Water Tower Trails
The deeply grooved bark indicates that this is a very old tree. It has a diameter of 42”, only 2” less than the largest hemlock in Vermont. This specimen is probably over 300 years old.
Robert Frost Interpretative Trail 02-04-2021
Sony A7R2 and Voitlander 21mm f/3.5
The Robert Frost Interpretative Trail is fairly short, probably less than a mile, and it winds through a lovely, mostly flat landscape with meadows, forest, and some large isolated trees. The South Branch of the Middlebury River meanders through, too. There are also several footbridges, some raised wooden walking platforms over the river and the wet, boggy sections, and numerous well-placed benches facing spectacular views. Robert Frost’s cabin is less than a mile from here and a feature of this trail is the set of engraved placards with his poetry that have been placed alongside the trail at various points. It’s a beautiful setting and the poetry is inspiring.
The snow was much deeper here in the mountains than in the valley, which is always the case, of course. Today’s temperatures up here were a few degrees colder than in the valley but still mild, in the low 30’s. The skies were clear and the air was still. We decided not to wear snowshoes, although that decision could have gone either way as parts of the trail were well packed from use, while other parts were untrod and the going was slow.
The interpretative trail connects with another set of trails higher up the mountain, and the one we took today led to a hemlock climax forest. One of the trees was very large and with the thick bark of old hemlocks and we stopped to measure its diameter. The largest hemlock in Vermont is in Waitsfield and has a diameter of 44”. The one we measured today is almost as large with a diameter of 42”. Impressive! We’ll visit the hemlock in Waitsfield to measure and photograph it.
Big gobs of snow along the trail.
Robert Frost Interpretative Trail+ 02-04-2021
Sony A7R2 and Voitlander 21mm f/3.5
South Fork of the Middlebury River
Robert Frost Interpretative Trail 02-04-2021
Sony A7R2 and Voitlander 21mm f/3.5
South Fork of the Middlebury River (Detail)
Robert Frost Interpretative Trail 02-04-2021
Sony A7R2 and Voitlander 21mm f/3.5
Tracks in the Snow
Robert Frost Interpretative Trail+ 02-04-2021
Sony A7R2 and Voitlander 21mm f/3.5
View of the Hemlock Climax Forest
Robert Frost Interpretative Trail+, 02-04-2021
Sony A7R2 and Voitlander 21mm f/3.5
Meadow Adjacent to the Hemlock Forest with Bread Loaf Mountain the Background
Robert Frost Interpretative Trail+, 02-04-2021
Sony A7R2 and Voitlander 50mm f/2
Barbara on the Snowy Forest Trail
Robert Frost Interpretative Trail+, 02-04-2021
Sony A7R2 and Voitlander 21mm f/3.5
