Fall Color At Birch Ridge Inn 

Each night, the cold temperatures are drawing out the color of the grand old trees around the inn. Over the last couple of nights, we have come close to a general frost. The ground is still a little moist, so we have not had a killing ground frost, but building roofs and cars are covered in the morning, which means that the leaves on the trees are also getting quite cold.

If you notice on the inn picture in the foliage picture gallery, we got our first load of firewood for the season yesterday. This mornings task was to build a crib for the wood in front of the Great Room. It has still been a little warm in the early evening to light a fire in the Great Room fireplace, but I would expect that we will be doing that either this weekend or some time next week.

Fall Color behind Green #2
at Green Mountain National Golf Course
in Killington 

This morning we had a 9:30 AM tee time at the Green Mountain National Golf Course. The morning sun, as is usual for this time of year, was still low on the horizon when we started to play. The fall colors around the course were absolutely beautiful. The red maples, orange oaks, and yellow birches are all starting to show full color on eastern facing slopes in the morning sunshine.

Unlike in past years, where the color change was running late and muted, this year the leaves seem to be turning on their more natural schedule. While peak foliage is in the eye of the beholder, It does look to my eye that peak foliage in Killington will occur some time next week, especially if we have a few more frosty nights.

Birch Ridge Inn with a backdrop of fall color 

The color change in the trees is continuing it's advance. Fall foliage visitors, aka "leaf peepers", should be very happy with the colors in the Green Mountains this season. it looks like there has been a great combination of moisture and fair temperatures all summer to make this fall foliage season especially brilliant.

Mary and I have been busy around the inn on a variety of odd jobs to get the inn ready for our fall foliage guests. I spent a good part of today in the kitchen, doing the usual pre-foliage maintenance to make sure that the equipment is running properly so we can feed our guests. Mary has been starting to go through the gardens, culling the plants that have passed so that the plants that shine in the fall can rightfully take center stage.

While we have had guests at the inn each night, there is a sharp upturn in guests later this week, which will carry straight through until the week after Columbus Day. Starting this Wednesday (September 27th), our restaurant will be serving dinner nightly until the end of the fall season. It should be a great fall season for visitors to Vermont.

Fall colors alive
in the Roaring Brook Valley
at Killington 

Even though there is a light drizzle and some mountain fog, every where you go today in Killington, if you are paying attention, you will see great fall colors. The cool air of the last couple of days has started to really draw out the color.

Killington today is a mix of red maples, yellowing birches, orange oaks, and green poplars. Most of the trees have started their fall progression, right on time if notes from previous years mean anything. Assuming we do not have a major wind storm, the next 20 days should be punctuated with brilliant colors through out the area as fall progresses.

This years version of the "Great Pumpkin"
greets visitors to the Birch Ridge Inn 

If you think about it too hard, fall in Vermont can be a bittersweet season. On the bitter side, sunlight is fading, temperatures are falling, flowers are disappearing. Playing golf, you notice a definite crispness in the air. You wonder when you get dressed in the morning, should you retire the summer shorts and opt for long pants and a sweater...

But then there is the sweetness.

The trees on the mountains fire up a dazzling color show unlike anything else in the world. Farmers are finishing their harvests, resulting in all kinds of variety in the local food supply. Great pumpkins and squashes make their appearance after growing in the fields all summer. With the cold nights, you know that snow season is just around the corner, creating all kinds of new opportunities to play outdoors. It seems like everyone in town is doing ski training exercises to get ready for the coming season. There is definitely a sense of anticipation as summer slides into fall.

Mary cutting back the garden
for winter at the ski shed
at Birch Ridge. 

The season is rapidly changing at Killington this year. Every day the fall foliage colors are more brilliant than the last. The nights are getting colder, the days not quite as warm.

At the inn, the seasonal shift has begun. Mary has begun the process of cutting back many of the gardens to prepare for the winter months. Our first load of fire wood is on order and due for delivery next week. Fall Foliage guests are making their plans to visit with us. We have even started to book ski packages for the upcoming winter season. The season is changing.

The 3rd hole at the Killington
Resort Golf Course starting
to display fall foliage colors. 

Fall Foliage season is upon us in Killington. On today's blog posting, you will see that the Birch Ridge Inn Flower of the Day picture, displayed on the right side of the blog page all summer, has been supplemented with the Birch Ridge Inn Fall Foliage picture of the day. Over the course of the next several weeks, we will try to document the progression of fall foliage in the Killington area with daily pictures of trees around the inn. We hope that you enjoy the change in seasons from summer into fall.