Mountaineering at Killington?

Before the sun rose this morning, I was axe in hand and halfway up Skye Peak...

Skye Peak - with that last dangling e - is named for the Isle of Skye, from whence many Scottish immigrants came to Vemont during the early 1800s.

As we made the most vigorous ascent possible, I noticed that the dew was still frozen on the overturned blades of grass that had become exposed by our recent warm spell.

But for Vespi and I, today was not about the history or frozen earth, but about summiting using a route we had yet to explore.

There were sections with no snow at all...and others where the snow drift had piled up so deep it made breaking trail all the more envigorating. A smart (or lazy) mountaineer, Vespi never breaks trail.

I was hoping to make it to the top for sunrise, mirroring climbers in the Himalayas who have to go hours before they can turn off their headlamps, but it looks like I have to get up a whole lot earlier for that!

No matter, I think that this is going to be one of my favorite ascents. For early season hiking, the mix of exposed rock, teeny tiny pine trees and thigh deep snow was a combination too awesome to miss!

But there was no relaxing at the top this morning. With temps already below freezing and the wind was howling at least 20 mph, it was probably the coldest weather I've experienced yet this fall.

 Of course, at the shop, it is just another beautiful day in twig season.

May you Find the Spirit of the Mountains Within You,
FemaleSkiBum