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Our corner of Vermont, the Northeast Kingdom, is known far and wide as a mecca for outdoor recreation activities… and it all starts right here on our campus. Facilities for the active set include:
- High and low ropes course
- The Gravity Well, our indoor climbing center
- 6,000-square-foot skatepark
- 18-hole disc golf with concrete tee boxes
- Fountain Mountain ice climbing
- Student-designed terrain park for skiers and riders on President’s Hill
The Lyndon State Adventure Program (LSAP)
Jamie Struck is the College’s full-time adventure coordinator—a position you’re not likely to find at many colleges! His office is housed within the Mountain Recreation Management department. The LSAP is responsible for managing all these great on-campus adventure facilities, hosting day activities around the area, and leading overnight excursions further afield on weekends and breaks.
The Sweet Spots…
What can you do within minutes of the LSC campus?
Have a hankerin’ to go bike riding? You’re 10 minutes from the best mountain bike riding in the COUNTRY: Kingdom Trails. Designed and developed by LSC grads, naturally, and now with lift-serviced terrain on Burke Mountain.
Need to scratch a vertical itch? Harness up, grab some friends, and head out to Wheeler Mountain for some of the best hidden gem rock climbing. Also home to a great short hike for the less vertically inclined.
Start the morning paddling Lake Willoughby—considered by many to be Vermont’s most beautiful lake. If you’re feeling a little sporty paddle the Passumpsic River as it winds through Lyndonville, just down the hill. Feeling sportier? Want to get your white water on? Launch your boat in the Moose River and ride through some excellent drops outside of Saint Johnsbury right after a rain storm or in early Spring.
Wintertime? Excellent! Burke Mountain keeps staring us down from across the valley. That means 2,000 vertical feet of great skiing and riding just 10 minutes away. More excitement can be found on the cliffs of Mount Pisgah where world-renowned ice climbing can be had. Back country skiing abounds in the hills around campus as do XC ski trails, snowshoe trails, and miles and miles of snowmobile trails.
All this no more than 30 minutes from your front step. If it can be done and it’s outdoor fun, there’s a good chance you’ll find it in our backyard.
The Gravity Well
Is it raining outside? Temperature too cold to even buckle on your snowboard? Fear not! The Gravity Well is ready to swallow you whole and make you ready to take on the world. The Gravity Well is a new indoor rock climbing center that gives students a sheltered experience when the weather outside gets nasty—or anytime. Come and check out our inset crack systems, Heuco Holes, layback corners, and whatever else our wall staff can come up with to get your pump on.
6,000 square foot skatepark
The College’s brand new skate park was manufactured and designed by American Ramp Company (ARC). ARC describes itself as the world’s largest skatepark provider, with over 1400 parks in place around the globe. Lyndon’s park features bank ramps, quarter-pipes, grind rails, grind ledges, grind boxes, stairs, wedges and flats, a spine, a pyramid section, and a planter. It is located just east of the Stonehenge residence halls and features a great view of Burke Mountain.
Ropes Challenge Course
LSAP runs both our low and high courses on campus, pushing people through the complexities of having fun, maximizing “edge work,” improving interpersonal skills, and pushing personal limits. Young and old have come and gotten harnessed up to give it a go. So should you!
18-Hole Disc Golf Course
Winding through the woods and open fields of our 175-acre campus, the disc golf course offers challenges for all levels of play. With a growing population of throwers both on campus and visiting from around the community, there’s no shortage of players to learn from or throw with. With our new concrete tee-pads—a first for any course in Vermont—we have been stepping up our game in this fast growing sport. Click here to download a map of the course.
Fountain Mountain
The water fountain in the pond in the center of the campus interior runs year ‘round, resulting in a column of ice and snow that reaches 35 feet in height during the depths of winter. When conditions allow you can practice your ice-climbing moves on Wednesday afternoons. Novices can get instruction, words of encouragement, and equipment from the College’s ever-enthusiastic adventure coordinator.
Burke Mountain
Just 10 minutes from Lyndonville, Burke is the number one off-campus destination for many Lyndon students. Here you’ll find 2,000 vertical feet of classic New England skiing and riding. The mountain offers an exceptional mix of terrain: wide cruisers, narrow chutes, winding rollers, double black diamond tree runs, and a large, gentle, secluded area for beginners. Home to world-famous Burke Mountain Academy, this mountain has produced more U.S. Ski Team members than any resort its size… or perhaps any size. In the warmer months there’s a paved toll road to the summit, hiking, camping, auto rallies, concerts, and lift-serviced mountain biking. It also serves as an important site for hands-on learning experiences for students in a variety of programs.
Kingdom Trails
This 100-mile trail system has put East Burke, Vermont, on the map in a big way in the mountain biking community. Cited by many as the best trail network in the U.S., the system was the brainchild of several grads of Lyndon’s outstanding Mountain Recreation Management program. Along the way they created a national model of how landowners and sports enthusiasts can work together for everyone’s benefit. Like Burke Mountain, Kingdom Trails is a popular site for College interns and volunteers.
Rock Climbing
Nestled in the northern valleys as we are, we are in a perfect position to take advantage of the leftover action of titanic glaciers as they carved their way south across the face of our state. Just a stones throw away is one of our favorite outdoor classrooms—Wheeler Mountain. Wheeler has become the place for local climbing and teaching about all things vertical,and a number of things geological! With over 50 routes of varying degrees of difficulty, Wheeler is our quick hit place for a relaxing afternoon of dancing on New England granite.
Adventure Break Series
The Adventure Break Series works to improve on regular school breaks by offering serious adventures for the discerning participant. Did you like afternoon rock climbing trip in the fall? Come on down to West Virginia on spring break and see what kind of climber you have become. Want a little break in the fall? Join us in on our Western Massachusetts adventure: climb, mountain bike, and run the white water rivers till you feel recharged and ready to come back to LSC. Bring your adventurous spirit, we’ll take care of the rest!
Also Nearby…
Jay Peak, Stowe, Cannon Mountain, Loon, and Bretton Woods are all within an hour of campus. For climbers and hikers, the Franconia Range, Presidential Range, and Mount Washington are 45 minutes away in New Hampshire. To the west Mount Mansfield and Camel’s Hump beckon. Our glaciated past has given us numerous small and large lakes to explore. And the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers (VAST) and Vermont All Terrain Vehicle Sportsman’s Association (VASA) maintain hundred of miles of trails for winter and summer trail riding in the area.
Burke Mountain and Kingdom Trails: Four ways to enjoy our “extended campus.”
Kingdom Trails and Burke Mountain’s 2,000 vertical feet of great skiing and riding are right at our doorsteps. These discount programs allow LSC students to take full advantage of our “extended adventure campus” at a special rate.
LSC/Burke Ski & Ride Pass: $199*
Unlimited skiing and riding at Burke Mountain, 2011-12 winter season.
Kingdom Trails Pass: $75
Year-long membership in Kingdom Trails for mountain biking, hiking, snow shoeing, and X-C skiing.
Kingdom Adventure Pass: $249*
LSC/Burke Ski & Ride Pass plus year-long membership in Kingdom Trails for mountain biking, hiking, snow shoeing, and X-C skiing.
Kingdom Adventure Pass Plus: $299*
All of the above, plus lift serviced mountain biking at Burke Mountain.
*Current full-time students. Valid for passes purchased before Oct 31, 2011.
Adventure Passes can be purchased on campus at select times during the first days and weeks of the fall semester, or by contacting Burke Mountain at 802 626-7300.
