Sterling Pond, located at the top of Sterling Mountain, which is part of Smuggler’s Notch Resort, is the highest pond in the state of Vermont.

The pond is frozen over in the winter, but is an excellent place to visit on a hike in the summer.

While most people visit the pond to soak up the views of neighboring Mt. Mansfield, Vermont’s tallest peak, a number of fisherman enjoy the pond for its plentiful population of trout.

Courtesy: Smuggs

Smugglers’ Notch works with The Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife to stock Sterling Pond annually with hundreds of trout that ascend by taking the Sterling Lift.

Take a look at the pictures captured yesterday of Smuggs employees stocking the pond with a fresh delivery of trout.

The trout are placed in barrels for the ride up the lift. Courtesy: Smuggs
They’re then ferried up the lift with their temporary barrel home secured to the chairs. Courtesy: Smuggs
The barrels are then hauled to pond by ATV and the trout are released into their new home!

It must be neat for Smuggs to claim they have the only trout pond stocked by a ski lift in the world.

Add that to your Instagram caption…!

I highly recommend visiting Smugglers’ Notch not only in the winter, but also for a summer vacation if you can swing it.

The hike up to Sterling Pond is moderately difficult, but short, and is very rewarding.

Keep an eye out for some of this ski lift trout while you’re up there!

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