Mount Ellen (Vermont)

Mount Ellen
Mount Ellen seen from Mount Abraham
Highest point
Elevation4,083 ft (1,244 m)[1]
Prominence2,132 ft (650 m)[2]
Listing
Coordinates44°09′36″N 072°55′44″W / 44.16000°N 72.92889°W / 44.16000; -72.92889[3]
Geography
Mount Ellen in the State of Vermont in the United States
Mount Ellen in the State of Vermont in the United States
Mount Ellen
Vermont, U.S.A.
CountryUnited States
StateVermont
CountyWashington
TownWarren
Parent rangeGreen Mountains
Topo mapUSGS Mount Ellen 1:24,000

Mount Ellen is a mountain in the Green Mountains in the U.S. state of Vermont. Located at the northern edge of the Green Mountain National Forest in Washington County, the summit of Mount Ellen is in the northwest corner of Warren but the mountain extends into Fayston to the north and Lincoln to the west. Together with Lincoln Peak to the south, the slopes of Mount Ellen are home to the Sugarbush Resort.

Mount Ellen is one of a handful of 4,000-foot (1,200 m) peaks in Vermont. At 4,083 feet (1,244 m), it is tied (with Camel's Hump) for the third-highest mountain in the state.

History

The origin of the mountain's name is unclear. One theory is that Joseph Battell, a publisher, environmentalist, and philanthropist from Middlebury, Vermont, named Mount Ellen after the fictional character in his book "Ellen, or the Whisperings of an Old Pine" published in 1903. Another theory is that the mountain was named for Ellen Douglas, the heroine in Sir Walter Scott's poem The Lady of the Lake published in 1810.[4]

Drainage basin

Mount Ellen stands within the watershed of Lake Champlain, which drains into the Richelieu River in Quebec, the Saint Lawrence River, and then eventually into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. On the east side of the ridge, Mount Ellen drains into Mill Brook, thence into the Mad River, the Winooski River, and into Lake Champlain. On the west side of the ridge, Mount Ellen drains into the New Haven River, thence into Otter Creek, and into Lake Champlain.

Hiking

The Long Trail traverses the summit of Mount Ellen midway between Lincoln Gap and Appalachian Gap. The closest side trail is the Jerusalem Trail, whose trailhead is in Starksboro, Vermont. The trail terminates at the Long Trail after 2.4 miles (3.9 km). From the intersection, Mount Ellen is 1.8 miles (2.9 km) south on the Long Trail while Glen Ellen Shelter is 0.4 miles (0.6 km) to the east and Stark's Nest is 1.0 mile (1.6 km) to the north.[1]

Skiing

Part of Mount Ellen's eastern face is used for the ski trails of Sugarbush Resort.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Green Mountain Club (2015). Vermont's Long Trail: A Footpath in the Wilderness (Topographic map) (5th ed.). 1:85,000. Cartography by Center for Community GIS. ISBN 978-1-888021-46-2.
  2. ^ "Mount Ellen, Vermont". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  3. ^ "Mount Ellen". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  4. ^ Bushnell, Mark (September 15, 2019). "Whence Camel's Hump and other Vermont mountain names?". VTDigger. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  5. ^ Loomis, Lisa (December 22, 2023). "The Valley Reporter - Sugarbush's Mount Ellen (formerly Glen Ellen) turns 60!". www.valleyreporter.com. Retrieved January 29, 2024.