View Full Version : August through NH and VT
I take the bar exam in July and plan on taking the traditional post law school vacation on the AT. Right now I am looking at going through NH and part of VT for about 3 weeks. I anticipate that I'd arrive near the Mass/NH line about the first of August. I would like to know how many people are going to be out there with me. Avoiding the mass of NOBO's is preferred.
Thanks for the input.
Blissful
02-13-2008, 12:44
Yippee! Yahoo! Go for it. I'll have to tell Paul Bunyan your plans. We may be in the Whites in mid July for a few days so we'll miss you. Oh well.
You'll get some NOBOs at that time but not the bulk of them. SOBOS definitely. And sectioners like you. Take your tent, just in case.
hammock engineer
02-13-2008, 13:15
What Blissful said. I was through in late August early Sept and saw the tail end of the northbounders. Some southbounders for sure.
Check out the pond with a pay shelter just north of Branch Something Shelter (2 north of lost pond that burnt down). There was a canoe you could take out. Great swimming and an awesome canoe side trip. You can also sleep in the Smart's moutain Fire tower in NH if you want. Great views.
You may want to end up in Dalton, Mass. A day's hike into Mass. There are a couple guys there that help out hikers that may be able to get you to a bus station. I think I remember reading about one just over the border in Mass when I was looking at the LT. I think it is only 4 or 5 miles off trail.
hammock engineer
02-13-2008, 13:16
Also the best advice I got from here was to take my fall gear. I had some nights in the 40's, plus lots of rain.
Whitey9457
02-13-2008, 13:24
That's funny I'm hiking a section in june which is when I'm done with my 1L year...I was thinking about taking a semester off to try and do the whole thing, but I def gotta ease myself in...I'll be hiking MA/VT --> NH/ME in june...have you ever done it before?
You'll see some nobos, for sure, and maybe sobos as well. No big AT sections for me this year, though I'm hoping for a week or so on the PCT.
peakbagger
02-13-2008, 13:52
AT thru hikers are the least of your concerns. The AT through the whites is busy with day hikers, weekend warriors and hut to hut hikers. Assuming you are starting at or near the ME NH line (you had mentioned the Mass?NH line which doesnt make sense)and heading south you will be catching the early thru hikers but should be ahead of the crowd of NOBO's initially. As for the whites, dont plan on having access to any shelters and even tent sites near shelters will be full on weekends with a little less traffic during the week. Once you get south of Glencliff NH, the crowds should lessen until you hit the Long Trail near Killington.
Work up a plan for the whites for places to stay at night, the AMC huts are expensive and booked months in advance, there are strategies for avoiding them but be aware that the strategies are based on hikers that have most of the AT under their belt.
hammock engineer
02-13-2008, 14:10
If you want to do a work for stay just tell the hut crew you are an AT hiker. Most of them did not draw a difference between thru and section hikers.
You may find space even in the White Mountain shelters -- midweek. Expect crowds on weekends, particularly if the weather is good.
Old Hillwalker
02-13-2008, 15:00
You also will be running into several groups of ten or so college kids on their school's annual Freshman Orientation backpacking trips. Quite a number of Northeastern colleges run these. They generally are following LNT but can be rather loud and on occasion, and silly.
I'll probably see you if you go NOBO... I'm heading SOBO from Maine in July. Should hit NH about the first week of August . Say hi to the old lady dressed in purple and red.
Blissful
02-13-2008, 16:22
If you want to do a work for stay just tell the hut crew you are an AT hiker. Most of them did not draw a difference between thru and section hikers.
At huts get there between 3 to 4 PM if you can. It helps. And some huts are better than others when it comes to hikers. Depends though on the croo. You also do better at tentsites in the Whites getting there early.
Blissful
02-13-2008, 16:24
You also will be running into several groups of ten or so college kids on their school's annual Freshman Orientation backpacking trips. Quite a number of Northeastern colleges run these. They generally are following LNT but can be rather loud and on occasion, and silly.
We had that for ten days at the end of August beginning of Sept. in northern NH and Maine. Groups everywhere.
Jack Tarlin
02-13-2008, 16:26
If you want to avoid the big crush of thru-hikers, then you probably don't wanna be on the A.T. in Vermont in August, because that's the busy time for them.
And the White Mountains will be jammed in August, too.
Alternative idea:
Have you considered a thru-hike of the entire Long Trail, either from MA or from the Canadian border? It's absolutely beautiful, and you can do the whole thing in about three and a half weeks and will have less trafffic and company than the A.T.
Go to www.greenmountainclub.org for details and info.
That's good input right there. Thanks all. I'll have to consider the long trail, although I really would like to do the Whites. I'll probably be gone by the time the freshman orientation trips begin.
The northern Long Trail (north of Mt. Mansfield) is not a big draw to the average hiker. You'll find plenty of solitude there. I always felt more at ease on the LT than the New England section of the AT.
The footing is pretty rough in some spots, but the forests are similar to what you'll find in Maine on the AT. The southernmost LT, coinciding with the AT is usually very busy in the summer. Both AT thruhikers and LT thruhikers, as well as section and day hikers (especially on the peaks) tend to make it less enjoyable to a solo hiker.