Sadie
New member
Getting away for some time on the trails has become difficult with our 2 little ones and elderly diabetic dog. We managed to arrange for care for all and got away for a 2 night trip on the trails this past weekend for the first time in almost 4 years. We usually go to the Whites, but decided to try a change in scenery and headed to the Green Mountains. Goal was to go over Mt Abraham and Ellen along the Long Trail.
On Friday, we did a car drop at the bottom of Jerusalem trail and then drove on to Battell trailhead and headed up to the Battell shelter on the Long Trail. It was a long day of traveling, so it was 5 PM before we started up the Battell trail. Battell trail was a steady climb all the way up, but only 2 miles. We got to the Battell shelter at the junction of the long trail at nearly 7 pm. It was packed mostly with 2 separate youth groups—caretaker said the overall total at the shelter site that night was ~25 people. With help from the caretaker, we located overflow areas to set up our tents.
After sleeping in, the next day we headed onto the Long Trail and went up to Mt. Abraham (0.8 mi from Battell Shelter). This was also a steady trail, with a few steep sections. View from Abraham was great, it was a bare peak with alpine vegetation at the top. After we lingered on Abraham for awhile, we moved on heading on the Long Trail towards Ellen. The ridge was nice sheltered pine forest, muddy in spots. The trail goes past the tops of a few ski area chairlifts, with lots of nice overlooks. We stopped for lunch at what appeared to be a decrepit warming hut with a deck. We moved on and got to some areas that were a little steep just below Mt. Ellen summit. The summit itself is wooded and only identified by a wood marker—about 4 mi from Abraham summit. Initial descent from Ellen is also a bit steep with some ledge, there was another ski area with chairlift soon after the summit. The trail after Ellen gets quite narrow, but easy to follow. About 1.5 mi after the summit, the trail intersects with the Jersusalem trail. Just a few hundred yards past that is a spur trail (Barton Trail) to the Glenn Ellen shelter. It is a bit of a steep trip down the trail which leads to a charming shelter built in 1933. We were disappointed to see a sign at the site not allowing any tents at the Glenn Ellen site, only use of the shelter for camping. I always prefer the privacy of tents—but my disappointment disappeared when a heavy thunderstorm came by just and hour later and we stayed nice and dry in the shelter, which we ended up having to ourselves. After the storm, we were admiring the great view from the hut, watching the rising fog in the valley and saw a rainbow—quite a dramatic site! It stormed heavily again later that night and the sound in the shelter of the rain on the metal roof was so loud it woke me up—but I was so relieved not to be in a tent!
Weather on Sunday was gorgeous! We headed back to the Long Trail, heading towards the Jerusalem trail, with a quick peak at the Orvis overlook. Heading down the Jerusalem trail was really really wet, it was like a river in a few spots and some areas of really thick mud. Trip down was 2.4 mi, nothing too steep, just lots of mud and water. We got back to the car and then made the ~15 m drive to our other car at the base of Battell trail. It was a wonderful trip, gorgeous trail! It was so nice to be out backpacking again, but I suspect this may be our only trip this year because of the difficulties in making arrangements for care of our little ones. Abraham and Ellen were #49+ #50 for NE 4Ker for me.
On Friday, we did a car drop at the bottom of Jerusalem trail and then drove on to Battell trailhead and headed up to the Battell shelter on the Long Trail. It was a long day of traveling, so it was 5 PM before we started up the Battell trail. Battell trail was a steady climb all the way up, but only 2 miles. We got to the Battell shelter at the junction of the long trail at nearly 7 pm. It was packed mostly with 2 separate youth groups—caretaker said the overall total at the shelter site that night was ~25 people. With help from the caretaker, we located overflow areas to set up our tents.
After sleeping in, the next day we headed onto the Long Trail and went up to Mt. Abraham (0.8 mi from Battell Shelter). This was also a steady trail, with a few steep sections. View from Abraham was great, it was a bare peak with alpine vegetation at the top. After we lingered on Abraham for awhile, we moved on heading on the Long Trail towards Ellen. The ridge was nice sheltered pine forest, muddy in spots. The trail goes past the tops of a few ski area chairlifts, with lots of nice overlooks. We stopped for lunch at what appeared to be a decrepit warming hut with a deck. We moved on and got to some areas that were a little steep just below Mt. Ellen summit. The summit itself is wooded and only identified by a wood marker—about 4 mi from Abraham summit. Initial descent from Ellen is also a bit steep with some ledge, there was another ski area with chairlift soon after the summit. The trail after Ellen gets quite narrow, but easy to follow. About 1.5 mi after the summit, the trail intersects with the Jersusalem trail. Just a few hundred yards past that is a spur trail (Barton Trail) to the Glenn Ellen shelter. It is a bit of a steep trip down the trail which leads to a charming shelter built in 1933. We were disappointed to see a sign at the site not allowing any tents at the Glenn Ellen site, only use of the shelter for camping. I always prefer the privacy of tents—but my disappointment disappeared when a heavy thunderstorm came by just and hour later and we stayed nice and dry in the shelter, which we ended up having to ourselves. After the storm, we were admiring the great view from the hut, watching the rising fog in the valley and saw a rainbow—quite a dramatic site! It stormed heavily again later that night and the sound in the shelter of the rain on the metal roof was so loud it woke me up—but I was so relieved not to be in a tent!
Weather on Sunday was gorgeous! We headed back to the Long Trail, heading towards the Jerusalem trail, with a quick peak at the Orvis overlook. Heading down the Jerusalem trail was really really wet, it was like a river in a few spots and some areas of really thick mud. Trip down was 2.4 mi, nothing too steep, just lots of mud and water. We got back to the car and then made the ~15 m drive to our other car at the base of Battell trail. It was a wonderful trip, gorgeous trail! It was so nice to be out backpacking again, but I suspect this may be our only trip this year because of the difficulties in making arrangements for care of our little ones. Abraham and Ellen were #49+ #50 for NE 4Ker for me.
