I’m looking for advice and general thoughts regarding an upcoming trip.

Sometime after 06 September I want to hike the Long Trail heading southbound from the northern terminus. I have hiked the AT part of the LT, so I don’t need to do the southernmost section.

I hunted for threads regarding this subject, and they were fairly old, possibly making the responses obsolete.


Here’s the plan:

Drive from home to the airport in Lebanon, NH early morning to avoid Boston traffic. A friend will fly to Lebanon, pick me up, and deliver me to the airport in Newport, Vermont; then he will fly back to southern New England. From there I will find my way the twenty miles to the trailhead and hike south, back to my car. I expect it will take 20 days. The vagaries of small airplane VFR aviation requires good weather for the trip, so not even my day to begin this adventure is certain.

I own the 17th edition of the End To Ender’s Guide, published in 2009. I also own the Long Trail Guide, 25th edition, published in 2003.



So here’s where I need input.


Should I purchase an updated guides, or shall I rely upon the ones I have?

The list of north-end shuttlers in the E2E is over 10 years old. Anyone have a recommendation for whom to call for the 20 mile trip from the airport in Newport, VT to the trailhead? I suspect traffic is pretty light, making a hitch an arduous task, and I hate the thought of calling relatives of people who have been dead for years.

Any shelters must-sees? How about ones I should avoid? The new moon is on 05 September making it set early evening. Any places I might cowboy camp to see the Milky Way?

How about views on a side trail worthy of a diversion?

Is the post office in Jonesville still open? I recall plans to close the place, and I think the trail was rerouted in the last several years, but I have no problem hiking the old route past the PO if I can pick up a mail drop.

I plan my first resupply in Johnson on Day 5. The E2E Guide indicates there are no hotels in town. Has that changed?

Alternatively, my first resupply will be in Stowe. I read that there are several lodgings available as well as a supermarket. Any recommendations of first-supply strategy?

After that, I have no firm plans for resupply food, fuel, and spirits. As all hiking plans are useless after Day One on the trail, has anyone have suggestions for subsequent resupply? If timing permits, I hope for an overnight at the Inn At The Long Trail.

On previous trips I didn’t bring rain gear. I have a light swimming suit (not quite the size of Larry Bird gym shorts, but close—I would not wear them into town) that I wear, and I wear the stinkiest shirt I have in rainy weather. I do have a Gore Tex jacket. Bring the jacket, or roll with the soaked to the bone strategy?

I forget which Heet I need to buy for my stove—red or yellow?



Some details worth mentioning:

I picked Lebanon as my hike’s finish because long ago I did an AT LASH, fell behind schedule, and skipped the AT between route 4 and Hanover, so this trip will fill in the 40-some miles between the Inn and Dartmouth College of the AT.

I turned 60 last year. Reasonably good shape. Experienced at long distance hiking.

Planning to rely on shelters, but will carry a flat Sil tarp just in case. Alcohol stove. Aqua Mira. Will use my aging GoLite Gust pack one last time before replacement. I’m a lightweight hiker, but certainly not a gram weenie.

I’d rather carry four or five days of food/fuel and skip the hitch/hike into town only every two or three days. While I have no issues with the safety of hitching, I’m a bit self-conscious of my aroma in a stranger’s car. Besides, time to, from, and in town costs daylight. I have never resupplied in a town market, but have used mail drops and understand the timing issues this presents.

I think my Marmot Pounder bag (optimistically rated at 40f) will not be adequate; I have a down bag rated at 35f that I plan to use. I also have a Marmot Helium, but I think that’s overkill. Thoughts?

I am not a speedy hiker, but have no problem breaking camp 30 mins after dawn and hiking past dusk. Slow and steady gets me the miles. That and Advil.





So here’s the part where I sit back and await your insightful replies. Next year I hope to do the same regarding advice of the Colorado Trail.