To Tent or Not - The Long Trail - Vermont

imported
#1

How do folks feel about carrying a tent on an End-To-End hike on Vermont’s Long Trail? Is it really necessary?
Thanks
PapaJoe

PapaJoe

#2

This is truly up to you. A tent certainly gives you the option of privacy and the ability to be alone - so if those things are high on your priority list, bring a tent. In my case, the tent was one of the first items to be sent home. As much as I thought I wanted a solitary experience, I found the community in the shelters to be quite comforting. I never found a shelter so crowded that I needed to use my tent. I used it a few times to justify the weight, but truly it was excess gear.

If you are planning to hit popular shelters during the weekends, you may need a tent - but otherwise, it is a luxury item. (The shelters on Mansfield can fill up with boy scouts on the weekends, but any shelter not close to a major summit or road should be empty or close to.)

If you’re hiking in the early summer (July), you may want a tent while the LT overlaps with the AT - but once the AT hikers have passed through, you should be ok.

Tumblina

#3

You should be aware, in addition to the occasional boy scount troup, a few of the colleges around New England send groups of backpacking students on the Long Trail. Sometimes they take up all the space in a shelter. I ran into that once during my hike in August, 2006. Normally I don’t stay in shelters, but it was raining quite a bit that night. Fortunately, I got there first and had a place to sleep.

Bear Bag Hanger

#4

If you are hiking during “college orientation season,” contact the Green Mountain Club about their schedule. I met a hiker who had gotten a spreadsheet from the GMC about who would be where, and when, and she planned her stops accordingly. MOST of the leaders are good about not overtaking the shelter, and will set up a group camp farther away. I did run into one group that was incredibly obnoxious.

Backtrack

#5

Hiking without a tent limits you quite a bit. In bad weather you must get to town or a shelter. If you arrive late at a shelter and it is full you’ll have to admit you are unprepared and ask to squeeze in or boot someone else out. If you are injured or if you run across someone else who is injured you won’t have any shelter with you.

Carry a small tarp at least and you’ll have some options.

radar

#6

I’m waiting for a Tarp tent Contrail, hopefully arriving tomorrow. Hopefully this will give me the physical and mental insurance I need but cut down substantially on the weight of my old Eureka Gossamer.

mark schofield

#7

I dropped my tent with family in Wallingford, and never had to set it up once, even when I carried it. I hiked through August, and didn’t encounter much traffic. The only night not having a tent was almost a problem was at Swansong’s Shelter near Governor Clement, but there was an overflow tent there, so all was good in the world. Still wouldn’t recommend carrying a tent, not a whole lot of places to tent away from shelters.

Shane

#8

I just finished the LT over Labor Day weekend and never used my tarp. I was able to stay at a shelter throughout my entire hike. The only place it was crowded was near Manchester Center. I saw four groups of college kids hiking in the area. But they brought their own tents and stayed in them. I had no problem.

I camped with a few AT hikers that were at the end of the pack, and stil had no problem.

TriHiker

#9

I completed a 22-day southbound thru-hike in July/August, and I used my tent a grand total of three times – all by choice and not due to a lack of room in the shelters. While the shelters south of Maine Junction are more crowded because you’re sharing with AT hikers, I always found room to sleep. On the weekends, you might want to avoid some shelters that are closer to side trails or ponds (Stratton Pond, Sterling Pond, etc), but in general, you should be fine.

That said, you might want to bring a tarp or bivvy sack just in case.

Jersey

#10

Even though I was a or near shelters most nights, I like having my own shelter, but it is a lightweight tarp. A hammock is even better, because you can hang almost anywhere. I also like the freedom of not disturbing others when getting an early start. I often had dinners with the company at shelters then moved on to camp . A 3lb. tent is way to heavy for me to carry, but having your own shelter opens up more opportunities for taking advantage of some beautiful sites. (One of my favorite was on top of one of the peaks that has a lookout tower.) Even in August, midweek, I was often alone at shelters, esp. north of Interstate 89. I believe in carrying a shelter in case of emergency, too. (In the 100 mile wilderness along the AT, I elected not to cross a high stream in the rain to reach a shelter, and was glad to have my tarp.)

rambler

#11

I strongly advise bringing something that will provide you shelter in a pinch - even a tarp or a bivy sack. I don’t think it makes sense to count on reaching a shelter and finding space.

I did the LT once in each direction and I definitely enjoyed the freedom of not having to push to make the next shelter, of being able to stop and swim for hours if the mood struck me or being able to push on past a in late afternoon if I felt like it. In addition to the freedom, there was safety. If I got cramps or a sprain or just totally miscalculated the time to the next shelter I wouldn’t have to choose between bedding down without shelter or hiking for a long time in the dark.

I carried a hammock (with built in netting and a tarp) that weighed less than two pounds. So, take a tarp, a hammock, a tent or a bivy sack, or even a poncho that will make a good tarp in a pinch.

PedXing

#12

I concur. Never was an issue for me end-to-end hiking AFTER Labor Day. LT has mega shelters spaced closely together so likely you’ll never NEED it unless hiking the popular areas on big weekends when shelters may be full. For that reason carry something extremely lightweight & simple. Just in case. Almost certainly could get away with no shelter and cowboy camp if needed. Or if the shelter’s full & you’re hardcore, plan to hike on to next shelter, whether it’s raining or not, no matter how fatigued you might be. If you’ve got the budget a Mountain Laurel Design SUL Tarp, stakes (and using your hiking poles) can weigh <<8oz. and affords the option. I enjoy the company in shelters though I hike solo. (Some prefer to tent every nite.) So I wouldn’t carry a full tent (even my 25oz tarp tent/stakes) on the LT FOR ME since my tarp is all I need and didn’t NEED that. But that’s just me…:cheers

FedEx

#13

Carry a lightweight tarp as others have suggested. I often tarp camp at shelter sites, just for privacy and not bothering others when I get up. Once in the Smokies three others in the shelter kept me up till midnight talkng, then awoke me in the middle of the night snoring. I moved outside and it started to rain. I was glad to have my own shelter. On the LT, I spent a night on the top of Mt. Belvidere and often between shelters. Another time on the AT in ME I could not get across a river in the 100 mile Wilderness and was glad to have my own shelter since it was pouring rain. Tarps can be found between 11-13 oz. and provide roomy shelter for one and take up little room in your pack. (eg. Gossamer Gear SpinTwin) (TarpTent.com) (make your own Thru-hiker.com) or Ray’s Way)It gives you the option of being able to camp anywhere.

rambler

#14

Another option is a hammock for all the same reasons rambler states. pretty light, mega options. Visit at shelters, but retire and arise in peace and quiet. I snore and I might just be out there in your shelter!!! haha)

I was on a (self imposed) schedule, so I camped as planned at shelters each nite (well, ok, some days the LT kicked my ass and I stopped a shelter short).

But if you have time there are many opportunities to camp at the top of a number of ski lifts. The views are quite nice and awakening there would be sweet. So don’t listen to my previous post about not bringing a tarp. You don’t NEED it. But you might WANT it if the mood strikes you!

FedEx

#15

If you are undecided between tarp or tent, a hammock is a great compromise. Since you carry a tarp to hang over the hammock, you have the option of just using your tarp and sleeping on the ground. The tarp over the hammock also provides great shelter from the rain. When one is not in the hammock, it hangs high enough off the ground and under the tarp so you can easily sit up under it to cook or eat dinner under a shelter. Just south of the Mt. Ellen (Mad River) summit is a great spot with a view for hammock camping. Another time arriving at dark in one of the Gaps south of Sugarbush, my daughter and I hung our hammocks in the very thick stand of trees on ground much too steep to tent on. It is easy to “hang” near shelters, so you can enjoy the company, yet have your own place nearby to sleep. If you do use a hammock learn about “snakeskins”. In fact, I use snakeskins to store my tarp when tarp camping. I just hang the tarp in the skin between two trees and sleep under it. If it starts to rain, I can just sit up and open the tarp and stake it down all from my sleeping bag. If it does not rain, I have just slept under the stars wihout having to fuss with a tarp set-up. I think carrying a shelter of some sort is the best way to hike. There are just so many wonderful places, often small spaces to camp. Carrying your own just gives you more options. (My pack weight without food, is 12-14 lbs)

rambler

#16

End to ended in 06 and didn’t use one. The trail was pretty empty when i did it in JUNE. Ran in to a few AT thru hikers durring the first 100 miles but not to many. I;d carry a light weight tarp ~7oz just in case. When do you really need a shelter anyways? When it’s raining. Unless bugs bother you…in that case bring a four sided tent of some sort.

hoof

#17

Hammock is my preferred solution. Mine is a Hennessey ultrlight a-sym. Its not for cold weather (at least without additional modifications or additional gear), but it is comfortable, easy, bug proof and light. It’s also low impact and you don’t need level or smooth ground. In a pinch if there are no trees - it can be used as a bivy or, if the wind isn’t too nasty, set up as an improvised tent.

There are two person hammocks, but I can’t imagine how that would work out well.

pedxing

#18

On my Northbound LT hike I was surprised to reach Cooley Glen late on a Thursday and find it full of people and wet things. Lots of people had taken refuge for the night after getting caught in a cloud burst. They would have made room for me, but it was already quite crowded and wet things hung eveywhere. It definitely would have been uncomfortable staying in the shelter and my things would have gotten wet as there was a drip drip and occasional spatter everywhere. I was very thankful to have my hammock to retreat to. This stands out for me, because I would not have anticipated Cooley Glen on a Thursday to be crammed with people.

I would have survived had I had to squeeze into the shelter my sleeping bag wouldn’t have become too wet, but it would not have been a good night. Its this kind of thing in addition to loss of flexibility to stop when the spirit moves you that you need to weigh against the weight.

pedxinG