LT Mile 78.1 — Division 5 — Elev. 1600 ft
The hill overlooking Spring Lake, what a great spot for a shelter! The land in the open pasture on the northwest side of the pond is owned by Ralph Congdon of Wallingford, He has given his consent for the building of a camp near the top of the hill where the trail south enters the woods. There is sufficient material at the abandoned Blue Triangle Camp to build a fair sized, closed camp at this location. All that needs to be done is tear down the old building, load selected parts on a truck. transport it to Spring Lake. float the lumber across, carry it up the hill a 1/4 mile and build the camp. [LT News, Feb. 1949]
On Oct. 1, 1949, Harold Valiquette, Art Westcott, and Craigue Perkins put in a day at Spring Lake. When they finished for the day, the new camp boasted four walls and ridge pole. The sections fitted together just the way Harold said they would with a bit of patching and piecing. On a cold windy Oct. 23rd, Harold Valiquette, Michael Jennings, and Craigue Perkins continued work. Eleanor Walker, Pearl Nichols, and Vera Perkins hiked in from the gorge and reached camp in time to cook dinner for the men. Harold improvised a table, and dinner was served inside the roofless camp. After dinner Churchill Scott and Dana Bell showed up. The men kept busy on the heavier work. and the girls carried boards out of the woods and piled them neatly near the camp. They also scraped bark from the logs. Progress is being made slowly but surely. [LT News, Nov. 1949]
On May 28, 1950, 35 members and friends of the Killington, Worcester, and Burlington Sections spent the day at this camp in Shrewsbury. Although the outing was not scheduled as a work party, our visitors insisted on putting in a hard day’s labor on the new camp. Could we refuse? Not so. Led by Jim Green, Roy Buchanan, Billy Mitchell, and Churchill Scott, the men carried in logs for the camp foundation, jacked up the camp and put the logs in position on top of the storied piers. The ladies carried stones from the pasture for use in the foundation. It’s better than a diet. girls. At 12:30 p.m. Helen Bailey had the coffee ready right on schedule. Back to work until 4:00 p.m. when the out-of-town folks had to head home. Thanks to all who helped. [LT News, August 1950]
On the ridge west of and overlooking the pond is the new Spring Lake Camp, built by the Killington Section in 1951 with bunks for 10-12, a unique home-made stove and cooking utensils. [GB 14th Edition 1951]
This camp has been dismantled, and its material is being used for Sunnyside Camp. now under construction 1 1/2 mile south. [1955 Supplement to GB 14th Edition 1951]
Spring Lake Camp is no more! It has been taken down and moved to a new location about a half mile south. of its former location. It is the first time that a landowner has demanded the removal of a shelter because it proved to be a nuisance. Without warning or discussion, Mr. Congdon ordered the Section to remove the Camp by March 1, 1954. He told of irritating incidents that had occurred and he did not want to put up with them any longer. Mr. Wayne Sarcka of Spring Lake Ranch was contacted, and he gave the Section permission to reestablish the camp on his land. Section members got into action with the help of good weather. In four work parties, the job was done. [LT News, Feb. 1954]
