july 25th LT e2e!!!!!

[jlore]

i just bought my bus ticket!!! i'll be grayhounding from camden nj, to nyc then to williamstown mass. for 51 dollars. you can't beat it! i'm so excited to get started!

any of you vermonters have a weather prediction for VT late july early august? rain, bugs, humidity?

[Papa D]

I end to ended last July - wow, you are in for a fun time !! I'm leaving early tomorrow morning for a 200 mile section hike in VA and I have to say, doing the LT again would be nicer - P/M me if you would like some information - I have my exact agenda, re-supply locations, and so forth if you are interested. Make sure to have a pint at McGrath's Irish Pub at the Inn at Long Trail and if you can time it to hit it on a weekend night, you get music too!

[Monkeywrench]

rain, bugs, humidity?

Sure. And sunlight and moon-glow and mountain vistas and cool mountain lakes and rocks and roots.

I'm jealous.

[NorthCountryWoods]

any of you vermonters have a weather prediction for VT late july early august? rain, bugs, humidity?

Yes.

Seriously, prepare for all of the above, but it's hit or miss. Our local meteorologists can't predict the weather here....even 1 or 2 days in advance.

[stranger]

In terms of weather...it's gonna do what it's gonna do. The Long Trail is a wet trail, more so when it rains .

There are shelters everywhere so there is always a place to duck out for an hour if need be, and north of Killington the trail gets much less use than in the easier, southern AT section.

Prepare mentally for a rough trail north of Killington, in particular between Appalachian Gap and the Lamoille River. Alot of up and down in the middle, muddy, but stunning, amazing, beautiful.

My only advice - resupply in Bristol, Lincoln, Waitsfield, etc...don't do the 80 mile carry from Rutland to Jonesville! It's a long 80! Also the Grand Union in Johnson has closed fyi. If it's nice out, stay up on Camel's Hump until dark, then night hike down. Go swimming at Clarendon Gorge, hang everything (porkies).

The Long Trail is the friggin best! Have a great hike!!!

Me and a buddy are making the trip in about one year's time, you are leaving at the absolute best time in my view.

[nehiker]

My only advice - resupply in Bristol, Lincoln, Waitsfield, etc...don't do the 80 mile carry from Rutland to Jonesville! It's a long 80!

I just finished the LT, SOBO, re-supplying in Johnson (mail-drop, though some things could be picked up at the gas station W of town), Richmond (3mi from Jonesville), and Rutland (hourly bus from the Inn at the Long Trail and the trailhead itself, even on Sundays). The trail between Middlebury Gap and Sherbourne Pass (US 4) is easy (the easiest significant portion of the entire trail, I would say), though Jonesville to Middlebury Gap is pretty hard.

I think the best shelter is the one at Little Rock Pond: large, new (2010), right on the pond, with tentsites right there, a place to get into the pond (and the water was pretty warm), and a canoe! (and $5 fee, btw).

The Williamstown Motel is a great place to stay in Williamstown; he'd pick you up from the bus stop (about 1 mile W of the motel) and drop you off at the trailhead (about 1.5 E of the motel) the following morning.

When you board the bus in NYC, the Peter Pan bus driver may ask you whether you have ``camp fuel" (NYC-Williamstown is PP, not Greyhound). Supposedly, PP does not carry what airlines do not carry, but they only seem to ask people with large backpacks.

Good luck on your trip.

[Jeff]

Manchester is usually the first town stop for LTers northbound. It's a hiker friendly town and most times an easy hitch from VT 11/30.

[stranger]

I just finished the LT, SOBO, re-supplying in Johnson (mail-drop, though some things could be picked up at the gas station W of town), Richmond (3mi from Jonesville), and Rutland (hourly bus from the Inn at the Long Trail and the trailhead itself, even on Sundays). The trail between Middlebury Gap and Sherbourne Pass (US 4) is easy (the easiest significant portion of the entire trail, I would say), though Jonesville to Middlebury Gap is pretty hard.

I think the best shelter is the one at Little Rock Pond: large, new (2010), right on the pond, with tentsites right there, a place to get into the pond (and the water was pretty warm), and a canoe! (and $5 fee, btw).

The Williamstown Motel is a great place to stay in Williamstown; he'd pick you up from the bus stop (about 1 mile W of the motel) and drop you off at the trailhead (about 1.5 E of the motel) the following morning.

When you board the bus in NYC, the Peter Pan bus driver may ask you whether you have ``camp fuel" (NYC-Williamstown is PP, not Greyhound). Supposedly, PP does not carry what airlines do not carry, but they only seem to ask people with large backpacks.

Good luck on your trip.

I think this was my point, the trail between Rutland and Jonesville is difficult, so consider resupplying in there somewhere.