Water, weather, and bugs between Jonesville and Journey's End

[Rainman]

I am hiking from Janesville to Journey's End from July 6 through 13. I Would appreciate any info about temperature, precipitation, water sources, and bugs.

I am monitoring the previous "Bugs" thread, but it seems to have morphed into a trail head thread. I'm not thowin' stones, just sayin'.

Thanks in advance.

[Jack Tarlin]

It's gonna be hot; on other days it may rain like hell; most water sources should still be fine; and you're gonna get eaten.

Sorry, but this pretty much describes central and north-central VT in mid-July.

It's also why most folks do long hikes on the LT later in the summer.

[NorthCountryWoods]

The recent rain up here has been excessive. Bugs will be heavy, mud will be deep and on the good side water sources will be plentiful. If the rain continues you may have difficulty at the Lamoille river. The trail leading to the foot bridge can be impassable when the river is high. You may have to take the old route around.

Considering the local meteorologist can't predict temps, I'm not about to try....but it will most likely be 70-80s during the day (warmer in the valleys or in humid weather) and 40-60s at night (but can drop to mid 30s on occasion). Hope this string of unstable weather will break soon. Not the "thunder every afternoon at X o'clock" you get in Florida, but similar, even more unpredictable and with large temperature fluctuations.

We canceled last weekends hike due to my wife working, but the weather sucked anyway. Hoping to hit it this weekend rain or shine but will prepare for heavy bugs regardless.

[Rainman]

Thanks very much NCW.

My 10 year old son will be on this trip, so I want to plan ahead as much as possible. I'll bring the head nets and lots of deet. Sounds like water will be fine.

When I walked from North Adams to Jonesville in '05 it was a bit dry and some of the water sources were dry. Hardly any flies though, just a few mosquitoes. I also decided not to carry my fleece, and never missed it. I may just bring an extra long sleeve shirt to layer on this time.

I have a 40 degree mont-bell bag and a 50 degree mont-bell thermal sheet. Which one do you think for this trip?

[NorthCountryWoods]

No recommendation on the bags...don't know enough about them.
Wife and I use a cheap down quilt and bag liners in summer which are adequate most nights, but we still carry fleeces to supplement if it gets too cool (which it has).

[Rainman]

Thanks. I think I'll take the lighter bag and bring the Thermawrap jacket in case. It is more versatile.

[earlylight]

I'm doing Clarendon Gorge to Middlebury Gap this weekend and am prepared for the worst in term of bugs and mud. Will post a follow-up when I get home.

[oruoja]

Rainman, enjoy the trip. We will pass each other along the way as I am starting at Journey's End on the 5th or 6th and going to Camel's Hump or App Gap. As others have mentioned the weather has been pretty cool and wet as of late. The bug situation can actually vary on a day to day basis. Lately I have only noticed cluster flies and deer flies in the area around Jonesville, but will bring the deet.

[gravityman]

Thanks very much NCW.

I have a 40 degree mont-bell bag and a 50 degree mont-bell thermal sheet. Which one do you think for this trip?

40 degree. We absolutely had 40 degree temps in mid august in 2004 on the northern section during a rainy stretch. Near record, but not record lows.

[Rainman]

Thanks for the posts everybody. This helps a lot.

[earlylight]

I hiked last weekend from Clarendon Gorge to Middlebury Gap, which is south of where you'll be starting. However, there were virtually no bugs until I got to Romance Gap. Until then it had been raining steadily all weekend, which must have kept the bugs down - but when the sun came out on Romance, my rain pants were instantly covered in black flies.

I have another section of the LT scheduled in a few weeks and will be interested to hear if the black flies are biting around Jonesville.