Killington Peak Hike

On Sunday, October 5^th seven of us (Carl, Kevin, Doug, Peter, Fernando, Rob and myself) met up at the Bucklin Trailhead at 10:30. It started out to be a sunny day with some clouds...it was pretty cold though. The first third of the trail was literally a walk through the woods with only modest elevation gain. After that the trail became more moderate with a consistent grade. At that point one of the members of the group decided that he couldn't do the hike, so he ended up heading back. The rest of the group pressed on, taking occasional breaks along the way. It also had become increasingly overcast on the way up. We made it up to the Long Trail junction a little before 1PM. From there it was a very short distance to the Killington Spur, past one of the huts, and up the last 0.2 mile, which was steep in spots. The summit was open with nice views...down towards Rutland, the Killington ski resort and across the White and Green Mountains. There was a firetower on top of Killington, but it was inaccessible and did not look well-maintained anyway. We started having our lunch on the summit just out of the wind, when everyone decided we'd venture down to the mountaintop restaurant, which sits at the top of the gondola. We warmed ourselves here for a bit before deciding to head back. The return was via the same trail, that we used for the ascent and we reached the trailhead again at about 4PM. Half the group decided to head back home and the rest of us (Doug, Rob and myself) went over to the Long Trail Inn for a small bite to eat...and a little Irish music...before taking off.

NOTE:&nbsp Originally scheduled for Sunday, September 28th, this hike has been re-scheduled for SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5th due to weather.

Join me for a hike on Killington, the second highest peak in Vermont (4241').&nbsp There are panoramic views from the summit across the Green Mountains and into the Adirondacks and Whites (there is a firetower on top, which may or may not be accessible).&nbsp We'll hike the Bucklin Trail to and from the summit.&nbsp The trail has a moderate grade with a short scramble up large rocks to the open peak.&nbsp The total distance is 7.2 miles and it should take us approximately 5-6 hours.&nbsp We'll meet at the trailhead on Wheelerville Road (4.1 miles off Rt. 4) at 10:30AM.&nbsp Typical summer/fall hiking wear:&nbsp shorts or convertible hiking pants, good sturdy hiking boots and thick socks, lunch, snacks and plenty of water.&nbsp Optional:&nbsp bug repellant, sunscreen, windbreaker/fleece.&nbsp If there's interest, we'll cap off the hike with dinner at a local restaurant.