A Glorious Fall Preview in New England this Labor Day Weekend!

[ctyanky]

Fall is here! This Labor Day weekend features overnight lows in the 40s and low 50s, perfect sunshiny days in the 60s and 70s and the reds and oranges are popping out on the upper canopies of the trees. Does it get any better than this? I am beside myself with joy! You can just detect the changes in the air; that intoxicating aroma of the shifting earthy smell and changing leaves. The geese flying overhead, ahhhh, it's finally arrived!

I am going to get my mums today and have 2 hiking adventures in the northern part of my state (CT). Jeans and flannel shirts, just what I've been waiting for after this long, hot and dry summer!

Get outside and enjoy! Days like these are to be treasured. Autumn is my heartthrob! CT

[Hexagenia]

A quick report from the shores of Great Averill Lake in the NEK. Having travelled up and down VT 114 a number of times in the last ten days, I'm amazed at the early start of Foliage 2020. Between Island Pond and Norton, there was a true yellow glow driving north at sunset last night. Lots of orange flashes as usual and even more red seems to be making an appearance than last year. Canaan Hill Road is a light glow, but I can't remember this much color this early up here for many years. I usually count on September 27-30 for peak up here, and I'm really feeling it's going to be earlier this year. If it continues at current pace, maybe even a week earlier!

Just thanking Mother Nature that today's 50 mile per hour gusts did not occur later in the month. It would have been a game changer. Have fun this season, everyone, and I'll provide an update after the coming weekend.

[KenHiker]

Hi. I live in north Georgia (Cumming) so Fall colors are a long ways off.
However, I always keep up with Vermont Fall Colors and appreciate your forum and update.
I can empathize with your thoughts about "feeling" the Fall colors approaching.
We have experienced some nice nights lately (cooler, low humidity), creating some nice "sleeping weather".
I will check in on this forum to see how things are going.
Thanks, and God Bless...

[ctyanky]

Hi Ken! Thanks for popping in here! We are in for some 40's next week overnight even in northern CT with a long stretch of 70s and bright sunshiny days that will really push the colors. We do need rain however, as we are experiencing very dry conditions throughout the northeast. Hopefully, today's rains will help somewhat. Got my mums out and brought all the fall decor down to put out this weekend.

Enjoy your colors in your state! CT

[ctyanky]

Hi Hex! Thanks for the report. Looking forward to your next NEK update! My friends in West Charleston say the reds and oranges are really great! They have two vacation homes on Pensioner Pond where I was last year. I've always wanted to go to Great Averill Lake, there is a self contained family cabin campground facility that has caught my eye and it is set right on the lake. It is gorgeous and I think they serve 3 meals a day (if you don't have a cabin kitchen) with tons of outdoor activities and water sports that I would love. It's way up there and the setting is extremely rural but what a location!

We are quite early in northern CT for color and our DEEP foresters predict an early color show due to the dry weather but lasting for a longer period of time. We shall see..... For those coming into CT head to the extreme NW corner and extreme SW corner of MA for early color appearing now, as I spend most of my weekends hiking up there.

[KenHiker]

Hi Hex.
Enjoyed your report from the Averill area.
If you read my post on "Fall Foliage and Vermont Life", I mention I'm reading my old Autumn editions of the magazine.
I do this each year at this time.
In one of them, there's an article about a woman who ran a general store in Averill.
When I get to that edition, I'll respond back here.
Sound like the start to a great foliage season!
God Bless...

[KenHiker]

Hi CT.

RE: NW Connecticut.
I was stationed at the sub base in sw CT in the early 70's.
I hiked most of the blue trails in that area.
I twice went up to NW CT in the Salisbury area and hiked to the top of Bear Mountain.
A very scenic place.
Glad to hear some color is showing up there.
God Bless...

[ctyanky]

Hi Ken, yes I hike quite a bit up in Salisbury! I recently hiked Lions Head off of Riga Road. I'm sure that is how you got to Bear Mountain. At the summit of Lions Head, you can take the AT over to Bear Mountain. It was another six miles so we didn't complete that loop. There are many hikes off of Riga Road and we are going to do Bald Mountain in the near future. I've also hiked some land trusts in Salisbury. It is pretty mountainous up there, similar to SW VT. Some day I'll get to Bear Mountain!

[ctyanky]

Another glorious fall weekend is on tap for this coming Saturday and Sunday. It just keeps getting better and better! I hope you all can take advantage of this cool, autumn like weather to get outside and start enjoying the start of fall fever. I heard from Bogey and Bob (from the forum and from NH) and it sounds like they are chomping at the bit to get a start on their photography adventures.

The autumnal equinox is just 7 days away and I feel like it has been fall now for almost 2 weeks already. A few warm blips on the radar but then it gets mighty cold again. I'll be heading out this weekend to check the color progression after the cold start.

Enjoy autumn bliss!

[KenHiker]

Hi Hex.
I found the Vermont Life edition that had the article about Averill.
It is Autumn, 1978. I've always enjoyed reading this each year when I re-read the Autumn editions and enjoy the Fall pictures.
It is about the Lake View Store, as run by Jeanette Roy and her husband Victor.
It appears they had been running this store since at least 1957 at the time this article was written.
Question:
Are you familiar with them and/or the store?
If you want to see this edition of the magazine, go to this archive:
https://archive.org/details/rbmsbk_ap2-v4_1978_V33N1
God Bless!

[ctyanky]

Ken: I read where Pricilla Roy passed away in Feb of 2017; Priscilla took over the store from her mother Jeannette Roy and they operated it for almost 70 years. The store is still in operation but not sure who owns it. I was looking at some hiking up there and found this info. CT

https://www.facebook.com/LakeViewStore/

[KenHiker]

Hi CT.
Yes, I'd heard that Jeanette had passed some years ago, and the store was currently not open.
Sad to see that family not involved with that store.

Hex - Were you familiar with this store?

God Bless...