August 23rd, 2018, Vermont
At the hostel I ran into a SOBO hiker called Woody who I have been hiking with on and off for a few days. I also met fellow SOBOs Croatoan, Point 8 (.8?), and Finn. I have been just behind this group for some time.
Last night I walked the short distance to Walmart and the Price Chopper grocery next door for food resupply. I had settled on 3.5 days of food but, after more thought, decided today to add another day of food this morning. I went back to the store before breakfast and bought a few more items. With almost 5 days of food I would be able to go all the way to North Adams, which is closer to the trail than the towns in between. According to the guide it looks like I will be able to walk to a grocery store at North Adams and back to the trail without much trouble.
I didn’t sleep well at the hostel last night. This was my first experience with a true “hiker hostel.” This one is a donation-based place where hikers who prefer can trade work for their stay. I planned to donate the going rate for a hostel stay, but gave a bit less because 1) the window AC ran all night but didn’t seem to do much—the room was hot. And 2) it was cool outside but the windows wouldn’t open. The room really did need some fresh air—it was quite stuffy and stale in there. So I didn’t sleep well and wasn’t impressed with the accommodations. For many others, the ability to stay for free is the big draw. I would have been more comfortable in one of the other lodging options, but you couldn’t beat this hostel for convenience and location. It was across the street from the grocery stores and in walking distance to restaurants. And after breakfast I finished packing and headed to the bus terminal which was also right behind the building.
The bus dropped me back at the trailhead where I left off yesterday. The trail from here headed up Killington Peak, the tallest mountain in Vermont. It is also a popular ski area. During the warm season the gondola carries visitors up near the top of the mountain so I ran into a lot of day hikers heading back down to the base of the mountain on foot.
The trail skirted the peak and the views were very limited. There was a side trail to the peak with better views but given my late start I skipped it and continued ahead.
Near the top there was an old shelter which is reportedly in disrepair. I didn’t go inside but talked to a local father and daughter who were hiking for the day with their two dogs. They said they ski all the time in the winter and hike on the trails in the summer.
After coming down the other side of the mountain I stopped at the next shelter down toward the base. It was the first one I had seen with a fireplace inside the shelter.
Toward the end of my day I came across some unattended trail magic: a cooler with cold drinks and some snacks in a bin. I enjoyed a drink and did the last couple miles rejuvenated.
I found an out of the way place to hammock camp and set up for the night—hoping for a better nights rest than last night!