green mountain adventure challenge

I will admit, going into this, I had low expectations and was more interested in what other things I would be able to find to do while I was along for the ride. The Green Mountain Adventure Challenge was awesome! I felt like I was in the movie National Treasure with Nicholas Cage! I loved how the hikes were intermingled with going to local businesses. It was definitely a lot of fun. The only critique that I have, is the creators may want to think about explaining more in depth that there really is no time limit, and the leader board sheet is merely a decoy to avoid having to explain to each and every participant how long it takes to complete. They may also want to think about creating some sort of medal, necklace, medallion etc for finishers (kind of like a half or full marathon). I also would have liked something given to the leaders/winners of the challenge, as we were the leaders in finishing the challenge in like 7 or 8 hours! A free t shirt maybe? Anyways - things to think about. All in all, it was a lot of fun and really forces you to fall in love with Wilmington and West Dover! Thanks!

The 2014 Green Mountain Adventure Challenge was amazing. It was me, my significant other and my dog on a 2 day adventure around West Dover and Wilmington Vermont. We stayed at Layla's Riverside Inn (separate review) for 3 nights expecting to casually do the challenge over the weekend. 1) The clues varied from obvious to frustrating. There were times where we wanted to smack ourselves on the head because we totally over thought a riddle or a clue. 2) Be ready to hike a lot. The hikes range in length and intensity (steep inclines). We were up there when the weather was in the high to mid 70s which was really pleasant and made some of the hikes more tolerable. We got a couple extra clues from folks in town and other adventurers but I must say, everyone kept things cryptic to keep up with the intent of the challenge.3) Be prepared to spend a good amount of time driving from one challenge to another. I didn't expect all the driving necessary to get to the different challenges but at some point I really liked getting familiar with the area and what it has to offer. There were places we would never have gone to if we were just vacationing in the area.I love the fact that this adventure brings the people, businesses and visitors of the town together. Hope to see you next year!

My wife and I completed the Green Mountain Adventure Challenge Aug 22 - 23. We had a great time and enjoyed the amazing scenery! It took us 1 1/2 days from start to finish, we walked trails during the day and solved the clues at night. We ended up hiking ~ 12 miles through the beautiful Green Mountains. The clues were challenging but definitely solvable and the local residents were friendly and willing to help us out when we needed it. The food was great (no chain restaurants). We ate at La Toscanella Pizzeria, The 1846 Tavern, Dot's Diner, Sticky Fingers Bakery, The Saloon,and had coffee at the Coffee Barn Cafe. Joe, the bartender at The 1846 Tavern was especially helpful when we were stumped and very close to solving the challenge.We will definitely do this next year and will be at the after party on Sept 27th. I wish there were more 'challenges' like this. Makes for a great weekend getaway and fueled our adventure bug.Many thanks to the Dover Inn for hosting and the West Dover and Wilmington communities for your hospitality and friendship.

I loved it. Great views and we definitely paused to take pictures. Saw a young moose on one hike. Met some very nice people. Clues were very creative, however, by chance they fit into my background knowledge and were easy for me. If I can make it back next year, that probable won't repeat. We finished in less than a day and spent the next 2 days hiking all over the area. Fantastic vacation week.

This is our second year participating in the GMAC. As expected, the clues were challenging and the hikes took us to beautiful places. But what always impresses me is the invlovement of the entire town to put this together. Everyone is so friendly and helpful and seems genuinely happy to have all of these crazy people trapsing around town. Thanks for the new and improved water bottles that you can put ice in. :-)This year's adventure was a lot of fun, and we enjoyed spending time with so many cool people we met along the trails. The concept of this year's challenge was interesting and the finale did not disappoint! I can't wait to see what's in store for us for the 2015 Challenge. See you next year!

We had a blast doing the challenge this weekend. Clues were very creative and really made us think. Beautiful scenery along the challenge. Met wonderful townspeople as well.

Great cryptic clues, visited some beautiful spots, enjoyed some great dining along the way. The pb&j lunch was delicious. A wonderful summer activity, and a great adventure.Be prepared to be tired at the end of a beautiful day. Can't wait for next year's challenge!!!

We had a great time this weekend. We received our first clue Friday evening, but decided to wait until the morning to open it. Instead we had a great dinner on the patio at the 1846 Tavern. During breakfast the next morning at the Matterhorn, the dining room was full of couple doing the challenge. We opened and read our first clue at 8:30 am and officially completed at 5:30 that night. . .exhausted, happy and proud!! Looking forward to next year.

We had a really good time getting to know some of the town's folk. The challenge was a definite challenge, but not too hard to accomplish once we set our minds to it. In total we hiked over 15 miles, along with a lot of running and walking about town. We really enjoyed the challenges and the game. We felt that some parts of the clues were not explained using the correct vocabulary, but we were able to figure it out eventually despite the difference in terms. Whoever worked out the clues generally did a great job though, so it was really fun.

My husband, adult daughter and I completed the challenge this week and had a blast. Just the right amount of adventure, challenge and frustration to make you feel like you accomplished something when you reach the finish. We loved it! Some of the hikes are not for the faint of heart and can really push your physical endurance, but maybe we shouldn't have tried to do so much in one day. Love how it starts out, but didn't expect that. It makes you look around town and go places you may not have went if not for the clues or the hunt for clues. This was really creative and well put together. I have to admit, there were times that we just didn't know what to do next, but we'd get lucky and find the location of a new clue to keep us going. Make sure you bring a camera, good hiking shoes and rain gear. Read your clues completely and pay attention to details. If you find yourself at a loss for what to do next (and you probably will), go back to your clues and think about it awhile. We stayed at the Kitzhof, which was comfortable and clean. The innkeepers were very friendly and the breakfasts were delicious. We had one of our best meals at The Anchor in Wilmington where the service and food were outstanding! Treat yourself if you're lucky enough to finish the challenge or go there to lick your wounds if you're not.

My husband bought the living social deal for this adventure challenge. It was so much more fun than we ever expected. When we showed up at the Tavern, we signed out lives away and got out shirts and back pack. I have to say the quality of the shirt is great. I will definitely be wearing it again. The backpack and the water bottle are also really good quality. These guys did not skimp on quality. So we got our first clue and PB&J sandwiches and off we went. The challenge takes you all around town solving puzzles and there is plenty of hiking to be done to complete each challenge so be prepared for that. Some of the hikes are hours long. So I may not be able to walk tomorrow but it will be worth it. Although myself and my husband did get stumped a few times we managed to complete it. Such a fabulous weekend.Definite a fun thing for groups and families with older kids (teenagers)We will be back next year!!!

My sister and I have done the GMAC for the last 3 years. We really enjoy the event. This year was better than ever. It's a wonderful excuse to spend a weekend in the summer hiking and exploring the Green Mountains while solving puzzles along the way. We always stay at The Inn at Sawmill Farm, which is a cozy B&B right in town. There is always a deal on Living Social which makes it more enticing. The locals are friendly and happy to have us wandering around town. There are a variety of places in town to eat or enjoy some refreshing beverages. And it's fun to meet up with other groups doing the adventure to compare notes. I would highly recommend this activity.

My fiance and i did this event last weekend. It was incredible. Lots of hiking involved, and for us non-hikers, we actually loved it. The views were amazing and the places we had to go were fun. I had two suggestions for improvement: 1) Make the clues harder to decode or tell people involved in challenge not to give things away! For one of the clues (sky) we were told exactly where to go by the person who handed us our clue card. That kind of took the challenge out of it. We met some others who later said they were not given the same direction. 2) More challenge! One of the clues was very easy compared to the others and did not involve much physical activity other than a car ride. I think we found the ones where physical activity was involved to be more rewarding!That said, the challenge was so, so much fun and we will definitely do it next year and every year thereafter if you keep it up! It definitely isn't for young kids or for people who want check-in points - you are totally on your own. But it is very rewarding. Oh and the Gray Ghost Inn was a great place to stay!Thanks everyone for putting together such a great event!

What a great way to spend a weekend. It is physically and mentally challenging. Hard enough not to get bored, but doable enough not to quit. We completed the challenge in 2.5 days, and are so proud of ourselves that we still can't wipe off the grins from our faces. The scenery was spectacular, the people were all very friendly and accommodating. The challenge itself was very clever and well thought out. We had the time of our life! Can't wait for the next year.

The Green Mountain Adventure Challenge is a CHALLENGE! We did this through Zozi and got a deal on 2 nights of a hotel room and 2 passes to the challenge. We stayed at the Grey Ghost Inn (highly recommended! They are great!) on Friday, started on a Saturday, continued into Sunday and did NOT have enough time to finish. If we do this again next year (which, we absolutely will if it's offered again) then we will probably plan for 2 weekends. It is very challenging in terms of the clues - the best thing to do is to talk to the people in the town at the businesses. They got a kick out of the challenge and were always happy to help. It gets frustrating at times, but going back to the town and starting over SAVED us so many times. I was stubborn and wanted to keep looking, and all it did was waste precious time. If you can't find it, chances are you are in the wrong place. Even if you think you are in the right place. The hikes were beautiful and we got some great exercise. Some people saw a moose! Jealous! Next time I think we will bring more snacks (trail mix, etc) and leave more time. What a great find, thank you so much to the creators for putting this together!