We were up and eating breakfast before 7 am. We knew we had a big day in front of us. The hike up to Cooper Lodge was 9.9 miles and climbed over 2,900 feet. As soon as we were on the trail it climbed several hundred feet to Beacon Hill, which appeared to be named for the small tower with a blinking light on it. I assumed this was due to the nearby airport.
The trail gradually relinquished the elevation we had gained. We passed through some fields, using wooden stairs to climb over barbed wire fences. Eventually we came to a road. A sign explained that Hurricane Irene had washed out some bridges, meaning we would need to walk several miles on country roads. Although it added .4 to our day's hike, the road walk was pleasant. It was Sunday afternoon and it looked like people were out enjoying it. The sun was shining brightly and the breezes kept us reasonably cool. As we climbed up Cold River Road we began to gain a view of the mountains in the distance.
The road walk finally ended at a trail entrance into the woods. Just below here was a large bridge and a portion of road that had both been washed away in the Hurricane last year.
The trail climbed quickly up to the Governor Clement Shelter. We stopped for lunch and geared up for the big climb up Killington. We had spent the past day dreading this big climb, and it actually wasn't that bad. We both found it to be an easier climb than Stratton. The trail snaked its way up a series of ridges. In many spots there was barely enough room for our feet to fit on the ledge, but the trail climbed gradually in most places.
Around 3 pm we arrived at the Cooper Lodge. We set up our tent quickly and emptied our packs of everything heavy that we wouldn't need right away. The gondola from the summit was scheduled to run until 5, meaning we might be able to take a ride down and back.
The climb to the summit was only 2 tenths of a mile, but it was really tough. In most places we had to use both hands to climb over the jagged rock ledges. About halfway up we began to get a view, and it was spectacular. The mountains extended in all directions, bathed in a blue haze.
We hurried across the summit to the ski lift and confirmed with the employee that it ran until 5. We didn't want to get stranded at the base of the mountain. The gondola was also free to hikers!
The ride down provided beautiful views of the mountains. We definitely might come here to ski sometime. At the bottom we visited the snack bar. The kitchen was closed but the bartender was able to sell us some fruit kabobs, potato chips, and candy bars. I also had a piña colada, which was really refreshing after a long day on the trail.
We rode the gondola back up and laid out on the rocks for a while enjoying the view. Today was a hard day, but we had some pretty great rewards for it. Our bodies are both tired. The accumulated bumps and bruises of hiking 100 miles have taken their toll on both our bodies and psyches. We are really looking forward to getting to the Inn at the Long Trail and getting some relaxation in tomorrow night!
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