Vermont Housing Conservation Board 2005 - Vermont Housing and ...

SNAKE MOUNTAIN, ADDISON & BRIDPORT
“When I first bought
the property, I had
it in mind that I
could sell it to some
kind of conservation
group. It’s a
very unique hunk of
land.”
—Gary Pittman,
previous owner
The Nature Conservancy
The Pittmans sold
152 acres at a bargain
price to the Nature
Conservancy.
Preserving Nature & Memories
on Snake Mountain
ifting up suddenly from the broad and gentle downslope of the Addison
LCounty farmland, Snake Mountain is an eye-catching landmark. It’s a steep,
32 forested ridge that rises above Addison at its north end, then dips and rises
again in Bridport on the south.
To the north, hunters and hikers are familiar with the state-owned, 1,215-acre
Snake Mountain Wildlife Management Area. But the smaller, southern portion
of the mountain also makes a striking sight, with its steep cliffs visible from
Route 22A.
Since acquiring 152 acres of the southern mountain for a woodlot in 1988,
landowners Gary and Donna Pittman had planned to safeguard their land for its
natural values and public enjoyment.
“When I first bought the property, I had it in mind that I could sell it to some
kind of conservation group,” says Gary Pittman. “It’s a very unique hunk of
land.”
The Pittmans, who live in Charlotte, liked hiking up there, to enjoy the
woods and the 60-mile views in both directions, toward the Green Mountains
to the east and the Adirondacks on the west. When their young grandson, Kevin
Joseph Pittman, came to visit from Washington state, he often came along.
Liz Thompson/The Nature Conservancy