Location, site characteristics, and an attractive timber resource are the three primary features of this land. The special location attribute comes from the adjacent Coolidge State Forest and other conserved land, which together abuts large portions of the four sides of the property. The unique site characteristics arise from the land’s high elevation, rimmed by mountain peaks and ridges. These geographic features create level terrain at the property’s center, offering an ideal location for a secluded homesite with potential views. The attractive timber resource attribute offers immediate returns and long-term appreciation, summarized in the following highlights and detailed in the Timber Resource section.
Property highlights include:
The property is located in central Vermont, adjacent to, and favorably situated between the 21,500-acre Calvin Coolidge State Forest, central Vermont’s largest state-owned land holding, and an adjacent +/-1,300 acres, believed to be controlled by a conservation easement where no development is permitted, abutting the entire northern boundary. The State Forest was established in 1925, with its Coolidge State Park camping compound located just down the road from the property and east of Route 100A. The property’s location is a conservation gem, offering protected land in nearly all directions. With no deeded building restrictions covering the land, any home construction option would offer enduring solitude and uncompromised views, yet is just a short drive to Route 100A.
Locally, there are no homes near the land and only two homes/camps on lands close by, including along Rangers Road, which runs through the State Forest providing access to the land. Three major ski resorts are located close by, with Pico Resort 18 miles and Killington Resort 11 miles to the north and Okemo Ski Resort 13 miles to the south. The tourist towns of Woodstock are 10 miles to the east, with Ludlow 15 miles to the south. Boston is a 2.5-hour drive, with the greater NYC region within a 4.5-hour drive.
Primary access to the property is provided by Rangers Road, which originates to the east at Route 100A. The first part of Rangers Road (off 100A) runs 0.65 miles as a Class 3, town-maintained gravel road. It appears the road then continues an additional +/-0.7 miles to the property boundary as a State-owned gravel road. Rangers Road from the east has been used as the primary access for decades, most recently by the current owners and prior to that by the former owner, who lived on the land with his family for many decades (no home currently exists on the property). The entire length of this road is in excellent condition.
Rangers Road also provides access from the land to the west, with the road running +/-1,840’ past the property in a westerly direction to Messer Hill Road. The Class 3 portion of this road is 0.5 miles from the property.
Internal access is provided by a woods road that starts at Rangers Road, enters the land, then crosses onto the State Forest for +/-270’ before crossing onto the adjacent landowner as a right of way for +/-840’ then, entering back onto the land and continuing as a woods road to the center of the property. A stream-crossing along this access road is washed out (with a new culvert needed), thus drivable access into the center of the land is not possible at this time. Nice recreational trails run throughout the land.
While the adjacent State Forest and other conserved land creates a special location attribute inherent to the property, the land’s terrain is equally unique. A local mountain peak sits at the property’s northeast corner (elevation 2,260’), with another peak and its associated ridge along the western boundary (2,480’), and Mount Pleasant (2,160’) framing the southern boundary. So the land is nearly rimmed with high elevation areas, holding at its center gently rolling terrain. Formerly, the land served as a homestead (both historically and again up until the early 2000's), as evidenced by abundant stone walls and a few stone cellar holes. The main old foundation sits near the land’s center where the terrain falls off to the east, allowing for long views with additional tree clearing. This location is one possible option for any future homesite given its close proximity to the existing access road, level terrain, and potential for views. An alternative homesite location is within the 20 acres excluded from the UVA program. This area is situated on a broad ridge and would have views with clearing plus southern exposure. This area had a successful perc test in 2018.
Three small streams originate on the property, with the easterly year-round stream featuring rock outcroppings and a small falls that is quite beautiful when the water level is high. Aspect is mostly southerly, however, all aspects are present. The various possible building sites are on level terrain offering mixed aspect options. Old apple trees can be found near the old homestead and wildlife in the area is abundant. Trail cameras have recorded bears, moose, deer, turkey and occasionally cats (likely eastern bobcat and the Canada lynx). As noted in the forest management plan, invasive species are not common on the land.
Timber data is based on a timber inventory conducted in July of 2017 for the purpose of writing a forest management plan and NOT to specifically establish a Timber Valuation. However, given this is the only timber data available, it has been used to help buyers better understand the general timber parameters. Based on the existing timber data with adjustments for growth, stumpage values were assigned by Fountains Land in July of 2023, producing a ROUGH property-wide Capital Timber Value (CTV) of $479,000 ($1,426/total acre).
The forest resource holds high value with attractive species composition/stem quality, offering a solid, long-term appreciating asset. Given it has not been disturbed in two decades, there is good forest aesthetics enhancing the land’s recreational amenities. A species composition of hardwoods prevails, with hardwoods at 77% and softwoods (mostly red spruce) at 23% of total volume. The majority of the red spruce is located at the land’s center (within Stand #1 of the management plan). Total species composition offers a wide mix but is dominated by sugar maple and red spruce. The white birch component is reminiscent of old field abandonment that occurred at the center of the property nearly 60-70 years ago. Sawlog volume comes from the same primary species with a noticeable volume of black cherry.
The average diameter for all products combined is 12.5”, with the sawlogs at 14”. Average sawlog diameters for key species include sugar maple at 15.5”, red spruce at 13.0”, and black cherry at 17.5”. While the forest possesses growing stock within the 4-7” diameter classes, the majority of stocking is middle-aged (65-100 years old). Stand #1 located at the center of the land is younger with Stands 2-3 occurring on steeper terrain having an average tree age closer to 80-100 years old.
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