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  1. #1
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    Default E2E at the end of June: Advice needed ...

    Hello! My wife and I are going to hike the Long Trail at the end of June. Our goal is to hike its entirety by the middle of July. Our proposed plan is to go southbound. I know a lot of people go northbound and leave Canada as the grand finale finish, but we like the idea of finishing in Massachusetts more, since it is our home state.

    Could you guys and gals look over our gear list? Are we missing anything?

    Thanks!

    https://lighterpack.com/r/3wbaf8

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  2. #2

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    Looks pretty good overall. How are you going to charge your phone? My iPhone 6 goes about three days in airplane mode, taking photos, and journaling in evenings.

    Toilet paper? Trowel? Need to carry both. There are privys at all shelters, but you still should carry these.

    40 degree quilt. You should be ok most nights, but it can really get cool. A quilt is not a bag, and leaks air around the sides. I personally carry a 20* quilt, but that's just me.

    I carried a bear bag kit but never could use it. Trees on the LT tend to be dense, short, rendering bear lines useless, IMO.

    I know you'll have a great time!

  3. #3
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    I thru hiked the LT last year Nobo. I used my Z packs bear bag every night, worked well. 40 degree quilt may be marginal, my hike was July/Aug and my sleep system is good into the upper 20's and I was borderline a couple of times. TP - I'd carry more. I also suggest 3 pairs of socks, 2 for hiking, 1 for sleeping - LT can be wet n muddy in spots. Last year was a very hot very dry year, I had to carry 3-4 liters of water as many water sources were dry even at shelters. I met folk that were in tough shape as they were out of water. It was hot and 10-15 mi between water sources were not uncommon. Also you have 3 hats, I just carried a OR beenie, your in the trees much of the time. Bring the pad, due to the occasional tent platform, roots & rocks. Have a great hike.

    Here's a story as I noticed you have included an epi pen: I started my day at The Inn at Long Trail, once past Maine Junction, I didn't see anybody until about 4:30 pm. As I'm hiking along, traversing a steep slope, I see a guy scrambling back up to the trail. I think "oh great, the only person I see all day and I catch him doing his business. I intersect him just as he gets to the trail and he says " did you see the sign" I say "what sign" he says "about the bees" I say "what bees?" he says "the bees in that big log across the trail" I say "no". He says, "there's a sign on the other side". Sure enough we look around and find a note in a baggy that had fallen between a couple of rocks, it read "DANGER ANGRY BEES IN LOG" Sure enough, I could see yellow jackets going in and out of the log right in the middle of the (narrow) trail. I would have just walk up to the log, sat on it and swung my legs over as it was about 3 feet in dia. I keep thinking, the only person I see all day saved me from a very painful experience (lots of bees, shorts, tee shrit) serendipity?

  4. #4
    Hiker bigcranky's Avatar
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    We went nobo in 2014, the month of July. I had a 45F quilt, which was fine most nights but marginal on a few -- I brought my light puffy down parka and used it almost every night, very helpful. (It was my only warm layer.) My partner used her 30F Montbell bag. I did use my Zpacks food bag and was able to hang my food easily every night using a PCT style hang.

    Overall your list looks fine. Other comments:
    The low temps were often in the 50s and dipped into the 40s a few nights. I did use my fleece beanie a lot. Never wore my gloves. Wore my rain mitts and needed them. I carried three pairs of socks, one was kept dry for sleeping. I carried a very light (150-wt) long sleeve top and long johns for camp and sleeping, they were comfortable and nice to have. I solved my two chafing problems by (1) tucking in my wool hiking shirt to cover my hips and prevent chafing from the hip belt, and (2) pulling my nylon hiking shorts up high to prevent my thighs from rubbing together, though note that there is a very fine line between making this work and giving oneself a wedgie . Because we traveled by train, my town/camp clothes were a nice pair of zipoff REI Sahara pants and my old Columbia nylon fishing shirt -- I found these surprisingly useful in town and even on the trail. I wore the fishing shirt around camp almost every night as a light bug-resistant layer. I wore the zipoffs a lot, but only as shorts, I never used the legs. We both had the OR trail runner ball cap with the nylon cape. We used the cape a few times to keep the gnats out of our ears.

    We carried a Zpacks Hex Twin. We now have a Triplex for regular hiking. I recall several spots where I was able to squeeze the Hex Twin in between trees, etc., where I would not have been able to put the Triplex. Not a big deal, but just keep in mind that some tenting areas can be small.

    Your pad is the Neoair? Good choice especially since you'll end up sleeping in some shelters. I originally brought a 3/4 Prolite, which is great on the ground but awful in shelters. I replaced it with the lightest Neoair full length pad in Manchester. I did notice that >99% of the nobo AT thru-hikers seemed to have Neoairs. Sleeping comfort is important. I don't think you need the Xtherm, but my wife used hers and had no complaints.

    Kitchen: what are you going to be cooking? We decided speed was more important than weight and brought a Jetboil -- good thing, too, as we are not fast hikers and had to be on the trail very early in the morning to make the miles needed on the LT each day. I would get up at first light, get the food bags down, and start making coffee and breakfast while my partner packed up our gear inside the tent. Then she would toss out stuff sacks and we'd organize a little, sit and eat breakfast, load our packs, and hit the trail just after dawn.

    Water: bring something to scoop with, and/or to direct the flow into the Sawyer bags. I now use an old Sawyer 32-oz bag with the top cut off. It folds flat, weighs nothing, but can be opened up to scoop water out of puddles and ponds where it was impossible to fill a bag. We tried to get all our water dealt with in the evening, again to cut down on camp chore time in the morning, so we had three of the 2-liter Sawyer bags to collect water for treatment. I also carried Aqua Mira tablets for occasions when we passed a water source but had no time to stop and filter -- also for a couple of sketchy places where I wanted to filter and treat with chlorine (mostly pond water).

    Hygiene: you're going to use half a tissue to wipe your butt? To quote David Letterman, "what do you eat?" At the very least, try using paper towels cut in quarters, these hold up better. We did carry and use an aluminum snow stake as a trowel, and we carried a roll of TP and some wipes. There are privies, but not everywhere.

    I purchased a head net for the LT and carried it the entire trail, and never used it. YMMV, of course.
    Ken B
    'Big Cranky'
    Our Long Trail journal

  5. #5
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    You are going SOBO....I recommend you arrive in top hiking shape as northern VT will test your stamina. Otherwise I agree about the 40 degree quilt. Have some extra layers to get you thru a few cold nights.
    Order your copy of the Appalachian Trail Passport at www.ATPassport.com

    Green Mountain House Hostel
    Manchester Center, VT

    http://www.greenmountainhouse.net

  6. #6
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    I never carry a trowel on the LT. Outhouses at shelters usually don't have TP. The end of June may still be buggy (black flies and/or mosquitos). I don't remember whether you are treating your clothing with permethrin or bringing bug dope. I would probably bring a summer weight sleeping bag (40 degrees) and I don't know how the quilt compares.
    Have a wonderful trip! You'll enjoy cruising southbound after you get below Camel's Hump.

  7. #7
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    I think the quilt will be fine, especially with a puffy, Capilene thermal-weight leggings, and a fleece-hybrid sleeping top. I have a 30* quilt I'm able to push to about 28*, so I'm thinking the 40* will get me to where I need to be.

    A lot of good advice and observation out there! I appreciate it!

  8. #8

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    I would only bring the poncho for your rain gear. Youre going to get wet either from the rain or from sweat so you choose. Also, leave the gaiters at home. I brought a pair on my e2e last August and they got a free ride. The mud and water are going to get to your feet regardless. I had four pairs of socks at one point, three for hiking and one for sleeping. The canopy is thick and nothing will really dry out. I had to wear my wet clothing in camp to have it dry out by my body heat and then be sure to put it back in your pack otherwise it will be damp/moist in the morning. Leave the sun hat at home as well. You won't see the sun for long stretches

    Don't skimp on the TP and don't worry so much about hygeine...you're in the woods after all. Rinse off with water from streams, etc. You have to pack out the wipes anyway as you aren't supposed to dump them in privies. I didn't carry any deodorant either.

    Forget the bear bag as it's unnecessary. Anywhere there are actual bear threats you will also find bear boxes, mainly in Camels Hump State Park. The real threat the your food are mice so bring some parachord to hang a food bag.

    You'll need to be able to carry at least three liters of water imo. I don't know anything about the Nano Air jacket but some type of puffy/insulated jacket should be in your pack.

  9. #9
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    Obviously, some of what you decide to take is personal preference. I always hike with gaiters and I carry wipes. I leave a biodegradable wipe in the privy. I don't carry deodorant. I hike with a cap on for sun protection on the beautiful bald summits and hikes through meadows, etc., or for hiking in the rain or simply as a general head protector from spider webs and other stuff. I hang my food in a tree on a light weight piece of rope (kite line) -- more for the small critters than bear. I hang the rope with the old-fashioned method of trying a stone at one end of the rope and throwing it over the limb(s). There should be plenty of water on the entire trail. Depending on how many times a day you want to filter water should help you figure out how much you need to carry. I never carried a full three liters. Two summers ago, I believe, there was serious bear activity around Camel's Hump, which is when the bear boxes were placed in the area. I suggest a week-end out with your gear of choice before you start the LT. There's a tremendous range of personal preference.

  10. #10
    Some days, it's not worth chewing through the restraints.
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    my two cents, keeping in mind that most of these are personal preference items and you have the basics covered: 1) keep the beanie, don't worry about mittens, 2) long socks might look dorky {no doubt in my case} with low shoes, but low socks get filled with mud, 3) I like an umbrella, YMMV

    SOBO is a great way to go. Laura Woodward has the best water on the trail, Shooting Star can be iffy. My "must stay" campsite is Puffer. You can wake up to the sunrise. Camping atop Jay Peak is nice, too.

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