Four walled stone shelter located .2 miles off of Killington summit. It can comfortably sleep about eight without some squishing. The windows on the front of the shelter have been broken out, so the wind sweeps right in. The roof leaks over the top left-hand bunk, so avoid it on a rainy night. There is a picnic table inside. The so-called "Cooper pooper" is in great shape and is located just uphill from the shelter, as are three tent platforms.

I spent a very cold, breezy, rainy night here this weekend on my husband's first backpacking trip.

According to the local ridgerunner this summer ('03) the Green Mountain Club is considering removing Cooper Lodge due to persistant vandalism problems (not from hikers). The place is pretty dismal, but in '81 and '92 it provided much needed dry shelter. The black flies seem to linger here and when they let up the cluster flies are intense. Maybe some old time Vermonters remember Tamarack shelter which was about 1.5 miles south (built 1969 and removed early '80s) Don't know why that shelter was removed for sure, but suspect it had to do with land conflicts with the ski area.

The GMC caretaker for the area told me this is coming down after this season. Too much trouble maintaining it with non-hikers coming down to it.

Don't do it we love Cooper Lodge! It was the snowboarders who vandalize, not the skiers =) Honestly, Cooper Lodge is visited daily by skiers and probably used more often by skiers than hikers. Killington should purchase and maintain it. It really was much better when the windows were in it. Quite windy in the middle of January. I hope you are wrong about it being removed... if I ski there this winter and it is missing I will cry.

Yes, it would be sad if it's taken down. It's unfortunate when we don't understand the impact we have on the current and future of the AT. I'm convinced too often people just don't get it and think in the moment and not on the impact the moment makes.

The GMC caretaker for the area told me this is coming down after this season. Too much trouble maintaining it with non-hikers coming down to it.

cool. 1 down a coupla hundred to go. :)

If all the shelters were removed then the land they occupied would still remain as destination spots because of being all ready cleared for overnight camping and usual water availability, fire rings, etc. Then I think of Vandervinter. Other camping spots might evolve too. But it won't happen for a long time, Wolf.

I am very sad to hear that this one might disappear. It's been there since the 30s and is itself a trail legend. I've spent many a happy night there, summer and winter, including last Wednesday night. The wind was music through the open windows. The highest shelter on the Long Trail, built by those who are no longer with us.

When we hiked this section a couple of years ago, we ran into the trail maintainer who told us about skiers that came off the back of Killington and used the lodge roof as a jump when the snow was deep enough. The trick is making a hard right to hit the trail instead of the dense forest in front of the shelter. I wonder if this has anything to do with removing the lodge?

Ok, me being one of those skiers... there is no way to actually get enough speed to really use the roof as a jump. It would be a hard right indeed. It is more kids who have not experience what it is like to knee yourself in the face that will attempt to jump off of it.

Every time I got skiing at Killington we stop at the lodge once or twice during the day. It is a great spot to relax for a few minutes and have a smoke before heading down the trails again. Usually there are people already there, it is very popular. I've seen up to 3 groups of people there at a time, 6 people sitting on the roof... and twice as many at the picnic table inside.

I hope it isn't taken down... all it needs is some new windows... and maybe a new picnic table. I would even volunteer to help with it since me and my friends use it so often.

Ok, me being one of those skiers... there is no way to actually get enough speed to really use the roof as a jump. It would be a hard right indeed. It is more kids who have not experience what it is like to knee yourself in the face that will attempt to jump off of it.

Every time I got skiing at Killington we stop at the lodge once or twice during the day. It is a great spot to relax for a few minutes and have a smoke before heading down the trails again. Usually there are people already there, it is very popular. I've seen up to 3 groups of people there at a time, 6 people sitting on the roof... and twice as many at the picnic table inside.

I hope it isn't taken down... all it needs is some new windows... and maybe a new picnic table. I would even volunteer to help with it since me and my friends use it so often.

It could also use a floor. I stopped by on my LT end-to-end recently and don't recall seeing any other shelters with the natural rock floor inside.

Try walking on that floor with ski boots, lol. I kind of like the floor... you could put down a nice level layer of concrete over the top.

it is definitly a great place for a midday ski break. small backpack with a lunch and beverage packed away....priceless!!!!!

Fontana dam now on ch 41

Has anybody been to Cooper this year? How's the water source?

Thanks.