Long Trail end-to-end in July?

[bigcranky]

So I can maybe get the month of July off from work. (Maybe.) Thinking about the Long Trail northbound. I see a lot of folks talking about August or even September as being the ideal months for an e2e hike, but I also see journals of hikers out for sections on the LT as early as the end of May.

So, comments on July for an end to end hike? Weather, temperatures, rain, town services, bugs, crowds? I've never hiked up in the far north, so I'm not sure what to expect for nighttime temps or what I need for a sleeping bag and clothing. Or if I need some huskies and a sled or whatever.

Thanks in advance.

[Jeff]

July and August are when most AT NOBO thruhikers are passing thru ....usually making for a lot of great interaction in southern Vermont. September offers ideal weather (as long as you don't mind some chilly nights).

From mid-August through mid-Sept you are going to run into quite a few university "orientation" groups...no big problem unless you are sharing a shelter with them...and that can be entertaining !!!!

[Slo-go'en]

July is good. Most of the black flies are gone and the trail has mostly dried out and it won't be too crowded. All the sevices like B+B's will be open - many close down between the end of ski season and start of summer and summer doesn't start until after July 4th.

[bigcranky]

Thanks, Slo, this helps.

Jeff, I assume you're open in July?

How's the weather/climate in terms of average overnight temps in July?

[rafe]

Hot! Minus a few degrees for latitude and a few degrees for altitude, relative to Winston-Salem.

[Jeff]

We are open in July !!!

Weather.com says the average high in July is 79 degrees....seems low because so often it's in the 80's. Of course, the trail is usually at higher elevations and just a bit cooler. Interestingly, our town has never seen 100 degrees (while they have been keeping records!!).

http://www.intellicast.com/Local/History.aspx?month=7

[rafe]

BigCranky -- visit the Green Mountain Club website and order yourself a copy of the Long Trail End-To-Enders guide. They map out all the services, etc., just like the AT data book does for the AT. Well worth having and the money goes to a good cause.

GMC can also provide you with names and numbers for shuttlers along the LT.

Check out the Delorme Gazeteer for Vermont. Section hiker's best friend. A simple Vermont road map might suffice...

Bottom line, town access (and the trail itself) gets more difficult the further north you go. LT goes right through Jonesville, but aside from a post office and a few parking spaces, there's no useful services there. When they finish the footbridge over the Winooski, the trail will probably skip Jonesville. In most cases you're looking at a hitch of 5-10 miles down a fairly steep pass.

Inn at Long Trail is (in my opinion) a mandatory stop, and as far as I know they accept mail drops, or at least they used to.

[joshuasdad]

Jeff's hostel is also a mandatory stop too!

[bigcranky]

Thanks, rafe, I ordered those yesterday. Even though I don't know if I can get the extra time off, I feel like I need to start planning now.

[Mags]

Have fun...nice trail! The great-granddaddy of them all!

[Jeff]

The End to Ender's Guide does a good job identifying hiker services...but in the latest edition they took out all the mileage data. So if you like that kind of info you will need the Long Trail Guide or the Long Trail Map (nicely done) may suffice.

[bamboo bob]

[QUOTE=Jeff;1872585]We are open in July !!!

Weather.com says the average high in July is 79 degrees....seems low because so often it's in the 80's. Of course, the trail is usually at higher elevations and just a bit cooler. Interestingly, our town has never seen 100 degrees (while they have been keeping records!!).

In 2010 it was very close to 100. I was doing the LT with my wife. Maybe it was 100. Hot, Hot, Hot !

[Slo-go'en]

LT goes right through Jonesville, but aside from a post office and a few parking spaces, there's no useful services there. .

The LT does not go through Jonesville - it is 5-6 miles away and was a difficult hitch for me. The Stop and Shop which was flooded out due to hurricane Irean and was closed for a couple of years is apparently now open again. One of the bars gives a free first draft to LT hikers. So, it is worth going there. Nye's B+B is the place to stay, expensive but they will come pick you up either from the trail crossing or Jonesville, then take you back to the trail inthe morning after a nice breakfist.

And yes, the Inn at the Long Trail is a must stop. I stayed at another B+B in Waitsfield and ran up a $50 dinner and bar tab with out even trying. But it was so very, very good Anyway, bring lots of money, Vermont is pricy.

[rafe]

The LT goes right through Jonesville. See attached page from LT guide. I've been there several times now. It's exactly 11 miles from the north end of Division 9. Between Camel's Hump and Bolton Mtn, where the trail crosses the Winooski.

There's nought there but a post office attached to an antique shop. And of course the all-important bridge.

[Praha4]

I think the new Winooski River LT bridge will divert the trail a little east of the roadwalk bridge xing, where the trail goes thru Jonesville, where the Post Office is located. Not sure if that new suspension bridge will be finished in time for this summer. July should be a good month to hike the LT, a lot warmer than September that's for sure!

[rafe]

In 2010 it was very close to 100. I was doing the LT with my wife. Maybe it was 100. Hot, Hot, Hot !

I've dealt with heat on the LT. Last summer in mid June, and when I walked Hanover to Bennington in '02.

PS, I can heartily recommend Jan Leitschuh's LT journal, "The Ordinary Adventurer," a nobo journey that started Aug. 2, 2002. She also mentions the heat. So it wasn't just me.

[thomas5052]

We are open in July !!!

Weather.com says the average high in July is 79 degrees....seems low because so often it's in the 80's. Of course, the trail is usually at higher elevations and just a bit cooler. Interestingly, our town has never seen 100 degrees (while they have been keeping records!!).

http://www.intellicast.com/Local/History.aspx?month=7

I didn't visit the link to check if they meant the average average temperature? Of that month, but the average temperature is simply the mean of the high of the day and the low of the day to simplify things for all of the weather stations.

Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk

[Slo-go'en]

The LT goes right through Jonesville. See attached page from LT guide. I've been there several times now. It's exactly 11 miles from the north end of Division 9. Between Camel's Hump and Bolton Mtn, where the trail crosses the Winooski.

There's nought there but a post office attached to an antique shop. And of course the all-important bridge.

Opps, sorry I keep mixing up Jonesville with Johnson for some reason. The only thing they have in common is the first letter in the name

I got to Jonesville on a Sunday and for a change had an easy hitch to Richmond which has an IGA and a nice breakfest resturant. Then I got a ride back with in minutues which took me all the way to the trail head on the other side of the river.

[rafe]

Weird thing is I've been to Jonesville three times now, for three separate LT sections over the last summer.

You've got Richmond to the west and Waterbury to the east. But Jonesville itself has zilch. There's a foot bridge going up over the Winooski that will eliminate the road walk and take the trail away from Jonesville.


winooski_bridge.jpg

[Deadeye]

July is a great time to hike the LT. It might be hot, might not, bugs will be what they will be, but they won't be as bad as they were in June! In fact, if July is when you can go, then July is the absolute best time to hike the LT! If you go NOBO, you'll have company when you start out, and things will get much quieter as you go north of Rutland, and quieter still once past Mt. Mansfield, especially on weekdays.

Practically speaking, a 40 degree bag should be plenty. My summer gear on the LT is a 40 degree down bag, a fleece pullover, and a down vest. I wear zip-off shorts and a t-shirt, and that's it. 90% of the time the vest is just a pillow, but there are plenty of cool nights where it's nice to have for around camp, too.

Rain is a constant in Vermont, except when it's not raining. July will have plenty of short thundershowers. My personal raingear choice is a dry ducks jacket and an umbrella.