Pico Peak
Encyclopedia
Pico Peak is a mountain
located in Rutland County, Vermont
. It is the northernmost summit of the Coolidge Range in the Green Mountains
, and the second highest after Killington Peak
.
Pico Peak is flanked to the south by Ramshead Peak, and to the north faces Deer Leap Mountain across Sherburne Pass
. The peak's name may stem from the Abnaki for "the pass/opening" or indeed from the Spanish
or Portuguese
word for peak, Pico. Seen from Sherburne Pass the summit resembles a cone. "Pico Peak" appears on the 1869 Beers Atlas of Rutland County, Walling's 1860 Map of the State of Vermont and Chace's 1854 Map of Rutland County (albeit reversed with Killington Peak).
The northeast side of Pico Peak drains into Kent Brook, thence into the Ottauquechee River
, the Connecticut River
, and into Long Island Sound
in Connecticut
.
The southeast side of Pico drains into Roaring Brook, and thence into the Ottauquechee.
The northwest side of Pico drains into Mendon Brook, thence into East Creek, Otter Creek, and Lake Champlain
, which drains via the Saint Lawrence River
into the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Québec
, Canada
.
The southwest side of Pico drains into Brewer's Brook, and thence into Mendon Brook.
Pico Peak and 1000 acres (4 km²) of forest were presented to Mortimer R. Proctor
as a birthday present in 1910. He sold the mountain to Pico Ski Inc. in 1948. Pico Mountain
ski area — part of Killington Ski Resort
since December 1997 — is located on the northwest side of Pico Peak, with its base lodge on U.S. Route 4
. Pico opened in 1937, and the first T-bar lift
in the US was installed there in 1940.
The Appalachian Trail
(AT), a 2,170 mile (3,500 km) National Scenic Trail
from Georgia
to Maine
, once passed 0.3 mi (0.482802 km) east of the summit along the 3,500 ft (1,070 m) contour, until a 1999 re-routing. The Long Trail
(LT), a 272 mile (438 km) hiking trail which runs along the ridge of the Green Mountains
from Massachusetts
to Québec
, which coincides with the Appalachian Trail in this area, was re-routed at the same time. Both were moved west of the mountain. The old AT/LT along here is now a blue-blazed trail, named the Sherburne Pass Trail. It had previously only been known as the Long Trail. The summit is reached by the 0.4 mi (0.643736 km) Pico Link Trail, a segment of the defunct Pico Loop Trail. The AT and LT formerly split 2 miles (3 km) north of Pico, on Deer Leap Mountain. Now they diverge at Long Trail Junction (the former Maine Junction), just north of U.S. Route 4.
Mountain
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located in Rutland County, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. It is the northernmost summit of the Coolidge Range in the Green Mountains
Green Mountains
The Green Mountains are a mountain range in the U.S. state of Vermont. The range extends approximately .-Peaks:The most notable mountains in the range include:*Mount Mansfield, , the highest point in Vermont*Killington Peak, *Mount Ellen,...
, and the second highest after Killington Peak
Killington Peak
Killington Peak is the second highest summit in the Green Mountains and in the U.S. state of Vermont. It is located east of Rutland in south-central Vermont. A ski resort, Killington Ski Resort, nicknamed "the beast of the east," is located on the mountain. Killington is a stop on the Long...
.
Pico Peak is flanked to the south by Ramshead Peak, and to the north faces Deer Leap Mountain across Sherburne Pass
Sherburne Pass
Sherburne Pass, or Shelburne Pass, is a mountain pass in the Green Mountains of Vermont, between Pico Peak to the south and Deer Leap Mountain to the north.The height of land of the pass is located in the town of Killington....
. The peak's name may stem from the Abnaki for "the pass/opening" or indeed from the Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
or Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
word for peak, Pico. Seen from Sherburne Pass the summit resembles a cone. "Pico Peak" appears on the 1869 Beers Atlas of Rutland County, Walling's 1860 Map of the State of Vermont and Chace's 1854 Map of Rutland County (albeit reversed with Killington Peak).
The northeast side of Pico Peak drains into Kent Brook, thence into the Ottauquechee River
Ottauquechee River
The Ottauquechee River is a river in eastern Vermont in the United States. It is a tributary of the Connecticut River, which flows to Long Island Sound....
, the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
, and into Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
.
The southeast side of Pico drains into Roaring Brook, and thence into the Ottauquechee.
The northwest side of Pico drains into Mendon Brook, thence into East Creek, Otter Creek, and Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
, which drains via the Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
into the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Québec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
The southwest side of Pico drains into Brewer's Brook, and thence into Mendon Brook.
Pico Peak and 1000 acres (4 km²) of forest were presented to Mortimer R. Proctor
Mortimer R. Proctor
Mortimer Robinson Proctor , known as Mortimer R. Proctor, was an American politician from Vermont. He served as the 66th Governor of Vermont from 1945 to 1947, and as the 60th Lieutenant Governor of Vermont from 1941 to 1945...
as a birthday present in 1910. He sold the mountain to Pico Ski Inc. in 1948. Pico Mountain
Pico Mountain
Pico Mountain Ski Area was one of the first commercial ski resorts in Vermont, USA. The base lodge was located on the northwest side of Pico Peak on U.S. Route 4. In 1996, the resort went into receivership and was bought by the Killington Mountain Resort and Ski Area in December 1997. Ski runs have...
ski area — part of Killington Ski Resort
Killington Ski Resort
Killington Mountain Resort & Ski Area is a ski resort near Killington, Vermont. It is the largest ski area in the Eastern United States, and has the largest vertical in New England as well at 3050 feet.-History:In 1954, Perry H...
since December 1997 — is located on the northwest side of Pico Peak, with its base lodge on U.S. Route 4
U.S. Route 4
U.S. Route 4 is a long United States highway that runs from East Greenbush, New York, in the west to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in the east, traversing through Vermont.In New York, US 4 is signed north–south to reflect its alignment in the state...
. Pico opened in 1937, and the first T-bar lift
T-bar lift
A T-bar lift, also called T-bar, is a mechanised system for transporting skiers and snowboarders uphill, along the surface of the slope...
in the US was installed there in 1940.
The Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
(AT), a 2,170 mile (3,500 km) National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail is a designation for protected areas in the United States that consist of trails of particular natural beauty.National Scenic Trails were authorized under the National Trails System Act of 1968 along with National Historic Trails and National Recreation Trails...
from Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
to Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, once passed 0.3 mi (0.482802 km) east of the summit along the 3,500 ft (1,070 m) contour, until a 1999 re-routing. The Long Trail
Long Trail
The Long Trail is a hiking trail located in Vermont, running the length of the state. It is the oldest long-distance trail in the United States, constructed between 1910 and 1930 by the Green Mountain Club...
(LT), a 272 mile (438 km) hiking trail which runs along the ridge of the Green Mountains
Green Mountains
The Green Mountains are a mountain range in the U.S. state of Vermont. The range extends approximately .-Peaks:The most notable mountains in the range include:*Mount Mansfield, , the highest point in Vermont*Killington Peak, *Mount Ellen,...
from Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
to Québec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, which coincides with the Appalachian Trail in this area, was re-routed at the same time. Both were moved west of the mountain. The old AT/LT along here is now a blue-blazed trail, named the Sherburne Pass Trail. It had previously only been known as the Long Trail. The summit is reached by the 0.4 mi (0.643736 km) Pico Link Trail, a segment of the defunct Pico Loop Trail. The AT and LT formerly split 2 miles (3 km) north of Pico, on Deer Leap Mountain. Now they diverge at Long Trail Junction (the former Maine Junction), just north of U.S. Route 4.