Category Archives: Programs

2024 Cold Roll Rutland

IS IN THE BOOKS!

The Rutland Cold Rolled Fat bike Festival went off snow-or-no-snow—and as usual, was a HOOT!

Cold Roll Rutland was a blast despite lack of snow for 2024.

The vendor village was full with cool stuff from Green Mountain bikes, Ranch Camp, Base Camp, Down Valley Bikes, Analog bikes, Porcupine bikes. Plus Appalachian Distillery from Middlebury came!

The aid station was at Rocky Pond which provided picturesque views to the north. Complete with Fiddlehead beer, snacks and Shelley’s chocolate peanut butter bars!

Despite the non-winter type weather folks had a good time. Yes, it would have been nice to ride on snow but for the most part trails were dry and in great shape.

More photos of the event can be found here.

Cold Roll for 2025 will be February 9th! Maybe we can conjure up some more winter type weather next year.


Wild Times Nature Report

Tom Estill summer report is here! What a fantastic read too.

By the first official day of summer numerous birds are already successfully nesting in the park. For years now, the house wren continues to nest near the trailhead, either in one of the small birdhouses you see as you start your walk up to the trailhead, or in the birdhouse at the far end of the wooden walkway a short ways past the trailhead kiosk. I was sad to see an old dead beech tree, which for years had been used as a place for yellow-bellied sapsuckers to make their nests, had been blown over. For 7 years, the sapsuckers would drill a hole in a different spot on that dead tree. I always wondered if it was the offspring that was returning each year.

On this first day of summer, I saw the stunning scarlet tanager, always singing on Crusher Rd. near the old quarry, the American redstart, chestnut-sided warbler, ovenbird, red-eyed vireo and white-breasted nuthatch.

So, on June 24th, while walking in the forest, I thought it would be fun to compare life in the forest near the first day of summer, with life in the forest near the first day of winter. So, on June 24th, it was very hot and humid. Birds seen included house wren, red-eyed vireo,

white-breasted nuthatch, yellow-bellied sapsucker, American redstart, chestnut-sided warbler, common yellowthroat, song sparrow, ovenbird, Eastern pewee, veery, great crested flycatcher, blue jay, least flycatcher, hairy woodpecker, robin, Eastern towhee, hermit thrush, and Osprey on its Muddy Pond nest. Flowers blooming included white and red clover, ox-eye daisy, common buttercup, cow vetch, sheep laurel, blue flag, bedstraw, common fleabane, thimbleweed, yellow wood sorrel, multi-flora rose, yellow pond lily, fragrant water lily,

rough-fruited cinquefoil, and partridgeberry. And many chipmunks out and about. Now, on the first day of winter 2022, I saw black-capped chickadees, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch and crows, the ground was covered in a few inches of snow, both ponds were frozen over solid, and the temperature was near freezing. Wow!, quite a difference all around.

On June 25th, I came upon an adult doe on Middle Giorgetti trail which started walking towards me for some reason. I slowly backed away to leave it alone. Yellow bellied spasuckers were feeding their noisy young all throughout the forest, and I was disappointed to find out that the Cooper’s Hawk nest high in a white pine on Lower Giorgetti had been abandoned.

On June 29th, a garter snake was seen at Rocky Pond, a doe and fawn were seen at the same spot on Middle Giorgetti where I saw the doe on June 25th, bullfrogs, green frogs and schools of young bullheads were seen at Rocky Pond, and new flowers blooming included whorled loosestrife, bulrush, foxtail, bluegrass, button sedge, and St. Johnswort

On June 30th, I saw a few birds I don’t see often at Pine Hill Park, including the blue-headed warbler, a red-throated hummingbird feeding on milkweed nectar, and bluebirds at Rocky Pond. An Osprey was sitting on its Muddy Pond nest. Dragonflies were mating and laying eggs, and a

red fox was observed, all at Muddy Pond. Butterflies seen that day included the white cabbage and great spangled fritillary.

On July 3rd, a pair of barred owls were seen on Droopy Muffin, sapsucker chicks were chirping like crazy on a Svelte Tiger trail, and a doe kept following me near the old rock quarry on Crusher Rd., leading me to believe someone had been feeding that deer.

A week later, I saw a belted kingfisher, great blue heron and osprey on Muddy Pond. Bullfrogs could be heard, and many large bullfrog tadpoles were swimming near the shoreline. Indian Pipe was starting to flower and blueberries were starting to ripen. A milk snake was seen on the Carriage Trail. But the best news is that the spongy moth infestation had finally ended after 2 summers of deforestation by that insect. Hopefully, we won’t see that moth for another 10 years or so. The American Chestnut tree on Svelte Tiger did not recover from last years defoliation, but side shoots were observed growing from the side of the tree in a few spots.

On July 17th, I saw an unusually high number of robins flying through the forest. That behavior isn’t usually observed until the fall. Don’t know what that was all about.

By the last week of July, the forest had become so relatively quiet. For the most part, nesting season was over, and some birds had already started migrating south. One thing that I, and everybody else noticed about the forest this season was the unusual number of mosquitoes. The increased rain this year provided ample opportunities for mosquitoes to breed. In my 11

years hiking

Pine Hill Park , I have never seen so many mosquitoes. On one occasion, I

actually had a large swarm follow me on my walk. It was not a pleasant experience. And yes, I used bug spray

The last day of July, I was able to see one of my favorite flowers in the park-the small Pink flower. Usually overlooked by visitors and not very common, it can be seen on Crusher Rd., its color and petal markings are just striking.

The first week of August found the forest very quiet, with does accompanying fawns, blackberries ripe, lots of Chicken-of-the-Woods mushrooms, evening primrose in flower, a

ruby-throated hummingbird attracted to the red marker flag I was carrying, and a migrating Cape May Warbler flying through the forest. They’re one of the early spring migrants to arrive in the park, and one of the first to be seen leaving.

The first “feel” of approaching Fall occurred on Aug. 24th. The only bird I saw that day was the Eastern Pewee, and the only mammal I saw was a doe on the Carriage Trail. Forest once again very quiet. Flowers in bloom included the hog peanut, silver-rod, arrow-leaved tearthumb and knotweed. I planted a couple more wild American Chestnut seedlings on the edge of the Carriage Trail at Rocky Pond. Very soon a blight resistant tree will be released in the wild to pollinate wild American chestnuts, producing a Wild American Chestnut resistant to the blight, and the beginning of the comeback to our Eastern forests of that magnificent tree.

A spike horn buck following a doe was seen on Svelte Tiger trail on August 26th. Many chipmunks were scurrying about, Sulfur and Pearl Crescent butterflies were seen, and Calico aster, panicled hawkweed, closed bottle gentian, and toothed white-topped aster were all in bloom.

On Sept. 5th, a Belted Kingfisher was seen fishing at Rocky Pond, many green frogs and newts were seen in the pond, a tiny American Toad was seen on Crusher Rd., many young pickerel frogs were seen throughout the whole forest, and a Cottontail rabbit was seen near the trailhead. A cardinal, dark-eyed junco, and white-breasted nuthatch were the only birds seen.

On Sept. 19th, I was very surprised to see a woodchuck run into a hole under a rock at Rocky Pond. I’ve never seen a woodchuck so far away from the only other place I’ve regularly seen them in the park, and that’s on Crusher Rd. The only plants flowering were goldenrod, snakeroot, and a variety of asters. Great blue heron and small flock of wood ducks seen at Muddy Pond.

Had a beautiful hike through the forest on the last day of summer. Short-sleeve shirt temperatures, and mosquitoes not a bother. Many birds seen including, cardinal, robin, broad-winged hawk, white-breasted nuthatch, blue jay, tufted titmouse, yellow-throated vireo,

black-capped chickadee, hairy woodpecker, pileated woodpecker, yellow rumped warbler, and a few wood ducks and Canadian geese at Muddy Pond. Found a short-tailed shrew dead on the trail near Muddy Pond. It looked it perfect condition. Could not determine what may have caused its death. Sticktight, New England aster, flat-topped white aster, and snakeroot all in flower. Many chipmunks out and about.

That’s it for this edition. Please stay on the trails and enjoy your walks in the forest.

Park Updates

KSA Built is starting Thursday, October 27th in the park. Rosey will be working as late into late fall that weather permits. Some trails may be closed off as they are being upgraded. Please do not ride, walk, or run if you see a trail closed sign on that trail.

Broken Handlebar North and all of Halfpipe will see major improvements. Other smaller sections of trails will have drainage’s improved so water stops running straight down the trail tread. These improvements are part of the ERSA Grant Rutland Recreation received. Pine Hill Partnership is helping defray the higher cost of diesel some of our trails can see the upgrade they need. If you would like to make a donation directly to our trail fund please do so here https://pinehillpartnership.org/membership/ All contributions go back directly into Pine Hill Park trail system.

VYCC (VT Youth Conservation Corp) will be in the summer of 2023 to do more trail remediation work.

Our trails are being used heavily and need much needed TLC so please bear with this while the work is being performed.

22 Cold rolled

We lucked out with weather getting cold for Sunday after a warm day on Saturday that saw trails really get soft. I think it’s safe to say everyone had a really great time. Thanks to #MTBVT, #PineHillPartnership,#Fiddleheadbeer

It’s back

Cold Roll Rutland is back in 2022! Save the date! Sunday, February 13th. Registration starts at 9AM. Rides start at 10, lunch at 12:30 and samples of Fiddlehead beer will be available to folks over the age of 21. Ticket’s can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/copy-of-rutland-cold-2022-registration-239440291357

Press Release for: The 2nd Annual Cold Roll Rutland Fatbike Festival

[Rutland, VT, Jan 06, 2022] — The creative minds behind Überwintern and Winterbike are at it again! Mountain Bike Vermont has partnered with Pine Hill Partnership in Rutland, Vermont to offer a day of fatbike stoke on cold-rolled singletrack this Super Bowl Sunday! Join us Sunday February 13th, 2022, as fatbikers from around New England and New York gather in Rutland to lead a charge with Old Man Winter, replete with group rides, a vendor village, and hearty brews around warm fires.

The event will feature a vendor village, rides for all ages and abilities, and groomed packed powder trails for your fatbiking pleasure. Group rides will begin at 10am at the Giorgetti Athletic Complex at 2 Oak Street Extension (the Pine Hill Trailhead) where we’ll also convene for lunch at 12:30 pm. The remote aid station (aka party central) will be located at the overlook and will feature a bonfire and our favorite mid-ride refreshers. Lunch at Giorgetti will be catered by our friends at Ranch Camp (Stowe, VT).

“We’re beyond excited to bring the Cold Rolled back to Pine Hill – this trail network has some of the best fatbiking in the state, and the community rallies to maintain them all winter.” says event cofounder & Killington Valley local Nate Freund of MTBVT. “We’re stoked to bring the party to Rutland and introduce riders from around the northeast to these amazing trails!”

The $50 ticket price ($35 for the under 21 crowd) includes group rides, lunch (with both carnivorous and veggie options), a signed original Cold Roll Rutland artist print, as well as beverages. So air down those tires, break out the extra layers, and get ready to party MTBVT style.

SCHEDULE:

Vendor setup 8:00 to 9:00 Registration / Expo area opens 9:00 Group Rides

Advanced ride departs 9:45 Intermediate ride departs 10:00

Beginner ride departs 10:15

Remote Aid Station opens 11:00 to 2:00 Lunch 12:00 to 2:00

Event ends 3:00

Advanced Ride – This ride’s duration is up to 3ish hours. The pace is for avid riders that enjoy covering ground at a steady pace. You can expect up to 12ish miles of riding over variable terrain.

Intermediate – These rides are for most folks looking to have a good time, stop at the fire for a bit, and be guided around PHP. this ride will be three hours in duration with opportunities to bail out or put in a few extra miles.

Beginner ride – Beginner rides take folks on the easier terrain and no experience is necessary. This ride will bring participants to the remote aid station and back to base.

Interested in renting a fatbike for the event? Please reach out to your preferred local shop in advance as fatbikes are in short supply this season.

About Mountain Bike Vermont

Mountain Bike Vermont (MTBVT.com) is an online journal, events promoter, apparel company, and rolling party instigator. MTBVT’s dual initiative is documenting and promoting the Green Mountain State’s incomparable cycling community. Visit MTBVT.com for info on our annual event series, shop our online store, and peruse new and archived articles. #MTBVT Have questions? Want to become a vendor? Contact john@mtbvt.com

VIRTUAL annual meeting—march 29

We are hoping you can attend a virtual Pine Hill Partnership annual meeting on Monday, March 29th at 7pm via Go to Meeting.

We will have a short discussion to show our accomplishments for 2020 and plans for 2021. We will also be reviewing our 2020 and 2021 budgets and will elect a slate of officers and board members.

Only folks with current memberships will be eligible to vote, but anyone is welcome to attend the meeting. If you are unsure of your membership status, please contact Shelley at shelley.lutz@gmail.com or 775-4867 before 8pm.

Please RSVP by Friday, March 26th if you can attend. We will email you login instructions on the afternoon of the 29th.

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We hope to see you there and send a big thank you for your support this year in our continued efforts to make these area trails so special.

Sincerely,
Andrew Shinn, Joel Blumental, Dave Jenne, Claus Bartenstein, Peggy Shinn, Nate Netsch, Lindsey Johnston and Shelley Lutz—Board of Directors

2020 spring wild times

Thanks to Tom Estill we have these great nature reports.

Driving up to the pine hill park parking lot on the first day of spring, I was pleasantly surprised to see my first robins of the season scurrying about the ground looking for worms and other food to eat. Otherwise, the only other birds I saw that day were downy and hairy woodpeckers, crow, Canada geese at Muddy Pond, and tufted titmouse. At Rocky Pond, I observed a pair of turkey vultures circling above the rocky overlook, then land among the rocks. Thinking they might be considering nesting there, I walked up the trail and took a closer look but found no birds, nor nest. Rocky Pond was mostly open water, with a thin layer of ice covering the south and east shores. Numerous Eastern newts could be seen swimming near the shores where there was open water. Two days later, all ice was gone from Rocky Pond. Muddy Pond, on the other hand, still had a small amount of ice on its west side shore. At Muddy Pond, you could see Mallards, wood ducks and Canadian geese, along with 2 osprey flying overhead.

March 26th found Eastern bluebirds sitting on the trailhead area bird houses, occasionally flying in and out of the boxes. Very exciting to see, but tempered with the knowledge that they probably would not nest so close to all the park visitors going into, and coming out of, the park. And after watching the boxes closely for a few weeks, that’s exactly what happened. On this day, all ice was gone from both ponds, and numerous wood ducks could be heard calling in the wetland area just south of Rocky Pond. The first butterflies of the season, the mourning cloak and the Eastern Comma were seen, as well as the first wildflower of the season(as usual), the Coltsfoot. The last thing of interest on this day was the sighting of an Eastern garter snake near the quarry cliffs.

The last day of March found the oak trees starting to bud, common mergansers at Muddy Pond, and barred owls “hooting” near Trail sign #14.

The first week of April found both hooded and common mergansers on Muddy Pond, white breasted nuthatches building nests in tree cavities, osprey nesting for the 4th year in a row at Muddy Pond, and spring peepers starting to make their presence known with their piercing calls. While walking along Crusher Rd., I heard numerous gray squirrels and Eastern chipmunks sounding their alarm calls, then watched a beautiful red fox run across the road. During an evening walk, I noticed how quiet the forest was but knew that soon it would be filled with the sound of numerous birds as they established their territories, and began their mating rituals.

On April 19th, bluebirds were still flying in and out of the birdhouses, which surprised me very much. Were they actually going to nest in those exposed boxes, I wondered. Yellow-bellied sapsuckers had returned, and you could not walk anywhere within the park without hearing the drumming of those birds. It seemed the park was filled with them. I had never heard so many.

A broad-winged hawk was seen flying through the forest with a chipmunk hanging from its talons. Hermit thrushes had returned, along with the first warbler of the season, the American Redstart. And at Muddy Pond, Canada geese had begun nesting atop beaver dens.

By April 23rd, the forest was alive with numerous southern migratory birds having arrived, wood frogs calling during the day, Canada geese and Osprey nesting, trailing arbutus flowering, and turkey vultures continuing to fly over the Rocky Pond lookout. I had the feeling that they were probably interested in nesting there, but the presence of hikers would keep that from happening. The evening was still very quiet.

By the last week of April, spring peepers were being heard all over the Rutland Area, trout lily was flowering, tiny wood frog tadpoles were emerging from their eggs, painted turtles were sunning themselves, and the forest was filling with birds. On one birdwalk April 28th, I saw a cardinal, tufted titmouse, yellow-bellied sapsucker, rufous-sided towhee, yellow-rumped warblers, white-breasted nuthatch, black-capped chickadee, robin, crow, Eastern phoebe, ring-necked ducks, Canada geese, red-shouldered hawks, osprey, and yellow-throated vireos.

The first week of May found a pair of broad-winged hawks checking out a nest near Trail Marker 12. But its proximity to hikers would keep them from nesting there, unfortunately. And on May 2nd I saw something I had never seen before. A yellow-bellied sapsucker and hairy woodpecker were fighting up and down this tree for the longest time until they both flew off into the forest. Fiddleheads were emerging, wood anemone, barren strawberry, painted trillium and purple violets were flowering, and on May 2nd, dozens of painted turtles could be seen sunning themselves on Muddy Pond. Black-throated blue warblers, black and white warblers and black-throated green warblers were seen for the first time.

On May 7th, adult Canada geese were seen swimming with their 4 goslings at Rocky Pond, and gay wings and dwarf ginseng were in flower.

On May 14th, night temperatures reached near 32 degrees F, which turned out to be the last near freezing temp. of the season. During that day, I saw my first blue-headed vireo.

Two days later, the American chestnuts began “leafing out”. All 50 chestnuts had survived the winter except for one. One of the trees is now 11 ft. tall!

By the start of the third week of May, summer resident birds had all pretty much returned with the exception of only a few birds. Residents now included the beautiful scarlet tanager and indigo buntings, Eastern towhee, ovenbird, and various flycatchers.

On May 19th, while walking along Crusher Rd., I once again heard numerous chipmunks giving warning calls to one another, and sure enough, a moment later, a barred owl came flying across the road right in front of me. Gray treefrogs could be heard throughout the whole forest with their distinctive call.

On May 21, Shelley Lutz and I went on an interesting bird walk. While I used my Bird Calling App. to attract birds, she had her camera ready to take close ups of the birds as they came near to investigate. You can see some of her amazing photos on the Pine Hill Park Partnership website. I’ll tell you, she got some amazing photos. See for yourself!

On May 23rd, while walking on the Carriage Trail, suddenly out of the woods right in front of me jumped a mother ruffed grouse with “fluffed” up wings, coming at me aggressively, and making a high pitched squeaking noise. Hiding in the shrubbery nearby were her chicks. I just casually moved away not wanting to bother her anymore than I had to.

During the last week of May I saw the ruby throated hummingbird feeding on honeysuckle flowers, a small toadlet crossing the carriage trail, 2 broad-winged hawks fighting near the quarry, a beautiful tiger beetle, and a chipmunk feeding on red oak leaves. By the way, leave the tiger beetles alone, they have a nasty bite.

On May 28th I found a chestnut-sided warbler nest being built just a few feet away from Trail Marker #11. A few days later, the nest had 2 eggs in it. Then a few days after that, the eggs were gone and the nest abandoned. I have no idea what happened. The nest hadn’t been damaged. That same day, I saw a rose-breasted grosbeak in the forest. In fact, Shelley identified its call, before I even saw it.

By the end of May the common buttercup, forget-me-not, pink azalea and starflower were all in bloom.

Mid June found 2 families of geese on Rocky Pond, yellow wood sorrel, dwarf cinquefoil, thyme-leaved speedwell, common fleabane, king devil, and dame’s rocket all in flower, adult veery were feeding their young, schools of baby brown bullheads could be found in Rocky Pond, and fireflies were seen the first time on June 17th.

On the last day of spring, I saw a gorgeous white-tailed deer crossing Crusher Rd. Since then, I see THEM almost everytime I hike in that area on my early morning hikes.

That’s it for this issue. Please stay on the trails, and enjoy your walks, hikes, and times at Pine Hill Park.