Decision to return to the Long Trail

In 2015, during my Thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, I naturally covered the southernmost 100 miles of the Long Trail as the LT and AT overlap for the first 100 miles northbound from Massachusetts.  When I saw the white blazes of the LT diverge northward at the Maine Junction near Killington last summer, I was not thinking very seriously that I wanted to walk that way.  There was still a lot of the AT to go.

It has been many months since I finished at Mt. Katahdin and frankly I have sorely missed the feeling of being out in the woods living the long distance hiker's daily routine.  So, I have decided to return to that spot and hike the rest of the Long Trail to the Canadian border.  It is about 170 miles more for me to do, and I plan on doing it in one push from July 25, 2016 to August 3, 2016.

Wish me luck!

Canadian Border - Nobo 274

This post is from October 11, 2016. The GPS data from today's hike can be found at:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1401638977

Done!!!!  Made it to Canada by 2:20pm after a fairly cold 8am start ascending Jay    Peak. Today was a total of about 13 miles - still not easy and very easy to lose the trail with all the fallen leaves obscuring it.

This is the summit of Jay peak at 9am.

Jay peak, again:

Jay peak:

Northern Terminus of the LT:

The US/Canada border at the end of the LT.  Note the clear cut swath through the woods that is the actual border:

Journey's end trail head:

Jay Pass - Route 242 - Nobo 261

This post is from October 10, 2016. The GPS data from today's hike can be found at:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1401638939

Back on the trail at 12 noon today. Helen and I drove up to Loon last night after honk fest and continued this morning from Loon to Montgomery Center, Vermont. I then got back on the trail where I left it about 10 days ago, and did a quick  6.8 miles today from Hazens notch to Jay pass. It was chilly, high 30!s at 3000 feet. Hopefully I make it through a chilly mirning tomorrow to the Canadian border which is only 11 miles from where I left off today. we are sleeping tonight in the same bed and breakfast in Montgomery Center where I got off the trail about 10 days ago so it is a comfortable night here are some shots from today:

Hazens Notch - Nobo 254

This post is from September 26, 2016.  The GPS data from today's hike can be found at:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1381679375

 I woke up this morning with a swollen painful right ankle and I knew it was going to be a difficult day the 7 miles that I did were very slow and difficult and when I got to the dirt road which is Vermont route 58 I decided I needed to get off the trail and recover. Helen and I had already made plans to meet in Montgomery Center (http://phineasswann.com/) tonight for me to finish tomorrow.  This is a 6 mile ride from the trailhead. I was able to get a ride down with a couple of day hikers who had parked their car at the trailhead.  I only had to wait about 20 minutes which was not bad. Although my plans of finishing on September 27 have been foiled, it may all work out rather well.  My plan will be to recover and to come back and finish the remaining 20 miles as a pair of adjacent day hikes before the weather gets too cold. Here's a shot of the trail head at Hazen's notch Vermont.

Mt. Belvedere summit - Nobo 247

This post is from September 25, 3016.  The GPS data from today's hike can be found at:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1381679343

I made about 16.5 miles today some of the miles today were normal "AT" like mikes so I was able to take advantage of that. I am camped at about 3200 feet elevation tonight and it is supposed to be in the thirties in the valleys and could be much colder up here,I have just talked with Helen and when I get to the trail head in 13 miles which is 12 miles from Canada I am getting off for the night and meeting her at a nearby B&B. I hope to finish the trail on Tuesday with just a day pack on which will be a luxury.

These next two shots are from some of the terrain today:

Tonight's site was a last minute running out of light on top of a Mountain affair:

Stealth camping on Laraway Mountain- Nobo 230

This post is from September 24, 2016  The GPS data from today's hike is recorded in two parts as I got off trail midday to pickup my food drop in Jeffersonville.  They can be found at:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1381679220

and

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1381679277

Made it over and off of the very steep Whiteface  Mountain this morning starting at 7:15. At first it was cold but as I descended it warmed and the trail got easier. I made it to my food drop at Rte 15  and bought sandwiches for lunch, did laundry and took a shower. This service was provided by the Nyes Green Valley BNB (http://www.nyesgreenvalleyfarm.com/) for a modest charge. I was back on the trail hiking north by 1:45. I made a total of 15 miles today.

This is a shot of me from Prospect rock just North of route 15 and the Lamoille River.

Another of that valley:

Here is my campsite tonight:

And this is how I eat supper:

Whiteface Shelter - Nobo 215

This post is from September 23, 2016.  The GPS data from today's hike can be found at:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1381679183

Only made 13.7 miles today. Crossing Mt. Mansfield in a cold driving rain was insane. Some of the trail there is dangerous in any conditions never mind those. There were narrow cliff edges with downward sloping smooth rock in the rain with lethal drop-offs of 60-70 feet! I was completely soaked with boots squishing out water by the time I descended to Smugglers Notch. Then another big ascent up here. I was too tired to find the tent platform so I just set up my sleeping bag in this 3 sided shelter. I am alone here- again.

There weren't pictures today because of the rain but I got these from the shelter tonight: