Mount Hor and Lake Willoughby

5 out of 5

A breathtakingly scenic ski tour on Mount Hor, offering moderate skiing and excellent views of Lake Willoughby and the towering ice cliffs on Mount Pisgah. Lake Willoughby, dubbed the “Lucerne of America,” forms the centerpiece of what is arguably the most beautiful landscape in Vermont. The analogy to Switzerland’s famous Lake Lucerne, which is ringed by the Alps, is apt. The fiordlike appearance of Lake Willoughby is created by the steep granite slabs of Mount Pisgah to the east and Mount Hor to the west. The mountains rise precipitously from the water and appear like an open jaw (known as Willoughby Notch) swallowing up the southern end of the lake. The area has been designated a National Natural Landmark and a Vermont Natural Area, and is included in the Vermont Fragile Area Registry.