VT 4000 footers

[rup]

Back to VT this weekend. Trying to regather trail info for the 4000 footers. I remember that Mohammed had such a site. Any other info would be helpful. Might try the Sugarbush ridge from the east / ski area side.

 

[bobandgeri]

We have our trip reports of most of the 100 highest on our web page that may provide smoe helpful information for you.

http://rbhayes.net/hike.htm

 

[Grumpy]

When inquiries like this are posted my thought is to suggest buying a trail guide and maps from or through the organization that does a lot to maintain and foster hiking opportunities in the territory.

Sales of those items help fund the good works of those groups, that benefit even we who only visit their areas occasionally.

In the case of Vermont, that organization would be the Green Mountain Club.

G.

 

[David Metsky]

Updated the thread title; there are a lot of 400'ers in VT.

I second the idea that buying a trailguide is a good idea, regardless of the great work the GMC does. There are other guidebooks as well. Online reports are still not replacements for maps in your hands.

Having said that, the VT 4's are pretty straightforward, without too many options.

-dave-

 

[Jay H]

We used mostly the GMC's Long Trail guide as well as information gleened from the internet to do all the VT 4kers in one 3 day weekend. We even gleened some good driving information via some hikers we ran into on Mt Ellen after going over Abraham...


Of course, since most of them have ski slopes on them, you can find driving directions to the general area via those ski slope's website...

Jay

 

[HockeyPuck]

I used the 'Hikers Guide to the Mountains of Vermont' by Jared Gange when completing the VT4K. It's very basic compared to the AMC guide however provides accurate trail descriptions, mileage and trailhead directions.

 

[Papa Bear]

I second the above suggestions

The two GMC guide books

Long Trail Guide

Day Hiker's Guide to Vermont

Are both excellent. Anyone who would like to do a little hiking in the Green Mountain State (or a lot) should have these guide books in their library.

AND: you can use my links to order them on line. Do it now while supplies last!

 

[bignslow]

We got all of the Vermont 4k's in a long weekend. We used the GMC long trail guide (Guide book and maps inside for less than $20).

We drove up to Underhill SP Friday night, Hiked Mansfield Saturday morning, Camels Hump Saturday afternoon. Camped at a private campground on the back side of Abraham & Ellen. Spotted a car and hiked the ridge Sunday. Camped at the campground near Killington Sunday night. Hiked Killington Monday morning and drove home.

 

[Papa Bear]

We got all of the Vermont 4k's in a long weekend. We used the GMC long trail guide (Guide book and maps inside for less than $20).

We drove up to Underhill SP Friday night, Hiked Mansfield Saturday morning, Camels Hump Saturday afternoon. Camped at a private campground on the back side of Abraham & Ellen. Spotted a car and hiked the ridge Sunday. Camped at the campground near Killington Sunday night. Hiked Killington Monday morning and drove home.

Here's a suggestion to new Vermont hikers:

Leave No Stragglers!

That means, while you're at it, get some of the NEHH peaks that are near the 4ks while you're at it. You'll be glad you did.

Those with trails that come to mind are
Pico Peak (near Killington)
Stratton (south of Killington on the LT)
Equinox (across the route 7 from Stratton)
Dorset (also across route 7 from Stratton)
Breadloaf & Wilson (near Abraham - sort of)
Big Jay (quite a bit up north)
There are others and some bushwhacks but this is a starter.

Pico and Mendon (a bw) are often done with Killington.

Edit: Equinox and Dorset are across route 7 from Stratton, not Killington. Sorry.

 

[David Metsky]

BTW, here's the relevant page on Mohamed's site.

-dave-

 

[Rols]

I've used the Jerusalem trail to the Long trail. It approaches from the opposite side from the ski area. It was a mellow, pretty trail. You may want to consider that approach.

 

[Mike P.]

I did both from Lincoln Gap & back with a bad foot with no problem. The Gap is quite high up (I want to say 2400 feet or so)

I thought the little sub-summit of Ellen, Cutt's peak was a nice little spot.

 

[rup]

Went to VT over Labor Day. Drove north on Sat, and after breakfast at Alldays and Onions in Bennington, continued to Killington. Hiked up the east (ski area) side. There are seveal hiking trails that thread their way thru the woods sparating the ski trails. Or you can bust up a black diamond - good way to gain elevation. Eventually hit the summit, which was moderately crowded as K operates a summit gondola in the summer. Another factoid to make things interesting - the gondola takes an endless stream of mt-bikers uphill, so we had to watch our a$$ as they bombed past us down hill on those stretches where we were on a ski trail. If those people ever fall, they will file their skin to shreads from the gravel on those (green sloped) work roads. Decended over Snowdon following another work road. Bikers not-with-standing, the ski trails provided great views, if not a true 'alpine' experience, and a refreshing break from looking solely at yet another birch or maple.

Continued to Sugarbush that afternoon. Sunday, hiked up to Mt Lincoln (3099') via ski area. Took the Long Trail south .8 mile to Mt Abrahms (4000'). Lots of people there - most ignoring the 'keep off the grass' or 'reforested area' signs. I understood the ranger usually in attendance had gone back to school, so the vagabonds were in charge. Very blatant behavior.

Back tracked to Lincoln, and followed the Long Trail ~1 mile along the ridge to Castlerock, the N side of Sugarbush Ski Area. Lost the trail just below Lincoln - it re-enters the woods at the west of the clearing just below the summit - not further below at the chair lift (take note).

Continued on the Long Trail ~2 miles along the ridge above the ravine that separates Sugarbush from Glen Ellen to Mt. Ellen. The ridge trail was designed to hit every single height of land between Castlerock and Ellen. Sugarbush had purchased GE a few years back, and planned to cut trails and add new lifts in this connecting ravine. But environmentalists halted such plans due to the presence of black bears and a specific specie of birch tree that inhabit the ravine (no spotted owls). Due to our late start (great breakfast at the B&B), time was 4 pm, so we decided to walk the 3.5 miles down GE (Sugarbush North) ski area rather than retrace. We passed an ultra marathoner running up the road who eventually also passed us going down as we neared the bottom.

We looked forward to a 4-5 mile walk on the road back to Sugarbush (South) where the car was parked, but manged to hitch a ride in short order.

All in all, a pleasing 2 days. Cool, dry, good breeze, no bugs, and severe clear. And not a bad performance for a bloke who had cardiac artery surgery last year.

ps - Camel's Hump and Mansfield to go.