View Full Version : The Long Trail
Oleskool
02-12-2011, 21:20
How many thru hikers finish The Long Trail while in VT during their AT hike?
I do not know the answer to that. I do know that after completing the AT (fingers crossed!) I plan on completing the LT, since I have to come back to VT and pick up my stuff anyway before starting my next adventure. Also, fall is the best time to hike here!
SwitchbackVT
02-12-2011, 21:39
Very few I would think. I would assume most AT thru hikers are too obsorbed with the task at hand--thru hiking the AT--to complete the entire Long Trail during their AT thru hike. The LT/AT coincide for a little over 100 miles in VT, but the LT continues north to Canada for another 175 miles. That's a significant chunk of miles/time to take off of the AT, and put towards the LT.
Nobo AT hikers often have time contraints, money constraints, etc by the time they reach Vermont, when Katahdin is only 2 states away. I don't think many thru hikers would jeopardize their chances of completing the AT in order to complete the Long Trail.
I've heard of many AT thru hikers who had previously not heard of the Long Trail, and who are introduced to the LT during their AT hike, and who come back later to hike it, usually after a year or 2.
For me, it was the other way around. I thru hiked the LT, and now 9 years later, I'm finally attempting the AT. Can't wait!!!
I would think only GMC could answer the question with information provided by ATC.
The answer is not many, maybe less than 1 percent. More return later as I did to see what they missed.
Oleskool
02-12-2011, 21:49
My wife and I are starting the AT this friday, maybe the LT while we are in VT in June...maybe....175 miles doesn't seem bad today when add to 2000.
You will have a better idea when you reach The Maine Junction which way to go.
So who has an image to link? If I knew of a good one, I would have attached it to this post.
4eyedbuzzard
02-12-2011, 22:17
My wife and I are starting the AT this friday, maybe the LT while we are in VT in June...maybe....175 miles doesn't seem bad today when add to 2000.
It is a very rewarding and beautiful, but very difficult, 175 miles. It will be tougher than any part of the AT you have hiked getting there on your NOBO.
I doubt there are very many. As others have said, most NOBO's are fixated on the finish at that point of their hike and do not want to invest any energy on anything that doesn't help them achieve "the goal". There were two folks from the New England area that I knew that were talking about going back to the LT and finishing that after sumitting Mt. K last year but don't know if they ever did or not.
It is a very rewarding and beautiful, but very difficult, 175 miles. It will be tougher than any part of the AT you have hiked getting there on your NOBO.
Some of the hardest LD hiking I've done has been on the northern portion of the LT. Some gnarly backpacking! Also very beautiful.
wvgrinder
02-12-2011, 23:23
ithaught id try to postthis message mattewski stile. onse the long trale is no longer followed by the at, the trail becomzws much moore bueautiful and spectacularral and challengiing. the nothern partof the lt is soooo special. its almost ashame that attruehikers dont get to see the best part of thistrale. iforone will be walknig thru the magnificent state of vermont as soon as i possibkely can.
Tim Miner
02-13-2011, 01:00
I hiked SOBO on the Long Trail starting from Journey's End. The mountains are tough up there. Only did 150 miles southward and plan on finishing remaining portion this coming summer. I've heard the southern end below Killington is a "breeze".
4eyedbuzzard
02-13-2011, 01:12
ithaught id try to postthis message mattewski stile. onse the long trale is no longer followed by the at, the trail becomzws much moore bueautiful and spectacularral and challengiing. the nothern partof the lt is soooo special. its almost ashame that attruehikers dont get to see the best part of thistrale. iforone will be walknig thru the magnificent state of vermont as soon as i possibkely can.
The [mis]spelling and punctuation is a reasonable attempt, but it was way too intelligible. I actually understood what you intended to communicate. Try again with an emphasis on leaving the reader with the feeling of, "*** was that about?"
double d
02-13-2011, 10:44
What is the most difficult section of the LT north of The Long Trail Inn? I'm hiking the last 180 miles (from the LTI) of the LT this summer.
CrumbSnatcher
02-13-2011, 11:33
my friend Heavy-D made a left on the LT at the junction.
he was running out of time,had to get back to school. didn't have the time to reach big-K
GA-VT-CANADA
I missed the LT/AT junction and continued up the LT to the next shelter, which was thankfully not too far.
I didn't even thing about finishing the LT!
WingedMonkey
02-13-2011, 12:54
I missed the LT/AT junction and continued up the LT to the next shelter, which was thankfully not too far.
I didn't even thing about finishing the LT!
And I thought I was the only one that would admit i did that :sun
I am sad to say that I don't even remember there being a junction :eek: Must have been in the hiker zombie mindset and stumbled in the right junction cause I do remember a Maine sign and aslo one at Baxter State Park. :)
What is the most difficult section of the LT north of The Long Trail Inn?
I'd say the stretch between the Maine Junction and RT15 (~50 miles from the border). Lots of ups and downs, steep trail that is less well maintained then the AT/LT section to the south...it also has less people on it (Camels' Hump and Mansfield the exceptions) and perhaps is the best part of the LT.
garlic08
02-13-2011, 15:44
I have one friend who finished the AT then came back to finish the LT. I've never heard of anyone else doing that, though I suppose there are a few more.
Slo-go'en
02-13-2011, 16:17
What is the most difficult section of the LT north of The Long Trail Inn? I'm hiking the last 180 miles (from the LTI) of the LT this summer.
From Mt Mansfield to the boarder. From the AT/LT junction to Camels hump isn't too bad, as it is still a decent ridge walk most the way.
The two summers I spent as a GMC caretaker (Mansfield and Camels hump area) I think I only meet one AT through hiker who detoured up to Canada and back before heading to Maine. But this was back in the late 80's.
The Old Chief
02-13-2011, 18:22
Stumpknocker did it in 2008 around the middle of August after reaching Hanover. He was trying to make me look bad!!!
wvgrinder
02-13-2011, 19:25
I have one friend who finished the AT then came back to finish the LT. I've never heard of anyone else doing that, though I suppose there are a few more.
Your friend made a wise choice. :D
StubbleJumper
02-13-2011, 21:51
What is the most difficult section of the LT north of The Long Trail Inn? I'm hiking the last 180 miles (from the LTI) of the LT this summer.
Appalachian Gap to Route 15 is probably the gnarliest stretch. It's also some seriously rewarding hiking with nice views and long stretches with few people.
When I did my SOBO, I didn't even know what the LT was - maybe someone in VT mentioned it - not sure - I guess I knew about it ... don't really remember. Last year, I hiked the LT - man, it's really beautiful .... i mean it is truly spectacular - I'd highly recommend it to any hiker - the LT (and the LT trail towns) are really great. Enjoy.
Oleskool
02-13-2011, 23:54
Me and the wife start the AT friday, I'm gonna have my LT trail guide in a mail drop up north and we are going to TRY and add it to this hike. It sounds wonderful.
Wolverine
02-14-2011, 22:15
I came back and completed the Long Trail (from US 4 north to Canada) in 2004, the year after my AT thru-hike. There were several other people from the class of '03 who did this as well -- I missed most of them by a few weeks, but I saw their entries in the journals heading north, like the ghosts of old friends.
I did meet a hiker at the Sunrise Shelter on the LT by the name of "Trek" who had done what OP mentions -- he had already finished the AT in mid-August, and had come back to Maine Junction to continue northward and finish the LT in the same calendar year....and apparently, he had done this the year before too!
Migrating Bird
02-15-2011, 08:18
I met Trek in ME last june and if I remember correctly, each of the last seven years after completeing the AT he goes back to finish the LT.
peakbagger
02-15-2011, 08:53
The logistics of including it in an AT hike makes it difficult. The trail ends in a rural area and getting back south to Maine junction is going to require a couple of hitches as there really isnt any options for public transportation. There is a new connection to a east west trail in quebec that may make for some interesting loop hikes in the future but I dont know the status of the quebec trail.