Killington absolutely resplendent with early fall colors.

Killington absolutely resplendent with early fall colors.

The Autumnal Equinox occurs this coming Friday, September 23rd at 9:04AM UTC (formerly Greenwich Mean Time of GMT). Most of the United States will be in darkness when it occurs, as Eastern Daylight time is 4 hours behind GMT. Here in Killington, since the time will be 5 AM, we will just start to experience an eerie pre-dawn twilight, assuming of course that clouds on the mountains around the area don't get in the way.

The Autumnal Equinox, of course, signifies the moment when the sun transits the celestial equator of the earth, moving the focus of its energy from the Northern to the Southern hemisphere of the planet. It is a time of change. From here on forward, we in Killington will on average become a little colder each day as the area heads towards winter. Those changing temperatures bring high anticipation of another ski season in the mountains for most of us who call Killington home.

But before we get into winter, we have the annual beauty pageant held each year in the mountains of New England called Fall Foliage Season. I say "pageant" not to be flippant, but to give honor to the discussions that invariably occur in the evenings around the bar about what mountain had the prettiest color, or where can one take that picture perfect fall foliage postcard shot of a lifetime.

Over the summer, and especially over the last 3 weeks, we have had some changes in the local scenery. The iconic pictures of Killington Peak with its bunker like old gondola turned restaurant building are now part of history. The K1 Base Lodge, (which many of us call still by its original name KBL or Killington Base Lodge) experienced an architectural redesign of its own, courtesy of Mother Nature. Peaceful brooks which usually only become torrents during spring thaw like Roaring Brook through Killington to Route 4 East and Mendon Brook on Route 4 West are no longer quiet little streams meandering through the forest. Instead they have been replaced by yawning chasms which will serve as backdrops for countless fall foliage pictures for years to come.

While I was doing the "nightly close" yesterday after all the inn guests had retired for the evening, and the staff had gone home, I was listening to Pandora on my computer. "Simply Red's" rendition of the great Cole Porter's song "Every Time We Say Goodbye" came across the net. Originally composed in homage to the changes people experienced going off to WWII, it just hit me as the perfect denouement at the end of a long day.

When I got up this morning, a new day had dawned across the landscape. The sun was burning brightly on the horizon. Puffy clouds were hanging low, just above the mountain peaks. The reds of the maples, the burnt orange of the oaks, and the yellows of the birch were just starting to dress the mountain sides in a cacophony of subtle color. The changes we have experienced in Killington this summer will slip from "major to minor" with the distance of time. But the constant of the mountain... the change of seasons... the lush green summers... the multicolored falls... the snow capped peaks... they survive to help anchor our lives in a beautiful place many of us call home.

Killington Vermont is back open for business. Fall Foliage season is getting underway and winter is just around the corner. We at the Birch Ridge Inn look forward to greeting you when you visit.