Lily Pond Highlands: 615 Acres Protected in Perpetuity
The Windmill Hill Pinnacle Association signed a conservation easement with the Vermont Land Trust and the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board on May 5, 2022 on an ecologically diverse 615-acre parcel known as Lily Pond Highlands. Located in the towns of Athens, Brookline, and Townshend, the land was purchased in May 2021 by WHPA. The signing by the co-holders of the easement is the final step in the conservation of this rugged landscape. Thank you for your generous donations that helped us reach our goal! This land is just west of the Pinnacle ridgeline and directly within view from the Pinnacle summit. It's important to conserve because its forest offers habitat for bear and moose, and its two pristine ponds are home to beaver colonies, a heron rookery, and several species of ducks. Read the latest news here on Lily Pond Highlands.
One of the two pristine ponds on the Lily Pond Highlands. Photo: Camilla Roberts
Chester Scouts Honored for Building Athens Dome Summit Trail Shelter
Chester Scouts in 2017 in the Athens Dome Summit Trail shelter they built.
We're saying "thank you" to the Chester Scout troop with a new plaque at the Athens Dome Summit shelter! On August 19, 2021, Pinnacle trustees hiked with Chester Scouts and their families on the Athens Dome Summit trail to install the new brass plaque. The Chester Scout troop built the shelter on this trail from 2014-2017. Special thanks to Scout leader Tom Charlton and the three Eagle Scouts who earned their badge on this project: Earl Grennan for the design and wall construction, EJ Bromley for the roof, and David Charlton for the floor and water collection system. Read more here about the beginnings of this project in 2014.
Weekend on Windmill Ridge
An article by Ben Kimball in the May 2018 Vermont Sports magazine recounts a 10-mile run on WHPA trails on July 4, 2017, that was most memorable and romantic!
Click here to read the article online or download a PDF.
Bob Sartini’s Through-Hike
When the Pinnacle Association closed the gap in the long trail system, we asked people who had hiked the whole distance to let us know about their experiences. Trail Steward Bob Sartini had already hiked the distance and shared his journal entries so others could know what to expect. You can read about his experiences here.
WHPA History Videos
Watch video interviews with Pinnacle founders and history book authors:
Radford-Smith Trail Inauguration
Watch a video of the opening of WHPA's Radford-Smith trail!
Pinnacle Cabin: The Transformation Is Done
The Pinnacle Cabin’s facelift and renovation have vastly improved the appeal and comfort of this very special shelter. Read more here and consider reserving the cabin for your next overnight or celebration.
Remembering Arthur Westing's Hikes to the Largest White Ash Tree in Vermont
Arthur Westing led many hikes to this champion white ash tree, teaching others about forests along the way. To learn more about how trees take in water, read Westing’s article “Water in Trees: Its Uptake and Ascent.”