The final summit of the New England 67 was within reach. After a five-hour drive from Maine, I arrived at the trailhead, ready for the 7.5-mile out-and-back on the Bucklin Trail. Conditions were perfect. It had been two years since I last hiked the Green Mountains (Camel’s Hump, Ellen, and Abraham) and now only Killington remained.
The trail started flat, making for easy cruising the first few miles and giving me plenty of time to reflect. After all the hours I’ve spent in the woods, on summits, and immersed in nature, this felt like the culmination of that effort. I’ve loved every minute of it. But it also felt like closing a chapter I’d been reading for a long time. My priorities had shifted. Having two kids had changed my perspective in ways I welcomed.
I wondered if this would be my last hike for a while…not forever, but for now. My focus was turning to getting the boys out in nature, tackling smaller hikes, and chasing adventures wherever we could find them. Encouraging them to set goals and take on challenges…it’s what I had done, and what I hoped they would do.
Half a mile from the summit, the trail steepened sharply, becoming a scramble above the trees. As I reached the top, a wave of peace washed over me. I had accomplished what I set out to do. It wasn’t the end of the journey—it was the start of new adventures I could share with the boys.
You might also like
