Woman solo-hiking e2e 2015?

[apompea]

I am planning a thru-hike (NOBO/SOBO not decided yet) of the Long Trail July-August 2015. As of now, I don't have a hiking partner other than my dogs (not sure if I would bring one, both, or alternate them halfway through, or just leave them home). My boyfriend gets little to no time off in the summer, so he is out. (We are thinking of thru-hiking the AT in 2017). I am a special education teacher and plan to work the first 3 of 5 weeks of summer school to save up some funds, and then set off mid- July. I will be 25 when I plan to complete this thru-hike.

My questions are as follows:

How safe is it for a solo woman on the LT? I know the bottom half is relatively crowded with AT thru-hikers, and I think I would be reassured in the beginning if going NOBO that there were people around me. I guess mostly I am afraid of creepy men. I know there probably aren't many on the trail, but what about towns? I've spent a decent amount of time in VT growing up, my grandfather owned the Arlington Inn when I was younger and I go at least once a year to Stratton to spend time with friends and snowboard. Its always been a great experience. Any input on dangers for solo women on and off trail? What is the resupply situation like- how far to towns from the trail? I have quickly read through the end to ender's guide and it seems like most towns are a decent hike away from the trail. I feel really wary about hitchhiking alone. Would hitchhiking alone be a bad idea? Would you recommend using shelters when available, or tent camping? This is going to sound ridiculous, but I have an irrational fear of spiders. The idea of an open faced shelter at night provided access to any and all spiders freaks me out. Its one thing to see them on the trail, but another to snuggle up with one at night. That, and I have heard about rodents in shelters. I don't know- what's your input on shelters vs tents? I also have a hammock I could bring.

I would REALLY appreciate if there are any female solo LT thru-hikers had any advice to give regarding these questions or anything in general! And anyone else who has advice regarding any of my questions above- please do share.

[Slo-go'en]

1) there is no reason for a single woman alone to have any fear hiking the LT. I've meet plenty. Vermont is about a safe a state as you can find anywhere. At least a 1000 times safer then where you live now!

2) Tent sites are rare along the LT. They are more common along the southern AT stretch then the northern half. Then once north of the National Forest (about mid state), the trail crosses state and private land where camping is restricted to designated areas (shelters). These are typically located where tenting is not practical or is very restrictive and less then idea. Even finding suitable trees for a hammock can be difficult.

The shelters are there for a reason and you'll be glad to be in one when the evening or late night Thunderstorms roll in. You should still bring a tent or other personal shelter for safety reasons, but you probably aren't going to need it.

3) I would not recommend bringing a dog. Porcupines are still common in Vermont and if your dog messes with one, the dog will be in great pain until you can get to a vet. You'll also have to be able to carry the dog up ladders and up or down cliffs. If you have a city dog which is not used to being in the woods or around other people it will be nothing but trouble for you and those around you.

4) Buy a copy of the Green Mt Club "Guide to the Long Trail" and the E2E guide and bring plenty of money. You will want a night off the trail once a week or so for a shower and resupply and most of the accommodations are B+B's which typically run $50 to $90 a night. Speaking of resupply, the only practical way to get to a store or town is by hitching, which shouldn't be a problem for a woman. Me, being one of those creepy old men your afraid of, have a hard time getting a ride.

Keep in mind the northern end of the Long Trail is very difficult. Going SOBO gets the hard part out of the way first, but it can be slow and painful going at first. Most like to go NOBO to get into better shape for the northern end. There is also more traffic on the AT section so you'll have a little company. It can be pretty lonely on the northern end.

[apompea]

Thanks for the response!

1) Valid point! I suppose if I am not afraid to walk around alone at night in one of the more dangerous cities in CT and teach students with emotional and behavioral disorders, I shouldn't be afraid to hike alone in the woods.
2) Great input, and from what I have read, the shelters are a welcome sight at the end of the day. I will probably bring a small, light one person tent for times when the shelter is full.
3) My dogs go on daily hikes, but do tend to chase deer or birds. They generally will slow down around people to gage the person's interest in petting them. If the person ignores them, they continue on. Unfortunately, they interpret yelling and jumping out of fear as a person's way of saying, "Play with me!" They are 30-45 pounds, so I wont be able to carry them up ladders. Thanks for the advice.
4) I have both guides. I am thinking I will use my money from teaching summer school for 3 weeks- probably 1500$ for the trip.

I went on an over night trip on the AT here in CT around Kent last weekend- I was in a world of pain for a couple days after carrying a small 20lb pack for 8 miles the first day and 6 miles the next. I'll need some more conditioning for sure! I picked up some trekking poles for my next trip out.

[bigcranky]

Just got back from an E2E hike. Saw several solo women doing the Long Trail. No issues whatsoever as far as we could tell. They were young, confident, and putting in pretty good miles.

If you're asking, I would strongly recommend not bringing a dog, let alone more than one. There are plenty of places where a dog just can't or shouldn't go, or where you'll have to carry the dog and jump or climb over an exposed area with a full pack. Or climb down ladders with the dog, backwards and exposed to a pretty good fall.

$1500 is more than enough for a Long Trail hike, and will let you stay in some of the nicer places.

Resupply was easy. Nice markets in the larger towns, hitching is easy in Vermont (and safe enough even for a solo female, I think.) Our journal has a logistics page with some info that might be helpful. (link below)

We brought a very light tent, and spent maybe half our nights tenting. North of Rt 4 there are fewer places to tent. The shelters are ok for the most part.

Definitely get into shape before hiking the LT, and go with as light a pack as possible. I can't overstate this. The trail totally kicked our butts, and we do a LOT of hiking. I thought we were in hiking shape. We would get on the trail by 7am, hike until 5 or 6pm, pushing really hard all day, and at the end of the day we'd done 12 or 13 miles total. On the Southern AT that sort of effort would have gotten us 18 or 20, easy.

[Praha4]

I've met many solo female hikers on the Long Trail before, and they were doing great. Ditto the advice about the dog on the LT. I met a guy in 2012 at Story Spring shelter that was hiking with his dog, and the dog had a bad encounter with a porcupine, his nose was badly infected, the guy was ending his hike early to get his dog to a vet clinic asap. Once you get north of Maine Junction, the LT becomes more challenging. The "lodges"/shelters along the LT are great, many are fully enclosed in the northern half of the LT. Resupply is not difficult on the LT, and Vermont has to be one of the most hiker friendly states I've ever hiked in, usually easy to get a hitch at major road xings. As far as a female hitchhiking alone, I would probably advise against it, but you will meet so many other hikers on the trail, it's easy for you to get in a small group or pair up with somebody else hitching into a town. I always take a list of taxi services and shuttle drivers along the LT. Get a copy of the End-2-end LT Guide book, and the LT map. I'm heading up to start a nobo E2E LT hike on 8/26, can't wait to get started. Good luck to you.

[apompea]

Thanks for your response! I will absolutely read your journal. I am working on my gear now (I have a 52L pack, 32* sleeping bag, waterbottles, poles, stove, and cooking pots already), and plan to go to the REI garage sale in October/get whatever else I need at Christmas. Congrats on your e2e hike!

[apompea]

I've met many solo female hikers on the Long Trail before, and they were doing great. Ditto the advice about the dog on the LT. I met a guy in 2012 at Story Spring shelter that was hiking with his dog, and the dog had a bad encounter with a porcupine, his nose was badly infected, the guy was ending his hike early to get his dog to a vet clinic asap. Once you get north of Maine Junction, the LT becomes more challenging. The "lodges"/shelters along the LT are great, many are fully enclosed in the northern half of the LT. Resupply is not difficult on the LT, and Vermont has to be one of the most hiker friendly states I've ever hiked in, usually easy to get a hitch at major road xings. As far as a female hitchhiking alone, I would probably advise against it, but you will meet so many other hikers on the trail, it's easy for you to get in a small group or pair up with somebody else hitching into a town. I always take a list of taxi services and shuttle drivers along the LT. Get a copy of the End-2-end LT Guide book, and the LT map. I'm heading up to start a nobo E2E LT hike on 8/26, can't wait to get started. Good luck to you.

Thanks for the advice! I agree and think I will be most comfortable using public transportation/shuttles/taxis rather than hitching. Best of luck on your hike- enjoy!!

[hissypurr]

23 year old solo female here, and I finished my LT E2E NoBo about a month ago with my dog and absolutely loved it. My dog (a 40 pound husky mutt) used to be a sled dog so I knew she was up to the physical challenge of the hike and she had a fantastic time. She carried a pack with all her own food and water in it (as well as some snacks for me if there was room) and I carried her bowl and small fleece blanket. My dog's not the best at coming when called (since she's only been a pet for a few months) so I hiked with her on a leash attached to my waist for the first few days but after enough times of her almost pulling me down slippery rock faces, I trained her to walk behind me without a leash which worked out perfectly. If she tried to pass by me on the trail I would just say no and step in front of her. She learned quickly. She's pretty agile so she was able to go down most slippery rocks herself, even some places where there were ladders. The only times I really had to carry her under my arm were down Ladder Ravine near Camel's Hump and on a couple ladders going up Mansfield. There were a few small difficult sections where I would have to help her but don't let that deter you from bringing a dog since I think it added immensely to my experience of the hike overall.

Since I had my dog and had to mail her food ahead of time I did two mail drops in places where the trail went right by a road - the Inn at the Long Trail and the post office in Jonesville. I thought I would resupply in towns between the drops but wound up packing way more food than I was going through so I resupplied in town once - in Jonesville (also the only place I hitched - to get into town and then back to the trail) mostly for luxury food items... I could never have enough Cabot cheese.

I had never hitched before (I'm from CT, too, so I know it's not a thing I would ever even consider here) but everyone I met was incredibly friendly. The roads you're passing through are pretty much in the middle of nowhere Vermont so all the locals know about the trail and know what you're doing and where you want to go. They can tell you're a hiker and will help you out. I hitched with another girl and we were picked up within a few minutes each time - once from the trail head and once from a gas station in town.

I hiked alone for the first week or two then, once the AT splits off and you start meeting more LT hikers, I formed a hiking group with a couple and one other girl who had been hiking solo. In the northern part of the trail there were maybe only 3 or 4 nights where the four of us were the only ones in shelters. The LT is incredibly common for overnighters, weekenders, and section hikers, especially due to the relatively well maintained shelters. The idea of sleeping alone, even with my dog, kind of freaked me out but I never had to do it. There are always people around. It's also very likely that you'll hook up other hikers and form a group since people are generally doing the same amount of miles per day, especially given how the shelters are spaced out and what mileage makes sense for that section.

The LT was my first backpacking experience and people were definitely hesitant that I was doing it alone, but 95% of the end to enders I met were going solo, or at least started out that way. Also if you can bring your dog, at least maybe on some of the easier sections, I would definitely recommend it. Having mine with me was incredible - I never got homesick and we formed a strong bond through spending so much time by each other's sides for so long. I never found her to be a hinderance to me except for a handful of times I really had to help her up difficult sections but, like I said, those were only a few minutes. Otherwise I was still able to get hitches, still able to stay in hotels, etc. Totally worth having to pick her up in a few spots!

[roughdrafts]

I completed an E2E solo hike on the Long Trail this summer as well. I think I spent 15-16 nights on the trail and 7 nights in towns (mostly due to rain and work obligations but maybe also due to Vermont beer options) and I only slept in shelters when there were no tent sites available. I used to prefer shelters, but I'm a light sleeper and the mice and other campers keep me awake, so these days I'd rather be in a tent. I did spend two nights totally alone near the northern end of the trail, but otherwise there were always other hikers camped nearby. I met a couple of weirdos (including a couple of weirdo drivers who picked me up when I was hitchhiking) but I never felt threatened or unsafe. I don't feel comfortable hitchhiking alone as a woman, but it was a necessity for me because I also don't like to carry more than a few days' worth of food and I didn't see any other inexpensive alternative to getting into towns. It's worth looking into shuttle providers though.

My resupplies / town stays were in:
Manchester Center
Killington
Waitsfield
Stowe
Johnson

I absolutely loved the Long Trail despite bad weather and challenging terrain between Waitsfield and Johnson (and a particularly rough day on Mansfield). I mostly hiked 17-21 miles a day, but I was pushing pretty hard and that pace is definitely not for everyone. I carried a base weight of 14 lbs, which made the steep climbs easier, but I struggle with steep descents (fear of falling). I can't imagine trying to carry a dog down those ladders, but I did meet a lot of dog hikers so I guess it works out for them. What else...I carried the Green Mountain Club's guidebook but never looked at it, preferring the very useful Guthook phone app. I met wonderful, generous Vermonters both on the trail and in towns, and they're what made my hike so memorable.

Let me know if you have any questions -- I'm happy to help out any way that I can!

[vinovampire]

3) My dogs go on daily hikes, but do tend to chase deer or birds. They generally will slow down around people to gage the person's interest in petting them. If the person ignores them, they continue on. Unfortunately, they interpret yelling and jumping out of fear as a person's way of saying, "Play with me!" They are 30-45 pounds, so I wont be able to carry them up ladders. Thanks for the advice.

I'm not going to sugarcoat things. From this description, your dogs are out of control and a danger to other people, wildlife, and themselves. No one else should have to interpret your dogs intentions. Your dogs should be with you at all times and under voice or leash control. They could hurt someone or get a hoof or quills to the face. Also, according to Vermont State law: "A game warden may shoot a dog who is pursuing a deer or moose close enough to endanger its life, or a fine may be issued."

I love hiking with dogs. I took my old dog out for over a decade before she became too old, but she was always under my control. 99% of the time she was on leash, but for the rare times I had to unleash her on ladders or steep areas, she was trained to hike behind me or to sit down and wait.

Allowing your dog to run at other people is dangerous and disrespectful. Others have relayed that it is generally safe for women to hike solo on the LT, but I challenge you to realize that you might be a threat to other women and men.

[vinovampire]

With that rant out of the way , I'll make a few other suggestions. The LT does seem to be generally safe for solo hikers. My good friend just hiked most of it in September, but had to people off half way through due to a leg injury. I picked her up in central Vermont. This was some of the "solo woman" advice I gave her before her hike:

1) Don't tell random people where you're staying for the night;

2) Don't sign into trail resister using your first name. Use a trail name known by your friends/family and/or last name; and

3) Have emergency phone numbers and taxi/shuttle numbers written done on a piece of paper. If your phone dies, you might be able to borrow someone else's phone to make a quick call. Nobody expects their phone to die, but it happened to my friend.

Good luck!

[North Star]

There were quite a few solo female hikers when I did the LT last summer. I don't see it as much of a safety issue at all. I'll add to the previous poster's suggestion re. using a trail name. Choose your own, and don't make it gender specific for a woman.
I probably would hesitate to hitchhike if I were a woman, but when hitching, several of my rides were from women, which quite surprised me. Vermont is not your average state! I would suggest however, that any women hitch with a friend if at all possible.
Please, if you take your dog, keep it on a leash. The only time I was really afraid on my hike was during 2 different encounters with dogs. The first turned out to be friendly (2 big dogs), but by the time I knew that my adrenaline was already pumping and totally took me out of my hiker mellow. The second time was NOT friendly at all. The owners were out of sight when I encountered the dogs in both cases. And, of course, a leash with prevent unfortunate encounters with porkys.
I hope your hike ends up being as good as mine. I consider mine to have been one of the most rewarding times of my life. Take your time going down the mountains. Most people I know who were forced off the trail had overtaxed their knees on the downhills.

[MuddyWaters]

A shelter with bug inner that can be used alone in shelters, will solve the arachnophobia.

Use resupplies you can walk to. Someone may still stop and offer. Never feel obligated to accept a ride just because someone pulled over, even if you are hitching. Just say thanks, but you changed your mind and walk away from vehicle.

Trust your instincts, and your Spidey sense. And don't worry. Everything will be great. Male hikers will appreciate it if you help them get a ride too.

[hepatica]

I did a solo, SOBO end-to-end hike in August 2014. I completed the hike in 19 days and only resupplied three times. I recognize that pace may not be fun for some, but it worked for me.

I never hitched. I resupplied at Johnson (easy walk into town), Jonesville PO (on the trail), and the Rutland (bus from Inn at Long Trail). I carried lightweight gear, which meant I could carry more food and cut down on time off trail.

I only used my tent once, when the shelter was full, but I was glad I had it. I had a couple shelters to myself, which was awesome. I only came across one person who made me feel a bit uncomfortable, but there were plenty of other people camped nearby. I would have no concern about going solo again.

You can see my trail journal here

[Praha4]

I did a NoBo e2e LT hike in Sept 2013. Have also done 3 other AT/LT section hikes in August and Sept. By a wide margin, I really liked doing the LT hike in September 10x better than August, especially starting AFTER Labor Day weekend. The LT gets pretty crowded over the holiday weekends during hiking season, made for crowded shelters and campsites. After Labor Day weekend, the weather is much cooler, you start to get fall colors, and the trail is much less crowded, the AT thru hikers have mostly passed thru by then too.

[Cookerhiker]

Although I never met her in person (missed her by a day), a woman named Pooh-Bear thruhiked the LT the same year I did - 2007. You can contact her via trailjournals.com or simply read her journal: http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=210144

Blissful has also hiked the LT.

[mark schofield]

I usually hike the long trail by myself, and invariably meet people that I have passed or who have passed me during the day in the evenings at the shelters. So after a few days it's not really a solo experience anymore.

[fastfoxengineering]

Solo hiking on the LT.. safe

I went in August into the first week of september, sobo

If I were to do it again, I'd start the first week of September, go sobo, and bring warm layers. No bugs, the trees are changing color, and no crowds. Best time for the LT

pack light and you'll prob be able to use a shelter every night if that's your thing.

personally, id go with my hammock again. finding camping spots is relatively hard on the LT.. my hammock gave me more possibilities than I would of had with a tent imho

just dont underestimate how chilly it can get, cause it can get very cold up in the northern section.