Mt Ellen - 8/07/14

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Snowflea

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Trails: Stark Mtn Trail, Bunny Cutoff, Long Trail

Comments: Decided to take our chances on a not great forecast day and head up Mad River Glen's Stark Mtn Trail for something different. There is a trail map on the Mad River website. Stark Mtn Trail is a utility road that pops you out on the Long Trail just south of Starks Nest. Bunny Cutoff saves a bit of mileage but is a little steeper. The climb to the ridge is about 2000 ft. Then it's another 2.7 miles to Mt Ellen.

Being the LT, there were the usual muddy sections, slippery rocks, and rotting bog bridges, but there were also a bunch of newer bog bridges, relatively easy terrain (for the LT), and beautiful woods. One step over
and one duck under blowdown that I remember.

Soon after hitting the ridge, I pulled out my umbrella and we donned rain jackets - it was cold up there - for the first 15-min shower. For the second shower and hailstorm, we happened to be having lunch in the little lift operators hut (unlocked!) just below the summit of Mt Ellen. The hail made for quite an impressive show, one I'd not seen the likes of since hiking in the Sierras a couple of years ago. We were happy to be inside!

For the third shower, we were checking out Glen Ellen Lodge. Talk about good timing. We agreed that a place called Glen Ellen Lodge should be serving prime rib and a good cab, so were sorely disappointed in that regard... :D

We popped into Starks Nest just before heading back down the Stark Mtn Trail. Nice that they still keep this place open to hikers! For the fourth and final shower of the day, I had to pull out the umbrella again as we were about halfway down the mtn when it hit. There is a beautiful waterfall about 0.4 miles from the bottom, and it was flowing pretty good with all the rain!

This was a neat way to climb Ellen - longer than using Jeruselum Trail, more climbing but easier footing than using the LT from App Gap. From the utility road/ski trails, we got intermittent view into the valleys below. On a clear day views would most likely be stunning.
 
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