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View Full Version : Vermont,Need Any Advice



Alaskanhkr23
05-12-2009, 14:47
If anyone can give me advice,ideas,stops along it,i would really Like to have a enjoyable Hike :D

Chaco Taco
05-12-2009, 14:53
Get a guidebook, Appalachian Pages is good has all the info you would need.

tiptoe
05-12-2009, 14:55
Vermont is gorgeous. Pray for dry weather, and stay at Jeff's hostel in Manchester.

Alaskanhkr23
05-12-2009, 14:55
No i'm talking advice not in the books,i have a Vt data book,

Alaskanhkr23
05-12-2009, 14:56
how come the hostel tiptoe?

Chaco Taco
05-12-2009, 15:01
how come the hostel tiptoe?

Jeff is a great host. It is a really nice setup.

Hike out of Bennington, VT up Glastenbury. There is a shelter .3 from the top or some decent camping at the firetower.

Chaco Taco
05-12-2009, 15:03
No i'm talking advice not in the books,i have a Vt data book,
Im not talking about a data book. These new guidebooks have all of the town info, shuttles, profiles, mileage, shelters, camping.

Like I said, the hike out of Bennington is cool. The hike outta Rutland is cool because of the two roads that take you back in to town. You could climb Killington.

Littlest Hobo
05-12-2009, 15:03
Relatively cheap (includes breakfast), easy access to re-supply and a great pub.

Alaskanhkr23
05-12-2009, 15:06
Chaco where can i buy one? EMS ?

Chaco Taco
05-12-2009, 15:33
Chaco where can i buy one? EMS ?

here
http://appalachianpages.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=201

EMS may carry them but not sure

Alaskanhkr23
05-12-2009, 15:56
Thanks Chaco ,im going to buy one right now,

Kirby
05-12-2009, 16:10
Bring your rain gear. It always seems to be raining in the Green Mountains.

Alaskanhkr23
05-12-2009, 16:12
kirby i read in ur journal your doing the long trail or just a section of it? Love a partner but if not thats cool im trudging my way through it , i gotta urge to hike if i dont im going to go crazy

Kirby
05-12-2009, 16:33
I'm hoping to hit the trail in late july/early august.

Alaskanhkr23
05-12-2009, 16:37
Im planning for friday,i need to get out.Now should i bring a heavy jacket for shelter stays?

Quoddy
05-12-2009, 16:44
Im planning for friday,i need to get out.Now should i bring a heavy jacket for shelter stays?
There was a frost warning last night, but it didn't seem to get quite that cold. This weekend is forecast to be relatively warm (low 70's in the valleys during the day), but you'll still need a jacket of some kind at night. Two of my friends are hiking from Mad Tom Notch to Rt 140 on Saturday and Sunday.

Alaskanhkr23
05-12-2009, 16:47
Oh yeah? is it supposed to rain at all???

JAK
05-12-2009, 16:57
Im planning for friday,i need to get out.Now should i bring a heavy jacket for shelter stays?I use this crazy rule of thumb when chosing my layers for a trip.

85F - Min Temp = oz of clothing layers, not counting shoes and shells.

This time of year especially I like to hike in a medium wool sweater and shorts. When I stop and it cools down at night I then add my skin layers and fleece pants and hat and mitts and wind shell. A tough decisions for me is always hiking shorts vs hiking pants vs rain pants vs wind pants. This time of year maybe hiking short and rain pants.

So how cold can it get in the late evening and early morning?

I would go by climate data if you can get it, and adjust for elevation. Chances are you won't get the climate extreme, but its still a good rule of thumb, or you can modify it to match your own experience.

Chaco Taco
05-12-2009, 17:00
Im planning for friday,i need to get out.Now should i bring a heavy jacket for shelter stays?
Nah just get in your bag, layer layer layer, no need to bring anything too heavy

modiyooch
05-12-2009, 17:21
You should already be packed. Didn't you start out last week. Why would anything be different except the meds you forgot? I'm always packed. I always take the same thing. It always rains. whether I need warmer clothing or not, it's packed. go. go. go.

Snowleopard
05-12-2009, 18:57
Are you doing the Long Trail or the AT? They're the same for a good distance. The LT end to end guide is online now:
http://www.longtrailhiking.info/end2end.html

The state of Vermont closes all trails on state land for mud season. The Green Mountain Club:


Some of the Long Trail has been worn down to bedrock by soil erosion over the years. Higher elevation soils take longer to dry out, and their higher content of organic material slows the drying process. A trail may be dry at the trailhead, but it will get muddy if you climb very high this time of year. Trails at lower elevations, dirt roads, and recreation paths provide excellent opportunities for early spring walking.
...
Mud Season Hiking Guidelines

Walk through the mud, not around it! If a trail is so muddy that you need to walk on the vegetation beside it, turn back, and seek an alternative area to hike.
Hike in the lower-elevation hardwood forest (unless it is muddy!) with southern exposure (south facing slopes dry out first in Spring).
Avoid the spruce-fir (conifer) forests at higher elevations.
The State of Vermont closes all trails on state land including those on Camel's Hump and Mount Mansfield from mid-April until Memorial Day weekend. Please do not hike in these fragile areas.
Also avoid: Stratton Mountain, Killington Peak, Lincoln Ridge (Mount Ellen to Appalachian Gap), Jay Peak.
http://www.greenmountainclub.org/page.php?id=60

JAK
05-12-2009, 19:05
I think those are excellent guidelines to keep in mind for muddy sections on any trail any time of year, and especially during very wet and muddy times of the year. Another good thing to keep in mind is that things like switchbacks aren't really there for the benefit of hikers as they are to protect the trail from soil erosion, so its not good to take shortcuts even when it seems quicker or easier to do so and a path has been worn by others. I didn't understand this concept until it was pointed out to me.

Alaskanhkr23
05-12-2009, 19:39
Modiyoock. i am packed im just looking for clothes wise,its hard for me to choose because i have mostly artic clothing,heavy parka's and things like that ,so what i think im going to do is tweak a parka. Like gut it to a good sized shell and then just wear a wool sweater and under that a teckwick shirt from EMS

Alaskanhkr23
05-12-2009, 19:40
So basically vermont is shot or what?

Blissful
05-12-2009, 19:51
Yeah, you're supposed to wait until the trails dry out some. Pretty muddy stuff anyway with lots of erosion in places.

Alaskanhkr23
05-12-2009, 20:18
DANM,i wanna do a long distance hike , atleast 70 miles or up,HMMM

Snowleopard
05-12-2009, 20:53
Possibilities:
Did you do AT in Mass. yet?
AT from CT/NY border south, or take a bus to further south on the AT and hike.
Maybe trails in the Catskills are OK.
CT has a lot of nice trails, but they're mostly day hikes (Conn. Walk Book has them).
Some of the trails in Mass. took a lot of damage in the ice storm in Dec., and camping is not always legal on them.

Alaskanhkr23
05-12-2009, 21:12
Yeah Mass had alot of blow downs,when i went there, i tihnk i might just do the Ct section

Nearly Normal
05-13-2009, 03:06
DANM,i wanna do a long distance hike , atleast 70 miles or up,HMMM

Whistle Dixie.......

Yukon
05-13-2009, 08:01
I'm hoping to hit the trail in late july/early august.

Well it looks like I'll be leaving August 1st from either the Pine Cobble trail or North Adams, haven't decided yet. Maybe we'll run into eachother Kirby?

sly dog
05-13-2009, 09:54
Make sure to take the side trail to the lookout,only a tenth or three, awesome view from on the roof, there is a ladder on the building leading to a roof platform. Good food and drink at the long trail inn. Whistle stop for biscuits and gravy...yum! In the town of West Hartford is a cool library that shows movies in basement on Tuesdays or Wednesdays and the lady running it knows the neighbor that lets hikers stay in his barn, Randy is his name, very cool guy. I cant remember where but near the end but before West Hartford is a farm up the road on a dirt road that makes homemade soda and flavored honey sticks, he also has ice cream. you'll see a sign as you cross the dirt road to his farm that says ice cream I think.

Blissful
05-13-2009, 09:56
Yeah Mass had alot of blow downs,when i went there, i tihnk i might just do the Ct section


Sure why not? Get the home state out of the way. :)

BarFight
05-13-2009, 20:04
Get the GMC Guidebook as well as their town guide if you are planning on hiking further north on the long trail then where the AT leaves it.

Also, the blackflies really suck right now. Although they were swarming rather then biting this week. Ick.

Alaskanhkr23
05-14-2009, 16:08
Yeah,Im so much happier now,i did my painting and took a day hike and spent a night and came home about and hour ago.SO MUCH RELIEF.... Yeah I think i might just finish Mass instead of doing VT if its all muddy and such

Alaskanhkr23
05-14-2009, 16:14
But im going back out today just came home to get some food and im leaving again,BYE

LIhikers
05-15-2009, 19:50
Relatively cheap (includes breakfast), easy access to re-supply and a great pub.

And besides all of that, they have coin operated washing machine and dryer too!