Community for LT Hikers

[RollingStone]

Hello - We are in the process of getting a new site online geared for the Long Trail community. This is a free site centered around social networking type features like Facebook. Here are some of the things that we will be including...

#1 - Online End to Enders Guide

#2 - Shelter guide and descriptions with photos or video

#3 - General Trail information with GPS mapping fo entire trail (GPS info will come after my thru hike in June)

#4 - Information for Blue Blaze trails

#5 - For users there is the ability to create and maintain your own blog, profile, status, photo albums, etc...

#6 - For groups, such as section maintainers, they too can create a group and utilize it to post information related to their section, or, businesses such as outfitters and hostels can create their own group and use in the same way.



What I am looking for right now is help from the general community of people who may have photos of all the shelters. I will follow up this post with a full shelter list. We want to document each shelter with general history, and photos of the shelter or surrounding area of the shelter.
We intend to publish this site live on February 9th and will follow up this post with URL. We intend to document each shelter on our own on our way thru this year but would like help from the general community to get the shelter documents started.



Any help anyone can give regarding the shelter photos or anything else you may want to contribute to the end to end guide would be much appreciated. You can contact me at jfiguranh-at-gmail-dot-com

Best,

[No Belay]

I thru hiked the LT last Sept and Oct. One thing that I wasn't aware of before my hike was the fantastic public transportation system via small buses that runs along Hwy 7 all the way from the Mass border to well North of Burlington. I was able to drop off the trail every 6-9 days and keep my vehicle that contained my winter gear close by. It saved me carrying a lot of extra gear that I didn't need until I got up North. There was public parking that I utilized in Bennington, Manchester Center, Rutland, Middlebury, and Burlington and I never had any theft or vandalism problems. The buses go directly to the trailheads at Killington and Middlebury Gap making it a breeze to resupply. My pre hike plannig would have been different if I had known of this great system.

TaTonka

[RollingStone]

That's exactly why we (my daughter and I) decided to create the site. Just as with the AT, there is an overwhelming amount of resources and options out there but in the case of the LT, there is not one consistent place where that info exists. The bus lines are one of the best features about Vermont and we hope to be able to bring all that information together for anyone who wants to enjoy the Long Trail system.

[emerald]

We're drowning in it already. I completed Vermont's Long Trail before the Internet existed! Everything I needed GMC provided.

[Lone Wolf]

same could be said for the AT and this site. does the AT need 3 handbooks? 10 websites?

go for it Grinch. to heck with the naysayers

[emerald]

same could be said for the AT and this site. does the AT need 3 handbooks? 10 websites?

Sometimes even Wolf is long-winded. What I quoted would have been a great post.

[buckwheat]

I was able to drop off the trail every 6-9 days and keep my vehicle that contained my winter gear close by. It saved me carrying a lot of extra gear that I didn't need until I got up North. There was public parking that I utilized in Bennington, Manchester Center, Rutland, Middlebury, and Burlington and I never had any theft or vandalism problems. The buses go directly to the trailheads at Killington and Middlebury Gap making it a breeze to resupply. My pre hike plannig would have been different if I had known of this great system.

TaTonka

This confused me just a bit. I wonder if you can clarify. Did you drop off the trail, and then hop a bus and take the bus back to where you started ... then pick up your car and drive it forward. And then get back on the trail?

That's one sweet system! How long was your average bus/carhaul trip? Did you fear at all that your car would be broken into. I've hesitated parking in a lot of areas because I just have this fear that leaving my car in a lot for 10 days is just inviting someone to break into it.

Thanks Buffalo

[buckwheat]

We are in the process of getting a new site online geared for the Long Trail community.

Although I suspect that you're not ready to debut your site, any chance I could get the link so I can bookmark it in case I miss your unveiling annoucement?

You could send it to me in a PM and I'll keep it on the QT.

Cheers,
Buckwheat

[Quoddy]

Looking at what the proposed site would provide it seems that the only thing that is not already provied by the GMC would be the Facebook and photo storage already provided by Trail Journals. If anyone actually reads all that the Long Trail Guide and the End-To-Ender's Guide have in them, they'll be suffering from information overload before they start. Also, leaving a little mystery of what is on the trail has as much merit as taking it away. Having said all that, I'd certainly join a LT specific forum/group since I live almost within sight of it.

[Yahtzee]

I think it's a fantastic idea! Having done the LT a few times, it was my experience that internet-resources on the LT were slim and disjointed. No doubt the two guides are excellent resources, but the web can offer so many more things that guidebooks can't, i.e. trail conditions, trailhead hazards, good resupply points, info on friendly bars and restaurants, constructive advice, etc.

I get the networking aspect is all the rage, but I think the opportunity to provide a one-stop shop of info would be the first order of business.

[RollingStone]

Yahtzee - You hit it on the head perfectly. I spent some time on the phone with Rough of www.longtrailpodcast.com

I am not trying to reinvent the GMC's guidebook. There isn't any reason to. Nor, am I trying to earn any money from this. The end to end guide published by the GMC is severely lacking. There are/were many more resources available than what the small pamphlet the GMC publishes as available.

Rough brought up an example of that that many people don't know. The Inn at the Long Trail. If you walk in they'll give you a discount versus making a reservation. They'll also give you a pass to ride the bus for free into Rutland. It's little things like that that can really help someone planning a long distance trip on this trail and where they may want to stop and experience local flavor or to re-supply.

Some of the area businesses are excited about the prospect as well because they will be able to update their information as it is available to hikers.

In the end, either people will like it, or they wont. But I will have some great fun putting it together and online because it will be unlike any other hiking community currently available and if it helps at least one hiker enjoy their trip a little better, then it was all worth it.

[Yukon]

Start it up, I'm game!

[RollingStone]

Hoping to launch on the 9th of February but it may be a few days after that depending. Regular customer business is keeping me busy. I just put up 53 shelter descriptions with photos today. One section of the end to end guide is done. Social networking stuff is up and running. Forum up and running... just have to finish the content which as you can imagine does take a little bit of time. The design is nice, easy and eye pleasing.

The E to E guide will be something that winds up evolving I think as people filter in and offer their input. If there are one or two of you that would like to help "Beta test" things before we announce the URL, send me a PM.

[No Belay]

This confused me just a bit. I wonder if you can clarify. Did you drop off the trail, and then hop a bus and take the bus back to where you started ... then pick up your car and drive it forward. And then get back on the trail?

That's one sweet system! How long was your average bus/carhaul trip? Did you fear at all that your car would be broken into. I've hesitated parking in a lot of areas because I just have this fear that leaving my car in a lot for 10 days is just inviting someone to break into it.

Thanks Buffalo

Buckwheat, That's exactly what I did. I'd hop off every 5-6 days, grab the bus back to my truck/equipment and move it forward to where I thought I'd be in another 5 days. I'd find secure parking for it then get back on the bus and return to where I left the trail. I never worried about my rig as I was able to find secure parking every where except Burlington. There I rented a storage unit and left it locked up for 11 days until I finished up. Hitching near the LT is a breeze, even got a ride by a county constable, so I was never off the trail over night. I had the advantage of buying my resupply items in bigger quanities and storing them in the container on my truck so I saved a lot of money. Another nice service provided by the buses were bike racks. Most of the busses could haul up to 4-6 bikes.

I'm on the trail now but if you'd like I'll send you the phone numbers of all the different services when I get back home.

TaTonka

[RollingStone]

For anyone following this thread, I thought I would take a moment to give you an update.

I have had some chats with Ben Rose who is the executive director of the GMC. We have decided together, to work together. I am really excited about this as I have a very strong attachment to the Long Trail and the New England Appalachian Trail.

The site is 80% built and complete. However, due to our new "partnership" if you will and at Ben's request, we wont go "live" our public with the URL until some pieces are in place from their side.

Stay tuned for more information as we progress.

[MOWGLI]

Good news. Thanks for the update.

[emerald]

I feel better about your proposal knowing it's a cooperative venture done with GMC's blessing.

One thing you might be able to do is make old photos or documents available which the general public might not be able to see otherwise.

I'd like to see more photos of the Long Trail Lodge. I've only seen those published in Green Mountain Adventure.

[RollingStone]

I'm glad it makes you feel better

I will add your old photos suggestion to my "Features" list and discuss with Ben when the time is appropriate. We still have alot of background work to get done and the end to end guide as well. I am hopeful we can go live now first week of March.

[emerald]

I look forward to your announcement here.