When you realize winter is coming

Heat breaks… winter is coming!

I’ve been taking a different route every time, walking through shoulder high grass and slipping on smooth rock. I’ve been exploring long abandoned bike trails and sneaking a peek at some exciting snowmaking improvements. I’ve been left with a soaked sports bra and sweating right through my wool hiking shirts. I’ve pulled my old hiking skirt out of the fitness bin and fully committed to my favorite pair of  no- see socks.

It has been a blistering hot summer. We’ve been hiking only at the very ends of the day, making it to our desks by 9 a.m. fully showered and ready for Zoom calls. Or saving up all the anxiety from the day until the temps finally begin to drop below 80 degrees around 6 p.m. at night. That’s one of the beautiful parts about living in Vermont, right? That our lives have to align closely with the weather — we adjust around her and not the other way around.

But today something magical happened. Something that I surprisingly wasn’t quite ready for, but still embraced with the heart of a 9th grader. I mean, I had checked all the reports and knew everything that was happening, so I am not really sure why I was surprised, but there it was — hitting me in the face — literally.

I had begun starting hikes with a thin second layer for two reasons. Firstly, I love sweating. That’s how I know I’m pushing myself on an adventure, also knowing  that the temperature is above freezing. It’s deadly to sweat when the temps are below freezing, as it greatly increases your risk of developing hypothermia. But summertime — let that sweat ooze out of you!

Secondly, I have this weird thing about my arms being covered sometimes. I love wearing tank tops and spaghetti strap shirts — sometimes. But other times, I just cannot stand having exposed appendages. So for this particular hike, I was wearing a stupid off-the-shoulder sweatshirt that I never wear in public because it has pink tiger stripes, and bold patterns frankly frighten me. I like pops of color, not being immersed in it.

But for some reason, I wanted to wear this silly sweatshirt that leaves my shoulders exposed and that leave my skin exposed to my backpack straps. And yes, I always hike with a backpack filled with emergency blanket, first aid kit and extra clothes. It takes time for emergency services to get to you, even if you are just out for a little walk up to the top of Snowshed and I would just rather be prepared.

So this silly sweatshirt and I hiked up the southside of Killington, meandering about the mountain exploring all the sneaky little ways we could go. I mean, sticking to all the designated routes as we ascended the south side. It was a beautiful little 2 mile sprint up the mountain because I had to get back for Enchanted Strands at MaryLou’s before 8 p.m. I was on a mission.

While ascending the south side, I had decided that the optimal descent for the evening would be good ol’ Trail C. My least favorite route on the whole mountain. I usually try to stick to one side of the mountain or the other, but for some reason, today the mountain told me to descend via the north side.

As I stepped across Escapade, something magical happened. The wind began to pick up and I could see whips of clouds starting to develop all around me. I walked quickly into the K Cloud … and into fall! It was COLD! The exposed skin on my legs started to turn red, and I could feel the wind whipping around me as I passed under the K1 Gondola. It was here! For just that moment as I crossed over, I could feel fall.

And I could smell it! The air was so light and crisp and I could feel the coldness as it practically threw itself down my nostrils and into my lungs. It was marvelous. I almost wished I had brought a flannel for the descent, but then I remembered that I was still wearing this silly pink and white sweatshirt. So as I took my selfies crossing under the K1, I seriously couldn’t help but laugh. I could no longer remember why I had been anxious all day or worry about my appointments tomorrow. It was as if the cold autumnal wind just swirled around me and took all my worries with it. The cold a brief reminder to let it all go, to rejoice in the beauty that is mother nature and celebrate the changing of the seasons. Because, after all this heat, winter is coming!!!

Merisa Sherman is a long time Killington resident, town lister and development review board member. She is local broker and coaches skiing for KMS as Coach PomPom and moonlights as a ski designer and female ski bum. She can be reached at Merisa.Sherman@SothebysRealty.com.