And we should all benefit from the conversation.

I'd start by suggesting a read of Jan Leitschuh's LT journal, "The Ordinary Adventurer." It's available on Amazon, etc. Jan was a newb to hiking when she and her partner Clyde did this hike in 2002. She and Clyde both finished, and she went on to thru-hike the AT the following year. Jan was a frequent poster over on Whiteblaze for a while. I met her at the Gathering in 2007. In fact, I'm pretty sure she and I crossed paths on her LT hike, a mile or two north of Little Rock Pond.

I did the AT portion of the LT in 2002, and over the last three summers have finished most of the remainder, heading north from "Maine Junction." The LT tends to fluctuate between sheer boredom and sheer terror. Most of the summits are wooded, and views tend to be scarce. Here and there are some WTF moments where you're thinking, this can't be right, they didn't really mean for me to go this way... but yeah, they really did. North of "Maine Junction," the LT makes the AT look quite civilized.

There are fire towers on Glastonbury Mtn. and on Stratton Mtn., but aside from those towers, no views from either summit. Little Rock Pond is a nice place for a swim if the weather's right. The Inn at the Long Trail is just off the trail, and well worth a stop, or an overnight. Matter of fact you can take the old AT (aka Sherburne Trail) right to the Inn, and catch a short blue-blaze right back to "Maine Junction." The two days north from the Inn were deadly boring, in my opinion. But then you get fine views over the Sugarbush range (aka Mt. Abraham) and on Camel's Hump.

I have journals and photos from all my LT hikes, I can post them if anyone's interested. Here's a link to photos from my 2002 hike, over on AT-L.

gallery.backcountry.net/at-vt-2002

the long trail is on my possible fall 2015 hike list.

greenmountainclub.org/pdf/GMC_LTN_F14_web.pdf

or alternatively, for those who want to walk the entire trail, stay on the AT until it meets up again with the blue blaze N of the inn and then hike S on the blue blaze. its only 1/2 mile to the inn. its worth the visit; either for an hour or a nite.

Just being mischievous. I took Sherburne trail leaving the Inn, I think it had just been "demoted" to a blue-blaze but I didn't care. No regrets! In any case, the Inn is easy to get to, and you'd have to be seriously stoic to pass it up.

mountain meadows is about 4 miles N of the inn and is also a great place to stay. its a shame that most hikers have to choose between the two.

i've stayed at both places as a hiker, and have returned to both as a full price customer during ski season.

No I would do it in foliage

July the Greens are wet. October is perfect

I stopped in Johnson for a mini resupply when going throuth there. It was an in & out. Shopped & washed & back on the trail. Very friendly town! Stuck our thumbs out to hich in and first car locked up his brakes to stop. Just as quick on hich back to trail. May wan to check out these places for lodging along the trail Hostel Tevere $30-35203 Powderhouse RdWarren, VT 05674802 496-3533 hosteltevere.com Nyes Green Valley Farm $75 802-644-19848976 Rt 15 West Jeffersonville, VT 05464 nyesgreenvalleyfarm.com/

I'll email you maps when I'm not on a data restricted plan. What are your section breakdowns?

i can not give your any advice that is worth anything.

however...why not go to trailjournals and check out what last years long trail hikers did on that section? i took a look at one hiker (sobo) while i waiting on lunch to cook and this is what they did: 8-8-6-8-7-11. (laura-hazen-tillotson-spruce-corliss-nye b&b).

It isn't like the AMC in NH. I doubt you will find a ridge runner or many hikers other than on weekends. Stealthing is limited by terrain.

Pretty much what I did on my sobo but went on to roundtop. I did it in fall where the downed leaves made for careful foot placement. My hiking companion had just done most of the CO Trail before she bailed to join me, so I know the low milage was due to the trail. Up north many of the Shelters are mor like cabins.

The issue with stealth camping on the LT is very similar to what you face in the White Mountains. The nature of the woods adjacent to the trail may or may not be conducive to camping. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. They say you're not supposed to do it on the northern part of the LT -- what with lots of the trail being situated on private land -- but for me that's not super persuasive. That is: if I've been walking for hours without seeing another hiker, what are the odds that I'm going to be observed camping? In any case, I'm not going to be making a fire or leaving a trace.

Northern part of LT is far less traveled than southern part that joins the AT other than Mansfield & Camels Hump area. Caretakers I have met are more low key than AMC ones. But as mentioned camping is limited due to terrain & vegitation.

It's about the same as Mahosucs. Ladders at south end & yes nad hold needed at north end. Nothing you haven't done already in NH or ME.

.177 you have now in your hiking career faced about the worst the east coast can throw agaist you as far as terrain. About the only variable is weather.

You will love No VT then. Climbs are worth it. I do suggest Camels Hup & Mansfield early in the day to avoid the crowds. I recall Tafts as a stop so that negates early day but an awesome lodge. I got lucky hiking & had the place to myself & female companion. Bunks many more!

There are a couple of What-The-F moments on Mansfield. Just below the summit ridge, and at both ends. Every (sobo) thru-hiker I met on my way north mentioned Mansfield in a sort of WTF tone of voice. There was another such moment on the way down Camel's Hump. And a short section called Devil's Gulch that's kind of a micro-Mahoosuc Notch.

I wish I'd had the presence of mind to photograph some of these spots, but frankly it took 100% concentration just to get through them. And quite often, photos simply don't do it justice.

I've mentioned this before -- read Jan Leitschuh's LT journal, "The Ordinary Adventurer." She describes these same two spots on Mansfield.

You can peruse Google images for images of Mansfield hiking. You'll see the ladders but I have yet to see a good photo of either of these WTF spots.

Norht end of Mansfield is like Mahousuc Arm appalachiantrailcafe.net/galle…da/933-dafea83f-small.jpg

I just loved having both summits to ourselves early each morning. As we departed both, the crowds were coming up. We did our hike in Oct & got snowed out. Not sure how feasable to do it in summer to avoid crowds even at sunrise.

That photo isn't even one of the WTF spots. You hit that little chute about 5 minutes after descending from the north end of the ridge. No biggie.

FWIW, I left Butler Lodge at dawn, heading north and up the forehead. From Butler it's only another few hundred feet of vertical, but it's a very intense few hundred feet. I was early enough so that I had the entire summit ridge to myself. The first hikers I met that morning were right at that chute in the photo, just as I was starting to head back down on the north side.

I hit it sobo on a frosty morning. All open water along ridge was frozen & don't recall anything that bad. Few ladders & boulder hops. Nothing beyound what AT hits in NH or ME. I loved it! Then again I love rugged. Not easy in any way.

South side

Rafe, what are your WTF spots? I was refering to what BB has already been through. But it can help other hikers following this post.

Rafe please critic & add to my LT article & add as much as you can to help current hikers. Help from everyone will keep info current.