Long Trail wrapup report

[10-K]

Hold on now, slow your roll people. I didn't say he was hiking it the wrong way, I'm a HYOH believer through and through. I was just wondering if he was under a time crunch because his pace was faster than a large percentage of backpackers on the LT, except for the girl that just ran it in 5 days lol

I gotcha... I wasn't under a time constraint.

I just can't hike low mileage days and have a good time. I totally agree that Vermont is a beautiful state but the fact still remains that just like most hikes you hike-hike-hike-hike to something beautiful then you hike-hike-hike-hike to the next something beautiful.

Pretty much every hike I've ever been on has been mostly walking through mostly repetitive, nondescript terrain to get to the next view/vista/whatever.

[jakedatc]

I gotcha... I wasn't under a time constraint.

I just can't hike low mileage days and have a good time. I totally agree that Vermont is a beautiful state but the fact still remains that just like most hikes you hike-hike-hike-hike to something beautiful then you hike-hike-hike-hike to the next something beautiful.

Pretty much every hike I've ever been on has been mostly walking through mostly repetitive, nondescript terrain to get to the next view/vista/whatever.

Yep, What is the point of slowing down to look at trail that looks exactly like the last 50 miles. I argue that hiking faster/longer, you get to see MORE views.. either by hiking further and seeing more places, being able to stay at nice places longer, or move on to another trail once you've finished the one you are on.

I do not think that 15-20miles per day is that unreasonable for the Long Trail. It is set up very well to only carry 3-5 days of food, minimal shelter, minimal extra clothing, minimal water hauling.

[10-K]

Yep, What is the point of slowing down to look at trail that looks exactly like the last 50 miles. I argue that hiking faster/longer, you get to see MORE views.. either by hiking further and seeing more places, being able to stay at nice places longer, or move on to another trail once you've finished the one you are on.

I do not think that 15-20miles per day is that unreasonable for the Long Trail. It is set up very well to only carry 3-5 days of food, minimal shelter, minimal extra clothing, minimal water hauling.

I totally agree 100%. I thought many times while I was hiking how repetitive the trail and scenery was - then I'd pop out at something pretty cool. Definitely worth it but there are indeed long stretches that are as boring as on any hike.

I also agree that I (we) see the same things people hiking slower see...as we're hiking the same trail after all. Plus, I've already been out on another short hike since I got home which I wouldn't be able to do if I were still puttering down the Long Trail.

15 miles a day can be done anywhere on the trail but I think that'd be pushing it for most hikers the first 125 miles (going south). I had one 24 mile day in that section but the rest were between 16-19. The last 130 miles or so, particularly where it runs with the AT are a piece of cake and 25+ mile days there are no problem if you're a high-mileage kind of hiker.

And again, there's nothing wrong with 10 mile days if that's how you like to hike.

[rhjanes]

did you go North to South then? Or Yo-Yo it and just walked back to your vehicle?

[10-K]

Started at Journey's End and hiked back to MA.

[Praha4]

forgot to ask 10K a couple gear/clothing questions....what was your pack base weight for this hike? did you bring a tarp or tent? or did you plan on staying in shelters the entire hike?

I'm guessing shelters were almost always full in the south where the AT and LT are concurrent....

[10-K]

forgot to ask 10K a couple gear/clothing questions....what was your pack base weight for this hike? did you bring a tarp or tent? or did you plan on staying in shelters the entire hike?

I'm guessing shelters were almost always full in the south where the AT and LT are concurrent....

I don't weigh my pack anymore so I'm not sure. I would guess 16-18 lbs fully loaded with food and water.

My gear list was this:

Gossamer Gear Gorilla pack
Western Mountaineering Mightylite bag
Neoair Short
Lightheart Solo cuben tent
1 pair Black Diamond trekking poles
2 pair socks
1 pair golite shorts
1 golite shirt
1 golite tumalo rain jacket
1 ULA rainskirt
1 wool cap
1 Black Diamond spot
1 Oregon 450 GPS
1 SPOT
1 iPhone
1 charger/battery pack/cords
1 500ml ti pot
1 Gram cracker stove
1 Caldera cone
20 esbit tabs (forgot to put them in my mail drops so had to carry them all)
1 mini Bic lighter
1 toothbrush/toothpaste/floss
5 big band-aids
5 little band-aids
20 ibuprofen
20 prescription meds
1 tube neosporin
2 single edge razor blades
2 cuben medium size dry bags
2 cuben small size dry bags
1 cuben pack liner
1 cuben pack cover
1 cuben sleeping bag dry bag
1 48 oz Nalgene Cantene
3.5 days food
1 full gatorade bottle
1 empty gatorade bottle

In addition to the above I was wearing:

1 golite shirt
1 golite shorts
1 pair socks
1 pair Brooks Adrenaline trail runners
1 baseball cap
1 baggie with money, insurance/credit/debit card and car key

That's it.

[Praha4]

hi 10K,
thanks for the gear/clothing list, great U/L gear list. I'm kind of a gear nerd, always like seeing what other hikers are using to save weight.

questions: I didn't see any thermal layers, so guessing the August weather was very cooperative with warmer nights, you didn't need any fleece jacket or long sleeve Capilene or Terramar baselayer tops/bottoms? (I have the Golite Tumalo rain pants and they are great.) S

since I'm starting an e2e hike on Sept 5th, I'm taking a Patagonia R1 zip-neck Pullover fleece top.

wasn't that the WM Highlite bag? 35 degree, weighs about 16 oz.?

bugs/water situation? how were the bugs? how was the water availability north of Lincoln gap?

again, thanks for the intel and hike report, it's very helpful for others doing the LT hike!

[10-K]

Right.. I guess it's a Highlight.. I just got it for this hike and it weighed exactly 15 oz on my scale and it's a 35* bag...

Didn't take any thermal layers. Temps were in the low 80's during the day and low 50's at night. In the evening if I got a little cool I'd just wrap my sleeping bag around me - but it was warm enough.

No bugs at all to speak of, not too much mud - my feet were totally dry all but 3 days of the hike when it rained off and on.

North of Lincoln Gap it's dry but there was water at every shelter I stopped at and there were streams often enough so that I never had any problems getting close to running out of water.

However, I did learn quickly to carry 2 quarts up the longer climbs.

[Blissful]

I definitely plan to take warm stuff for my Sept start. 15 degree bag, baselayer and insulated jacket.

[SamA]

10-K, This has been a really helpful report. No. One Son and I step off next week from Williamstown and appreciate your insights/notes. They've helped us do some fine-tuning.

Still a bit nervous with one last mail drop to work out. The folks at the Hyde Away must have their hands full with the recent fire and we'd planned a drop/stay there mid-monthish. If we don't hear back from them by Monday, we'll try Plan B. Maybe the Hostel Tevere. Or we may just hitch into Waitsfield and use the Chamber of Commerce office for the mail drop.

SamA.

[angewrite]

Easy to hitch into town from App Gap. There's also the Waitsfield Inn right in town that you can stay/leave a mail drop. The post office is easily accessible and there are 2 grocery stores plus a health food store if you want to skip the drop altogether.

[lemon b]

Were you able to get to Bill W's house in East Dorset when hitting Manchester for re supply?

[T.S.Kobzol]

One of my favorite posts in the logbook in one of the shelters went something like this:

this has been one tough trail, broke both of my poles - can't pitch my tent anymore. F@@k You LT! F@@k You!

:-)

[Pressure D]

Bissful - I'm starting the next day maybe i will bump into you on the trail.

[Praha4]

I'm leaving nobo from Williamstown on Wed, Sept 5th.... maybe see some of you on the trail.

[Slo-go'en]

Easy to hitch into town from App Gap. There's also the Waitsfield Inn right in town that you can stay/leave a mail drop. The post office is easily accessible and there are 2 grocery stores plus a health food store if you want to skip the drop altogether.

The Waitsfiled Inn is high end, very expensive lodging.

The place to stay in Waitsfield in "The Hydeway". Reasonably priced for a Vermont B+B, has attached resturant with good food and bar with quality draft beer (My food and bar tab came to nearly $50. but I got a bit carried away ) Best part is they will shuttle you back to the trail in the morning.

[SamA]

The Waitsfiled Inn is high end, very expensive lodging.

The place to stay in Waitsfield in "The Hydeway". Reasonably priced for a Vermont B+B, has attached resturant with good food and bar with quality draft beer (My food and bar tab came to nearly $50. but I got a bit carried away ) Best part is they will shuttle you back to the trail in the morning.

Any word on when they're re-opening? Their recording said the Hyde Away had a fire and that theqy were working to re-open as soon as possible. Been tring to line up a room and mail drop, but no return call or answr to email.

[angewrite]

The Waitsfiled Inn is high end, very expensive lodging.

The place to stay in Waitsfield in "The Hydeway". Reasonably priced for a Vermont B+B, has attached resturant with good food and bar with quality draft beer (My food and bar tab came to nearly $50. but I got a bit carried away ) Best part is they will shuttle you back to the trail in the morning.

They don't advertise it but they do give discounts to hikers who walk in. Basically they won't discount a reservation but if they have a room available when you get there they'll give it to you for less than half price. They Hyde Away is going to be closed for a while. Probably not reopening until the end of Sept (if they're lucky.)

[Spokes]

10-K, did you purify water this trip? AM or Sawyer Squeeze? Itching' to know......