Road conditions on VT six-gap route?

[leftyfreak]

I'll be heading up this weekend to ride the six-gap and was wondering if anyone had any insight regarding the current conditions of the roads. Any danger spots or construction along the route?

While I'm at it, I'll also take suggestions for preferred lunch stops along the way.

Thanks in advance!

[Bob Ross]

I was just up there the 2nd weekend of July.

In short, the pavement sucks

...and I'm not even talking about the gravel-laden slopes of Roxbury or Appalachian Gap (full disclosure: I did not even attempt App Gap. But Roxbury Gap is unpaved loose dirt, gravel, and rocks for approx. half a mile going up, and almost a mile going down, both pitches at 15%. No thanks Jeff.)

But lots of the flat sections of road between the Gaps were shredded with long wide gashes or ridges in the asphalt running parallel to your direction of travel. Made pacelining rather difficult.

Ultimately we had a lovely time riding up there, but the road surfaces were almost uniformly disappointing.

[Admiral Ackbar]

i believe theres a bridge out on brandon mt. road.

[572cv]

I've only ridden some of the roads.

Vermont had a particularly rough winter for pavement heaving, as it happens, and there are also some major paving projects which already had been scheduled for this summer.

Vt Rt 2 from Richmond to Waterbury, a key connector for northerly gap rides, is in serious reconstruction mode. A mess for riding.

Roads from Richmond around to the base of Ap Gap are pretty darn good. Generally.

The west side of Ap Gap is fine going up, but dangerous going down at any speed.

The rest of Rt 17 west to Rt 116 is not very good, really.

Rt 116 into Bristol is not very good.

Rt 116 south of Bristol is ok, to East Middlebury. There is a bridge being rebuilt.

Rt 100 over between Waitsfield and Warren is just redone and is great. North of Waitsfield, not so much.

And south of Warren, there is a bridge currently closed for 2 weeks. So, there, the road is completely closed. NO temp bridge next to it or anything.
One might be able to hoof it down to the river and pick across and thus avoid the 60 mile detour :eek:

That's all I know about the subject at the moment.

[DCW]

I rode over Smugglers Gap (Rt 108) on the Fourth of July weekend and it was in fantastic shape! Loved the ascent coming from Stowe; pavement was smooth, switchbacks were well maintained on the edges, but steep and fun. the descent down to Jeffersonville was equally smooth, but way more mellow in pitch. If you're the kind to like big switchbacks on the ascent, approach the ridge from Stowe and you'll be rewarded with a long brake-free descent. If you prefer long mellow climbs, and don't mind heavy braking coming down, approach from Jeffersonville.

I can also confirm that as of a month ago, Rt 2 near waterbury is a dusty/rocky construction mess for a long way. however, I think the Green Mountain Stage Race is going on that stretch of Rt 2 this year in just 2-3 weeks, so maybe it will be cleaned up by labor day? If you get there and Rt 2 is still mess, try River Road, which parallels it to the south. I am going back up there in three weeks and would appreciate any reconn myself!

Have a great ride!

[Bob Ross]

i believe theres a bridge out on brandon mt. road.

According to the folks I rode with last month, that bridge was open again as of 7/13. But take that with a grain of salt!

[Mr. Pink]

Portions of Vermont got hit pretty hard on, I think, 7/28 with some torrential rains that took out some roads and bridges. I saw some pics from Southern Vermont on a ski forum that weren't pretty.

[leftyfreak]

And south of Warren, there is a bridge currently closed for 2 weeks. So, there, the road is completely closed. NO temp bridge next to it or anything.
One might be able to hoof it down to the river and pick across and thus avoid the 60 mile detour :eek:

This is the one that I was worried about. I went to the Vermont state website on road conditions and saw that the road is currently closed, and was wondering if there was a way around for bikes and pedestrians. The only short road detour around the closure appears to add an additional 700 feet of climbing to an already insanely hard route...

We'll see...

[leftyfreak]

According to the folks I rode with last month, that bridge was open again as of 7/13. But take that with a grain of salt!

As far as I could tell, there's still some construction along the road, but it is passable.

[tele]

This is the one that I was worried about. I went to the Vermont state website on road conditions and saw that the road is currently closed, and was wondering if there was a way around for bikes and pedestrians. The only short road detour around the closure appears to add an additional 700 feet of climbing to an already insanely hard route...

We'll see...
The bridge is right on the town line just south of Warren village. You have to go through the village of Warren, up Brook Rd to Plunkton Rd. There is definitely some climbing, the hill on Plunkton Rd is steep but paved. Just after the uphill Plunkton turns to dirt, but as of Monday, the dirt was in fine shape.

[tele]

If you get there and Rt 2 is still mess, try River Road, which parallels it to the south. I am going back up there in three weeks and would appreciate any reconn myself!

I havent ridden River Rd this year but last year road it a bunch: all well packed dirt.

[tele]

Rt 100 over between Waitsfield and Warren is just redone and is great. North of Waitsfield, not so much.

Through the actual town of Waitsfield/Irasburg from the intersection of Rt17 until just after the covered bridge 100 is beat up. After the covered bridge its not too bad.

[SHOCK]

The Warren Country Store is great, if it works out the way you are riding. I have done the route twice, both times starting at Branbury State Park and riding clockwise.

I just did the Irreverent Road Ride 3.0, which really only takes in Middlebury Gap on the road. We rode quite a few other climbs, many of which were on dirt. All the main roads were fine. We drove over Lincoln on the way home after hitting the Warren Store on the day after the ride and it was also in fine shape.

[leftyfreak]

The bridge is right on the town line just south of Warren village. You have to go through the village of Warren, up Brook Rd to Plunkton Rd. There is definitely some climbing, the hill on Plunkton Rd is steep but paved. Just after the uphill Plunkton turns to dirt, but as of Monday, the dirt was in fine shape.

Our plan is to come from the south, over Granville Gulf, and then do Lincoln Gap. I had mapped out Plunkton to Fuller Hill, but taking Plunkton to Brook Rd. and down into Warren has about 250 feet less climbing involved, so that could be a good option.

Thanks for the insight, to you and everyone else!