charlie's Journal

Hi all! I'd forgotten about this project after moving to Montpelier and I didn't realize others were still using it. Do any of you want to take over the project or become a curator?Or does anyone have geoprivacy issues with this? I would be up to make someone else admin if it's possible to do so.

Descended into Downer Glen in Manchester today to look for old forest. This is the sort of place which, while near populated areas, is true wilderness and almost never visited. There are a few beer cans on the scramble down, probably thrown from the overlook above (site of bracken observation), and I found a mysterious golf ball on some miserably inaccessible slope (maybe hit from across the canyon?) but otherwise there were no signs of humans. The forest on the south slopes is definitely old-growth, and was probably never logged at all, because it takes scrambling on hands and knees over loose talus and through hobblebush to even get there.

It would have probably been easier to explore and then go back the way I came. The 'adventure' I went on had a very long hobble-and-wet-talus scramble with lots of holes to twist your ankle and such.

There is said to be a nice waterfall in the canyon but I didn't have time to search for it, being here for work to look at the forest. There was a point where I wondered if I'd get back to the car before dark... thankfully my second attempt to get back across the canyon was successful.

Today was an interesting day... tried to get to the Long Trail north from route 2... the first attempt was a section that didn't yet exist, the second attempt had no parking due to road construction. Tried to go to the hike behind the Youth Conservation Center and ended up taking a wrong turn. Ended up on a beautiful ridge in dry oak forest with an incredible view of foliage-rich hills and mountains towards Mount Mansfield. Our hiking was accompanied by the plop of many falling acorns. A good little hike despite all the obstacles to get there!