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Welcome to the Windmill Hill Pinnacle Association!

The Pinnacle is the highest and most scenic peak (+/-1683 feet) in Westminster, Vermont. It is located on the Windmill Ridge, straddling the Brookline/Westminster line. The view from the Pinnacle overlooks Hedgehog Gulf in Brookline and westward to Mount Snow and Stratton Mountain, over 20 miles away.

The dream of conserving The Pinnacle developed as a use of the Jamie Latham Memorial Fund, established in November 1991 to honor a young man who had loved this beautiful spot. From this beginning, the Windmill Hill Pinnacle Association was formed. It is now a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation under both State and Federal law.

Its lands now consist of 1,662 +/- acres in Rockingham, Athens, Brookline, and Westminster. These publicly-accessible lands include an extensive hiking trail system (14 miles!) and wildlife sanctuary. View a map of the Reserve here (1 mb file)
At the Pinnacle peak is a lean-to (below) that is available for overnight camping. Visit the Reserve Use Page for information on how to make a reservation for the lean-to!

New Access Points Map available for download here!

** UPCOMING EVENTS **

May 1, 2010 - 19th Annual Meeting & Picnic
The WHPA will hold its 19th Annual Meeting on Saturday May 1st, at the Westminster West Church, beginning at 9:30 for donuts and coffee, meeting to begin at 10:00AM. Following a short business meeting, guest speaker, Barbara Burns, Vermont State Entomologist, will speak on forest insects. If it isn't rainy or muddy, a picnic follows the meeting. We try to be at the top by 1:00PM. Meet at the church at noon to facilitate carpooling to trail head.

Guided Walk Series
May 9, 2010 - Wildflower Walk with Libby Mills and Carol Westing
Meet at the Westminster West Church at 2PM. This popular walk focuses on finding an identifying the spring ephemerals that are so delicate and briefly flowering.

June 5, 2010 - Athens Access Trail to Paul's Ledges with naturalist Bob Anderson.
Bob is a professional ecologist and will share his observations. This trail goes through dense hemlock forest and uphill to the ridge where moose have been over wintering. Co-sponsored by the Nature Museum of Grafton.
Meet at the Athens Town Offices at 2PM. Call 869-1388 for directions.

July 11, 2010 - Origins of the Shelter at the Pinnacle stories with Sam Streeter and Arty Aiken, the two gentlemen who built it.
Hikers guides will be Arthur and Carol Westing. Meet at the Westminster West Church at 2PM.

August 7, 2010 - Clearing the view at Paul's Ledges Workday with Ward Ogden
Bring your loppers, gloves and food/drink.
Work begins at 10:00Am or when you get there, done at 2);;PM. Call 869-1388 for directions.

** NEWS **

With the Bald Hill Conservation Committee, a working group of WHPA, a 57-acre parcel on the Saxtons River abutting Bellows Falls Union High School land, was purchased in October 2008! Including the Bald Hill summit, long a traditional hiking destination, this parcel will be the focus of a 300-acre-plus reserve for wildlife habitat protection, recreation and educational purposes. Please see the Bald Hill Conservation Committee’s web site, which was recently created with major help from Compass School students, for maps, photos and information on this exciting new acquisition!

Other news includes the acquisition of the Cowan property on the west side of the Pinnacle itself. This adds 110 acres of steep woodland, broadening the reserve in the central location of the ridge. The management plan for this new property notes that there are pockets of trees that are 240 years old! With this acquisition there is now access to the Reserve for the public from the town of Brookline, which previously had no conserved trail to the WHPA portion of the ridge.

Thanks to Tom Wessels for a great guided walk up the Pinnacle on October 19, 2008!

This walk was featured on VPR - listen here

Visit the VPR site.

Tom Wessels (center)

The Pinnacle lean-to The view from the lean-to.
That is Stratton Mountain in the distance.

Thank you to SOVER.NET for donating the space for this web site!

With the Bald Hill Conservation Committee, a working group of WHPA, a 57-acre parcel on the Saxtons River abutting Bellows Falls Union High School land, was purchased in October 2008! Including the Bald Hill summit, long a traditional hiking destination, this parcel will be the focus of a 300-acre-plus reserve for wildlife habitat protection, recreation and educational purposes. Please see the Bald Hill Conservation Committee’s web site, which was recently created with major help from Compass School students, for maps, photos and information on this exciting new acquisition!
Other news includes the acquisition of the Cowan property on the west side of the Pinnacle itself. This adds 110 acres of steep woodland, broadening the reserve in the central location of the ridge. The management plan for this new property notes that there are pockets of trees that are 240 years old! With this acquisition there is now access to the Reserve for the public from the town of Brookline, which previously had no conserved trail to the WHPA portion of the ridge.
Thanks to Tom Wessels for a great guided walk up the Pinnacle on October 19, 2008! This walk was featured on VPR - listen here Visit the VPR site.
	Tom Wessels (center)


The Pinnacle lean-to	The view from the lean-to. That is Stratton Mountain in the distance.