LT General advice

imported
#1

Hello all. I have a bunch of questions as I plan to thruhike the LT Southbound the first week of July, and am too lazy to fish though the archive.

  1. What are the main/major differences going NB vs SB?
  2. How do I get to the trail head if I want to start in the North?
  3. Is it worth bringing a tent?
  4. Using a SteriPen to purify water?
  5. What item of gear am I probably going to forget that I will definitely want on the trail.
  6. Will the MAP suffice or should I get the EtE guide as well?

Any help would be much appreciated. I will probably come up with more questions in the follow days which I guess I will post to this thread. Thanks!

Avi

#2

I went southbound also.
You will start with the most difficult section first. If you’re not in hiking condition this can make a difference.

I used aqua mira.
I brought a tent and never used it. I’d carry it again if I were to hike that trail again. I started hiking mid Sept and only spent 1 night alone. In July I’d expect crowded shelters here and there, bugs, and snorers in the shelters to keep you awake at night. A tent gives you options.

A friend dropped me off at JE.

Buy the EtoE.

john

#3

My advise would be to start in the south. That part of the trail is much easier and will give you a chance to get into “trail shape.”
Definately take a tent. You will need the protection to get away from the bugs.
Get the LT Greenmountain guide. It’s worth it when you want to get off the trail to find a hiker service.

Grampie

#4

If you haven’t already, check out this site. EXCELLENT journal and notes for planning a LT hike.

http://www.jamiecompos.com/longtrail.html

Lyle

#5

Thanks so much for your comments thus far. Lyle, thanks for the link, hadn’t seen it and useful. John and Grampie, I guess I might now go northbound, I was thinking southbound because of the heat. I will also slug along the tent. A silly question: Should I bring TP and a trowel or are there lots of outhouses along the way? Thanks Again.

Avi

#6

There are plenty of outhouses along the way… but my digestive system did not always wait for them. I was glad to have the tp and trowel.

I hiked NB starting on July 1, 2005 - my tent was the first thing I got rid of. Yes the shelters can be crowded, yes there are bugs, yes there are snorers, but I preferred dealing with those things to carrying the weight of a tent I was too tired to pitch. This is just personal preference - you need to decide what will work for you.

The first thing I ADDED to my pack was a pair of crocs. Super lightweight, could be worn with socks and I could use them for hiking in a pinch. They were my FAVORITE piece of gear.

Tumblina

#7

The End to End guide is very useful when you need town services and it has good info on the trail too. Outhouses don’t have t.p. You should bring your own.

celt

#8

Tall gaiters for the nettles in the northern sections

topless

#9

Wow, thanks so much for all of your input. Tumblina and Celt, I’m definitely bringing the TP and trowel. I also picked up a pair of Crocs and ordered the EtE guide and the Map. I’m still uncertain as to the tent, I’m sure I would figure it out on the trail but I’d like to figure it out before hand. Would more of you suggest gaiters like Topless has for the nettles? Thanks!

Avi

#10

hej everyone, I’m thinking about hiking the Long Trail SB, too, and people are concerned that hiking solo for so long as a female is a bad idea. I’m thinking that it won’t be a problem. Any thoughts?

j-andy

#11

I hiked solo in '05 and felt perfectly safe. Obviously, there are no guarantees - but the trail is a pretty safe place.

Although I hiked solo, I also met other hikers who went at my pace and with whom I got along. We didn’t usually hike together, but wound up at the same shelters and lunch spots. So I was alone, but developed a support system.

There was only one time when I was at a shelter with someone who made me a little uneasy. He was probably harmless, but if I hadn’t known another hiker in the shelter I would have moved on.

I have done 2 mile day hikes on my own and encountered pairs of female hikers who are amazed that I feel safe enough to be out by myself. People who aren’t avid hikers hear the rare stories of an attack in the woods and think that the danger is ever-present. I’ve just never been nervous in the woods. Trust your gut, and you’ll be fine.

When you hike solo, you open yourself up to meet so many people you might not really get to know if you hiked with a partner. In just 8 days, I will marry a man I met on the trail! :slight_smile:

Tumblina

#12

J-Andy - I’ve hiked solo for a couple thousand miles (including the LT) and have never had a problem. The vast majority of others I meet are wonderful people. My biggest suggestion is to be vague when other people (passing hikers, townies, shuttlers, shelter mates, etc.) ask you where you’re heading for the night. Instead of saying this or that shelter, just brush off the question with a polite, “I don’t know yet, I’ll hike till my feet tell me to quit.” Enjoy the LT. The rewards greatly outweight any small risks!

Matt

#13

hej Tumblina and Matt, thanks for your words of wisdom! I’m glad to hear that you have had great experiences hiking solo, and I’m definitely even more excited now than ever. Also, congrats to you, Tumblina – how wonderful! Thanks again – j-andy.

j-andy

#14

Hey congratulations Tumblina! Happy trails to both of you.

If I remember right, you started with the trail name “Married to an ex-con.” Was that a humorous response to people’s concerns (or yours?) about a female backpacking alone?

pedxing

#15

Yup, my first trailname was Married to an Ex-Con… the result of a sketchy hitch into Manchester. (For the record, much safer to hitch from the trailhead than to hike a mile towards town before throwing out your thumb!) After I finished my own hike, I went back out to join Fish Outta Water as he finished his (we’d met briefly at Stratton Pond). I have a knack for falling on every slippery rock and he was soon calling me Tumblina - just worked better as a name:)

I married Fish Outta Water this past Saturday (not sure if you met him). Rainman drove up from Florida and is now back on the trail with his son, Wind Walker - how cool is that?!

Tumblina