PDA

View Full Version : Bugs on the LT



angewrite
06-10-2008, 13:52
FYI for those of you starting the LT in the next few weeks, the mosquitos and black flies are hatching and WOW are the biting. Bring your DEET especially for areas North of the AT.

burger
06-10-2008, 13:57
I'll second that. I hiked from FR 72 (near the base of Stratton Mt.) to Goddard Shelter and back last weekend, and the blackflies were horrendous when it warmed up. I actually cut my trip short by a day because the bugs were keeping me from enjoying myself.

It's too bad that spring is so buggy in New England--it's the nicest time of year for birds and flowers and (usually) has great weather. Makes me long for someplace nice and dry that doesn't have any biting insects.

4eyedbuzzard
06-10-2008, 15:16
Rats. I was thinking of doing a weekend hike with my daughter over in the Big Branch area. Maybe I'll wait a week or two. Bugs are out but still manageable with repellent on this side of the CT river - they weren't too bad when I was mowing the field yesterday.

4eyedbuzzard
06-10-2008, 15:20
...Makes me long for someplace nice and dry that doesn't have any biting insects.

I think that place is called autumn most everywhere. ;) We are all just intruders on an insect/bug inhabited world.

burger
06-10-2008, 15:23
I think that place is called autumn most everywhere. ;) We are all just intruders on an insect/bug inhabited world.

Actually, I call that place Arizona.;)

NorthCountryWoods
06-10-2008, 16:58
Must've gotten lucky this weekend.....bugs were not much of a problem between Johnson and Eden....maybe I'm used to them? The mud on the other hand....was knee deep in more places than I ever recall.

4eyedbuzzard
06-10-2008, 17:00
Actually, I call that place Arizona.;)

They got them scorpions and spiders and snakes though.

Pokey2006
06-10-2008, 17:01
I'd take spiders over mosquitoes any day.

sheepdog
06-10-2008, 17:49
Big snow melt = lots of bugs...yikes.

dironstarr
06-10-2008, 18:53
Bugs were especially bad at Stratton pond last week (Thursday) when I hiked through (from Kid Gore Shelter). I stayed on the tent platform near the pond and nearly had to stay in my tent the whole time.

earlylight
06-11-2008, 15:05
Rats. I was thinking of doing a weekend hike with my daughter over in the Big Branch area. Maybe I'll wait a week or two. Bugs are out but still manageable with repellent on this side of the CT river - they weren't too bad when I was mowing the field yesterday.

I was up in the Big Branch section last weekend and the bugs didn't get bad until 5ish while I was setting up a tent at Lost Pond. But if you were hiking there were fine. Of course, I was wearing long pants, a long sleeved shirt, and a bandana sprayed with permethrin that might have kept them more at bay than just deet.

Rainman
06-14-2008, 10:48
I am starting north from Jonesville on July 6. Do you think the insects will be better by then? All the bugs seem to indicate no problems finding water. do you have any specific water info for that section?

4eyedbuzzard
06-14-2008, 10:53
I was up in the Big Branch section last weekend and the bugs didn't get bad until 5ish while I was setting up a tent at Lost Pond. But if you were hiking there were fine. Of course, I was wearing long pants, a long sleeved shirt, and a bandana sprayed with permethrin that might have kept them more at bay than just deet.

Thanks for the info.

k-spar
06-15-2008, 10:59
The black flies were awful on the north side of camels hump yesterday.

Landshark
06-17-2008, 21:58
The bugs have been bad. I've heard that they are worse than ever due to the dying bat population. We hiked from Bolton Notch rd. to the Lake Mansfield Trail a week and a half ago, and the black flies were swarming our eyes, mouths, noses, and every other orifice. Some of that area involves some scrambling where you have to put your hands down, and it is really hard to swat bugs when you are clinging to a rock slab! I applied lots of deep woods off and at the time, everyone was complaining about getting bitten. I thought I wasn't getting bitten. However, when I returned home that night I was COVERED in bites especially on my elbows and knees for some reason. Why, I don't know, but the outsides of my elbows and knees are absolutely covered. Bleccch. Save the bats!:eek:

DuctTape
06-18-2008, 03:25
Actually, I call that place Arizona.;)

yep. doin a full moon hike on the bright angel trail tomorrow :D

Monkeywrench
06-18-2008, 08:10
Bugs on the LT? Come on folks, this is the 21st century! Do you really believe we would allow bugs in OUR national forests in this enlightened age of outdoor recreation? All these stories of bugs are perpetrated by elitist left-wing tree-huggers trying to keep you from going out and enjoying your birth-right.:rolleyes:

superman
06-18-2008, 08:25
Bugs on the LT? Come on folks, this is the 21st century! Do you really believe we would allow bugs in OUR national forests in this enlightened age of outdoor recreation? All these stories of bugs are perpetrated by elitist left-wing tree-huggers trying to keep you from going out and enjoying your birth-right.:rolleyes:

LMAO, damn elites, lefties... they ruin everything.

SPOON1
06-18-2008, 10:37
What's killing the bats? Sorry for ignorance.

NorthCountryWoods
06-18-2008, 11:09
What's killing the bats? Sorry for ignorance.

No need to apologize....white nose syndrome. (http://www.fws.gov/northeast/white_nose.html)

mudhead
06-18-2008, 11:58
Another pollinater with population issues.

Very few bees around here. Very few.

Yukon
06-18-2008, 12:05
I'll second that. I hiked from FR 72 (near the base of Stratton Mt.) to Goddard Shelter and back last weekend, and the blackflies were horrendous when it warmed up. I actually cut my trip short by a day because the bugs were keeping me from enjoying myself.

It's too bad that spring is so buggy in New England--it's the nicest time of year for birds and flowers and (usually) has great weather. Makes me long for someplace nice and dry that doesn't have any biting insects.

Can you tell me where you parked to start that hike? What was your mileage? Thanks in advance :)

Quoddy
06-18-2008, 14:53
Can you tell me where you parked to start that hike? What was your mileage? Thanks in advance :)
I'm hiking that this weekend. Parking is on the north side of Kelly Stand Road (often called Stratton-Arlington Road), and is fairly obvious when you get there. It's right where the AT/LT crosses the road. It is 12.5 miles to Goddard from there. I'm going with a couple of friends who have never hiked that section and want to stay on Glastenbury or Goddard before we head on to Rt 9, which is another 10.1 miles, on Sunday.

oruoja
06-18-2008, 22:19
I live just west of Camel's Hump and the black flies seem to fading out, but a healthy crop of deer flies will provide hours of pleasure. We have been having pretty regular rain and combined with the high snow pack melt this season water on the northern LT will not be problem in the next few weeks at least. Some pretty good deluges may have caused some trail damage in spots. Last Sunday in Ripton west of Middlebury Gap on Vt 125 they got seven inches on rain in two hours washing out some roads. The bats and bees seem to be at normal numbers this season at least in the area here. Also, most planning hikes in this area realize this, but this week it has been dropping into the high 30s at elevations on the trail, so combined with the rain being prepared is important as always.

Tinker
06-18-2008, 22:24
I think that place is called autumn most everywhere. ;) We are all just intruders on an insect/bug inhabited world.

No, actually we are a mobile buffet.

Quoddy
06-23-2008, 14:25
I decided to head out for the weekend on a section of the AT/LT. Began the hike at Stratford-Arlington Road and headed SOBO toward Glastenbury Mountain. It seemed that the closer I got to Glastenbury, the more bugs there were. By the time I reached the top of the mountain 12.5 miles later I was being swarmed every time I stopped by black flies, mosquitos, and even some horse flies.

I set up the Speer and MacCat Deluxe near the top of the mountain, had supper and turned in early. It was supposed to be showers and thundershowers beginning in the morning, and fortunately it held off till I'd eaten and packed up. Shortly after heading out on the 10.5 mile hike to Rt 9 east of Bennington, a heavy thunderstorm began and never slowed up at all for over five hours.

It was a great getaway weekend despite the bugs and heavy rain. Slept great in the Speer on a cool, almost chilly, night.

http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v256/99/116/708474/n708474_31585323_1645.jpg

burger
06-23-2008, 14:59
I'm hiking that this weekend. Parking is on the north side of Kelly Stand Road (often called Stratton-Arlington Road), and is fairly obvious when you get there. It's right where the AT/LT crosses the road. It is 12.5 miles to Goddard from there. I'm going with a couple of friends who have never hiked that section and want to stay on Glastenbury or Goddard before we head on to Rt 9, which is another 10.1 miles, on Sunday.

I started my hike at FR71. On the AT, that's about 2 miles south of Kelly Stand Rd. In terms of driving, go about a mile west of the AT crossing on Kelly Stand Road, and you come to the parking lot for the Stratton Pond Trail. About 100 yards further west is FR71 (on your left). The AT crosses FR71 about 2/3 of a mile south from Kelly Stand Rd (it's a subtle crossing, but anyone should be able to find it). I left my car there on the side of the road for a day and a half, and it was fine.

There's an excellent site on trail access in Vermont here: http://rohland.homedns.org/at/state/state_detail/AT_state_detail.aspx?stateID=7%20&sectionID=51

Yukon
06-24-2008, 08:28
I'm hiking that this weekend. Parking is on the north side of Kelly Stand Road (often called Stratton-Arlington Road), and is fairly obvious when you get there. It's right where the AT/LT crosses the road. It is 12.5 miles to Goddard from there. I'm going with a couple of friends who have never hiked that section and want to stay on Glastenbury or Goddard before we head on to Rt 9, which is another 10.1 miles, on Sunday.

Ok, I have been on Kellystand road many, many times because i have snowmobiled up there in the winter and driven up there in summer. I'm trying to pinpoint exactly where on the road you are talking about parking. I have always picked up the road from arlington, so from there how far do i have to go down the road to pick up the trail to Glastenbury? I have snowmobiled to the top before but never hiked it.

Monkeywrench
06-24-2008, 09:28
Ok, I have been on Kellystand road many, many times because i have snowmobiled up there in the winter and driven up there in summer. I'm trying to pinpoint exactly where on the road you are talking about parking. I have always picked up the road from arlington, so from there how far do i have to go down the road to pick up the trail to Glastenbury? I have snowmobiled to the top before but never hiked it.

If you ever snowmobiled from Arlington over the crest at the top of the ridge, and down (east) to the point where the road up from West Wardsboro is plowed (where the truck selling coffee and soda and burgers and such is always parked), that's the parking lot where the AT crosses the road.

Hiking north the AT/LT leaves the NE corner of the parking lot and heads up Stratton Mountain. Hiking south the trail goes up the road to the west to cross the river on the bridge, then heads into the woods on the south side of the road.

Yukon
06-24-2008, 09:53
If you ever snowmobiled from Arlington over the crest at the top of the ridge, and down (east) to the point where the road up from West Wardsboro is plowed (where the truck selling coffee and soda and burgers and such is always parked), that's the parking lot where the AT crosses the road.

Hiking north the AT/LT leaves the NE corner of the parking lot and heads up Stratton Mountain. Hiking south the trail goes up the road to the west to cross the river on the bridge, then heads into the woods on the south side of the road.


Excellent! I know exactly where your talking about now :) So is it 12.5 miles from that parking lot to the top of Glastenbury or am I mistaken? What I'm trying to do is plan an overnight hike with my girlfriend and stay on top of Glastenbury. Has anyone ever had any problems with bear's up there or anything like that? I have never doen an overnight in such a secluded area and am looking for some tips on how to prepare and what not....thanks!!

Monkeywrench
06-24-2008, 10:03
Excellent! I know exactly where your talking about now :) So is it 12.5 miles from that parking lot to the top of Glastenbury or am I mistaken? What I'm trying to do is plan an overnight hike with my girlfriend and stay on top of Glastenbury. Has anyone ever had any problems with bear's up there or anything like that? I have never doen an overnight in such a secluded area and am looking for some tips on how to prepare and what not....thanks!!

http://www.conngmc.com/trailmaint.htm

Yes, from the parking lot it is about 12 miles to Glastenbury Mtn. Goddard Shelter is a couple tenths south from the summit. You could shorten the hike by a couple of miles if you started at the road crossing of Forest Service Rd 22 (?), but it's not an obvious crossing and could be a bit hard to find if you don't know it's there.

I have spent a lot of time on the section of trail between Glastenbury and the Arlington-West Wardsboro Rd trail-head as I am a member of the CT GMC and we maintain that section of trail. I have seen signs of bear in the area -- bear scat and marked trees -- but have never actually seen a bear nor ever had any problem at any of the shelters. There is a bear hunting season there so they are quite shy of people.

Yukon
06-24-2008, 10:14
http://www.conngmc.com/trailmaint.htm

Yes, from the parking lot it is about 12 miles to Glastenbury Mtn. Goddard Shelter is a couple tenths south from the summit. You could shorten the hike by a couple of miles if you started at the road crossing of Forest Service Rd 22 (?), but it's not an obvious crossing and could be a bit hard to find if you don't know it's there.

I have spent a lot of time on the section of trail between Glastenbury and the Arlington-West Wardsboro Rd trail-head as I am a member of the CT GMC and we maintain that section of trail. I have seen signs of bear in the area -- bear scat and marked trees -- but have never actually seen a bear nor ever had any problem at any of the shelters. There is a bear hunting season there so they are quite shy of people.

I think I might know where that crossing is on the forest service road, I'll have to go up and do some investigation of the area though. We got lost one night on that mountain in a driving snowstorm and accidentally came down a hiking trail on the snowmobiles. When we finally realized we were way off we had to turn around and try a different route, but i remember always thinking to myself that I wanted to go and hike that trail. Do you know how far it is from the Rt.9 access to the summit?

Monkeywrench
06-24-2008, 10:50
Do you know how far it is from the Rt.9 access to the summit?

I believe, but you should double-check with a more reliable source, that it is about 10 miles.

Quoddy
06-24-2008, 13:54
From the bridge next to the parking lot off Rt 9 to the fire tower on the summit it's 10.4 miles. Summit is 0.3 past Goddard shelter.