In 1922, Eward Bryant purchased 10,000 acres, of clearcut land from the American Brass Company. An ardent preservationist and enthusiastic pioneer skier, Bryant ceased all lumbering, and drew up plans for a series of three cabins along Nebraska Valley Road: lower, middle and upper, all leading up to a ski area on top of the Mountain. Built between 1928 and 1930, The. cabins proved a popular destination for Bryant’s friends and family, who would travel by carriage between them. [Lane]
Bryant allowed the Green Mountain Club to extend the Long Trail through his property and permitted us of the upper cabin which would eventually become known as “Bryant Cabin.” The cabin was not open to Long Trail Hikers, and could only be used through “special arrangments” with Mr. Bryant.
The Burlington Section has not been wholly outdone for camps; it has it’s Bryant Camp. One of the section’s members, Edward S. Bryant, opened his fine ski camp near the LT in Bolton to the exclusive use of the Burlington Section these past two seasons. The camp has become increasingly popular for both skiers and snowshoers as well as plain relaxers of the section. The section also staged its first bird study hike of the season at the camp early this spring
Long Trail News, May 1945
Recollections of Bryant Cabin in the 40’s
Polly Goodwin Bartlett, from a letter to BoltonFriends.org
I remember, in 1944 and 1945, two trips from Penn State to what we called Bolton Cabin (now Bryant Camp) for skiing. I remember backpacking in the last two miles the first year. The second year Mr. Bryant was good enough to take us in the last two miles by snowcat, with our supplies for 20 skiers for 10 days. We climbed to the lookout on Bolton Mountain the first year in a snowstorm and couldn’t see our hands in front of our faces. The next day was bright and clear, so we climbed again to enjoy the marvelous view in the sun.
So glad the cabin is still there, and I hope maybe to climb there with my granddaughter this summer (or maybe in the winter if she scopes it out for us first!) I was just reminiscing about it with her, and since she has been to Bolton for hiking on the downhill trails we wondered if we had been to the same spot. It turns out we think she had hiked Mt. Rikker, but having found Bryant Camp and the real Bolton Mountain on maps now we are looking forward to returning there together.
I wonder, is there still a lookout tower on the top of Bolton Mountain? My granddaughter climbed one on the top of the Bolton Ski Area and we wonder if it’s the same.
Thank you for your work to preserve and protect the cabin and surrounding trails. Be in touch if you’d be interested in me sharing more stories. I remember a six burner gas stove, and certainly the camp privy.
Before he died in 1945, Bryant attempted to donate his land to the town of Bolton, which refused the gift. The land was later sold to the Griffith Lumber Company which once again clearcut the land.
In 2013, the State of Vermont bought the area of the Bolton property, which included both Bryant Cabin and Bolton Lodge. In an effort to preserve the land and permit public use, the State turned over responsability for the restoration and management of both properties to the Green Mountain Club.
After a successful fundraising campaign to restore both Bryant Cabin and Bolton Lodge, the Green Mountain Club begain restoration in 2015.
GMC Bryant Cabin Historic Renovation Project Work Plan
GMCBurlington.org
Renovation plans include raising the building approximately 12” above current height above grade onto wood piers to improve airflow and drainage under the structure. The only other exterior changes planned are to increase the size of the second story front window over the entryway as an emergency exit from the loft and move the stove to the rear of the building with stove pipe through the rear wall to improve the safety of occupants.
A new floor system will be installed and the access to the loft will be a framed staircase in the front of the building away from the stove, replacing the current ladder. The windows will be repaired and/or replaced in kind. The interior sink and countertops will be removed to increase interior space. The table will be replaced.
The rededication ceromony took place in 2016. The cabin is still a popular destination for backcountry skiers and snowshoers and is available for rent through the Green Mountain Club website.
