[H]ikers making their way up the steep flanks of Mount Mansfield next week will see an unusual sight on their way up — a wooden pop-up lemonade stand.
Outdoor apparel company Merrell, together with Backpacker magazine, will be setting up a temporary lemonade stand on Sunset Ridge trail in Underhill State Park on July 16 and on Haselton Trail in Smuggler’s Notch State Park the following day, said Rob Peterson, regional manager of the state’s northwest parks.
The free lemonade is part of a social media marketing campaign called Merrell Magic to “celebrate the trails by surprising hikers and trail crews when they least expect it,” according to Merrell’s website.
The “magic” usually takes the form of weary long distance hikers stumbling upon a cooler with ice cold sports drinks on the Appalachian Trail or a water cache in dry areas of the Pacific Crest Trail. Merrel Magic representatives have even cooked beef tartare with duck egg for backpackers in Providence Canyon State Park in Georgia and thrown a pizza party for a Mount Rainier National Park trail crew.
A representative from Merrell could not be reached for comment on Monday afternoon about its plans in Vermont.
While reviewing the application, state park managers reached out to the Green Mountain Club, the nonprofit that maintains the Long Trail, since the two entities co-manage trails on Mount Mansfield, said Peterson.
GMC backcountry stewards are stationed near summits and campsites around the state to answer hikers’ questions and teach “leave no trace” principles.
Mike DeBonis, executive director of the Green Mountain Club, said he talks with state park managers to ensure that a proposed trail activity will not cause ecological harm or create a major impact for hikers.
For example, a lemonade stand shouldn’t go on a summit where there would be limited space, high wind and sensitive alpine plants, he said. GMC would generally advise that activities like this occur in a parking lot or the side of a road near a trail, he added.
“The challenge is finding out what’s appropriate for the trail and what’s not,” he added.
While he sees value in giving back to hikers, DeBonis said that “usually trail magic doesn’t have a corporate marketing” angle.
Peterson said the lemonade stand proposal is an appropriate use of state trails because the wooden stand is “low impact” — it’s carried up on a backpack — and will only stay in place for a short period of time.
“Although they are a commercial entity,” Peterson said of Merrell, “they’re connecting with people who are outdoor enthusiasts.”
