Long Trail Dayikes: Brandon Gap or Breadloaf

[Metacomet]

Looking for info on good strenuous dayhikes possible from either Brandon Gap or Middlebury Gap. What are the ridgelines like, and are there opportunities for loops or lollipop routes?
Thanks.

 

[Raymond]

If you’re working on the New England Hundred Highest list, Bread Loaf and Wilson are on the Long Trail and can be reached from the Emily Proctor Trail. Bread Loaf is south of the junction and Wilson is north, so it would be a T-shaped hike. I don’t think there are many choices once you get up on the ridge aside from the Long Trail — the trails pretty much radiate from the Long Trail back down to the valley — so to make a loop you’d probably have to take a different trail down which would bring you to a different trail head, then walk back to your vehicle along the road.

It’s coming up on four years since I was there, so I don’t remember the details very well, but I think there may be a long loop possible (12 miles? 16 miles?) if you wanted to hit Bread Loaf and Wilson, then whatever is next to the north (Cleveland?). I think the descent trail from that third mountain may go back to the Emily Proctor Trail head, but I may be wrong.