Stratton Mountain (Vermont) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stratton Mountain |
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Aerial photo of Stratton Mountain Ski Area in 2009
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 3,940 ft (1,200 m) |
| Prominence | 2,410 ft (730 m) |
| Listing | #21 New England Fifty Finest #73 New England 100 Highest |
| Geography | |
| Location | Windham County, Vermont |
| Parent range | Green Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS Stratton Mountain |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Ski lift |
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Stratton Mountain Lookout Tower
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Stratton Mountain Lookout Tower in May 2014
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | c. 1934 |
| Built by | Civilian Conservation Corps Leon Stocker |
| NRHP reference No. | 92000687 |
| Added to NRHP | June 17, 1992 |
Stratton Mountain is a tall mountain in Vermont, found in the Green Mountain National Forest. It's the highest point in Windham County and the southern part of the Green Mountains. At the top, there's a fire tower you can usually climb for amazing views. There's also a small cabin for a caretaker from the Green Mountain Club who stays there during certain times of the year. Part of the mountain is home to the Stratton Mountain Resort, a popular place for skiing and snowboarding.
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Exploring Stratton Mountain's Geography
Stratton Mountain is part of the Connecticut River's watershed. This means that water flowing off the mountain eventually makes its way to the Connecticut River. This river then flows into Long Island Sound in Connecticut.
The mountain has two main peaks. The southern peak is the highest, reaching 3,940 feet (about 1,200 meters). The mountain ridge slopes down a bit before rising to the north peak, which is 3,875 feet (about 1,181 meters) tall. The very top of the south peak is covered in trees. However, there is a small open area where the fire tower and caretaker's cabin are located.
The Historic Fire Tower
The Stratton Mountain Lookout Tower was built around 1934. It was constructed by a group called the Civilian Conservation Corps. This group helped people find jobs during a tough economic time. The caretaker's cabin was built much later, around 1970.
The tower is very important to history. In 1992, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It's one of the last fire towers left in Vermont. It was used to spot forest fires until 1982.
Weather at Stratton Mountain
The weather on Stratton Mountain changes a lot throughout the year. Winters are cold with plenty of snow, perfect for skiing. Summers are milder and great for hiking.
| Climate data for Stratton Mountain 43.0915 N, 72.9252 W, Elevation: 3,763 ft (1,147 m) (1991–2020 normals) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 22.6 (−5.2) |
24.9 (−3.9) |
33.2 (0.7) |
45.0 (7.2) |
57.0 (13.9) |
65.2 (18.4) |
69.4 (20.8) |
68.2 (20.1) |
62.5 (16.9) |
50.7 (10.4) |
38.7 (3.7) |
27.9 (−2.3) |
47.1 (8.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 14.4 (−9.8) |
16.0 (−8.9) |
23.9 (−4.5) |
35.3 (1.8) |
46.7 (8.2) |
55.1 (12.8) |
60.0 (15.6) |
58.8 (14.9) |
52.9 (11.6) |
41.4 (5.2) |
30.8 (−0.7) |
20.9 (−6.2) |
38.0 (3.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 6.2 (−14.3) |
7.2 (−13.8) |
14.7 (−9.6) |
25.6 (−3.6) |
36.5 (2.5) |
45.1 (7.3) |
50.5 (10.3) |
49.3 (9.6) |
43.3 (6.3) |
32.2 (0.1) |
22.9 (−5.1) |
13.9 (−10.1) |
29.0 (−1.7) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 5.82 (148) |
4.73 (120) |
5.84 (148) |
5.87 (149) |
6.00 (152) |
7.07 (180) |
5.84 (148) |
6.26 (159) |
5.99 (152) |
7.33 (186) |
5.91 (150) |
6.73 (171) |
73.39 (1,863) |
| Source: PRISM Climate Group | |||||||||||||
Stratton Mountain's Place in Hiking History
Stratton Mountain holds a special spot in the history of long-distance hiking trails.
The Long Trail Idea
In 1909, a man named James P. Taylor was on Stratton Mountain. He had an amazing idea: a hiking trail that would stretch all the way from Massachusetts to Canada. This idea became the famous Long Trail, which runs through Vermont.
The Appalachian Trail Idea
Later, while the Long Trail was being built, another important person visited Stratton's summit. His name was Benton MacKaye. He thought it would be a great idea to have a trail that went along the entire Appalachian Range. This big idea led to the creation of the Appalachian Trail. This trail is about 2,170 miles (3,500 km) long. It goes from Georgia all the way to Maine.
In southern Vermont, the Long Trail and the Appalachian Trail follow the same path. They both cross over the summit of Stratton Mountain. There's also a short, easy trail that connects the summit to the Stratton Mountain Resort.
Discovering Stratton Mountain Resort
Stratton Mountain Resort is a popular ski resort located on the northeast side of the mountain.
Skiing and Snowboarding Fun
The resort has 97 trails spread over 600 acres (2.4 km²). It offers a vertical drop of 2,000 feet (610 meters). To get around, there are 16 lifts, including four modern 6-person chair lifts. The area around the resort is a small community called Stratton Mountain. It includes the ski base, a golf course, and homes.
Stratton Mountain School
The Stratton Mountain School was started in 1972. It's a special school for winter sports athletes. It also prepares students for college. Many talented athletes have come from this school. In fact, 46 of its students have gone on to compete in the Olympic Games!
Snowboarding History
Stratton Mountain played a big role in the early days of snowboarding. Jake Burton Carpenter, who created the famous Burton snowboards, built his first snowboard nearby. Stratton was one of the first major ski resorts to welcome snowboarders. Burton Snowboards worked closely with the resort's snowboard school. They helped create many programs that were very important for the growth of snowboarding.
Many top snowboarders have trained or competed at Stratton Mountain. This includes Ross Powers, who won a gold medal in the men's halfpipe at the 2002 Olympics. Lindsey Jacobellis also won a silver medal in the Snowboard cross event in 2006.
For almost 30 years, Stratton Mountain hosted the US OPEN Snowboarding & Freestyle Skiing Championships. This big event moved to Vail Ski Resort in 2013.
Images for kids
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Looking south at Mt. Snow Ski Area and Somerset Reservoir from the Stratton Mountain Fire Tower - May 2014
