Somewhere on "E Trail" near "Julio"

Somewhere on "E Trail" near "Julio"

Although this may sound heretical to some, all of our free time is not spent wandering around the golf courses of Killington. Yesterday, we spent our free time wandering through the woods while climbing to the top of Killington.

We started our climb from our normal winter parking spot at the Killington Base Lodge in Bay 1. From there, we hiked up lower Bunny Buster to Mouse Trap and the bottom of Racers Edge. Racers Edge in the summer is used as a single track mountain bike trail, of what I would guess is fairly moderate difficulty. Normally we would be hesitant to hike it,trying to avoid bike traffic, but as there were only a half a dozen bikers on the mountain it was not a problem. Racers Edge is below and roughly parallel to the "C" trail on the Killington Hiking Map. "C Trail", know as "Great Northern" in the winter is a broad road, where as Racers Edge is a little wider than a path through the woods. A much more interesting hike.

We came out at the base of the "Glades" and meandered about on our way to the top. We did stop for a nice lunch at the Peak Restaurant. While we were there, we kept asking ourselves why we did not do this earlier in the summer, as the lunch at the peak was very nice.

While we were at the peak, we noticed a lot of maintenance work had been completed, with a lot more underway. The peak building has been completely repaired from the late spring storm damage. We also saw crews put painting the South Ridge Triple station, in addition to various pits of snow making plumbing repair around the mountain.

For our trek down, we followed the "E Trail" listed on Killington Hiking Trail Map. "E Trail" cuts through the forest between "Launch Pad" and Flume. In the process it cuts through the tree skiing trail "Julio", and across the primary trails Ovation, Old Superstar, Super Star, Skye Lark, Bitter Sweet, High Road, and Low Road, before coming out in the woods opposite the base of the Super Star Chair Lift. 'E Trail" was almost totally in the forest, away from bike trails and lifts. It was a very quiet, secluded hike through the woods, if you are into that sort of thing. Lions, tigers, and bears...oh my!

Several words of caution if you decide to hike up Killington. First, make sure you have proper foot wear. (No sandals or flip flops) Good athletic shoes (ie sneakers) are sufficient. Hiking boots over the ankle are better. Also bring plenty of water. Mary and I both consumed over 3/4 of a gallon of water each during our hike up and down the mountain. Yesterday was a warm day, so your needs may vary...but you will be much happier if you stay hydrated during your hike. Also, this time of year the weather on the peak is highly variable. Even though it may be warm at the base, you should bring a jacket or wind breaker with you in your pack incase the weather changes. And finally... have fun. You are not on Hannibal's forced march across the Alps... Stop and look around. The mountain is filled with interesting trees, flowers, rock formations, views.... Take in the sights... It is a beautiful place to be.

Where ever you may be this holiday weekend don't forget your sunscreen.