For this weeks task, a friend and I decided to make the trek to Salmon Hole in Winooski. Despite the heavy rains, we began our walk around noon. Along the way, we made note of a few phenological elements in the cemetery, the sidewalk and on the Salmon Hole lookout. In the cemetery, we made note of a mophead hydrangea, dawn redwood, and a large European Beech tree, which was easily distinguishable by its bright yellow leaves. As we left, we observed that the cemetery is fenced completely by eight or nine Eastern White pines – acting as sort of guardsman for the cemetery’s inhabitants. Once we trekked down the steep hill, we turned the corner to Salmon Hole. From the top of the viewpoint, we saw the run of the Winooski River and all its ecological elements. Along the run of the cliff, many trees stand: Northern Red Oaks, Norway Maples, Sugar Maples, Striped Maples, and a few White Oak.

A few takeaways from today’s trip were definitely the vibrant colors and abundance of leaves that covered the ground. Fall isn’t over yet but winter is definitely approaching fast… until next week…