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poison_ivy
10-06-2003, 08:21
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.

oruoja
11-21-2003, 07:34
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.

wilconow
07-08-2007, 19:31
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.

skibumfromCT
09-23-2007, 05:31
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.

7Sisters
09-23-2007, 09:35
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.

Lone Wolf
09-23-2007, 09:40
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. :)

fehchet
09-23-2007, 10:37
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.

Blue Jay
09-24-2007, 03:14
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.

Tin Man
09-24-2007, 13:21
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?

skibumfromCT
09-24-2007, 19:27
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.

Cookerhiker
09-24-2007, 19:46
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.

skibumfromCT
09-25-2007, 07:37
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.

nitewalker
12-04-2007, 10:44
it is definitly a great place for a midday ski break. small backpack with a lunch and beverage packed away....priceless!!!!!

pitdog
12-04-2007, 10:50
Fontana dam now on ch 41

dabjrnl
07-18-2008, 12:26
Has anybody been to Cooper this year? How's the water source?

Thanks.

Zoooma
12-23-2009, 17:31
Has anyone reading this, since the last post 2½ yrs ago, been to Cooper Lodge? Just wondering what the status of this place is.

Jeff
12-23-2009, 17:48
Was there in 2009....lots of mice!!!

Heard rumors that it will eventually be demolished.

Lone Wolf
12-23-2009, 17:50
Has anyone reading this, since the last post 2½ yrs ago, been to Cooper Lodge? Just wondering what the status of this place is.
it's a dup. it's been used and abused. should be torn down

Slo-go'en
12-23-2009, 18:02
It was still there this fall. Its all down hill to the Inn, so no reason to stay there..

The place is usually pretty trashed in the spring once the skiers are done with it.

Dogwood
12-23-2009, 18:33
IMO, because of its rather near vicinity to Killington Ski Resort and the Mt Killington summit and the highway it seems like it has gotten trodden down over the yrs. Despite all the great volunteers who have lovingly and painstakingly built and cared for this shelter it has seemed rather filthy to me probably because its used as a party spot by those who just don't care.

mikec
12-23-2009, 19:35
Stayed there June, 2009. It was a dump. I tented that night and used the shelter to pack things up in the next morning since it started raining (which it did for most of June and July). 2 GMC ridge runners there said that they were probably going to tear it down. He did not say when though.

Deadeye
12-23-2009, 21:59
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.

Gosh, thanks... now I'm an "old time" Vermonter.

Reading from my Dad's journal of our E2E hikes of the LT:
July 4, 1971: had lunch (lousy beef stew) at Tamarack Shelter and a long rest.

I was 15 at the time.

sharky
06-30-2010, 11:44
Pico Camp is another option not too far away isn't it? Is that any better?

Grayhair
01-19-2012, 16:11
Stayed at the Cooper Lodge in July of 2011. Unfortunately, this shelter has seen betterdays. Spoke with Plans Too Much with theGreen Mountain Club. He said that the majority of the damage isincurred during the winter months by skiers. Wow! Must be some party up there. Plans are to level the place and move theshelter further north along the trail, outside of the ski area to discourage thissort of thing in the future. Good luckfolks!

Landshark
07-10-2012, 13:09
As you can see, discussion of removing Cooper has been going on for years but its still there. It is my understanding the Green Mountain Club does intend to have it removed, but no date has been set. I hadn't heard anything about it being moved, just removed. There was talk of putting another shelter in the area south of it, closer to Governor Clement, but with the improved situation at Governor Clement as well as all the Irene Damage I don't think Cooper is a priority. Did stay at Cooper last August and had a fine if slightly damp chilly night. Was up there in mid-May and it was FULL of garbage.

Cosmo
08-18-2013, 13:46
August 2013. Still pretty grubby. Water was not even a trickle. Tent platforms just above are OK.

Cosmo

coach lou
08-18-2013, 18:58
We piled in there 20 yrs ago in a downpour......staying outside we would have been drier!

Grampie
08-19-2013, 09:22
I skied to Cooper shelter while at Killington probably 40 years ago. It was trashed by skiers then. When I thru-hiked in 2001 I spent the night there. It was also in bad shape then. I don't think it's condition is caused by hikers but by the others who use it. If the use of Cooper can't be restricted to hikers, it should be removed.

Sugarfoot
08-19-2013, 15:26
I stayed there last week. It wasn't real pretty, but there were no mice!

Marmaduke
08-26-2013, 12:33
I stayed in it two weeks ago and found it to be an enjoyable experience..... something about it.. maybe it's looking out of the windows where the glass used to be, but I love that shelter....maybe it was the bottle of wine a day-hiker gave me..........

Jeff
08-26-2013, 12:55
Green Mountain Club plans to remove it....someday.

Cookerhiker
12-29-2019, 20:10
Stayed here last October. Nice tenting sites around but stayed inside to avoid the forecasted rain (which never came). Not real pleasant, especially the stone slab floor.
Trivia: it's the highest elevation shelter in VT.

46009

jimmyjam
12-30-2019, 18:22
Green Mountain Club plans to remove it....someday.


It would be nice if they built a replacement far enough down the trail that the locals and weekender partyers would be discouraged from going there.

NINpigNIN
11-10-2021, 14:47
Any word on conditions of this shelter recently? I moved to the area in 2019, and my son is visiting next week and we were planning to do a short couple days on the trail that would put this shelter right at a good stopping point for the night if we hike from Rt. 103 in Clarendon to Rt. 4 in Killington.

Cookerhiker
11-10-2021, 19:38
Welcome, fellow Rutlander! I only moved here in late 2016 so I'm not far ahead of you.

I have not been up to Cooper since my post in 2019 above. I don't think the scene has changed much. Good places to tent but the shelter isn't too pleasant.

Slo-go'en
11-11-2021, 09:26
Any word on conditions of this shelter recently? I moved to the area in 2019, and my son is visiting next week and we were planning to do a short couple days on the trail that would put this shelter right at a good stopping point for the night if we hike from Rt. 103 in Clarendon to Rt. 4 in Killington.
The shelter is made of stone and with the cold temps recently, it will be really cold in there. You'd be much better off on the tent platforms. Also note that there will likely be significant ice and snow up there, you will need traction like microspikes. Finally, the trail going up Killington from the south is really rough with poor footing. I would suggest you avoid Killington and adjust your start or end point accordingly and avoid the higher peaks unless your geared properly for winter travel.

Cookerhiker
11-12-2021, 21:31
... Finally, the trail going up Killington from the south is really rough with poor footing....

In particular, the stretch from Governor Clement Shelter to the junction with the Shrewsbury Peak Trail. 1,650' elevation gain in 2.7 miles, much of it sidehilling over and around large roots, stumps, and rocks. Once you're past the junction, it's actually pretty reasonable.

Lynnette
11-13-2021, 19:40
I really enjoyed the whole peak area. Now the wind was looking like it was going to blow big and of course the damp fog. So inside -around inside our bunk, we put out tent flies almost as an inside shelter, protecting us from the wind. In the morning, the shelter was like hoarfrosted and fogged wet inside and out but not us.

chknfngrs
09-07-2023, 15:34
This place was a sight for sore eyes last month. My family and I got caught in the rain 2/3 the way up, and used the shelter to regroup. Tented on the platforms up above it and was not bad.