Killington Peak Sunrise: Final AT Moment

Turkenna, a thru-hiker on the Appalachian Trail, completed the final day of her trek by summiting Killington Peak at sunrise. The 1700-mile journey culminated in a 4-mile climb to the 2,000-foot summit.

Final Day on the Trail

The last full day on trail began with Turkenna bright-eyed and ready to hike. She ran around with a stick while the narrator drank coffee and Cody packed up the tent. A few other hikers giggled at her energetic antics as they were waking up too.

The much-needed water source was just a mile down trail. The narrator had used the last of their water for coffee that morning. When they reached the brook, they met a woman named Giggles, who was wiping away tears at the edge of the water. She was hiking in memory of her pup that had recently passed away and showed pictures of her old trail companion. Turkenna, who doesn’t always deal out affection from strangers, went right up to her. A whole group of hikers desperate for water showed up, and they all introduced themselves as they filtered their respective water. 4-low, Flat Spot, and Cowboy were all hiking NOBO.

Meeting Giggles and Trail Magic

Not long after leaving the brook, they came to a road crossing where a guy had a whole setup for trail magic: cold drinks, watermelon, snacks, and hot blueberry pancakes. The narrator was delighted to see the treat after the hard hiking of the past two days. Just as they left, they ran into trail legend Miss Janet, who was there to encourage them. She complimented Turkenna’s obedience as they posed for a picture.

They eventually stopped at Clarendon Gorge for lunch. 4-Low and Flat Spot joined them, and they discussed plans to drive home when they get to Rutland, VT the next day. They lamented that they wouldn’t get to spend more time with them but made sure to swap info so they could keep up with each other’s hikes. The narrator notes that they keep in touch with many friends made while hiking the trail.

Climbing the Gorge and the 500-mile Marker

After lunch, they had to hike out of the gorge. The climb was steep and rewarded them with a small sign nailed to a tree that read ‘500-mile to Katahdin.’ The narrator felt the first 500 miles of the trail had been a massive achievement, now seeming small compared to the nearly 1,700 miles done. A disagreement arose between the narrator and Cody about pacing; the narrator felt pressured to keep up with Turkenna, who likes to hike with the person in front. They checked in and adjusted how far apart they felt comfortable hiking.

At the shelter at the end of the day, they were exhausted but proud. They ate dinner quickly and turned in for the night. The plan for the morning was to wake up at 3:00 to hike up Mount Killington for sunrise.

Sunrise at Killington Peak

The alarm went off at 3:00 AM. Turkenna looked at them as if they were crazy and nearly refused to get out of the tent. A little breakfast coaxed her awake, and she was ready to start hiking. They packed bags, headlamps, and headed down the trail. They passed a bundle of sticks arranged into the formation that read ‘1700.’ They had officially passed the 1,700-mile marker.

The 2,000-foot elevation gain and 4-mile climb to the top of Killington were completed in pitch black. The blue blaze led to the very top, where the sun could already be seen. They emptied Cody’s pack and left everything they could before climbing the 0.2-mile side trail, a notoriously strenuous climb up a steep rock scramble. The peak looked out across a vast landscape of mountains. The sun was just about the horizon when they finally summited. The array of colors created by the sunrise shone across the blanket of clouds nestled between ever-sprawling mountain peaks. They sat near the ski resort, wrapped in blankets, and watched the sun rise.

The narrator made a warm cup of coffee and FaceTimed his parents. This would be the last view of the trail before going home for his grandmother’s funeral. These were the last moments spent with Turkenna on the AT.

Heading Home

They hiked down Killington and into Rutland, VT, where they got a hitch into town. The narrator dropped them off at the car rental store. With the keys in hand, they could go anywhere their hearts desired. The GPS said the drive home was 15 hours. They could stop by the post office in Unionville, NY, where a couple of packages were waiting. They had hiked through Unionville on a Sunday, so they were unable to pick up a resupply package they’d sent themselves. A care package from The Trek had been sent there too. When they picked up the packages, they were delighted to see a hat, a buff, and a shirt-three items they desperately needed to replace. They drove a couple more hours before stopping for the night at a hotel.

For more on trail statistics, see our stats page. Check the current standings of thru-hikers.