Jay Peak (Vermont)
| Jay Peak | |
|---|---|
 tramway car visible to the right of the summit | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,176 m (3,858 ft) |
| Prominence | 905 m (2,969 ft) |
| Listing | |
| Coordinates | 44°55.45′N 72°31.54′W / 44.92417°N 72.52567°W |
| Geography | |
| Location | Orleans County, Vermont |
| Parent range | Green Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS Jay Peak |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | maintained hiking trail |
Jay Peak is a mountain located about 5 mi. (8 km) south of the United States-Canada border, in Jay and Westfield, Orleans County, Vermont, of which it is the highest point. Most of the mountain is in Jay Peak State Forest. The mountain is named for the town of Jay in which much of the mountain except the peak area is located. The town of Jay, in turn, is named for John Jay (1745–1829). It is part of the northern Green Mountains. The mountain is flanked to the southwest by Big Jay, and to the north by North Jay Peak (3,438 ft / 1,048 m).
The mountain is in the watershed of the Missisquoi River, which drains into Lake Champlain, thence into Canada's Richelieu River, the Saint Lawrence River, and into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. The south side of the mountain drains into Jay Brook, thence west into the Trout River and the Missisquoi River. The northwest side of the mountain drains into Black Falls Brook, and thence into the Trout River. The north and northeast sides of the mountain drain east into the Jay Branch of the Missisquoi River.
Jay Peak is the northernmost major mountain crossed by the Long Trail, a 272-mile (438-km) hiking trail running the length of Vermont.
The Jay Peak ski resort is on the northeast side of Jay Peak.
History
On November 10, 1943, a Royal Canadian Air Force training plane crashed into the west side of the mountain near the top during a blinding snowfall killing one crew member.[1]
The Summit of Jay Peak was originally higher[clarification needed], but was leveled to construct the Sky Haus for the Jay Peak Ski Resort.[citation needed]
In the mid 1950's Brothers Ernest W. Gilpin and Wallaca H. Gilpin, both VT state legislaters and newspaper men began and achieved their campaign to construct a highway over Jay Peak, to connect Troy to Montgomery. The Starr family of Troy, VT donated portions of their extensive land for the right-of-way for the VT Rte 242 construction.
The peaks across the highway to the south are named for the brothers Gilpin, "Gilpin Mountain," a stone monument was dedicated to them and sits at the main entrance to the Jay Peak Resort at the highway.
See also
References
- ^ Wheeler, Scott (September 2008). "Military Airplane Slams into Jay Peak in 1943". Derb, Vermont: Northland Journal. pp. 26–30.
External links
- "Jay Peak". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- "Jay Peak, Vermont". Peakbagger.com.
 | This article about a location in Vermont is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |