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A-Train
03-29-2004, 19:22
I just bought the 2003 End to Enders guide. It seems pretty complete with town info, shelter info, water sources and mileage between shelters. Do I really need the Long Trail guidebook. From what I've seen of them the profiles aren't so great and it gives you so much superflous info. Necessary?

gravityman
03-29-2004, 19:42
No idea... I ordered both, and got both this past weekend. I will carry both with me. What I really want is it to be more in the form of the data book, since it made it a whole lot easier to plan water stops for the day, and town stops. I may try to condense the info into a more data book like style. Unless you want to do that :)

The guidebook is nice because it gives added info, and maps. I haven't looked close enough to decide if all the water info is in the end2end guide. You will probably be fine with only one.

We will definitely cut out the fluff and only take the important part...

We are going sobo (YEAH SOBO! :) starting July 16th or so, and hiking till shortly before the 14th of August when my brother gets married. Hopefully we will make it most of the way, but we want to do the section that does not coincide with the AT for sure. That's why the SOBO.

Anyway, you really need advice from someone who has actually done it :)

Gravity Man

celt
03-29-2004, 22:18
Do you have the 2003 edition of the LT guide book or one of the earlier ones? The new edition maps are easier to read and have color now. The profiles are as good as profiles can be. I'm not saying they are great, I'm saying all profiles have limits and even the worst ones can be helpful if you know their limits. Anyways... the guide book is mostly a good trail description and a long distance hiker could probably do without it. I liked the maps and the mileage summaries for each section. I carried it and had no regrets. Gravity Man is right to say you can find helpful information in the guidebook descriptions.
The End to Enders guide has all the good info on the shelters, water, towns and services, it is perfect for long distance hikes on the LT. Too bad the only mileage charts are for the shelters. The 2004 End to Enders Guide should be available from the GMC in April.
When I hiked the LT for the first time in 2001 I used information in the guidebook and End To Enders Guide to compile a "data book" into a spreadsheet. I haven't updated the information and mileage for 2004 but I would be happy to send it to anyone who sends me a private message. I might even get around to updating it. As it is now it would be missing the new Bromley Shelter, The Churchill Scott Shelter, The Bamforth Ridge Shelter, The new Journeys End Camp and the relocation between Smugglers Notch and Sterling Pond.

hungryhowie
03-29-2004, 22:23
When I did the LT in 2001, I carried only the LT guidebook. I didn't even know the end-to-ender's guide existed until I was already out there and more than half way done. The older guidebooks weren't very helpful (a true book of lies), but I've heard that the reworked ones are tons better (they couldn't have gotten any worse). One of my hiking friends used only the end2enders guide, while I used only the other one. Moral of the story, the LT is no more in need of a guidebook than the AT. It is well traveled, well marked, and an awesome hike. You could start with both, either, or none and still do it fine...though a few road crossings might be a little difficult without prior knowledge.

-Howie

The Old Fhart
03-29-2004, 22:37
I collect older guidebooks and one of my favorites is a 1921 Long Trail Guidebook in new condition. It is interesting to see how the trails and hiking trends have changed over the years. I certainly wouldn't hike with that old guidebook though. The advantage of having a new guidebook or current information is that you at least know what services were available when the guidebook was printed. A lot of the information you might need can also come from registers and word of mouth from other hikers you meet. Carry a guidebook or not, it is a personal thing.

DebW
03-29-2004, 22:42
I carried both. The Guidebook has the maps and detailed mileage summaries. If you could cut those out of the book and leave the rest it would be nice. Though the trail descriptions were occassionally useful, especially if you were worried about getting a dog around the ladders.

Chickety
03-29-2004, 23:02
Hiked the LT in '03 and carried both the guide book and end-to-enders. Found them both helpful as they have seperate info. I like to carry a map and the only place I found a LT map was in the Guide book itself, so that made it worth carrying right there for me.

What Celt said about the new guide book is 100% true, the maps in the 2003 edition are a major improvement from the earlier edition.

Have fun!

oruoja
03-29-2004, 23:46
I also carried both guides on both my '02 and '03 thru-hikes (both SB). Even after having hiked the LT several times before ('79 onward) I still like to have the maps. The End-to-Enders guide is pretty good, but considering there really are few road crossings with close services, you could just make notes in the guide book itself. However, despite annual updates I found some services to have recently closed and the guide didn't list others which were available. Hopefully the relocation to the east of Jonesville is still years off as the P.O. there and general store nearby were convenient. Personally I have always pulled off the section from Jonesville to Killington without detour as the towns are far off and hitches can be tough. Enjoy the LT north of the AT as I have always been able to spend several nights alone at some of the nice shelters and camps even in "peak" season. The last two years I even had only one other at Taft Lodge in '02, two in '03, and only the caretaker back in '00. If you can cross Mansfield, Camels Hump, and Abraham in the early mornings you can avoid the hordes. I actually got to spend 45 minutes on Camels Hump this summer without a soul. Never thought that could happen.

Tramper Al
04-14-2004, 08:16
There is a new Long Trail Map, with the entire trail on a single waterproof folding sheet. It's a pretty nice map. You can buy it from the GMC, and elsewhere I'm sure.

hawkeye
04-14-2004, 09:27
The new Long Trail map from GMC is very nice. Just got it the other day with the new end to end guide. I talked to a "end to ender" last night and he would have cut out most of the Trail guide book. But thats him.

hungryhowie
04-14-2004, 16:15
Hmmm....

A new map? as in one? The AT maps generally cover only about 50 miles, is this new map at a much smaller scale than those or does it just fit the trail on one in a very creative way?

Also, Does it have profiles on it? If so, I'd probably type up the "databook" portion of the guidebook, and use only that and the new map on my next hike. Those profiles sure would be nice...

-Howie

gravityman
04-14-2004, 19:03
Hmmm....

A new map? as in one? The AT maps generally cover only about 50 miles, is this new map at a much smaller scale than those or does it just fit the trail on one in a very creative way?

Also, Does it have profiles on it? If so, I'd probably type up the "databook" portion of the guidebook, and use only that and the new map on my next hike. Those profiles sure would be nice...

-Howie

I don't think the map is for hiking. I think it is for looking at on the well, eh?

Hammock Hanger
04-14-2004, 19:20
I printed all the maps (for free) off of the internet and that was all I really needed. I wrote down any town info I thought I would need before I left. Sue/HH

hungryhowie
04-14-2004, 23:39
It seems to me that if it weren't meant for hiking, the GMC wouldn't go to the trouble of printing it on waterproof paper...

anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

-Howie

gravityman
04-15-2004, 11:30
It seems to me that if it weren't meant for hiking, the GMC wouldn't go to the trouble of printing it on waterproof paper...


I don't think the map is for hiking. I think it is for looking at on the well, eh?

It's waterproof because it is for looking at on the WELL... DOH! Damn typing too fast :)

Didn't realize it was waterproof... that's interesting... anyway, I just figure that I will carry the E2E guide and the relevant portions of the Guide book. It's just not that much if you cut it up...

Gravity Man

Tramper Al
04-23-2004, 18:50
Hey yeah,
So, the new LT map is a proper map, really. The scale is close to 1" per mile, but I don't think it actually says so. The section maps are in strips, so 4 or 5 sections fit on one side, know what I mean? The've got all the contours, shelters, side trails, roads, you know it's a good map. It also has mileage listed all along the way.
It does have a very primitive profile on top, but it's not precise (nor meant to be).
It's a pretty good map, and it really has no competition at the moment, yes?

slatchley
08-15-2004, 17:43
I think you could get away with just the new map. It tells you where you are going, where the shelters are, shows towns, roads, etc. The profiles are as good as the guidebook and the maps are better. Jot down some notes from the guidebook and the E2E book and you are good to go. I just scanned in the majority of the E2E book so I can shrink it down and just print the sections I want. I like the new map!

slatchley
08-20-2004, 11:23
Of course, no sooner had I finished scanning the 2003 E2E (E@E) book than I see there is a 2004 edition! I wonder what has changed?

pokohiker
09-04-2004, 16:10
I just returned home after hiking the LT for the first 95 miles or so. I have the 2003 e2e guide and in it is included an update which I didn't read until I walked a mile on the road to Oasis Sports in Clarendon which is now in Rutland as clearly stated in the update. That sure sucked and if the Whistlestop diner hadn't been at .5mi. I probably would have been upset. oh well. If you are interested in the changes let me know and I will post them.

I'm headed back to finish the rest of the trail in a couple of weeks and am driving from south east Ohio. Anyone interested in hiking?