October 21, 2007
Because of Lynn's great job crewing me on the Appalachian Trail, I have time to get a bonus hike in. As we make our way back to Maine, we stopped in Vermont so I could do a section of the Long Trail. The Long Trail and Appalachain coexist for about 100 miles in southern Vermont, so I've completed that section. Eventually, I want to finish the Long Trail, but what I'm really after today is the two 4000 footers along this section: Mount Abraham and Mount Ellen. Lynn dropped me off at Lincoln Gap. Given the high altitude of this gap, I feel like I'm getting a bit of a headstart on Mount Abraham.
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This is the first section of the Long Trail that I've done that wasn't also part of the Appalachian Trail.
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Battell Shelter
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It's a rocky trail, especially as I neared the summit.
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Here's a large white rock near the summit. Notice the white blaze at the base of the rock.
Just like the AT, the LT is marked with white blazes.
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Here's the 4006' summit of Mount Abraham.
This is my 64th New England 4000 footer. Just 3 to go.
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View from Mount Abraham
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Next I went to the 3975 foot summit of Lincoln Peak where there is an observation deck.
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Looking back to Mount Abraham
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Looking ahead to Mount Ellen with the first of several ski lifts I would pass in the foreground.
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Lots of great views today
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Next I reached Nancy Hanks Peak
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View near the summit of Nancy Hanks Peak
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Another ski lift
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I also found a small lodge near the top.
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I was surprised to find it open.
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Time to move on
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As I neared Cutts Peak, I got another great view.
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Next I reached the 4,063 foot summit of Mount Ellen, my 65th New England 4000 footer (just 2 to go). It's also my 86th completed peak for my New England 100 highest list.
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There's no view from the summit, but just north of the summit, guess what? Another ski lift.
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Looking north on the Long Trail
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Here's a zoomed in shot of my 2 remaining unconquered New England 4000 footers,
Camel's Hump and Mount Mansfield.
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More great views
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I passed the junction with the Jerusalem Trail, a common approach to Mount Ellen.
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I continued on the Long Trail.
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Then I went up and over the viewless summit of General Stark Mountain. Following this, the trail briefly followed a dirt road until I reached Stark's Nest.
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This was some type of ruler. I'm assuming to measure snow depth.
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View near Stark's Nest
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There was of course another ski lift and another lodge, this one named Stark's Nest.
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Stark's Nest was also unlocked.
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Now the trail began to drop very quickly over roots and boulders.
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This is the trail? Gross!
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Well, at least I got a little help.
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Theron Dean Shelter
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One last view
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Just north of the shelter, I found an alternate route to the shelter.
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I dropped my pack and went to check it out.
As I was exploring, I heard a couple hikers come up the trail. Great, I haven't seen anyone for a couple hours and as soon as I leave my pack in the middle of the trail someone comes along.
"Did someone lose their pack?" one of them yelled up the trail.
They hadn't noticed the cave I was in and when my voice echoed "It's mine", I nearly gave the two of them a heart attack.
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The last ski lift of the day.
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The last mile or so seemed like forever, but I made my way to Appalachian Gap where Lynn was waiting for me. On the way home, we stopped briefly to visit Lynn's Uncle Bob in St. Johnsbury. We got home, unpacked, and still had time to watch the last few innings of the last game of the Red Sox/Indians series. The Red Sox came back from a 3-1 deficit in the series. Go Red Sox!
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