Foliage Update

[pwt54]

Yesterday I went for a ride in the Northeast Kingdom part of Vermont to see how the foliage is doing. It's doing. First I went up to Troy for some sausage gravy and biscuits at the Junction 101 restuarant and then took some mileage for Big Falls. After that I went down to Orleans to pick up route 58 east to route 5A. Then I turned right and went down to Lake Willoughby. The place was busy with boaters, hikers, and scuba divers. Next i took the mileage to the parking lots south of the Lake for Charles. Head south from the Lake and in 1/2 of a mile you'll see 2 parking lots across fro each other. Drive into the lot under the trees and you'll see the road going up behind the lot. It's a little bumpy but any car can handle it. I went up to the pulloff on the right to check the view. The view was great and the air so clear I could see some rock climbers on Mt. Pisgah. Next I went back up 5A to the Hinton Hill Road. It starts paved but changes to dirt. Good road with good views and the colors are really coming along. Should be nice next weekend. I came out on the Hudson Road in Charleston and turn right to get to route 105. I turned right at route 105 and went up to The Island Pond area and wander some of the back roads . I finally ended up on the Victory/Granby Road. I took that back to route 5A with a stop at the itty-bitty Granby General Store for a snack. The place was busy. This road had the best color of all the roads I was on. For you folks that might be interested, go to East Burke on route 5A. Go 2.3 miles north from the village and you'll see the Victory Road on the right. This road ends on route 102 in Guildhall. Colors should be good on route 102 next weekend. So here is my opinion; colors should be good north of route 15 and east of route 100, but I don't think it will be peak until a few days after next weekend. Also, route 17 between Waitsfield and Bristol is showing good early color and should be worth a look next weekend.

[Kai]

Scuba divers? Couple of years ago, I swimmed in Acadia, ME. Man, the water was chilly in later July!

Thank you very much for the heads-up. Please keep us posted.

Kai

[pwt54]

Lake Willoughby is an awesome lake. It was created by glaciers. It's over 300 feet deep and 30 pound lake trout are pulled out of there. It has 2 mountains right up against it. The cliffs of Mt. Pisgah are used for rock climbing and ice climbing. There are trails up to the top of both mountains and the parking lots for the trailheads were all packed last Sunday. One downer is it's too rough for canoes but the kayaks were out in force.

[Kai]

How's the weather in VT in early October in general?

I have to book my hotels now (if I am not too late already), but also I want to hit some nice days.

Thanks,

[pwt54]

Daytime temps from the mid 50's to low 70's and night time temps from mid 20's to low 50's. Maybe light snow on mountain tops above 3000 feet. No snow in the lowlands until late October. Probably not much different than Charlottesville.

[cashelan]

Just wanted to clear. Do you think its going to Peak a few days after 18th and 19th or will it be in the first week of October. Cause I have to alter my plans now if its so.
Places planning to visit is
Route 14
Lincoln Gap
route 232 the forest
Stowe

[pwt54]

For those areas it's the first week of October. You picked some great areas. By the way, if you happen to do route 14 as far south as East Brookfield, take route 65 west to Brookfield and check out the Floating Bridge over Sunset Lake. And if you go to East Montpelier on route 14, stop into Bragg Farm Sugarhouse for a Maple Cremee. Yummy!!

[cashelan]

I sure shall check those out. Thank you very much