View Full Version : Current Water Source conditions on the Long Trail
I plan on doing an end-to-end hike in late Sept/early Oct. What is the current water availability on the LT?
Please keep this thread going for the use of future hikers.
Thanks.
This is not a smart-alec reply, but the current (mid-August) conditions have no bearing on late September/early October.
That said, right now, things are pretty dry, and any water source that is usually sporadic or otherwise unreliable will likely be dry, including such places as Puffer, Butler, or Shooting Star, and there's never much water between Shooting Star and the Canadian border. Otherwise, there are so many sources crossed on a daily basis, that you just need to watch the shelter logs or talk to hikers coming the other way to get an idea of what's coming. Forecast is for shower for the next week, beyond that, who knows.
Southern LT from MA border to Maine Jct water reports show no problems as of mid August. Will let you know more next month.
This is not a smart-alec reply, but the current (mid-August) conditions have no bearing on late September/early October.
That said, right now, things are pretty dry, and any water source that is usually sporadic or otherwise unreliable will likely be dry, including such places as Puffer, Butler, or Shooting Star, and there's never much water between Shooting Star and the Canadian border. Otherwise, there are so many sources crossed on a daily basis, that you just need to watch the shelter logs or talk to hikers coming the other way to get an idea of what's coming. Forecast is for shower for the next week, beyond that, who knows.
Well, unless you think you're being a smart-alec, there isn't a problem with your answer. I know that it's been extremely dry here (now that I'm back to landscaping and out of the bicycle business - at least full-time). There is barely a lawn to mow, and I'm glad I work for someone else who can find other work for me to do.
I'm familiar with all of the LT, having done it in sections in the 1990s. I'm more interested in making water availability information accessible to whoever may be currently/soon hiking. I know that with my hiking history it will be raining buckets every day that I'm on the LT, and water probably won't be a problem :D:D:D.
Southern LT from MA border to Maine Jct water reports show no problems as of mid August. Will let you know more next month.
Thanks, much appreciated. :)
I just completed a thru hike of the LT today and water was fine everywhere with the exception of the high ridge section that includes Mansfield. Theron Dean shelter was just a trickle but has been non-existant for the last 8 years in August so this was a nice surprise. No stretch without water was more than six miles. Easy to deal with in my opinion. Southern sections had more water than you can imagine. Easy to filter along the way without even thinking about it.
Tinker,
Seeing as you are a hammock hanger perhaps we should talk. Hammocks on the northern half are not as easy as I thought they would be. Let me know if you want to chat on the phone and I can give you my two cents on the best way to deal with it.
Cheers,
Bleemus
NorthCountryWoods
08-22-2010, 19:13
Just dropped a hiker off at Journeys End today and it's raining pretty good here in the north. Supposed to continue into Wednesday or Thursday.
Hiker8261
08-22-2010, 23:18
Looking at a 30 day rainfall map shows all of VT being above normal for rainfall. As the previous post mentioned, the current storm will add to the water table.
I am looking at leaving around the 8th for 3 week NB thru and don't expect any water supply problems.
chris
Leaving in less than 2 weeks for a trek from Cheshire, MA to Maine Junction. I'll do my best to give you all an update when I get back.
Thanks, Bleemus for your update. I was feeling a little anxious even with the recent rain.
StubbleJumper
08-26-2010, 07:52
Just finished my end-to-ender on 24-Aug. In general, lots of water, but there are a few dry stretches. In particular, when you climb Bolton Mountain, you walk on a ridge for a very long time and there is a fair stretch without water. When I was there a week ago, there was zero water between Buchanan and Taylor, which is a stretch of 6-7 miles or something like that. Puffer is dry as a bone. The good news is that Taylor's water is fabulous....
There was water at Butler last week, and as Bleemus noted, the Theoren Dean spring was trickling too. There was no water in the Stark's Nest (sometimes volunteers haul gallon-jugs of it up to the warming shelter...bless their souls!).
Woodward was a slow trickle, but it tasted great. There's bugger-all between Woodward and Journey's End (but there's plenty at Journey's End).
Woodward was a slow trickle, but it tasted great. There's bugger-all between Woodward and Journey's End (but there's plenty at Journey's End).
IMO, Woodward is the best water on the LT, so tank up there if NOBO. I've never seen water (except rain) between LW and Journey's end.
Just finished my end-to-ender on 24-Aug. In general, lots of water, but there are a few dry stretches. In particular, when you climb Bolton Mountain, you walk on a ridge for a very long time and there is a fair stretch without water. When I was there a week ago, there was zero water between Buchanan and Taylor, which is a stretch of 6-7 miles or something like that. Puffer is dry as a bone. The good news is that Taylor's water is fabulous....
There was water at Butler last week, and as Bleemus noted, the Theoren Dean spring was trickling too. There was no water in the Stark's Nest (sometimes volunteers haul gallon-jugs of it up to the warming shelter...bless their souls!).
Woodward was a slow trickle, but it tasted great. There's bugger-all between Woodward and Journey's End (but there's plenty at Journey's End).
Thanks. Puffer was one of my favorite shelters (good views, solitude) of all that I visited on my section hikes and I plan on staying there on my end-to-end. I'll carry up some water.
Tinker,
Seeing as you are a hammock hanger perhaps we should talk. Hammocks on the northern half are not as easy as I thought they would be. Let me know if you want to chat on the phone and I can give you my two cents on the best way to deal with it.
Cheers,
Bleemus
I saw this post and its got me concerned. I plan on doing an LT thru in 2012, and and wondering how to deal with hanging on the northern LT. What's the deal - few trees??
I completed a NOBO end to end in July - we had nearly no water problems - it is drying out, I'm sure, but we really had no water problems - most of the streams were running really good only 6 weeks ago - I think that finding water should be a concern, but not an overriding one - if you can hike the trail, you can hike a little further to find water. - Papa D, LT '10
I saw this post and its got me concerned. I plan on doing an LT thru in 2012, and and wondering how to deal with hanging on the northern LT. What's the deal - few trees??
More like too many trees! I think you can hang up north, at least I found plenty of places, but not necessarily around shelters. Most of the shelter sites further south have overflow tenting areas where you have plenty of open space between trees, and no underbrush. Up north, those sites are less common, so you may have to find 'natural' hanging spots, and won't have a nice clean 'lawn'.
Just got back from a few days on the trail. Water conditions are horrid. Everything is so low that if you're not pumping you could easily be in dire straits. Many of the shelters water supplies are dry or stagnant.
Here's what I experienced:
on approach Pete's Spring is still reliable
Congdon - water, but very low - pump
Melville Nauheim - water was stagnant - I wouldn't pump it. it was black and smelled bad
Hell Hollow - flowing very low
Kid Gore - a trickle
Story Spring - very good
Stratton - very good
Spruce Peak - bone dry
streams out to rt 11/30 - all dry
south of VT on the AT in MA - bad news, they really need rain.
wvgrinder
09-08-2010, 10:57
I was on the LT NOBO from Aug. 9 to Sept. 2. Water was very plentiful in the south, but things dried up as I headed north. I can remember there being no water at the Puffer & Shooting Star shelters. And none of us could find the right trail for the supply at Stark's Nest.
There was just a few puddles at Hazen's Notch. I couldn't get any there because I wasn't treating my water on this trip.
wvgrinder
09-08-2010, 11:00
And let me add that THE BEST water on the trail is at Goddard Shelter on Glastenbury Mountain. That's some mighty tasty H2O!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :sun
And let me add that THE BEST water on the trail is at Goddard Shelter on Glastenbury Mountain. That's some mighty tasty H2O!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :sun
How did I overlook/forget this! Absolutely. That water was the clearest & sweetest we came across on the trail.
BarFight
10-10-2010, 15:51
I'm just going to note that I was out on the Monroe Skyline two weekends ago -before the monsoons- and I was surprised at how muddy it was. Battell was running great, and I didn't bother going down to Glen Ellen. I didn't check the actual spring at Theron Dean, but I noted that there was a spring or stream of some sort running very well right below the Dean's Cave spur just to the north of the shelter, and more water past that. If the spring is dry, NOBO's might want to check within a 1/2 mile north up the trail. It's a great little shelter with a lovely view, and obviously little used as well (the outhouse was the cleanest I'd ever seen). The section from Theron Dean down to App Gap was hugely muddy, I went knee deep in one spot, so look before you leap.
Sallymon
10-14-2010, 01:55
I am not sure if it was fixed or not...But back in mid-August the water pump at Shoot Star was broken. Quick tip...if gondola/big house structure is open on Jay's Peak only use the water in a gatorade dispenser. Any running water up there is non-usable. They do have bathrooms inside as well. But its rather hard to break into the building without a forced entry. You actually need to climb up the big opening where the gondola is and get in that way. Haha. They also have a TV. ;)
Sallymon
10-14-2010, 01:56
Also, I could never find the water source on Stark's nest.
Good and wet on Stratton as of 10/9/10. I was short on time, so didn't find the water source, per se, 0.6 mi. south of summit. But there was plenty of water. I think the best source would be Deerfield River branch at the Kelly Stand/Arlington Road bridge. Also good, about 1.6 miles northeast, is a creek which crosses the AT/LT. Of course the Pond is great, I'm sure, if you get to it - wasn't on my itinerary.
StubbleJumper
10-14-2010, 23:25
How did you miss the spring on Stratton? It's a piped spring that actually crosses the trail not too far from the summit (actually, the "pipe" is a piece of angle-iron). And the water is cold and delicious!
The river at the road crossing is reliable, but my opinion is that spring water is best, followed by streams, creeks, rivers, lakes, and finally swamps. Rivers are way down on my list because they tend to be found at lower elevations, and my preference is to not treat my water....and with rivers, you really have no idea what pollutants (biological or chemical) are in them.
With that spring near the top of Stratton, you have a fair idea that it's not polluted. There's only a few acres above it, and then the water is filtered through the earth.
One of the very best aspects of the LT is the wonderful, pure water that can be found in so many places!
How did you miss the spring on Stratton? It's a piped spring that actually crosses the trail not too far from the summit (actually, the "pipe" is a piece of angle-iron). And the water is cold and delicious!
I missed it because I didn't look for it. I was in hustle mode. Started at Kelly Stand at 1:50 pm (leaf peeper traffic exacerbated my already late start). Being still slow, I had to hustle for all I was worth to make summit at 4:50, so no time to tarry and explore. I know more or less *where* the source is - the wet stretch just above the nice south overlook to Snow/Reservoir/Greylock - just didn't see the pipe. Had plenty of water and no time, is the sum and substance of it.
With that spring near the top of Stratton, you have a fair idea that it's not polluted. There's only a few acres above it, and then the water is filtered through the earth.
One of the very best aspects of the LT is the wonderful, pure water that can be found in so many places!
Thanks for the tip, StubbleJumper! As my family name is Stratton, this first trip to the big hulk in southern VT will certainly not be my last. :)
PS: Leaving from the tower at 5, I just made it back to the car as dusk fell. Slipped a couple times in the semi-dark on the last mile of trail, but made it intact. so hustle mode was very much in order. Loved the spruce forest at the top and - more on the descent than on the ascent, I thought the boulder field on the shoulder of "Little" Stratton was beautiful. It was also neat that it was peak foliage for the first mile or two, but once one got to about 3000', enough leaves had fallen in the stiff winds that day that it was past peak.