Somerset's Better Side

Blue skies and mirror-like waters greeted us upon arrival at Somerset Reservoir in Vermont's Green Mountain National Forest yesterday.  Adirondack Pirate Paddlers Captain Dangerous and Mrs. Dangerous joined me for a follow-up visit to this reservoir which we found cold, raw, and windy back on May 26th of this year.  We launched at the reservoir's south end and headed north towards Stratton Mountain (opening photo).

While driving in on the 10-mile long dirt/gravel road from VT Route 9, I stopped where a foot bridge carries the East Branch Trail across the Deerfield River and got this look at some riverside fall foliage...

Once launched and with the day's ideal paddling conditions it wasn't long before we reached Skidder Bay where we saw this eagle (immature?) regally perched on a small island...

The calls of a pileated woodpecker were heard along the reservoir's west side as well as sightings of a dancing merganser, and a belted kingfisher.

We continued to the extreme northwest tip of the reservoir where deep enough water for paddling comes to an end.  This is where the East Branch of the Deerfield River enters from its headwaters west of Stratton Mountain...

 

 

This made a good spot for our lunch break after which we headed in a southeast direction.  Mt. Snow and its many ski trails can be seen at the reservoir's opposite end...

Heading over to the reservoir's northeastern side the foliage provided a nice backdrop...

...and a pair of loons put in a brief appearance...

After visiting several nooks, crannies, and tributaries we made our way back to our launch site in the afternoon's building warmth and gentle breeze out of the south...



Somerset Reservoir is a beautiful body of water and I'm happy to report only encountering one piece of floating trash...a small white balloon (of sorts).