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Alpine Bomber
02-19-2014, 01:42
Hey guys, I'm planning an LT thru-hike this summer, but don't necessarily need 2 expensive books and a map to do it. I picked up the LT Map, and it looks like it has all the information I really need on it except for water sources. Is it safe to assume that every shelter has a water source (unless of course there's a drought)? Also, are there any particularly unreliable ones? i have AWOL, so I really only need information on the middle and northern sections.
Thanks!
-Alpine Bomber

Dogwood
02-19-2014, 04:13
Tiana, a Long Trail End to Enders Guide can be had for less than $20. The money helps to support the trail that you will enjoy using. Is that too much to give to help maintain the trail you'll be hiking? Yes, most, if not all of, the LT shelters will have nearby water sources but.....

Alpine Bomber
02-19-2014, 11:02
There are many ways to support a trail, and for those of us with limited funds, it's more practical to give back through trail maintenance and other pre-trail actions.

Alpine Bomber
02-19-2014, 11:04
Sorry, Pro-trail actions was what I mean to type there.

10-K
02-19-2014, 11:33
No water problems on the LT that I recall.

Alpine Bomber
02-19-2014, 11:39
Thanks for the info!

Hot Flash
02-19-2014, 11:55
With all those big bonuses you're getting by shilling credit cards here...you should be able to buy a $20 trail guide to support the trail.

Slo-go'en
02-19-2014, 12:14
There are many ways to support a trail, and for those of us with limited funds, it's more practical to give back through trail maintenance and other pre-trail actions.

Bring a pair of small pruning shears (less then $10 at Wallyworld) and brush back some of the spruce trees which grow into the trail. The northern end doesn't get much brushing. When I did the LT August of '11, I brushed several miles of trail where it was really bad using just my knife. I got tired of branches poking me in the eye. Doing this really doesn't slow you down all that much in the long run and is a good change of pace.

As for water, pleanty of water with most of it from springs so I don't even bother with a filter when hiking the LT. Just be careful of the occasional beaver pond.

Alpine Bomber
02-19-2014, 13:43
That's a really good idea, Slo-go'en! I'll definitely do that.

Deacon
02-19-2014, 13:51
The water on the LT is better tasting and cleaner than what comes out of my faucet here in Ohio.

Alpine Bomber
02-19-2014, 13:55
Hot Flash, I tried to send you a private message, but you have them disabled. I try to keep things very positive on the web, but you have attacked me personally multiple times on this site. You seem very concerned with upholding the purity of WB. Well, in my mind, White blaze should be a place where people support others who are attempting to follow through on shared passions. We should be helping each other, not tearing each other down, and certainly not dissolving serious posts into personal attacks reminiscent of the comments on youtube videos. This is a community. If you have any further criticisms, please contact me privately.

Alpine Bomber
02-19-2014, 13:57
The water on the LT is better tasting and cleaner than what comes out of my faucet here in Ohio.

I love that about the trail! Thanks!

chall
02-19-2014, 14:19
For what it's worth, the Long Trail E2E package (The Long Trail Guide, the Long Trail End to Ender's Guide, Vermont's Long Trail Waterproof Map) is on sale for $30 through the GMC's website store (http://www.greenmountainclub.org/product_detail.php?sku=e2especial) until Feb. 28th. Seems like a great deal. I plan to pick one up.

lonehiker
02-19-2014, 14:38
I'm not familiar with the Long Trail map but if it is a typical topographical map it should show springs, ponds, lakes, creeks, rivers etc. Am I wrong on this?

Alpine Bomber
02-19-2014, 15:05
Lonehiker- you are right, to a point (or so I'm assuming). It does show water sources, but from what I can tell (and I may be wrong) the scale is such that at many of the shelters I can't make out any water source. While I would expect that there is water there but it is such a small spring that it wasn't included on the topo, I don't want to rely on that assumption.

RedBeerd
02-19-2014, 19:04
I only used the map on my LT hike. I had the guide but it served as more reading material than anything else. And I also don't recall any dry water sources. In fact, the best water I've ever had was on the LT. It was divine..

StubbleJumper
02-19-2014, 19:51
There are a few dry-ish sections that I recall. In particular, the Breadloaf Wilderness doesn't have much water. And there was no water at Shooting Star lean-to. Other than that, water was plentiful.

Dogwood
02-19-2014, 19:59
I sent you a PM. My offer holds. Absolutely! We should be helping each other.

Second Hand
02-19-2014, 22:20
AB - Your post have been the source of a lot of conversation, LOL

I'm planning to Section hike the Long Trail in 2014 and have been doing a lot of research. Slo-go-en's advice seems sound. Springs are great but I've read there are a # of Beaver ponds in the North so you have to be weary of anything feed from those ponds.

Have a good hike!

Alpine Bomber
02-19-2014, 22:27
Haha that's very true Second Hand- at this rate I'm going need to change my trail name for my own safety when I get out there... (don't worry that will never happen I'm way to attached to it already). Thanks for everyone's input, I hope to see you all on the trail this summer.

Deadeye
02-20-2014, 00:09
A few shelters have unreliable water sources - Theron Dean and Shooting Star come to mind, and Butler Lodge's spring can dry up, but there is plentiful water in the streams south of the lodge. It can be dry atop the Lincoln Mountain ridge, and it's usually bone dry from Laura Woodward to Journey's end. Otherwise, the more frequent problem is too much water.

polechar
02-25-2014, 17:18
Round top shelter has a pump that was dry when I hiked the LT, and no water at shooting star. Have fun, it's a great trail!

Mountain Mike
02-25-2014, 17:50
In a dry year some summit shelters can dry up or close to it. In 12 Cooper Lodge was dry & Pico camp was a slow trickle26099

rafe
02-25-2014, 18:14
I have had occasional issues with water quality on the LT. On the Nobo ascent of Mt. Abraham I filtered a couple of liters of water from a stream that crossed the trail. The stream was flowing well. Even after filtering, the water was a deep tan color, I'm guessing from dissolved minerals. It tasted horrible and left me a bit weak and nauseous. It's caused me to be wary of taking water from a fast, shallow stream that's been flowing over a rock bed.

lemon b
02-25-2014, 18:30
Shooting Star can be an issue. I do carry a filter. In the half dozen times I've hiked the long trail its usually been the other problem. Too much rain. The Northern sections of this trail are pure beauty. That last section I do carry a quart. Mainly because I just get thirsty with the elevation. Have fun.

peakbagger
02-26-2014, 08:18
For folks from outside the area, be aware that Vermont and NE Hampshire "springs" are rarely a typical spring in other parts of the country. A spring in this area is a source of flowing water, it usually is surface water or on rare occasions a traditional spring bubbling up from the ground. I many places in the whites its surface water running through a boulder field. In most cases surface contamination can get into the water supply.

Cookerhiker
02-26-2014, 08:42
In addition to what's already been mentioned, I had problems getting water at Kid Gore Shelter (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=205060) on my '07 thruhike. It was the midst of a bad drought at the time. The next day brought heavy rains!

Alpine Bomber
03-04-2014, 13:12
Thanks for all this great information. I'll go ahead and plan on not getting water at shooting star, and carrying a little extra in the northern section. This year, I'm guessing water isn't going to be a huge issue based on what we've been getting so far, but you never know how mother nature will shake things up. Either way, I'm glad I wont be out there anytime near the heaviest mud season.

FromNH
02-07-2020, 13:07
I hope your hike went well. I had an issue with the scale as well. We tried the most northern section a couple of weeks ago starting at VT 105 and my map did t show the giant private dirt road just west of the trail. Water wasn’t an issue though with all that snow.