Ellen, Abe
For Mt Ellen, just drive up to the base lodge and take the work road which goes up the rise to the left (south) of the lodge; it leads past the mid-mountain lodge then under the upper chair, then a right turn up to the ridge, then a u-turn to the south up the north ridge to the top of the lift, at which point the Long Trail leads south a few feet into the woods to the summit. No problem hiking on the mountain, especially before ski season. No trail directly up Abe from the east, but you can park at the bottom of the Lincoln Gap Road hill (assuming the road's closed, which is a good bet based on recent weather). You'll know what I mean by the "hill" when you get there. Walk up that road to the top, then take the LT north. Might take an hour on the road to the LT. A bit more walking than from the west, but if you're already in the Mad River Valley, probably no more time than driving all the way around to the Battell trail on the W side. If you can spot a car, consider a loop using Jerusalem trail up to the LT, south on that over Ellen, Lincoln (Sugarbush), Abe, then down Battell. A goodly hike, but not an overly ambitious day if you're in accustomed to such things. Also no direct trail up Killington from the east, but the trails are obvious from the upper base lodge. Enjoy. -John
