animal tracks
Rabbi Michael Cohen

Rabbi Michael Cohen

Rabbi Michael is on the faculty of the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies and Bennington College and is the author of numerous articles on the environment. He also sits on the Board of the Burr & Burton Academy which sits at the base of Mt. Equinox. He has lived in Manchester since 1990 and is the rabbi emeritus of the Israel Congregation.

Joe Charbonneau

Joe Charbonneau

Joe, a Manchester native, has worked with the golf industry since the mid-1970s and is currently employed in sales and consulting.  Working for The Equinox for 24 years, he developed a real love for the Equinox Preservation Trust land.   His long association with the land is helpful in directing the EPT board’s stewardship of the 900+ acres within the Equinox Preservation Trust.   Joe emphasizes the value of a continuing close association between the community and the mountain parcel.  Joe has served on the EPT board since 2002 and is its current treasurer. 

Dave Curtis

Dave Curtis

Dave is the retired chair of the science department at Burr & Burton Academy.  A Boston area native, he moved to Vermont with his wife Georgina, daughters Morgan and Kristina, in 1989.  He has long used the Equinox Preserve lands and trail network both for classroom research and as a training site for the school’s runners.  Dave has been on the EPT board for many years and enjoys canoeing and spending time with his grandchildren.

Kathe Dillmann

Kathe Dillmann

Kathe has been involved in ski resort and non-profit marketing and public relations for over 30 years. She is also business & events manager for the International Skiing History Association. A Manchester native, she began exploring the trails on Mt. Equinox as a pre-schooler. She is a strong supporter of educational programs that imbue in people the value of protecting unique environmental corridors such as in exist in abundance on Mt. Equinox.

Rich Heilemann

Rich Heilemann

Rich, EPT Chairman, moved to Manchester in 1974 with his wife Martha.  He has a son, Adam, and daughter-in-law Elaine, living in Boston and Weston VT.  Rich retired from his dental practice in Manchester in 2016.  He has always enjoyed the natural environments that the Manchester area provides.

Betty Manganiello

Betty Manganiello

Betty moved to Vermont in 1984 after skiing in this area for many years.  As an employee of The Equinox for 22 years, she came to love and appreciate the unique and special place that is the Equinox Preservation Trust, providing the outdoor enthusiast with beauty and the wonders of the natural world as well as educational and recreational opportunities right in their own backyard.  Betty had been recording the Board meeting minutes for a number of years before joining the Board in an official capacity.

Jennifer Deck Samuelson

Jennifer Deck Samuelson

Jennifer moved to Manchester in the fall of 1998 and immediately fell in love with the spectacular beauty and expanse of the Equinox Preserve. As a local attorney and member of the board since 2006, she brings her legal expertise and management skills to the board.  Jennifer is an avid trail runner and dedicated volunteer, and she looks forward to fostering a deeper appreciation of the Trust lands by members of the greater Manchester community.

Rick LaDue

Rick LaDue

Rick LaDue has been the Forest and Trails Steward for the Equinox Preserve since 2007, assisting the EPT board of directors with the implementation of a comprehensive program to protect the natural communities, species, and trails on the property. Rick’s responsibilities include species monitoring and research, invasive species management, implementing stewardship plans and trail maintenance as well as serving as the EPT liaison with the Vermont Land Trust and the Vermont chapter of The Nature Conservancy.

Emma Houser

Emma Houser

Emma Houser grew up in Manchester and now lives here with her husband and son. As a trail runner and hiker she has spent many hours and miles exploring the trails on the Preserve. Over her 30 years, she has seen the effects that the changes in climate and increase in foot traffic have had on The Preserve and recognizes the important work that goes into maintaining it. She works locally at The Mountain Goat where she uses her love for the outdoors to help others pursue their outdoor adventures.

All trails are open for pedestrian use. The Equinox Preservation Trust may close some trails temporarily for repairs or to protect them from damage during muddy conditions. 

An enlarged trail map is on display along with copies of the handy pocket guide & trail map, updated program information and special notices.

Informational kiosks greet visitors at both entrances to the Preserve. A third kiosk is located near the trail connector at the rear of the Equinox Hotel parking area.

Naturalists have long held Mt. Equinox in high esteem for its beauty and natural diversity, a valued source of study by botanists and ecologists since the late 1800s.

A variety of mammals populate the slopes of Mt. Equinox, protected by the thick natural cover and food sources that the forest provides.

animal tracks