The Skinny:
- Vermont: green (no surprise, there)
- Killington: Friends Visit!
- Mountain Meadows: Paradise for a day
- New Hampshire: welcome home 🌄
In the last episode of Fresh's Follies and Trillian's Trials, I had just entered Vermont from Western Massachusetts. Smoke from Canadian wildfires made for gloomy skies, and the hiking was just starting to get real.
Day 101: Thursday, July 16, 2026
to VT 11/30 at Mile 1,658.6, hitch into Manchester Center: camp behind the VFW
Early start, before 7:00 a.m. It was a fun hike up Stratton Mountain. Less smoke in the air, and a good breeze, especially from the tower on top of the Mountain.
Relatively easy going after the summit, mostly down with little ups; comfortable walking. Stopped by a sizeable stream for lunch. Made it 21 miles to VT 11/30 and easily hitched into Manchester. First stop was the outfitter, where Trillian picked up the shoes she sent herself, and we bought fuel and some hiker meals. We enjoyed endured a mediocre burrito and waited for the rain to pass. Next stop was the laundromat: everything in the wash but our puffy jackets and rain pants. We were quite the sight. I went to set up tent a couple doors down at the VFW, which kindly lets hikers camp out back. Food resupply across the street at the Price Chopper. Felt sleepy by 7:30 p.m., ha!
Day 102: Friday, July 17, 2026
to Little Rock Pond Shelter at Mile 1,678.4
Everything was wet this morning. Woke up and pushed myself to get up and get my coffee maker. Enjoyed a cinnamon bun from the Price Chopper that I got the night before. (In case anyone out there is wondering, I pretty much just eat sugar and carbs out here.) A gentleman passed by, inquiring about our camping at the VFW and how our hike was going, then offered to drive us back to trail. Wow! Such kindness. Thanks to “Gray Matter” for the ride!
An absolutely gorgeous day: finally drier air! Cool, but not cold, with just a delightful breeze to dry us out. The day started with a hike up Bromley, where we had excellent views from the top. The slightest bit of haze made it impossible to see the Whites, but the views were nonetheless stunning. We popped into the ski patrol hut just to see what it was like–it would have been a fun place to camp. I climbed up the lookout tower for a selfie and a more unencumbered view. We descended from Bromley and then headed right up another hill: Styles Peak. Pretty steep ascent up that one.
As the day wore on, our feet started aching quite a bit. I was overdue for new shoes and the terrain had some considerable effect with multiple twenty-mile days. A wonderful surprise was–just two miles from our destination–we emptied out to a forest service road where our old friend Sir Stops a Lot was set up doing Trail Magic. I enjoyed a big grilled cheese, a cold beer and some snacks. It gave us a nice boost of energy to push on to the Little Rock Pond Shelter.
We set up in the shelter as the dark was quickly encroaching. Trillian and I shared the hiker meal that I picked up earlier in Manchester, and it was pretty awful.
Day 103: Saturday, July 18, 2026
to Clarendon Shelter at Mile 1,692.0
Pleasant morning feeling sleepy and enjoying the backrest of the shelter wall as I sipped coffee and ate supermarket pastries. Finally got going and made decent progress through the morning hours. Rain was forecasted, but the latest update showed less precipitation.
We stopped for lunch at the Minerva Hinchley shelter, and chatted with some of the hikers who also camped with us the night before. Just as we were to hit the trail again, the rain finally came down: heavy rain that lasted nearly an hour. It continued to sputter as we donned ponchos and made our way out–cautious about a steep descent to, and then out of, Clarendon Gorge. It was slow going, but not too dangerous: we took it slow.
The Clarendon Shelter was only 3.7 miles from where we stopped for lunch, but given the delay caused by the rain, we decided to stay there. I had hoped we would push further, but was happy to acquiesce. We both had funny feelings about not getting in enough miles, but we were trying our best to assess the weather and the terrain.
Day 104: Sunday, July 19, 2026
to Mountain Meadows Lodge at Mile 1,712.7
Morning. Up at 5:00 a.m., hiking by 6:30. Some readers might ask “does it really take an hour and a half to get ready in the morning?” Well, yes… yes, it does. For me, at least. I imagine my mornings aren’t really any different from someone getting ready for work in the morning in the ‘normal’ world (brush teeth, drink coffee, make the bed, head out the door), with the exception that I need to carefully pack my every belonging and strap it to my back. For I am a nomad: my commute is my job, and my work. In the event of this morning, waking up in my tent, here’s how it went:
Feel my watch buzz, signaling the alarm going off–come to my senses and silence it. Take a couple minutes to stretch in my sleeping bag before getting the courage to slide out of it, open the tent, stick my feet outside, and slide the flip flops on my feet. (One of the biggest efforts of any day is standing up for the first time. My feet are going to hurt like crazy, and it’ll take me a minute to get steady on them as I stand up). Go over to where my bear canister (food storage) and coffee maker is, grab that and head back to the tent. Piece my stove together and get the coffee going. While it brews, I’ll deflate my sleeping pad and change into my hiking clothes. Once coffee is ready, I like to stop everything and enjoy that most precious of moments: usually with some pastry that packs well. After coffee, everything must be packed up. I’ll start to load my backpack with snacks for the day, power up my GPS, put away all other electronics, pack the sleeping bag into the bottom of the pack, throw the coffee maker, stove and sleeping pad on top, stow the food container, then pad with my clothing bag. Next, my tent needs to be disassembled and stuffed into its sack, then placed in it’s compartment in my backpack. Somewhere in all this action I’ll visit the privy (thank you, pot of espresso). Last, my sit/sleep pad gets wrapped with my Tyvek ground sheet (which protects the bottom of my tent), and the pair gets strapped to the outside of my backpack. My water bottle goes in one side pocket, and my water filter and flip flops go in the other. I hoist the thing onto my back, grab my walking stick, and am ready to go. I can do this (from alarm to hiking) in an hour, but it’s much more pleasant when stretched over 90 minutes or so.
Killington was the meat of the day, and Pico was the destination, and I was delighted that my friends Andi and Deb were coming out from NH to treat me to dinner. Luckily, there was enough cell service to coordinate where and when to meet, and after we climbed over Killington, we descended to Route 4 and met them. Much to my delight, they came bearing the most special of gifts, a bottle of my favorite whisky: Laphroaig 10 Year (we’d all put a dent in that later that evening). They took our packs for us while we hiked a short distance further (blissfully without the heavy burden of backpacks) to the Mountain Meadows Lodge, where Trillian and I arranged to stay for the night.
The Lodge at Mountain Meadows was an indulgent treat, and the place was fantastic. Andi and Deb patiently waited while Trillian and I cleaned up before heading to dinner. We enjoyed a fun dinner of fresh pasta and delicious popovers… I’m so disappointed I forgot to get a photo of us all! We returned to the Lodge to open that bottle of Scotch, enjoy a dram and some more fun conversation together. It was a delightful visit. Thanks, Andi and Deb!!!
Day 105: Monday, July 20, 2026
Zero Day at Mountain Meadows Lodge in Killington, VT
Mike and Victoria, the managers of the Mountain Meadows Lodge, made us feel so comfortable and welcome, they then made us an offer so tempting that we couldn’t help but kick back and relax another day around their beautiful property. The rest and relaxation was warranted, and there was no better place to unwind, what with a sauna, hot tub, beautiful weather and the lovely pond.
Trillian and I dried out all our gear on the lawn (known as doing a yard sale, in hiker lingo). We headed out for lunch in town and Mike was kind enough to drive us out, and we would later walk back, by way of Greenbrier gift shop to buy Victoria a birthday present and card for the following day.
With time on our hands, Trilly and I took a canoe out on the pond for a delightful paddle before sunset. We both remained calm when, moments after heading out, I saw a baby snake in the canoe. It slithered towards the bow, where Trillian sat. I paddled us to shore, and she deftly flung the little fella into the grass. After that, the ride was a piece of cake. We took some moments to lean back and just drift, with the silence of the pond surrounding us.
A soak in the hot tub and some sauna time rounded out a perfect zero on trail. A million thanks to Mike and Victoria for their amazing hospitality at Mountain Meadows Lodge.
Day 106: Tuesday, July 21, 2026
to Winturri Shelter at Mile 1,728.6
Early morning alarm set: time to pack up and hit the road, again. The forecast changed yet again and rain was expected in the afternoon. We stopped at the Stony Brook Shelter before noon and met SoBo hiker “The Mighty Quinn” from Indiana, and swapped stories about the Whites and hostels up in Maine. Proceeding onward, the winds picked up, but the rain stayed light. There was a random aluminum ladder strapped to the side of a rock face. It was surprisingly funny to see that in the middle of the woods. We took a moment, being very careful getting down, as it was a bit wet.
Finally got to the Winturri Shelter, where “Boo” was already set up. Too young SoBo hikers, only eighteen years old, were very entertaining telling stories. We had an enjoyable, chatty evening in the shelter. I enjoyed some Laphroaig and a Snickers, and we swatted mosquitoes until sleep overtook us.
Day 107: Wednesday, July 22, 2026
to Happy Hill Shelter at Mile 1,749.7
Up and out by 6:30 a.m. The sun was shining, but the rain was falling as we got started–it ended by 7:00 a.m. It was muggy but beautiful as we hiked over gently rolling hills and eventually descended to a road crossing for Woodstock, Vermont. The rain came and went, and the path was overgrown–my shoes became soaked from walking through the tall grass and wet undergrowth.
We stayed at lower elevations all day, but the elevation gain and loss was one of the greatest of the whole hike: steep climbs only to go back down again. Repeat ad infinitum.
During one of these steep climbs before lunch, I bumped into two older gentlemen. One was doing a section the AT–slacking that day–and his friend was carrying some of his gear. On the downhill, he ran past me: a man of nearly 70 years, I’d guess. I thought he was crazy: asking for an accident, surely. We leapfrogged each other several times and I found him more and more strange with each passing.
Lunch was quiet and comfortable, but for a zillion mosquitoes, at the Thistle Hill Shelter. We hiked down to West Hartford, VT. I stopped in the library and filled water from a cooler inside. We passed a house where a shack was set up outside with cold drinks and baked goods, sold on the honor system. I picked up a Gatorade and some cookies, and bought a blueberry scone for the following morning.
Eventually, after another 1,500′ of ascent, we made it to the Happy Hill Shelter, which was a zoo! A large youth group with their counselors was there, as well as “Bond” and “Ghost”, and several SoBo thru-hikers. Trilly set up tent and I set up on the lower level of the shelter. “Boo” arrived and also set up next to me. The night was cool and lovely, except for the mosquitoes. I ate outside Trillian’s tent and then retired to my ‘bunk’, as it were, to enjoy my Snickers and Scotch while listening to the kids do a talent show. The group lit a fire, which added to the ambiance, and kept the bugs away. When one of the counselors started telling a story, I put in my ear plugs. I listened as all noise disappeared and I drifted wonderfully off to sleep.
Day 108: Thursday, July 23, 2026
to Goose Pond Rd. in Lyme NH at Mile 1,769.5, then ride home
Coffee at 5:30 a.m. outside Trilly’s tent. Out by 6:30. All the kids were still asleep. Good. 54⁰ at the start: nice and fresh. After 3.5 mi we exited to the road in Norwich, VT. What a lovely town: stately Colonial homes and beautiful gardens, you could tell there was old money here. The Connecticut River separates Norwich from Hanover, New Hampshire. Crossing over the bridge into my home State was truly exciting, but also daunting: Vermont was warming us up, but nothing really prepares a thru-hiker for what the White Mountains of New Hampshire have in store. Most of those exciting stories will be told in the following blog post, but, crossing into New Hampshire made me giddy with excitement. Once in Hanover, Trillian and I stopped at the Co-op for coffee and snacks and resupply. Outside, we ate and discussed the plan. Maybe, I suggested, we could get a ride to my house that evening…
The initial hiking in New Hampshire wasn’t anything particularly difficult, but there was an immediate change in the geology: we were hiking over a much more familiar terrain for me: smoother, rounder granite compared to the sharp, slate-like stone common from down in Pennsylvania, through the Hudson River Valley and up into Vermont. Our afternoon took us into the scenic countryside of Western New Hampshire, and my dear friend Melissa was exceedingly kind to make the long trip out from Thornton to shuttle us back to my house. This was no short drive, and I owe her a million thanks. She had cold drinks and baked goods in her car and we chatted all the way back home about life on and off the trail.
Getting to my place was surreal: after three months away, it took a moment to get acclimated, and get all systems back up and running. In my absence, Marie-Thérèse and Clifford have been wonderful about looking after my house–everything was clean and neat and there were fresh cut flowers in a vase on the table. It felt good to be home. It felt good to cook and have my things around me. It felt good to play the piano. But it also felt good to know that I’d be back out hiking for several hundred more miles.
Day 109: Friday, July 24, 2026
to NH Rte. 25A in Canaan, NH at Mile 1,789.0; then home
Up early: it was so comfy in my home; the thought of jumping out of bed didn’t really come easily. I brewed coffee and enjoyed the last of the goodies that Melissa brought me, plus several that were left in my kitchen from Marie-Thérèse.
Out by 6:30 a.m. Marie-Thérèse and Clifford took off on their car, and Trillian and I took off in mine. We met at the point where Trilly and I would finish for the day, then returned to where we ended the evening before–this way I could hop in my car and drive home at the end of the hiking day. The hiking itself was enjoyable, and just starting to get tough. A highlight was the lookout tower on top of Smarts Mountain.
It was so cool getting to my car at the end of a hiking day! Just sit down and drive home!? What is this crazy luxury??? I introduced Trillian to Market Basket and we bought some easy food items for the evening back at my house.
Day 110: Saturday, July 25, 2026
to Rte. 112 at Mile 1,808.3, then home
The first part of the day was quite gentle, very “cruisy”. The hike up Mt. Mist served as a warm-up for the big objective of the day: Mt. Moosilauke.
Mt. Moosilauke is a fantastic hike. It’s a big, imposing mountain with an amazing view from the wide-open summit, and the hike down the North side presents the hiker with challenges that border on technical. This was the first of many truly big mountains we would hike as we continued through New Hampshire and Maine.
The grueling hike down Moosilauke followed Beaver Brook, and is as fun as it is challenging. Frequently the rock face is too steep to actually climb, so wooden steps have been added using rebar cemented in holes drilled in the rock. Not all of the steps remain, and of those that do, not all are entirely solid… there are no handrails. This isn’t kid’s stuff.
At the end of the day, again, my car awaited my arrival, and it was just super to drive home for the night. This luxury would only last a little while longer, but I fully enjoyed the ability to sit down at my piano and lie down in my own bed at the end of a tough hiking day…..
Stay tuned for the next exciting episode of Fresh in the Wilderness: the grandeur of the White Mountains and way too many gorgeous photos to come!
It had been a wonderful experience doing the trail with you. I enjoyed every post!
It must of been wonderful but a little surreal at first to be in your own home.
Great read!
How wonderful that you were able to be home for a couple of nights. Did Trillian love your home? I imagine she did!
Keep being safe! Sending you hugs, Kathy
You gave us a great summary – what a fun (and difficult) trip. Love it. The New Hampshire trail photo brought back memories – tough hiking. Stay safe – no ankle injuries. Can’t wait to see the next notes. Tell us more about Trilly. She has been a part of your hike for a long time now.