away in the corner of the state, but it’s definitely a resource worth traveling to.”

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (WNYT) – A Vermont man is facing weapons charges after a traffic stop in Schenectady.

State Police said on Friday that troopers on Nov. 25 stopped a vehicle on Edison Avenue just before 10:45 a.m. for a traffic violation. The driver, 25-year-old Jayshawn Clemente, allegedly had an illegally possessed loaded handgun with a large capacity ammunition feeding device.

Clemente was charged with three counts of criminal possession of a weapon and traffic violations. He was arraigned in Schenectady City Court and sent to Schenectady County Jail in lieu of bail set at $25,000 cash or $50,000 bond.

As December begins, Christmas lights are popping up all across Vermont to welcome the holiday season, bringing joy and brightness to the dark, cold days of winter.

Luckily, if you’re a fan of Christmas lights, you don’t have to go far to see them. Vermont has plenty of professional Christmas light displays ready to dazzle you this season, including everything from a walkthrough at a beautifully lit nature center to a museum full of decorated exhibits with a different theme in each room.

Here are five of the best Christmas light displays to check out in Vermont this holiday season.

Winter Lights at Shelburne Museum

On nights during the holiday season, Shelburne Museum turns into a winter wonderland full of colorful light displays. Each building and garden of the museum’s campus is uniquely decorated, from cascading twinkling lights at Beach Woods to the 220-foot illuminated steamboat “Ticonderoga.”

Those who do not want to walk can enjoy the magic of the lights on specific drive-around nights throughout the season. The museum will also have two gift shops, as well as a cafe with snacks and hot chocolate open until 8 p.m. each night of the light display.

Online tickets cost $15 for adults, $10 for children ages 3-17 or $30 for VIP. Tickets can be purchased in person, but are more expensive and not guaranteed. Drive-around tickets, which must be purchased online, cost $65 per vehicle.

When: 4-8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday from Nov. 21, 2025 through Jan. 4, 2026, plus every day between Dec. 26 and Jan. 1. Drive-around hours offered on Nov. 24-25, Dec. 2-3, Dec. 9-10, Dec. 16-17 and Jan. 5-6. Sensory-friendly nights on Dec. 1 and Dec. 15.

Where: Shelburne Museum, 6000 Shelburne Road, Shelburne

Winter Lights in the Park

This free, family-friendly light display allows guests to walk through lit trees and tunnels in Maple Street Park while holiday music floats through the air. Winter Lights in the Park also doubles as a scavenger hunt for hidden ornaments throughout the decorated trees.

When: 5-8 p.m. daily from Nov. 27, 2025 through Jan. 1, 2026

Where: Maple Street Park, 75 Maple St., Essex Junction

More: This Vermont town was named one of the most ‘Hallmark-like’ in America

A Forest of Lights

Nature lovers can experience the beautiful Vermont outdoors lit up for the holiday season at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) Nature Center in Quechee. A Forest of Lights, the nature center’s holiday light special, is an outdoor walkthrough experience with thousands of lights in exciting displays, including new attractions like the Sparkle Dome, the Dancing Lights Pavilion and Under the Black Light Sea.

When you finish walking through the illuminated forest, hot chocolate and light snacks are available for purchase to enjoy by the campfire.

Tickets cost $15 for adults or $9 for children over three.

When: 4:30-7 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday until Dec. 20, then daily until Jan. 3, 2026

Where: VINS Nature Center, 149 Natures Way, Quechee

Christmas Lights at the Joseph Smith Birthplace

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints celebrates Christmas with an outdoor light display at the birthplace of the church’s founder, Joseph Smith. Over 200,000 colorful lights decorate the grounds of the South Royalton monument.

Visitors can walk or drive along the decorated path for free.

When: 4-9 p.m. daily from Nov. 28, 2025 through Jan. 1, 2026

Where: Joseph Smith Birthplace, 357 Lds Lane, S. Royalton

Holiday lights: See Church Street’s holiday tree light up as Burlington greets season

Spruce Peak Lights Festival

Held for one night only at The Village at Spruce Peak, the Spruce Peak Lights Festival illuminates the ski village and surrounding evergreen trees with thousands of holiday lights.

Other attractions at this event include ice dancing performances, photos with Santa, a complimentary photobooth and a firework show.