Four-legged end-to-ender

imported
#1

i’m leaving in a week to hike the LT (NB) with a friend and my dog over three weeks. anyone who knows the trail: is the northern section going to be okay for my healthy four-year old dog, or will the terrain be too dangerous? i am sure that he could catch a ride home with our resupply at the end of week two, but i would rather have him with me, of course.

any info from previous e2e hikers or those that have done sections with dogs would be appreciated. i am only concerned because i heard there were ladders at times, and i would be very unhappy if i watched my beloved dog plummet to his death. thanks.

doyle

#2

You didn’t say how big your dog is. If the dog is small enough to carry you should be able to get him past the ladders on Stark, Burnt Rock, and Mansfield and past the difficult parts on Camel’s Hump and in Devil’s Gulch. I have hiked all of these areas (except Mansfield) with my son and his 90-lb Lab and it was very tough for the dog. On my e-2-e in '03 I met a gal who had family take her dog off before she climbed Mansfield. The weather is also a factor (heat and rain). You are right to be concerned for your dog’s safety and are to be commended for being cautious.

Rough

#3

We hiked the LT north in July '05 with a Brittany. She went the whole way and had little trouble, but she’s also one of the best trail dogs I’ve ever seen. The toughest spots for us were Burnt Rock (esp. in the rain), where I helped her down a ladder, and on Mansfield, where I helped her up a couple. If your dog is a really good hiker and small enough to carry (and doesn’t struggle against being carried), it may be just fine. But if it’s only an average hiker and/or very big, I wouldn’t take it on those parts of the trail.

John Galt

#4

hey,remember louis and clark had a dog with them…

dogwalker

#5

Heat might be another valid concern for a dog - I nearly melted on several stretches of the LT in August, very high temps in 2002 and a fair bit of drought. I was often dehydrated and sluggish. On some of the dry stretches (before Slyline Lodge comes to mind), you might have to carry alot of water for the both of you. The dog John Galt refers to is exceptional, a trail-wise and experienced AT thru- who understands when to rest, and also when to accept assistance. You might assess your dog’s degree of trail wisdom before tackling this lovely but testy trail.

Jan LiteShoe

#6

He’s a 50-pound hound mix. He listens and is a good hiker, but a little out-of-practice as he hasn’t been getting quite enough exercise in recent months, but i expect him to adjust quickly because he has done many day/ overnight/ three-day hiking trips in the Whites, including Washington, and has not had any problems, but the length and unpredictability of a 270-plus mile trek weighs a little more heavily on my mind. I think the best thing to do will be to take it as it comes and keep an eye on him, knowing that my parents will always drive up from MA to get him. And the heat is definetly also a concern as he is a mostly black dog.

Thank you all for your advice, and happy trails.

doyle

#7

Hounds are tough and resourseful woodsmen who find water when they need it, solve obstacles, rebound quickly from injuries, are low-maintenence companions. They are also hunters who will smell a rabbit, deer, bear, etc and take off. A hound can turn a bear sighting into a disaster. However, sounds like you know him well in those terms. I doubt his lack of conditioning will be a problem. I bet he’ll do great!

Carlgoose

#8

When we were hiking in 04 we came across a guys whose dog was in great pain as it had a mouth full of porcupine quills. He was trying to get to a road where he could get into Rutland and a Vet. SO beware of letting the dog off leash. Sue

Hammock Hanger