The Long Trail

[climb4000footer]

Hi everyone,

I am planning on hiking the Long Trail this summer and was wondering if anyone knows of workshops/seminars that discuss for preparing for this type of hike. Anything about food preparation, gear, etc?
Thanks,
Wendy

 

[pedxing]

Wendy - I'm also planning on hiking the Long Trail this summer. I don't know of workshops or seminars specific to the Long Trail - but REI sometimes has workshops on distance hiking.

There are some past Long Trail thru-hikers here, Sli was the most recent one to finish (to my knowledge).

While I can't give you ideas from one who has been there, I can compare notes with you since I am about where you are in the preparations. I have bought a copy of the Long Trail Guide from the Green Mountain Club and plan on buying the 2005 End-to-Ender's guide when it comes out. GMC has a web site with link to their guidebooks. See http://www.greenmountainclub.org/LTb.htm.

I've also been looking at http://www.trailjournals.com/ which has journals for the long trail as well as many other trails. http://www.trailforums.com/index.cfm has a forum for the Long Trail. Other Appalachian Trail focused forums have useful info on gear, food, technique etc. http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/? is one of those.

I'm sure you will come across lots of gear lists, but here is one of mine with notes on gear that I will base my Long Trail Gear List on http://forums.alpinezone.com/about516.html.

For long trips, the calories you get per ounce of food weight is important. Here is a pretty good list of calorie/weight ratios: http://www.oc.edu/staff/phil.heffington/FoodCalories.htm

 

[Tramper Al]

Gmc

In the past, the GMC has held a couple of sessions on LT preparation / planning each spring. These have featured past end-to-enders for Q & A.

 

[jade]

Take a look at the posts on AMC bulletin board....'women and the long trail.....'
Makes me want to do it this summer......

Good luck....Jade

 

[Panama Jack]

Section hiking..If I'm lucky

I'm hoping to section hike the LT this summer. I can't get enuff time together "all at once".

Perhaps if we all keep one another abreast of schedules and progress expectations, we can help resupply one another.

Just a thought

 

[climb4000footer]

Thanks for the input. I have bought the Long Trail Guide and have started gathering gear and food ideas. I have experience backpacking, but only have gone out a few days at a time. I am more of a dayhiker than anything else.
I will look into all of those things.
Thanks!

 

[sli74]

Hey there,

Pedxing and Tramper Al have already given you a bulk of the info I would've passed along to begin your planning. I thru-hiked the LT this past Aug/Sept . . . It was one of the best things I have ever done. I LOVED every minute and hope to do something like that again someday.

I attended one of those LT End-to-end seminars that Tramper Al mentioned and it was worth every mile I drove and every penny it cost just because it was great to see how many other people were interested in doing the same thing.

I went relatively late in the season and found this to be a good decision for me. If I had to do it again, I would start sometime at the end of August or the begining of Sept. You will miss the big crowds of AT thru-hikers (though you never know who you might meet if you go when the thru-hikers are flowing through VT ). Also later in the season, you'll have a lot of the shelters to yourself and less bugs, etc.

I can answer any of your specific questions if you have them, you can email me if you have questions you don't wanna post online.

Have a GREAT time, I wish I could go back and do it again.

sli74

 

[pedxing]

Sli - did you ever post a trip report for the Long Trail?

 

[sli74]

No not yet, I am slowly but surely working on it though and you are not the first one to ask since I have been promising a number of people that I will post an LT trip report. You know with how much I usually have to say, all my trip reports from Aug-Nov are in progress.

I had initially thought that with the delay of many months nobody would be interested in hearing about it but apparently I should keep working on it since you are the fourth person to ask for it in the last week

I will hopefully get it posted before May for all of you interested in doing it this coming summer and fall.

sli74

 

[funkyfreddy]

How feasible would it be to combine a Long trail thruhike with a quest to climb all of the Vermont peaks on the New England 100 highest list? I realize one would have to get off the trail a bit but wondered if there is any way of reasonably combining the 2 pursuits. Thanks, Fred

PS. By hiking the Long Trail I would also be finishing the NE 67, and after hiking Mt. Equinox this past weekend, Vermont is looking more interesting and attractive all the time!

 

[dr_wu002]

How feasible would it be to combine a Long trail thruhike with a quest to climb all of the Vermont peaks on the New England 100 highest list? I realize one would have to get off the trail a bit but wondered if there is any way of reasonably combining the 2 pursuits. Thanks, Fred

PS. By hiking the Long Trail I would also be finishing the NE 67, and after hiking Mt. Equinox this past weekend, Vermont is looking more interesting and attractive all the time!

Not too difficult -- all the Vermont Peaks on the 100 Highest List are on or just off the Long Trail. I think 2 are trailless. Also, Dorset is part of the Taconics, just north of Equinox so you'd have to do that one as well.

I'm going to start section hiking the Long Trail at the beginning of each season starting this spring. That means I'm going to be juggling 4 seperate section hikes of the Long Trail. Anyone want to join me for some Long Trail Hikes?

-Wu

 

[pedxing]

Sli - I'm looking forward to reading it (now who else can we enlist to nag you?)

Dr. Wu - I'm planning on trying to through hike the trail for 3 weeks in July/August (probably going North to South). Perhaps we'll meet up? Or if it works, we could start the North 1/4 together? (my pace is pretty idiosyncratic, so I can't promise to keep up or wait up - since for me 3 weeks may be a time squeeze).

 

[dr_wu002]

Dr. Wu - I'm planning on trying to through hike the trail for 3 weeks in July/August (probably going North to South). Perhaps we'll meet up? Or if it works, we could start the North 1/4 together? (my pace is pretty idiosyncratic, so I can't promise to keep up or wait up - since for me 3 weeks may be a time squeeze).

Sure. I can fly in the summer (15 minute/mile + 5 minutes/1000') or I can hike slow. Idiosyncratic doesn't matter either -- I think it's somewhat idiosyncratic that I'm planning on simultaneously section hiking the Long Trail 4 times. It makes sense in my mind though.

Oh, and it doesn't matter if I go North-South, or South-North because I'm section hiking. Direction doesn't matter -- only numbers.

-Dr. Wu

 

[Papa Bear]

How feasible would it be to combine a Long trail thruhike with a quest to climb all of the Vermont peaks on the New England 100 highest list?

Hi Fred

The 4ks are all on the trail except Killington, which is a hop skip and jump off the trail. Of the other HH, Equinox and Dorset would probably require car spots. You've done Equinox, just save Dorset for a nice day in the fall.

Mendon would be close enough if you can find the unmarked trail that hits the LT about .2 miles south of Cooper Lodge. From there it's about a mile down the trail/logging road and then the bushwhack.

Pico is off the trail on the "old" LT, since the LT was relocated to take it away from the ski slopes. I suggest you take the old route because not only will that go close (but not over) Pico, but will hit Rte 4 at the Inn at the Long Trail, where you definately want to stop for a brew if not stay over night.

Of the peaks north of Rte 4, I think only Big Jay is off the trail by about a half mile via a herd path.

At some point, maybe this year, I hope to do the LT north of Maine Junction and bag all the peaks north of Rte 4. Sorry no commitment yet.

Pb

 

[albee]

been there, done that

Hi folks...

I thru-hiked the LT south-to-north last summer in late June and early July. It took me 17 days of total hiking, although I took a couple rest days to hang out at a friend's place along the route. North of Maine Junction I was solo, and that is where the roughest terrain was. It was quite a shock to go from seeing 10-20 people per day down to 2 or 3 people per day once you're off the AT. I was so lonely that I went 101 miles in the first 5 days North of MJ. I'll never make that mistake again.

Anyway, I'd love to give you any help planning and offer any tips that I can remember. Some off the top of my head: don't miss the Whistle Stop diner 1/2 mile west of the trail on Rt 103 (its not in the guidebook - they have cheap burgers, fries, shakes, and ice cream! ) or the Long Trail Tavern (not to be confused with the Long Trail Inn). There is a provision shop just East of the LTT in Johnson, and a good grocery store for a resupply about 1 mile farther East on Route 15. You can stay overnight in the unlocked ski warming huts at Mad River Glen and Smuggler's Notch for a warm, dry, quiet night when you get there. I was treated to an amazing light show of rain and lightning the night I stayed at Smug's.

The Jonesville Country Store north of Camel's Hump is your best bet for a re-supply in that area and they have pints of Ben&Jerry's (I had Cherry Garcia for breakfast that day! ).

The bugs weren't bad at all when I went. Basically, just get a Long Trail Guide and it will tell you everything you need to know. There are so many shelters up there that you could easily get by with a bivy sack or fastpack tent if you wanted to go lighter.

I still haven't filed my trip report with the GMC yet but I'll get around to writing it one of these days. It was one of the best experiences of my life, especially the Southern half. I was given the trail name of Natural Gas , so look for my entries in the logbooks if you ever get up there. Vermont is truly a beautiful state.

...Albee

 

[amr]

LT and NE100

climb4000footer:

I thru-hiked the LT in the fall of 2003 and I had a great time. I don't think there's much advice I could give you that hasn't already been offered by previous posters or couldn't be found elsewhere on the web. There's a wealth of information on long distance hiking out there and www.trailjournals.com is a great place to start. If you're interested in another perspective on an LT thru-hike you could take a peek at my own journal http://www.trailjournals.com/amr. Everyone's schedule has different constraints, but I'd highly recommend a fall thru-hike. There are no insects, the temperatures are cooler, it's less crowded, there's less mud, and the foliage can be incredible. IMHO, the third week in September would be about the perfect date for a nobo hike. Of course, you can't control the weather-- and a summer thru-hike is better than no thru-hike at all! One more piece of advice I'd give is to take your time on the trail and enjoy your hike. (Due to my own schedule's constraints-- limited vacation time-- I had to complete my hike in 15 days. It was definitely fun, but sometimes felt more like an endurance race than a leisurely stroll. Three extra days would've been nice. Everyone's ideal mileage is different, of course.)

funkyfreddy:

I also finished my NE100 on the LT (at Big Jay). However, I had specifically bagged Equinox, Dorsett, Pico, and Mendon before my trip. Mostly this was due to my limited time on the trail-- I couldn't affort to spend an extra day or two bushwhacking to adjacent peaks (plus, I'm a purist and didn't want to blue-blaze over Pico and down to the Inn). I think Equinox and Dorsett would be the hardest to bag while doing a thru-hike. If you hitched into Manchester Center for resupply you could hike Equinox while you're there-- I believe the trail is within a reasonable walking distance to the center of town, but my memory is a little foggy. Dorsett, on the other hand, is pretty out of the way. I don't think there's a conveinent side trail off of the LT that would get you there easily. It probably could be done with some creative hitching or a fair amount of roadwalking, but spotting your own car or having a friend for a ride would be much easier. One the best views on the LT is from Baker Peak. You're staring right across the valley at Dorsett-- it's tantalizingly close-- and I remember a blue-blazed side trail leading down... But, the traditional starts for a hike up Dorsett are from the south or the north-- not the east. Some creative route-finding would probably be called for!

amr

 

[JeffM]

Jonesville Store

Regarding>>>>

The Jonesville Country Store north of Camel's Hump is your best bet for a re-supply in that area and they have pints of Ben&Jerry's (I had Cherry Garcia for breakfast that day! ).

*********************************************************

The store is closed as the owner was called to serve in Iraq.

 

[jkohanski]

I'm another one planning on hitting the LT this coming summer, although I haven't set a date yet...Most of my hiking thus far in the whites has been solo and as nice as it is, after a few days I find myself looking for some company. I had planned on hitting the LT solo as well, but would actually rather make the trip with someone or a couple people...what have the rest of you planned?

Jonathan

 

[Papa Bear]

...

I think Equinox and Dorsett would be the hardest to bag while doing a thru-hike. If you hitched into Manchester Center for resupply you could hike Equinox while you're there-- I believe the trail is within a reasonable walking distance to the center of town, but my memory is a little foggy.

...
amr

Actually Equinox is a mile or 2 south on Route 7A. A bit of a walk on a busy road, but not out of the question. The place you get to by hitching down the mountain is called "Manchester Center", but most locals think of it as "Manchester". The Equinox Hotel and the B&B trail is in "Manchester" sometimes called "Manchester Village". If you're lucky you might get someone going south. But then Freddie, who originally asked the question, already did Equinox.

Check here: map

The little red cross is about where the Equinox Hotel is.

Pb

 

[pedxing]

I'm pretty sure I'll be starting on July 25, headed South. I've got mixed feelings about solo vs. a group. I ended up soloing the NH AT and loved it. Probably the best of both worlds would be to start off with others and end up doing some solo and some with others. Given that I really want to finish, am not an uber-hiker by any stretch (ranged 8 - 19 miles/day on the NH AT), and will have 19 or 20 days, I'd probably drive other people nuts adjusting to my pace (or I'd go nuts adjusting to theirs) for more than a few days at a time.

I'm planning on going North to South. Will find a ride or hitch to the trail head. Since I'll probably grab the first bus out of Boston on the 25th, it will be a very low mileage day. I'll hope to get to the first Shelter for the night.

My starting point for my gear list is here: http://forums.alpinezone.com/viewtopic.php?p=1979#1979 I plan on using different poles and switching the Platypus for plastic bottles. I might not change anything else.