If you have ever been to the top of Green Mountain in Effingham, you know that there are abundant blueberries and a Forests & Lands firetower at the summit. Climbing the firetower offers the only view you can see from here, but if you do climb it, you are well rewarded with a 360-degree mountain vista. Just to the west of Green Mountain's summit is a secondary peak called Hanson Top, which boasts some rocky ledges with spectacular views to the south - but without climbing a tower! Although many people climb the three different trails to the summit of Green Mountain each year, few make it to Hanson Top these days. This is primarily because an old trail to Hanson Top had completely grown in and the route had become almost indiscernible. Until this Tuesday.
Land Steward Kamal Nath has been exploring High Watch Reservation (which includes most of Green Mountain and Hanson Top) for over a year now, and last fall he flagged a new line out to Hanson Top using both what remained of the old trail, and some new sections to avoid wet areas. After SPNHF staff approved the "new" trail layout, we scheduled a workday to clear the corridor and install directional signage. Thankfully, we got a beautiful day for our workday this week, and the work went smoothly. Nine volunteers and staff members climbed to the Hanson Top trailhead (near the summit of Green Mountain) and cleared and marked the new half-mile trail. The view from the ledges at Hanson Top made a perfect lunch spot, and we celebrated with a group photo holding the Hanson Top sign. If you do make it to the top of Green Mountain, it is well worth the extra (easy) half-mile jaunt out to Hanson Top to enjoy the view from these spectactular ledges.
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| View from Hanson Top |
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| Crew eating lunch at Hanson Top |
Land Steward Kamal Nath has been exploring High Watch Reservation (which includes most of Green Mountain and Hanson Top) for over a year now, and last fall he flagged a new line out to Hanson Top using both what remained of the old trail, and some new sections to avoid wet areas. After SPNHF staff approved the "new" trail layout, we scheduled a workday to clear the corridor and install directional signage. Thankfully, we got a beautiful day for our workday this week, and the work went smoothly. Nine volunteers and staff members climbed to the Hanson Top trailhead (near the summit of Green Mountain) and cleared and marked the new half-mile trail. The view from the ledges at Hanson Top made a perfect lunch spot, and we celebrated with a group photo holding the Hanson Top sign. If you do make it to the top of Green Mountain, it is well worth the extra (easy) half-mile jaunt out to Hanson Top to enjoy the view from these spectactular ledges.
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