Mt. Equinox Skyline Drive

Skyline Drive - which leads to the top of Mt. Equinox near Manchester, Vermont - is one of the numerous scenic drives within the Green Mountain State. The 5.2 mile privately owned toll road is like a mini-Blue Ridge Parkway offering amazing vistas of the Taconic, Green, White, Adirondack and Berkshire mountain ranges. Extremely popular in the Fall and a break from the heat in the Summer, this road is a well-visited tourist attraction.

The highway dates back to the 1940s when it was built and developed by Joseph George Davidson - the former President and Chairman of Union Carbide. Davidson purchased over 7,000 acres of land in the late 30s that included Equinox Mountain. He began to build and develop the road just prior to World War II. After the end of the war, he re-started construction of the road and it opened in 1948. Davidson would consider building a ski resort and other items on the mountain before forging a relationship with the Carthusian Order of the Roman Catholic Church. The Carthusian Order is an enclosed monastic. The relationship with the Carthusian Monks started over discussion over generating electric power. Over time, the monks developed a relationship where they moved onto the property and Davidson began donating annually to the order 50 acres of land. Upon his death in October 1969, Davidson turned over management of the entire property to the Carthusians who have held the property ever since.

At a peak of 3,848 feet, Mt. Equinox - or Equinox Mountain - is the highest point in the Taconic Range. The toll road begins at Historic Vermont Route 7A south of Manchester. The main visitor center serves as the toll booth. The 5.2 mile road consists of a nearly 3,000 ft elevation gain. The toll is pricey - it is $15 per vehicle and $5 for each additional passenger. The high toll helps support the Carthusian Order and to pay for the construction of the Saint Bruno Scenic Viewing Center at the top of the mountain. The viewing center opened in 2012 (My photos are from 2005 well before any construction started) and details the history of the mountain and of the Carthusian Monastery and mission. The toll highway typically opens over Memorial Day weekend and remains open until Fall.

Sources & Links:

Skyline Drive ---Equinoxmountain.com
Five Scenic New England Mountains to Drive ---Kim Knox Beckius

Comments

US Route 62 and US Route 180 in the Guadalupe Mountains

US Route 62/US Route 180 between El Paso, Texas and Carlsbad, New Mexico passes through the Guadalupe Mountains. The Guadalupe Mountains comprise the highest peaks of Texas which are largely protected as part Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The automotive highway through the Guadalupe Mountains was constructed in the late 1920s as part of Texas State Road 54. US Route 62 was extended from Carlsbad through the Guadalupe Mountains to El Paso during 1932. US Route 62 was joined in the Guadalupe Mountains by US Route 180 in 1943. The Guadalupe Mountains comprise a portion of the 130 mile "No Services" zone on US Route 62/US Route 180 between El Paso-Carlsbad. Part 1; the history of US Route 62 and US Route 180 in the Guadalupe Mountains The Guadalupe Mountains lie within the states of Texas and New Mexico. The Guadalupe Mountains essentially is a southern extension of the larger Rocky Mountains. The Guadalupe Mountains is the highest range in Texas with the peak elevati

Former California State Route 215

California State Route 215 was a short-lived state highway which existed in the Los Angeles Metropolitain area after the 1964 State Highway Renumbering. California State Route 215 was aligned from US Route 60 at 5th Street in Pomona north to US Route 66 near Claremont via Garey Avenue. California State Route 215 came to be after California State Route 71 was bisected in Pomona due to relinquishment of a portion of Garey Avenue due to the opening of a portion of the Corona Freeway (now Chino Valley Freeway) during 1958. California State Route 215 was deleted by the Legislature during 1965. The history of California State Route 215 The initial segment of what was to become California State Route 215 was added to the State Highway System as part of the 1909 First State Highway Bond Act. The First State Highway Bond Act defined what would become Legislative Route Number 19 (LRN 19) as running from Claremont to Riverside. The segment of LRN 19 between Claremont and Pomona would in

Paper Highways; unbuilt California State Route 100 in Santa Cruz

This edition of Paper Highways examines the unbuilt California State Route 100 in Santa Cruz. The History of Unbuilt California State Route 100 The route that became CA 100 was added to the State Inventory in 1959 as part of the Freeway & Expressway System as Legislative Route 287 . According to CAhighways.org the initial definition of LRN 287 had it begin at LRN 5 (CA 17) and was defined over the below alignment to LRN 56 (CA 1) through downtown Santa Cruz. - Ocean Street - 2nd Street - Chestnut Street For context the above alignment would required tearing down a large part of the densely populated Santa Cruz. A modern Google imagine immediately reveals how crazy an alignment following Ocean Street, 2nd Street, and Chestnut Street would have been. LRN 287 first appears on the 1960 Division of Highways State Map . In 1961 the definition of LRN 287 was generalized to; from LRN 5 via the beach area in Santa Cruz to LRN 56 west of the San Lorenzo River.

Gribblenation

Search This Blog