VT Long Trail Days 1-3
Day 1
I made it up to my family’s house the evening before. My uncle had kindly offered to drive me the two hours to the terminus so I wouldn’t have to take multiple buses and spend a full day to get there on my own. We left the house around 0700 and had a pretty easy drive over getting to Pine Cobble trail head around 0915. There isn’t road access to the start of the Long Trail. You have to do one of the many approach trails up. I chose Pine Cobble so my uncle could at least get a little hiking in after driving all that way. I felt really good on the climb up, but it was insanely humid and even though it was barely 70 degrees, I was soaked by the time we hit the overlook. The view was pretty good, overlooking northwestern Massachusetts. The trees were just starting to change. I’m hoping I timed this hike well for the fall colors.
After a quick photo break, we turned back and parted ways at the trail junction. He had to get to work that evening and I had to get to the trail terminus.
I had a little bit of climbing and then some flatish hiking to the border. After 3.3 or so miles, I made it to the official start! I was on the Long Trail. I’d had this trail in the back of my mind as a nice fall hike for a few years now. I must have owned the FarOut guide for at least 2. I was finally making it happen.
Immediately after entering Vermont, the trail became muddy. It really was living up to the Vermud name. Though to be fair, there was a lot of rain the evening before. I saw a couple of garter snakes and an interesting fuzzy caterpillar that grows into an equally fuzzy moth.
The trail was beautiful forest with lots of climbing and descending. I wasn’t going to make it as far as I hoped. Early afternoon I came across a bushy tree down across the trail. I started looking at how I was get over when I noticed a porcupine standing in it! It had crawled up a sapling and then its weight bent the tree in half across the trail. The brush was thick on the sides and I couldn’t easily skirt around it. So, I waited. It didn’t take long for it to casually mosey off the tree. When it did the tree snapped back into place like a catapult. The porcupine plodded along into the forest and out of sight.
I passed a few hikers going the other way. Some were SoBo AT hikers, some LT, others section hiking. Good bit of people on trail. After 6.75 hours of hiking, I was tired. I pulled into the Congdon shelter at 1715. There was already one other hiker there who started earlier that day too. He was friendly and we chatted over dinner eventually retiring to our bunks.
Day 2
We both slowly started our days around 06, making breakfast and packing up. I left ahead at 0715 to start my day of walking. The day started with a small climb to a grassy overlook.
Then, there was a pretty steep descent, very staircase like.
At the bottom I crossed the road to find a cool bridge over the stream then began climbing.
Luckily the way up wasn’t as steep, but I was still super sweaty despite the cool temps. I saw on the map that there was a spot called Porcupine Lookout. I’d get there right around lunch time so I made that my planned stop. I spent an hour cooling off (then getting cold) while looking at the view between the trees.
Not long after I got going again to finish the climb and warm up, I heard a loud rustling up in a tree. It seemed much bigger than a squirrel who are deceivingly noisy. I was excited to see another porcupine and stopped to try and spy it. I saw a black shape come down, then a little face pop around the trunk of the tree 15’ up. It wasn’t a porcupine face. It was a bear! I said “oh shit” because I was fully expecting a porcupine. Then as it shimmied down the tree and took off running away from me, I called out “sorry buddy!” Maybe next time I’ll go with the standard “hey bear!” It took off too quickly to get any kind of photo and I carried on hiking.
The forest continued to be lovely trees overhead and ferns covering the ground.
Mushrooms were also everywhere. So many different kinds and I have no idea what any are.
The day was a little easier with a similar amount of gain but over a longer mileage. I reached Kid Gore shelter just after 1700. It has a great view looking out. Two guys hiking the LT were also there already. They’re doing it more casually, spending almost every other night in a bed since one of them lives nearby. We all ate at the picnic table looking out and mentally preparing for a full day of rain the next day.
The forecast changed every time we looked, but ultimately it was around a half inch of rain through the day starting around 0600 and ending near midnight. After chatting a bit, we all climbed into our bunks (I had a top bunk this time) to relax and sleep.
Day 3
We woke up around 0600 to overcast skies. You could see the front coming down to us. Luckily it hadn’t started as early as predicted. I grabbed our items from the bear box and we all had breakfast then packed up. I left first again bidding them farewell, hiking out into the misty forest.
The rain eventually started up an hour and a half later. I got a few miles in before I needed to pull out my umbrella. It was warm enough (upper 50s) that I would get too hot wearing a rain jacket as well, so I walked under my umbrella the whole day.
I went through some cool boggy areas with very slippery boards.
And saw more interesting fungus.
This was the day I’d climb up and over Stratton mountain. I had originally planned to go down the lift and into the resort area, but I didn’t think it’d be running in this weather and didn’t want to waste the time finding out. After rounding a corner during the climb up, I came upon a coyote. It was maybe 10’ up the trail. It looked back at me and jogged off never to be seen by me again. It sure was cute though.
The climb up was steady and not too bad. The top was completely socked in, so I didn’t bother climbing the fire tower. I bet the view is great normally. The way down was a little harder and steeper with more rocks I had to go slower on. It also got colder; I was not exerting as much energy. I put on my rain mittens and continued on.
I walked through lunch, not wanting to stop in the rain. I planned to do a short day and stay at the Stratton pond shelter. I made the turn off to it and walked the quarter mile. It was only 1430 so it didn’t feel right stopping, but the next shelter was another 5.8 miles.
I sat outside the shelter and had a quick lunch of a tuna wrap with cheese before deciding to continue on. There was someone sleeping so I didn’t really want to hang out and the FarOut comments mentioned a person who’s always masked wandering around. It felt weird, so I left.
After looking at the map a bit more, I noticed a shelter I hadn’t put in my notes. That’s because it was a half mile off the LT. I decided to go for it since it would only be 3.5 miles more and I could get there by a nice early quitting time. I reached the William Douglas shelter at 1700 finding it empty. I didn’t expect to see anyone since it’s not a great day for weekenders and kind of far off trail for thru hikers. I had it to myself all night. Even the mice didn’t bother me. This shelter was a standard platform inside instead of bunks like the last two. I changed out of my damp clothes and hung them up in hopes they may dry a little.
After dinner, it was time to just be warm in my quilt and sleep.
Stay tuned for future posts as I get further along on the trail! Posts typically release Mondays and/or Wednesdays 1200est.
