My original plan for this past weekend was Allen in the Dacks, but it was forecast to rain pretty much all weekend all over the Northeast, and I didn't care to have to ford the Opalescent after so much rain. Also, it turned out I couldn't get an early start Saturday, so I started thinking where could I pick up another peak for my project of redoing the NE111 in my 60s where I could start with a fairly short hike to an enclosed shelter, and I realized that Killington from Pico Camp was perfect, so that's what I did.
I'd stayed in Pico Camp during my LT through hike, but I'd never been on Sherburne Pass Trail north of that, so I started by parking across the street from the Inn at the Long Trail and hiking up to Pico Camp in the rain. It rained pretty much the whole weekend, with a few breaks here and there. After leaving some stuff at Pico Camp I climbed the short spur trail up to Pico Peak. No views or porcupines this time. I came back down and settled in for the night. The only other occupant was a nobo LT hiker named Sleepy.
On Sunday I hiked up to the Long Trail and up to Killington. Although I ran into a fair number of other hikers all weekend, I had the summit to myself. No views, though. I continued on, hoping the cafeteria would be open, and it was. I was the only customer there, and I don't think they were completely set up, but I was able to buy a hot chocolate.
After that I hiked back over the summit, down to the LT, north on the LT, then north on Sherburne Pass Trail. At one point on the LT I slipped on some wet moss and fell. It wasn't a big deal; I didn't hurt myself. I picked myself up, picked up a pole, and where's my other pole? My other hiking pole was nowhere to be seen. I looked all around where I fell, and couldn't see any sign of it. Memories of loosing my glasses on the Devil's Path haunted me, but that was a six inch pair of glasses and this was a 135 cm. hiking pole. I kept expanding my area of search and researching near the fall, until I finally saw it about 25 feet down the trail and 10 feet to the side. I have no idea how it traveled so far; maybe I kicked it.
Anyway, it was a pleasant hike altogether. It turns out backpacking in the rain is fine if A) It's not cold, B) You have a dry place to sleep, C) You're not out so long you have to put on a wet shirt in the morning, and D) The ski resort cafeteria has hot chocolate.
Killington was number 44 (out of 115) in my project to redo the Northeast 111 in my 60s.
Here are the pictures.
--
Cumulus
NE111 in my 50s: 115/115 (67/67, 46/46, 2/2)
NE111 in my 60s: 44/115 (34/67, 10/46, 0/2)
NEFF: 50/50; Cat35: 39/39; WNH4K: 39/48; NEHH 81/100
LT NB 2009
"I don't much care where [I get to] --" said Alice, "-- so long as I get somewhere," ...
"Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."
- Lewis Carroll
I'd stayed in Pico Camp during my LT through hike, but I'd never been on Sherburne Pass Trail north of that, so I started by parking across the street from the Inn at the Long Trail and hiking up to Pico Camp in the rain. It rained pretty much the whole weekend, with a few breaks here and there. After leaving some stuff at Pico Camp I climbed the short spur trail up to Pico Peak. No views or porcupines this time. I came back down and settled in for the night. The only other occupant was a nobo LT hiker named Sleepy.
On Sunday I hiked up to the Long Trail and up to Killington. Although I ran into a fair number of other hikers all weekend, I had the summit to myself. No views, though. I continued on, hoping the cafeteria would be open, and it was. I was the only customer there, and I don't think they were completely set up, but I was able to buy a hot chocolate.
After that I hiked back over the summit, down to the LT, north on the LT, then north on Sherburne Pass Trail. At one point on the LT I slipped on some wet moss and fell. It wasn't a big deal; I didn't hurt myself. I picked myself up, picked up a pole, and where's my other pole? My other hiking pole was nowhere to be seen. I looked all around where I fell, and couldn't see any sign of it. Memories of loosing my glasses on the Devil's Path haunted me, but that was a six inch pair of glasses and this was a 135 cm. hiking pole. I kept expanding my area of search and researching near the fall, until I finally saw it about 25 feet down the trail and 10 feet to the side. I have no idea how it traveled so far; maybe I kicked it.
Anyway, it was a pleasant hike altogether. It turns out backpacking in the rain is fine if A) It's not cold, B) You have a dry place to sleep, C) You're not out so long you have to put on a wet shirt in the morning, and D) The ski resort cafeteria has hot chocolate.
Killington was number 44 (out of 115) in my project to redo the Northeast 111 in my 60s.
Here are the pictures.
--
Cumulus
NE111 in my 50s: 115/115 (67/67, 46/46, 2/2)
NE111 in my 60s: 44/115 (34/67, 10/46, 0/2)
NEFF: 50/50; Cat35: 39/39; WNH4K: 39/48; NEHH 81/100
LT NB 2009
"I don't much care where [I get to] --" said Alice, "-- so long as I get somewhere," ...
"Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."
- Lewis Carroll
