A Hilltop Stone Pile in Charlotte, Vermont
Marker Pile or Stone Prayer Set Atop Exposed Bedrock on a Hilltop
Made it out this week on the one day it didn’t rain to check out a new-to-me set of trails in Charlotte, Vermont, which I’d been hoping to visit. By the way? For those who aren’t familiar with the area, Charlotte, here in Northwest Vermont, is pronounced “Shar-lot”. It’s a Vermont thing — heck, our Capital turns Montpelier into “Mont-PEEL-yer” — and you don’t even want to know what gets done to poor Calais…
Charlotte is a little outside of Burlington, south of Shelburne, bordered by Hinesburg to the East, Monkton and Ferrisburgh to the South, and Lake Champlain to the West.
This hiking area is in the general neighborhood of Raven Ridge, which I’ve covered elsewhere, the north part of which is also in Charlotte.
Though — so far — I’ve seen nothing here quite like the anticline at Raven Ridge, the natural wonder locals call “The Oven”, there is some possible, Large-Scale Effigy Work here similar to what I’ve seen at Raven Ridge. And also similar to some I’ve seen in the Flagg Swamp in Marlborough, Massachusetts. A caution — because this alleged “work” could have been caused by natural forces, this determination is admittedly highly speculative on my part.
What is not speculative is that there is a Stone Pile atop this small, rocky, 600 foot high hilltop. Some see Stone Piles such as these and dismiss them as hikers’ follies or Marker Piles, but this could be an Indigenous Stone Prayer.
Heading up to the stony hilltop:
The stones are not from the hilltop, but from lower elevations, clearly brought up here for this purpose. Also? This is the end of a spur trail, so the Stone Pile gives no apparent directional guidance. The stones aren’t mossed over and look relatively clean, so one might be inclined to think this is a recent creation, but different types of stones weather differently, and some don’t hold moss — looks can be deceiving. This could be a young, or very old construction, given this location.
With all this in mind? When you come across creations like this, please leave them alone. Don’t disturb the stones, or — even worse — reconstruct them into some Inuit-approximating appropriation abomination. Pay respect, if so inclined, then walk away and leave them be. Even if it is just a Marker Pile, someone made it for a reason. And if it is a Stone Prayer? Please don’t interrupt it.
Here’s a look around the Stone Feature:
Development is creeping into Charlotte from the north. Luckily, some expanses of land are being preserved, and there is plenty more to be explored here — I was only able to hike a fraction of the space in the time I had. I’d hoped to be out to investigate this location earlier in the Spring, but it has rained on every free day available! I do plan to go back soon.
I’ll share the speculative stuff in future posts.