Northeast Adventures: Windmill Ridge Run (Vermont)

Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Windmill Ridge Run (Vermont)

My girlfriend Jen works for Vermont Land Trust. Based out of their Brattleboro office, she monitors conserved properties in the southern third of the state. About two years ago, early in her tenure there, she texted me a photo of a sweet section of trail along a forested ridgeline in western Westminster. She said it was all really nice, and we agreed that we’d need to make an adventurous trail running trip there sometime.

On July 4, we decided to finally try out a long-overdue mid-distance (~10 miles) run up on the ridge. We got so lucky with conditions: the temperatures were very nice, clouds were occasional, and we only saw a few mosquitoes the whole time. We also got lucky with crowds; there was only one other car when we arrived, and a handful of people up on top of the Pinnacle. Otherwise the only other person we saw all day was a trail maintainer along the ridge just north of Holden Knob.

After grabbing some sandwiches to go at the Putney Co-op, we navigated up the pretty, winding back roads of Putney and Westminster to the base of a long north-south mountain called Windmill Ridge. We parked at the trailhead for the Holden Trail and got ourselves ready (acquired GPS signals, re-checked hydration packs, put on sunscreen, and determined that bug spray thankfully seemed unnecessary). We each wore regular running clothes and shoes, and carried water and snacks for the afternoon. Then we set out up the trail from the artistic gate.

kiosk and gate at the Holden Trail trailhead

The initial ascent is fairly easy, along a wide path at first and then along recently relocated singletrack that clearly was laid out by people who love trails as much as we do. In about 1.2 miles we reached the Pinnacle Trail along the crest of the ridge. Heading north from there, we jogged the mile or so up to the summit of The Pinnacle where there is a cabin and a fantastic westward view. Along the way the trail gently rises and falls, and generally contours organically over the landscape. Very nice for running. It was about 80 degrees, but the humidity was low and there was a light breeze. A few scattered clouds hung out on the horizon and occasionally passed overhead. And it was blissfully bug-free for a warm July day.

beautiful running

the sweetest spot

From the Pinnacle we continued north for a few miles to the network of trails below Paul's Ledges. We managed to hit most of them, including the surprisingly challenging Hemlock Trail. Staying on the right path required a little bit of attention to the map. Little did Jen know I had something else on my mind at that point, but we didn't get lost. Then climbed to the clearing at Paul's Ledges, where we found ourselves alone on a gorgeous afternoon. Not being able to ask for a finer overall moment to (finally) do it, I proposed to Jen on the spot. To my significant relief, she said yes =)

After sharing a celebratory Snickers bar (hey, if it works at the time..), we set off from our engagement spot and headed back south along the ridge. This time, just before reaching the Pinnacle we turned left and headed down the Holden Trail. It's clearly one of the older, and thus more eroded, trails there, but parts of it are still really fun to run.

Overall it was a great introduction to running the trails of the ridge, and we can't wait to go back and link up with other parts of it including Putney Mountain, and the Athens Dome area.

Windmill Hill Pinnacle Association map of this section of the ridge.