When Alex and I first started talking about hiking the Long Trail we thought of it as a “warm-up” to our 2018 PCT thru attempt. In hindsight calling the Long Trail a warm-up is laughable. Sure it’s substantially shorter than most long distance trails but that does not make it easier. The Long Trail was 273 miles of muddy, rugged, up and downs that pushed me to my personal limit. This article is a recap of our time on the Long Trail and how we hiked it, a personal guide that details every day we spent on the trail. Hopefully it can inspire and help plan future thru-hikes.
This post is broken up into three sections for easier reading.
Part 2 (Mt Mansfeild to Maine Junction) Part 3 (Main Junction to Massachusetts)
Daily Mileage and Resupply Overview SOBO
The Gear
Before getting into the actual trip I want to talk a bit about the setup I brought. The 4 years leading up to the Long Trail I purchased and re-purchased every piece of gear multiple times in my pack including the pack itself. After every new trip I felt a bit more emboldened to look at lighter gear and start ditching things I wasn’t using. Of course lurking reddit’s ultralight sub had me constantly rethinking my gear choices as well. I was little disappointed with the final weight of my setup for this trip and was nowhere near what most would consider ultralight.
Regardless everything in my setup performed well for the most part and honestly 17 pounds with a full camera set up is nothing to be ashamed of. The only major issues I had were with my shoes that started to really break down near the end of the trip. You can read my full write up on how the Nike Terra Kigers performed here. An older NeoAir sprung a leak on day two of the trip. This was a huge bummer but luckily I had the patch kit and was able to fix it fairly easily. The patch is still going strong after multiple trips. To be fair to Thermarest, I regularly use my neoair directly on the ground, around the fire, and propped up on logs. Basically I treat it really rough. For more details on everything I brought with me check out my LT Lighter Pack.
Alex’s set up was a lot different and lighter than mine, including a hammock and frameless pack. Check out his lighterpack here.
Day 0
Knowing that the Long Trail was going to take 20-25 days to complete Alex and I moved out of our NYC apartments, put our possessions in storage and hopped on a bus to Vermont. Since we’re both based in Brooklyn we decided to hike the trail SOBO in order to finish a little closer to home. We contacted a local driver recommended on the Long Trail website named Pat who picked us up at the Burlington bus stop. Pat and her husband are avid members of the Green Mountain Club and were kind enough to give us trail advice and stop for bbq before seeing us off near the northern terminus of the Long Trail. We had arrived at the trailhead late in the day and hiked the short .1 to Journey’s End Camp. Upon checking out the shelter we discovered someone had taken a shit in one of the bunks. This was no accident but a clear message from a hiker who had finished his thru-hike and felt the need to literally “shit on” the trail. We know this because the shelter journal said as much. For obvious reasons we used our own shelters that night.
Day 1 | July 2nd
Journeys End to Jay Camp | 13 miles
Excited to get hiking, we quickly snapped a few photos at the Canadian border/Northern Terminus of the trail and pushed forward. Immediately we started to encounter the famed Vermont mud. Not wanting to get our feet wet at the very start of the trail we proceeded to dance and dodge the watery mud that filled was the trail. Of course, when the trail is essentially a small stream you can only hop from rock to dry spot for so long before inevitably taking a plunge. After a few miles both of us had given up trying to dodge the muddy water and embraced our now constantly wet feet. We knew this was going be a hard trail but I honestly felt like I was getting my ass kicked within the first 10 miles. Regardless, our excitement pushed us past the Laura Woodward shelter and up to Jay Peak. The top of Jay was the first of many stunning Green Mountain peak views. Being a ski resort meant they had an open restaurant atop the peak where we treated ourselves to cold beer before descending down the other side. We arrived at a flooded Jay Camp but found a wood platform to set up on and dry off for the evening.
Day 2
Jay Camp to Tillotson Camp | 12miles
We started off the morning with fresh socks and hopes of staying dry but found ourselves taking plunges into knee-deep mud almost immediately. You would think going uphill would mean less mud but the hike up Haystack Mt felt more like walking in a stream than a trail. This truly was a Mountain made of mud. We finished the day out arriving at Tillotson camp, which was filled with section hikers and a few thru-hikers who would remain with us for a majority of the trip.
Day 3
Tillotson camp to Ritterbush Pond | 6miles (+8 miles of back and forth)
Mt Belvidere offered spectacular views to start the day off before a long descent into another highlight, The Devil’s Gulch. Walking into the Gulch felt like entering a hidden fairy-tale grotto full of ladders and large boulders to navigate. Coming out of the Gulch and up to Spruce Ledge Camp we decided to break for lunch. We ate from a lookout located on the edge of camp and noticed a refreshing looking pond down below. After a bit of debate we decided to slack pack down to the pond. It was July 4th and if we couldn’t have fireworks and bbq we could at least celebrate with a swim. To get down to the pond we had to pass through the maze-like Gulch once again.
Ritterbush Pond not only made for a refreshing swim but turned out to have a fantastic camping spot and open fishing cabin. After a quick dip we agreed to head back to Spruce Ledge, get our gear and camp at the pond. So back we went 2 miles through the Gulch once again. This move turned out to be a good one. Spruce Ledge had been overtaken by a large troop of girl scouts. We grabbed our packs and for the last time that evening passed through the Gulch and back to the pond. A fellow SOBO hiker arrived at camp and joined us for a nice July 4th evening. This hiker was Veronica who ended up hiking with us for the majority of our trip.
Day 4
Ritterbush Pond to Roundtop Shelter | 17miles
Making up for the short mileage holiday the day before we decided to push hard. Back through the Gulch, and a few peaks later we arrived at Round Top Shelter. The shelter was full of hikers and had a nice overlook in the back. Perfect for talking about the trail ahead and taking in the sunset.
Day 5
Roundtop Shelter to WhiteFace Shelter | 11 miles
Being day 5 of the trip we found ourselves low on food and in need of resupply. 3 miles from Roundtop we arrived at VT Route 15 and hitched into the Johnson, a small but nice town. We restocked on food and booze and grabbed a ridiculously giant burger at Bustin Belly. Catching a ride back to the trail ended up being easy when one of Alex’s old students, by sheer coincidence, passed by and picked us up. After lunch we got back to the trail and proceeded to hike another 8 miles uphill to Whiteface shelter. The view from camp allowed us to see the highest peak on the trail, Mount Mansfield.
Day 6
WhiteFace Shelter to Taft Lodge | 8.9 Miles
Dropping down from Whiteface and back up a ski trail put us at the top Madonna where we found some leftover bottle rockets. We spent the next 30 minutes firing off the bottle rockets and climbing the ski lifts like excited children on a jungle gym before descending to Sterling Pond. Sterling Pond is a must stop if you like to swim in Mountain lakes/ponds (apparently there is no practical difference between a lake or a pond) The clouds started to move in and we made our way down to Route 108 where Veronica left us to hitch into Burlington for an ultimate frisbee comp. We stopped at Taft Lodge for the night which is one of the Long Trail’s largest and nicest shelters with enough bunk space to hold 24 hikers.
Day 7
Taft Lodge to Puffer Shelter | 9.2 Miles
The excitement of to climbing Mansfield was brought quickly to a halt after viewing the horizon over breakfast. The air was wet and heavy with overcast as far as we could see. It was obvious that hard rain was imminent. That didn’t stop two other thru-hikers, Cricket and Rock Walker from bolting out the door hoping to summit before the storm hit. Alex and I decided to wait it out over a smoke and that decision turned out to be the correct one. 15 minutes after they had left the sky erupted into a hard downpour. Thankful to be inside the best shelter on the trail we sparked another bowl and patiently waited for a break in the storm. Amazingly only 30 minutes later and it looked like we were going to get one. After a bit of debate, we decided to take our chances and hoped the break in the storm would hold.
Racing against the weather got the adrenaline going and before we knew it we were almost to the peak. It was obvious more rain was on the way and the clouds were moving in fast all around us. We hustled the rest of the way to the top and were blessed with a clear view. An amazing ridge walk for two miles followed as we continued with no rain and decent visibility. We found Cricket and Rock walker on the other side of the summit soaked to the bone. Apparently, there’s a bypass just short of the summit which they took when the storm really picked up. They were backtracking now to the summit and noted the contrast between how wet they were and how completely dry we were.
The descent from Mansfield was difficult but not nearly as challenging as other hikers had told us it would be. Even with the wet conditions I never felt out of control or unsafe. One section where you have to scramble between and down a few boulders was the hairiest it got. Aside from that, there were a few tall ladders to climb down but if you take your time they shouldn’t be an issue. We made it down Mansfield just as the rain started to pick back up and once again lucked out with cover at the Taylor Lodge. After lunch at the shelter we pressed on till we arrived at Puffer Shelter. Exhausted we ate dinner in the shelter staring out onto a wall of white clouds and crashed soon after. I was awakened later that night in the midst of storm by a barking dog and the shadow of a man in front of the shelter. Too tired to react to this somewhat spooky sight, thinking it was just another hiker coming in to escape the storm I fell back to sleep. In the morning Alex told me he to had heard the barking dog and had also dismissed it as a dream.
Day 8
Puffer to US Hwy 2 (Waterbury) | 9.4 Miles
As far as shelters go on the Long Trail, Puffer is one of the most basic in construction but waking up to clear skies there made it the most memorable. It was made even better for us since we fell asleep to a wall of overcast and had no idea we were looking out on such an amazing view.
After taking our time enjoying the sunrise at Puffer we descended further towards Us Hwy 2 and had only one thing on our minds, cold beer. Vermonter’s on the trail who enjoy a good bev will tell you hitching into Waterbury is a must. Vermont is home to some of the most famous IPA’s on the planet and Waterbury is a perfect place to find them. We hitched into town from the highway and spent the rest of the day, sipping beer, enjoying bbq at The Prohibition Pig and doing some laundry. We hitched back to the trail at dawn and camped .5 from the road.
Day 9
US Hwy 2 to Montclair Glen Lodge | 11.3 Miles
The next morning started with good amount flat farm walking followed by a stretch of road before getting to the base of Camel’s Hump. A boring stretch of the trail was a relaxed way to start our hungover morning. Going up Camel’s Hump was another story. As soon as we started up Alex and I received a text from one of our friends back home in NYC. He asked us when we had last seen our third roommate. Both of not being close friends with this roommate only saw her from time to time and had not for a while. Our friend replied she had been missing for a few days which sent our imaginations running wild as we huffed and puffed up the mountain. About 15 minutes later we got a message once again saying they had found her deceased body in our now empty apartment. Again we had not been close to her but she did live with us and we had spoken many times. This was sad news, to say the least. Reflecting on death as you climb a four thousand foot peak is a sobering experience. By the time we reached the top we had learned the details of what had happened and were able to think somewhat straight again. Life is fragile and we were glad to be where we were as we contemplated it.
The views from the summit of Camel were fantastic but the sheer rock faces mixed in amongst the trees coming down the north side we’re the highlight in my opinion. A steep and rocky decent eventually got us to Montclair Glen Lodge where we enjoyed hanging out and chatting with the caretaker. Montclair Glen has experienced more bear activity than other shelters and the stories involving them are worth inquiring about.
Day 10
Montclair Glen Lodge to Appalachian Gap (Waitsfield) | 10.6 Miles
The stretch from Montclair to the App Gap involved a lot of rock scrambling and a few interestingly placed ladders to climb. Burnt Rock Mountain was hyped as one of the sketchiest sections of the trail and we were looking forward to experiencing the challenge. Honestly though, it wasn’t so bad. Large sections of rock underfoot at the summit were no issue in good weather. However, If it were raining and those rocks were wet it would be a lot sketchier.
After getting down from Burnt Rock we decided to hitch into Waitsfield for lunch and explore the idea of spending the night in a hostel. We ended up hearing good things about the Hyde Away Inn over lunch at The Mad Taco and decided to crash there for the night. The rooms were nice and tidy and they had a hiker box filled with clean clothes to change into while we did laundry. I even found a full canister of fuel in the box which lasted me till the end of the trail. But more importantly, they had fully stocked bar.
Day 11
Appalachian Gap to Starks Nest | 2.5 Miles
Waking up refreshed and clean from our night at the Inn we road borrowed bikes into town to resupply on food before heading back to the trail. Of course we grabbed a few more Beers at the Mad Taco and for dessert had one of Vermont’s famous creemee’s from Canteen Creemee Co. By the time we got back to the trail it was mid-afternoon and we didn’t feel like pushing too hard. Plus Veronica has messaged us to say she had just passed App Gap and would be stopping at Stark’s Nest for the evening. Stark’s Nest is actually a warming hut part of the Mad River Glen Ski resort that’s left open during the summer for hikers. It ended up being a perfect place to hang out, take in the views, and escape the bad weather that started to roll in at dusk.
Day 12
Starks Nest to Cooley Glen Shelter | 14.3 Miles
Waking up to bad weather outside the warming hut made leaving it difficult but we were well rested and the moody clouds made for scenery we hadn’t experienced yet on the LT. This stretch of trail walks through a boreal forest on the ridge of multiple peaks including Mt Abraham and if the weather had been clear would have offered spectacular views. Our only views were of solid walls of clouds moving in and out of the forest. Normally this would have been a bummer but it made for intensely moody scenes where I took some of my favorite photos of the trip.
Day 13
Cooley Glen Shelter to Lake Pleiad | 12.7 Miles
Another day of cold, wet, and misty weather as we continued along the ridge amongst the overgrown forest. Despite the weather, this day started off nicely but would end on the lowest note of the trail for myself. At lunch I noticed what I thought was a small cut forming on my heel. I slapped a band-aid on it and didn’t think too much of it. Feeling beat down by the rain we decided to stop just after passing the Middlebury Gap. A suspect comment on the Gut Hook App led us to believe there was an old shelter off Lake Pleiad. We took a side trail to the lake and hunted around for the shelter before realizing we had probably been deceived. Luckily the area surrounding the lake made for a solid albeit damp campsite.
Once settled in I started checking out the “cut” on my foot and found it had grown larger from the afternoon. I immediately knew this was no cut at all but most likely some sort of fungus from my feet being constantly wet. Having experienced athletes foot and fungus on the trail before and knowing how difficult it is to get rid of I sunk into despair. With 10 more days left on the trail and at least 2 more before we hit another town, I attempted to prepare myself mentally for the pain that was to come. Unfortunately, we were in a foggy wet camp and the sounds of thunder from an approaching storm made for a depressing night.
Day 14
Lake Pleiad to David Logan Shelter | 16.9 Miles
Waking up again to cold damp weather we marched onward through the misty overgrown forest. Eventually, the fog faded and the sun came out to greet us for lunch. I decided to give my now raw patched feet some fresh air and try hiking in sandals. I picked the perfect place to do this because the next 7 miles of trail were some of the flattest and clear hiking we had seen since the start. Good things don’t last forever though and 2 miles from camp the rain clouds came back for a final drenching. Hiking in my sandals proved to be a bad idea since the lack of support brought out an issue I had been dealing with since before the LT, achilles tendonitis. Once again I crawled into my tent feeling low and unconfident in my ability to finish the trail.
Day 15
David Logan Shelter to US Route 4 (Long Trail Inn) | 12.3 Miles
Knowing a rest day at the Long Trail Inn was ahead made this day bearable and we charged forward. The Maine Junction was passed early in the day which is where the Long Trail intersects with the Appalachian Trail. From this point on we would share the LT with AT hikers going South and North. Not far past the Maine Junction we exited to the road and hitched a mile up to the Long Trail In. While Alex and Veronica settled in I caught a cab into town to stock up on bandages and fungal creams.
Day 16
US Route 4 to Churchhill Scott Shelter | 1.9 Miles
Slowly we stumbled out of bed and enjoyed breakfast at the inn while waiting for laundry to finish. After we hitched into Rutland to resupply and most importantly have lunch at the famed Yellow Deli. Multiple offers to stay the night for free at the Yellow Deli were made but we overcame the temptation of their cultish personalities and headed back to the trail. By this time it was close to dusk. The shelter was 2 miles in from the road and we made it there just before a storm came in. We set our tents up near each other on a wood platform and enjoyed conversation over wine as the rain came down.
Day 17
Churchhill Scott Shelter to Gould Brook? | 11.8 Miles
Feeling refreshed and confident now that we were armed with enough antifungal cream and bandages to last us the rest of the trip we started up Killington. The peak of Killington is actually .2 miles off the trail and very worth checking out. I’ve skied Killington for years so walking up it and taking in the summer view was an interesting contrast to snowy conditions of winter I was used to. The warm sun and clear views were back and knowing that this was the last great peak we would conquer on the LT was bittersweet. We took our time taking in the views from the peak and had lunch at the open summit lodge before going down.
The descent on the south side of Killington was much more difficult than coming up the Northside so a few miles after reaching its base we decided to break for camp. Some of this decision was due to fatigue but the trail South of Killington follows a river that offers endless perfect campsites along the way as well. The temptation of one of the more perfect sites along the shore was too much and we called it quits just a few miles short of the next shelter. When your feet ache there’s nothing better than camping at a river and giving them an ice bath to recover in.
Day 18
Gould Brook? to Greenwall Shelter | 12.9 Miles
Although we passed some noteworthy sites on this day I still feel like it was one of most uneventful stretches of the trail. Still feeling beat down from the fungus on my feet and focusing on walking in a manner that didn’t irritate my achilles made the day feel like a hurdle that needed to be passed rather than something unique or special. On days like this I would escape into podcasts where my mind would forget the pain of each step being took.
Day 19
Greenwall Shelter to Griffith Lake | 14.2 Miles
Early in the day we found ourselves at the shore of a lake that was just too tempting to pass up. There’s nothing better than a remote mountain lake especially the ones with tiny islands just within swimming reach. With injuries tormenting you at every step and the end in sight it’s easy to put your head down, grit out the pain and just hike. You start to forget why you go into the woods in the first place. Although I felt like I was going to drown swimming out to that tiny island (I’m not the strongest swimmer) stopping and enjoying the trail for what it offers aside from the miles put in is key to finishing. Plus it was the first time I ever came out of a lake covered in leeches which was gross but also kind of cool.
Day 20
Griffith Lake to Route 11/30 (Manchester) | 11.5 Miles
Knowing we would resupply in Manchester, the day was an enjoyable one with only 11 miles to the road where we caught a hitch in. Manchester is a really nice small town and when I say nice I mean their sidewalks are made of marble and everything feels like it was built yesterday. They also have a solid outdoor gear shop, The Mountain Goat. A street fair was going on and Alex and I enjoyed a few beers before deciding to head back to the trail. We got back to the trail just as the sun was setting and ended up camping right off the trail at easily our worst pitch of the entire trip. It did the job though.
Day 21
Route 11/30 to Black Brook | 18 Miles
We knew how far we went this day would dictate whether we finished in one or two more days but that didn’t stop us from enjoying a quick dip at Stratton Pond. The final big peak on the trail Stratton Mountain offered some awesome 360 views from its fire tower and the most flies we saw the entire trip. Once again we found a perfect campsite along an ice cold river to end the day.
Day 22
Black Brook to Little Pond Lookout | 15.6 Miles
At this point in the trip the finish line was clearly in view and my interest in taking photos slightly diminished. I recall it being a decent hiking day with some nice overlooks and sweet looking shelters, but any stops were brief as we aimed to set ourselves up for the last day. We ended up breaking for camp at Little Pond Overlook which left a final 20 miles to Massachusetts. A big day but doable.
Day 23 | July 24th
Little Pond Lookout to Masschuttes Boarder (LT Souther Terminus) | 20 Miles +3
The final day ended up being a miserable one at the start. We woke up to the kind cold, windy rain that makes getting out of your tent a great feat of willpower. When you’re that close to the finish though you can overcome just about anything. Even though it was the longest mileage day of the entire trip it flew by. We stopped briefly for lunch at a shelter and ran into two younger NOBO hikers on their first day. As we left the shelter for our final push they warned us “There’s a lot of mud the way you’re going” I instantly replied back “There’s A LOT of mud the way you’re going”.
The last few miles till the border were a bit emotional for me. A few days prior the fungus on my foot had spread to my toe and made it swell up till it was tender the touch. On top of that, my achilles tendonitis threatened to return anytime I took an overly ambitious step. I didn’t expect my body to fail me in multiple ways and when all you have is time to think you start to dwell on these issues. My thoughts drifted many times to my injuries plaguing me on future trips and I started to imagine my hiking days were numbered. Sure I had finished this hike but I stumbled across the finish line and that scared me. It made for a bittersweet ending to an amazing trip. Looking back I feel more accomplished now than I did on that day. The Long Trail was supposed to be a warm up to the PCT but thinking about it in those terms now is an insult to what is one America’s toughest long-distance trails.
Daily Mileage and Resupply
Day 1
Journeys End Camp to Jay Camp | 13 Miles
Day 2
Jay Camp to Tillotson Camp | 12 Miles
Day 3
Tillotson camp to Ritterbush Pond | 6 Miles
Day 4
Ritterbush Pond to Roundtop Shelter | 17 Miles
Day 5 | Resupply in Johnson
Roundtop Shelter to WhiteFace Shelter | 11 Miles
Day 6
Whiteface Shelter to Taft Lodge | 8.9 Miles
Day 7
Taft Lodge to Puffer Shelter | 9.2 Miles
Day 8
Puffer to US Hwy 2 (Waterbury) | 9.4 Miles
Day 9
US Hwy 2 to Montclair Glen Lodge | 11.3 Miles
Day 10 | Resupply & Hostel in Waitsfield
Montclair Glen Lodge to Appalachian Gap (Waitsfield) | 10.6 Miles
Day 11
Appalachian Gap to Starks Nest | 2.5 Miles
Day 12
Starks Nest to Cooley Glen Shelter | 14.3 Miles
Day 13
Cooley Glen Shelter to Lake Pleiad | 12.7 Miles
Day 14
Lake Pleiad to David Logan Shelter | 16.9 Miles
Day 15 | Resupply & Hostel in Rutland
David Logan Shelter to US Route 4 (Long Trail Inn) | 12.3 Miles
Day 16
US Route 4 to Churchill Scott Shelter | 1.9 Miles
Day 17
Churchill Scott Shelter to Gould Brook? | 11.8 Miles
Day 18
Gould Brook? to Greenwall Shelter | 12.9 Miles
Day 19
Greenwall Shelter to Griffith Lake | 14.2 Miles
Day 20 | Resupply in Manchester
Griffith Lake to Route 11/30 (Manchester) | 11.5 Miles
Day 21
Route 11/30 to Black Brook | 18 Miles
Day 22
Black Brook to Little Pond Lookout | 15.6 Miles
Day 23
Little Pond Lookout to Massachusetts Border (LT Southern Terminus) | 20 Miles
