Equinox is my anchor.
The Vermont mountain roots me in place and time. It's there, dominating the eastern horizon from every field on my farm. I can tell the season by how far north or south of it the Sun rises. And I know it's the vernal/autumnal equinox when the Sun comes up directly over the top. From the west its familiar shoulder-summit-shoulder shape emerges out of the darkness as dawn approaches and at sunset I've watched it turn red, yellow, gold and then purple.
The geography between my home and the mountain is the world I know and love. The Hudson River and the Taconic Hills. The villages: Greenwich, Cambridge and Salem. Farms, woods, wetlands and the Battenkill. Dirt roads and winding trails.
And the mountain chronicles where I am in the arc of my own time on Earth. When I was younger I hiked, skied and ran up its steep slopes. Now I'm content to wander down low, still there, still feeling its immensity but not needing to challenge it.
That's what Gwenne and I try to do every year about this time. Wander down low on the trails of the Equinox Preservation Trust. The Trust manages a 900 plus acre swath of the mountains eastern flank rising up from Manchester Village. Last year, on an idyllic spring Sunday afternoon, the parking lot above Burr and Burton Academy was nearly full. I suppose that should have been worrisome but the trails here are so wide and numerous that distancing is not a problem. Back in the early days of the pandemic it actually felt reassuring to see smiling people without masks!
The blue summit trail functions something like a 'Main Street', with other side trails branching off. I made the mistake of saying "Remember the last time we climbed the blue trail all the way to the top?" Gwenne remembered it all too well. She was eight months pregnant at the time, it was a hot July day and the way is unrelentingly steep. It had been my idea to go for a little hike. I like to joke that Holly climbed Equinox before she was born but Gwenne doesn't see the humor.
In last years schizophrenic spring it had snowed a few days before our visit and it would snow again a few days after. But while we were there it was sunny and nearly 70. Prime time for spring ephemeral wildflowers and we identified at least a dozen with several mystery blooms thrown in for good measure. Alphabetically, everything from bellwort to wild ginger. Now, in any nature blog worth its salt, this is where you'd see a colorful gallery of flower close-ups. But not here, not with my sad photography skills and cheap little point and shoot. Better to go to Saratoga Woods and Waters where you will see great shots, most taken in eastern New York but of many of the same species found on Equinox.
Equinox has long been a mecca for botany enthusiasts. The reason is the geology - marble and limestone below steep upper slopes that bring down plentiful nutrients resulting in luxuriant plant growth. From just above the 1000' contour up to about 2600' is a natural community ecologists call the Rich Northern Hardwood Forest - perhaps the best example in all of the Northeast. Below that zone are reforesting farm fields replete with stone walls and old roads while above is high elevation yellow birch - spruce - fir. For the fit and ambitious you can hike up thru these different bands over a few short, steep miles. Or you can simply wander down low on trails with such whimsical names as The Snicket and Flatlander.
There's a pond, a viewpoint and numerous small streams. There are also dog walkers, trail runners, mountain bikers and the occasional equestrian. These are trails for everyone but there are enough of them that you can find quiet spots where it's just you, tall trees and a whole bunch of wildflowers. Trust me.
* For trail maps and more information on the history and ecology of the Equinox Preservation Trust lands here is a link to their website.
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