Stratton Mountain (Vermont)

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Stratton Mountain
Elevation 3,940 ft (1,201 m)
Prominence 2,410 ft (735 m)
Listing #21 New England Fifty Finest
#73 New England 100 Highest
Location
Location Windham County, Vermont
Range Green Mountains
Coordinates 43°5.17′N 72°55.51′W / 43.08617°N 72.92517°W / 43.08617; -72.92517Coordinates: 43°5.17′N 72°55.51′W / 43.08617°N 72.92517°W / 43.08617; -72.92517
Topo map USGS Stratton Mountain
Climbing
Easiest route Ski lift

Stratton Mountain is a mountain located in Windham County, Vermont, in the Green Mountain National Forest. The mountain, a monadnock, is the highest point of Windham County, and of the southern Green Mountains generally. A fire tower located on the summit is generally open for climbing by the public. There is also a small caretaker cabin (not open to the public) at the summit that is inhabited in season by a caretaker from the Green Mountain Club.

Stratton Mountain stands within the watershed of the Connecticut River, which drains into Long Island Sound in Connecticut. The south and southeast slopes of Stratton Mountain drain into Ball Mountain Brook, thence into the West River, and into the Connecticut River. The east side of Stratton drains via Kidder Brook into the North Branch of Ball Mountain Brook. The north side of Stratton drains into the North Branch of Ball Mountain Brook. The northwest side of Stratton drains into the Winhall River, and thence into the West River. The southwest slopes of Stratton drain into the East Branch of the Deerfield River, another tributary of the Connecticut.

Stratton Mountain claims a unique role in hiking trail history. In 1909, James P. Taylor (1872–1949) was on the mountain when he conceived the idea of a trail from Massachusetts to Canada, which became Vermont's Long Trail.[1] While on the summit of Stratton during the construction of the Long Trail, Benton MacKaye (1879–1975) considered that it would be a good idea to have a trail spanning the entire Appalachian Range. The result was the Appalachian Trail, a 2,170-mile (3,490 km) National Scenic Trail from Georgia to Maine.[2] In southern Vermont, the two trails are contiguous, crossing the summit of Stratton from south to north. A short (.75-mile), relatively flat side trail leads from the summit to the Stratton Mountain Resort.

Stratton Mountain Resort

Aerial photo of Stratton Mountain Ski Area, January 2009

Stratton Mountain ski resort is located on the northeast slopes of the mountain. It has 94 trails over 600 acres (2.4 km2) with a 2,000 ft (610 m) vertical drop, served by 16 lifts, including four 6-person chair lifts. Jake Burton built his first snowboard while living in Manchester, near Stratton, which was the first major ski resort to allow snowboarding. Stratton Mountain is home to and will host the 30th Anniversary of the US OPEN Snowboarding & Freestyle Skiing Championships in March 2012.

Emergency services

Policing services are provided by Stratton Mountain Security as well as Winhall Police Department, which patrols in Ford Expeditions and Ford Explorers. Stratton Mountain has its own fire department, the Stratton Mountain Volunteer Fire Company, but also receives mutual aid from the surrounding fire departments. The fire company is headquartered on Brazers Way and has four apparatus (two engines, one ladder truck, and one rescue truck). In January 2011 the company will take delivery of a new ladder truck. During working hours, an ALS Ambulance is staffed at the Ski Patrol Building. At night, the Londonderry Emergency Squad is used for ambulance services.

Education

The Stratton Mountain School is located in Stratton.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ summitpost.org: Stratton, the birthplace of the AT & Long Trail
  2. ↑ Green Mountain Club's History of the Long Trail

External links

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