Manchester Center, VT to Stratton, ME

Finally trying to catch up on some blogging on my last day of vacation back in Seattle. Flying out this evening back to the northeast and back to the trail....

Vermont (continued):
Day 118, 18 August: Manchester Center, VT to Bromley Mountain to Peru Peak shelter [1650.7], 10.1 mi / 2800 ft gain (arrived after dark, rained that night and we discovered our 'new' tents leaks too!)
Day 119, 19 August: Peru Peak shelter to Greenwall shelter [1665.2], 14.5 mi / 1800 ft gain
Day 120, 20 August: Greenwall shelter to '500 miles to Katahdin point' to Killington Peak to Cooper Lodge [1684.1], 18.9 mi / 5500 ft gain
Day 121, 21 August: Cooper Lodge to Rutland, VT [1690.4], 6.3 mi / 400 ft gain (short day into Rutland to stay at the Twelve Tribes hiker hostel which was a very interesting place to stay)
Day 122, 22 August: Rutland, VT / US 4 to Pittsfield, VT/ VT100 [1693.7], 3.3 mi / 610 ft gain (another short day to stay at The Amie Farm Barn hostel, a cool farm and place but needs some work as a hostel)
Day 123, 23 August: Pittsfield, VT to Winturri shelter [1710.3], 16.6 mi / 4800 ft gain (celebrated our 4-month 'Trail-a-versary' on our 123rd day on the trail by returning to our regular/bigger hiking days and with a little rain....)
Day 124, 24 August: Winturri shelter to Cloudland Farms (ice cream) to West Hartford, VT [1726.7], 16.4 mi / 4300 ft gain (stayed in a friendly locals' free 'non-hostel' hostel garage room. sweet.)

New Hampshire:
Day 125, 25 August: West Hartford, VT to Vermont-New Hampshire border to Hanover, NH to Etna, NH [1742.4], 15.7 mi / 3100 ft gain (stayed at Tigger's Treehouse hostel in a 'cush RV)
Day 126, 26 August: Etna, NH to Firewarden's Cabin on Smarts Mtn [1759.9], 17.5 mi / 6100 ft gain (nice enclosed shelter and the first 'cold' night since May)
Day 127, 27 August: Firewarden's Cabin to Mt. Cube (awesome views) to camping on Mt. Mist [1777.4], 17.5 mi / 3700+ ft gain
Day 128, 28 August: Mt. Mist to Glencliff, NH to Mt. Moosilauke (4802 ft) to Kinsman Notch/Lincoln, NH [1789.3], 11.9 mi / 4300 ft gain (awesome views and weather from the top of Moosilauke, above treeline for the first time on the AT, really steep but cool descent, stayed at Chet's place in Lincoln, a really cool hostel and great guy)
Day 129, 29 August: Zero Day at Chet's place due to really bad weather which turned out to be one of the best decisions of the trip!
Day 130, 30 August: Kinsman Notch to South Kinsman (4358 ft) to Lonesome Lake Hut [1802.7], 13.4 mi / 4900 ft gain (tough day, first work-for-stay at AMC hut, beautiful setting)
Day 131, 31 August: Lonesome Lake Hut to Franconia Notch (1450 ft) to Franconia Ridge to Little Haystack Mtn (4760 ft) to Mt. Lincoln (5089 ft) to Mt. Lafayette (5249 ft) to Mt. Garfield (4488 ft) to camping just past Garfield Ridge campsite [1815.9], 13.2 mi / 5700 ft gain (best day ever! perfect weather, awesome views, breezy on ridge, above treeline for a while)
Day 132, 1 September: Garfield Ridge to South Twin Mtn (4902 ft) to Ethan Pond campsite [1830.4], 14.5 mi / 2500+ ft gain (awesome views from the top of South Twin, more fantastic weather, but loud college kids and aggressive raccoon at camp)
Day 133, 2 September: Ethan Pond to Crawford Notch (1277 ft) to Mt. Webster to Mt. Jackson (4052 ft) to Mt. Clinton to Mt. Franklin (5004 ft) to Mt. Monroe to Lakes of the Clouds Hut [1844.5], 14.1 mi / 5600 ft gain (big day climbing most of Mt. Washington including sub-peaks. Scrambled up Monroe after dropping packs. 17 thrus stayed at Lakes this night, it was too hectic. awesome views, sunset, moonrise, no clouds any where.)
Day 134, 3 September: Lakes of the Clouds Hut to Mt. Washington (6288 ft) to Cog Railroad to Presidential Range up to Madison Spring Hut [1851.5], 7.0 mi / 2400 ft gain (unexpectedly decided to stay here since the crew was so nice. 14 of the 17 thrus from the previous hut stayed here this night!)(beautiful weather on top of WA, 60 degrees and no wind! waited half hour to moon the cog railway in true thru hiker tradition!)
Day 135, 4 September: Madison Spring Hut to Mt. Madison (5363 ft) to Pinkham Notch (2035 ft) to Wildcat Ridge to Wildcat Peaks E through A (4380 ft, highest of 5 peaks) to camping at Carter Notch (3290 ft) [1865.2], 13.7 mi / 4600 ft gain (one of the toughest and rockiest days on the trail)
Day 136, 5 September: Carter Notch to Carter Dome (4832 ft) to Mt. Hight (4675 ft) to South, Middle (4600 ft), and North Carter Mtns to Middle Moriah Mtn (3620 ft) to Gorham, NH [1880.4], 15.2 mi / 4000 ft gain (6600 ft descent) (another tough day!) (stayed at nice hostel outside of town, got hitch from chief-of-police, new shoes!)
Day 137, 6 September: Gorham, NH to Gentian Pond shelter [1892.2], 11.8 mi / 4400 ft gain

Maine:
Day 138, 7 September: Gentian Pond shelter to Mt. Success to New Hampshire-Maine border to Goose Eye Mtns to Full Goose shelter [1901.8], 9.6 mi / 4100 ft gain (another brutal day of rocky ups and downs)
Day 139, 8 September: Full Goose shelter to Mahoosuc Notch to Mahoosuc Arm to Grafton Notch to Baldpate Lean-to [1913.8], 12.0 mi / 4400 ft gain (another really tough day. Mahoosuc notch is suppose to be the hardest mile on the AT.)
Day 140, 9 September: Baldpate Lean-to to Baldpate Mtns (cool views) to camping at South Arm Road [1931.9], 18.1 mi / 5800 ft gain (another huge, hard day)
Day 141, 10 September: South Arm Road to Resupply in Andover, ME (in and out) to Bemis Range to camping at Bemis Stream [1944.4], 12.5 mi / 3900 ft gain (fun group this night at camp)
Day 142, 11 September: Bemis Stream to Moxie Pond to Little Swift River Pond (took canoe out) to Rangeley, ME [1958.3], 13.9 mi / 3100 ft gain (stayed in Rangeley at the Gull Pond Lodge, a great hostel)
Day 143, 12 September: Rangeley, ME to Ethel Pond (saw our first moose of the trip) to Saddleback Mtn (4120 ft) to Poplar Ridge Lean-to [1969.0], 10.7 mi / 4000 ft gain (good day, first little sprinkle since VT! met Sky and Cat at shelter; some Mainers who offered us a ride and great hospitality)
Day 144, 13 September: Poplar Ridge Lean-to to Spaulding Mtn to Sugarloaf Mtn to Crocker Cirque campsite [1983.2], 14.2 mi / 4100 ft gain
Day 145, 14 September: Crocker Cirque campsite to Crocker Mtns to ME 27 / Stratton, ME [1990.5], 7.3 mi / 2000 ft gain (Sky and Cat - former thru hikers - picked us up and gave us a ride to Isleboro Island (via ferry) on the mid-coast and put us up for the night in their home. Lobster bbq on the beach that night and awesome phosphorescence in the ocean makes this the most magical of trail magic!)

Day 146, 15 September: Thus begins our sequence of 8 zero days.....

Rutland, VT

Caroline and I just arrived into Rutland, VT barely beating the rain and after waiting for our second longest hitch of the trail: 15 minutes. We checked into the Back Home Again Cafe and Hostel which is operated by the 'Twelve Tribes'community which I know nothing about yet, but will know something soon... (I hear they are kind of like a cult). Its a work for stay place that is suppose to have awesome food so we have to go help clean up the cafe at 3 PM to 'earn our keep'.

We've hiked 1690 miles so far and have 488 miles to go. We'll be in Hanover, New Hampshire in 3 days unless the weather keeps us down! Bring on the White Mountains.

Hiked up Killington Peak yesterday which was a fair hike. 19 miles and 5500 feet of elevation gain for the day! Still waiting for the cool weather to roll in now that we have our winter gear..... Adious.
Iceman

Manchester Center, Vermont

I LoVermont as the saying goes but the Trail has been pretty muddy since we crossed the MA/VT border. We arrived into Manchester Center, VT yesterday afternoon (August 17) and after picking up our mail drops from the outfitter, grocery shopping, and a large pizza for lunch, Jeff Taussig picked us up and took us to one of the absolute best hostels on the entire AT, Green Mountain House. Freezer stocked with Ben and Jerry's of course!! We would stay here another night but the limit is 10 hikers, reservations are required, and he is all booked up here again tonight. So sometime this afternoon we will hesitantly go hike a few miles in this heat wave (which is suppose to end tomorrow) to the first shelter.

Next stop is Rutland, VT in a few days, but only for a quick resupply. Next night in town will be Hanover, NH!! I have all my winter gear on my back once again which feels silly since its 92 degrees out, but later in the week the high is going to be 69, so I'm really looking forward to some cooler weather.

And did I mention we are finally back in the mountains again? Fantastical!! The views from the peaks have been tremendous, if a little hazy lately from the heat. Can't wait to get high again!!

I've got 4 weeks before I take 8 days off from Sept. 15 - 22 so we will try to get into Maine before then.

(in case you didn't see it, there is another post below this one)

Catching UP! Day by day breakdown from Palmerton, PA to Manchester, VT

Just trying to catch up with the day by day break down....

Pennsylvania:
Day 91, 22 July: Palmerton, PA to Wind Gap [1268.0], 20.5 mi / 3300 ft gain
Day 92, 23 July: Wind Gap to Delaware Water Gap, PA [1283.6], 15.6 mi / 1500 ft gain
Day 93, 24 July: Zero day in DWG, PA

New Jersey:
Day 94, 25 July: DWG, PA to PA/NJ state line to a camp on random ridge [1298.2], 14.6 mi / 2600 ft gain (big scary thunderstorm right over our tent this night! And yes, the tent leaked!)
Day 95, 26 July: random ridge to Gren Anderson Shelter [1315.0], 16.8 mi / 2200 ft gain
Day 96, 27 July: Gren Anderson Shelter to Highpoint State Park, NJ to Quarry Road/Unionville, NY and the Mayor's House [1334.4], 18.4 mi / 2300 ft gain (not actually in NY on the trail yet. Mayor's House was an awesome place to stay!)
Day 97, 28 July: Zero day at the Mayor's House, too good to leave!
Day 98, 29 July: Quarry Road/Unionville to Wawayanda Shelter [1352.0], 17.6 mi / 3300 ft gain

New York:
Day 99, 30 July: Wawayanda Shelter to NJ/NY state line to Mombasha High Point [1367.8], 15.8 mi / 2500 ft gain
Day 100, 31 July: Mombasha High Point to William Brien Shelter [1383.6], 15.8 mi / 5000 ft gain
Day 101, 1 August: William Brien Shelter to Bear Mt, NY zoo to Fort Montgomery, NY for resupply to Graymoor Friary [1398.8], 15.2 mi / 4000 ft gain
Day 102, 2 August: Graymoor Friary to RPH Shelter [1417.7], 18.9 mi / 4400(?) ft gain (ordered calzones and pizza at shelter! and happy reunion with many good hiker friends)
Day 103, 3 August: RPH Shelter to Telephone Pioneers Shelter [1434.5], 16.8 mi / 3400 ft gain

Connecticut:
Day 104, 4 August: T.P. Shelter to NY/CT state line to Schaghticoke Mtn campsite [1452.7], 18.2 mi / 3800 ft gain
Day 105, 5 August: Schaghticoke Mtn to Kent, CT [1455.9], 3.2 mi / 800 ft gain (first 'nearo' day - or 'near zero' day - in a while! stayed at B&B)(got new shoes in the mail finally! feet feel good)
Day 106, 6 August: Kent, CT to Pine Swamp Brook Lean-to [1472.9], 17.0 mi / 4500 ft gain (had to help/rescue an injured hiker, Matthew, this day)
Day 107, 7 August: Pine Swamp Brook to Riga Lean-to [1492.7], 19.8 mi / 3900 ft gain (first time we were the only ones at a shelter!)

Massachusetts:
Day 108, 8 August: Riga to Bear Mtn (highest point in CT) to CT/MA state line to camp at US 7/Great Barrington, MA [1510.7], 18.0 mi / 3300 ft gain (passed 1500 miles on this day!)
Day 109, 9 August: US 7/Great Barrinton, MA (in for resupply) to Mt. Wilcox North Lean-to [1524.2], 13.5 mi / 3500 ft gain
Day 110, 10 August: Mt. Wilcox North to Interstate 90 over pass (Seattle to Boston!!) - to October Mtn Lean-to [1547.0], 22.8 mi / 4300 ft gain (my feet really hurt after this long day!)
Day 111, 11 August: October Mtn to Dalton, MA [1558.8], 11.8 mi / 1200 ft gain (stayed w/ Rob Bird at The Bird Cage for 2 nights, awesome place!)
Day 112, 12 August: Zero Day at The Bird Gage
Day 113, 13 August: Dalton, MA to Mt Greylock (highest point in MA @ 3491') [1575.8], 17.0 mi / 4600 ft gain (easy hike, camped in emergency shelter on summit, great views)

Vermont:
Day 114, 14 August: Mt Greylock to resupply at MA2 to MA/VT state line to Seth Warner Shelter [1589.0], 13.2 mi / 2800 ft (I LoVermont! but its muddy....)(a couple of bears visited the shelter this evening and wouldn't leave!)
Day 115, 15 August: Seth Warner Shelter to camping at Glastenbury lookout [1608.1], 19.1 mi / 4400 ft gain
Day 116, 16 August: Glastenbury lookout to Glastenbury Mtn (3748') to Stratton Mtn (3936') to Stratton Pond Shelter [1630.0], 21.9 mi / 4500 ft gain (big day but not too sore)
Day 117, 17 August: Stratton Pond Shelter to Manchester Center, VT [1640.6], 10.6 mi / 1100 ft gain (stayed at Green Mountain House, one of the best hostel on the entire trail!)

Day 118, 18 August: Manchester Center, VT to ????? (we would stay here but the place is all full for the night! :-( )

Delaware Water Gap, PA

Cattywampus and Iceman arrived into Delaware Water Gap, PA yesterday (Thursday) evening in the pouring rain. Actually, it stopped raining a few miles before town. We stayed at the church hostel and were fortunate enough to arrive an hour before a big hiker feed hosted by the church and town folk. What luck! It was super crowded however, 20-25 thru hikers; definitely the most thru-hikers we've seen at one place. Kind of crazy. Cool town though. Taking a zero day today for mental and physical mending. DWG is right on the PA-NJ border so when we hike out tomorrow we'll be leaving this state for good. Since this is our last stop in Pennsylvania I've got the hankering to write an...

Ode to Pennsylvania
Oh Pennsylvania, you suck
You really, really suck
No, seriously, you suck big time
You are hot, buggy, spring-less, rocky, poison ivy-filled, viewless, and you smell bad too
I thought I was going to like you when I first met you, but sometime after Duncannon your true spirit shone thru
Tomorrow I leave you for good, hopefully forever
Good riddance, who needs you?, coal-shmoal...
F.U. PA!!

Duncannon, PA to Palmerton, PA

Mile 1247.5! Both exciting and depressing. Thats a long way to walk. Pennsylvania is proving to be a hot, buggy, rocky, viewless, dry (very few water sources), poison ivy-filled state. I didn't mind southern PA too much, but lately its been hard going. Spirits waivering, right foot really hurting (and the rocks don't help), sweating every day. Hiking the A.T. is much tougher mentally than I could have ever imagined. Really, really looking forward to the Northeast, but that is still a ways off. We still have lots more hot, buggy, rocky, viewless, waterless, poison ivy-filled terrain to cover before its gets better. What have I gotten myself into?

Staying at the "Jailhouse Hostel" in Palmerton, PA tonight. An old police station that the city allows hikers to stay in for free. Palmerton is a weird and kind of wonderful town. I'm glad we stopped here. We are back amongst a group of other thru-hikers which is fun since we seemed to be all by ourselves for a while.

If I had known there would be this much poison ivy on the AT I very likely would not have chosen to hike it. Its ridiculous sometimes, actually nearly all the time. I have no idea how I have avoided contracting it but I hope my luck holds. Did I mention that I hate bugs and heat?

We saw 6 Timber Rattlers on the trail the other day (Sunday). We've seen probably over a dozen now (never more than one a day until now though) and often times they scare the living shit out of me when I walk up on them. Like the first one we saw yesterday which was hidden between some rocks, that I nearly walked over not 30 seconds after I think we saw another copperhead slither by. Then a really, really big one was pointed out to us just off the trail while we were on a break not 2 miles later. Then, on the same break, we went up to look at a viewpoint where we heard some rattlers had been sunning earlier and we saw 4 more rattlers in 2 sets - one set intertwined - not 5 feet from each other. It felt like the snake den out of Raiders of the Lost Arc. Got some good photos and videos. They are amazing creatures. Sure wish all poisonous snakes had rattles to warn you. Good stuff.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, we'll hike out of Palmerton towards Delaware Water Gap, PA where we'll hopefully spend the night on Thursday. I hope I make it. I sure wasn't expecting my body to be in this much pain, this late in the hike. I've lost all hope that my body will heal while I'm on the trail. Now its just a game of mental toughness. I hope I win.



Day 84, 15 July: Duncannon, PA - Peters Mtn Shelter [1148.6], 11.3 mi / 2000ft gain
Day 85, 16 July: Peters Mtn Shelter - camping near Swatara Gap [1172.1], 23.5 mi / 2900ft gain (saw a really fat Timber Rattler on the trail this day)
Day 86, 17 July: Swatara Gap - 501 Shelter [1183.5], 11.4 mi / 1900ft gain (rain cut our day short again. Sweet, fully enclosed shelter with outside shower)
Day 87, 18 July: 501 Shelter - Port Clinton, PA [1207.2], 23.7 mi / 2000ft gain (ole foot really hurtin lately)
Day 88, 19 July: Port Clinton, PA - Eckville Shelter [1222.4], 15.2 mi / 2500ft gain (this shelter was like a hostel bunkhouse really. also saw possibly our first copperhead)
Day 89, 20 July: Eckville Shelter - Bake Oven Knob Shelter [1239.8], 17.4 mi / 2600ft gain (saw 6, yes 6, rattlers on the trail this day)
Day 90, 21 July: Bake Oven Knob Shelter - Palmerton, PA [1247.5], 7.7 mi / ??ft gain (spirits were waivering lately and foot really sore, so called it a short day)

Harpers Ferry, WV to Duncannon, PA

This stretch of trail between Harpers Ferry and Duncannon was really flat, fast, and easy. Nevertheless, the fact that we had only hiked half the trail was a bit overwhelming. It was exciting and depressing all at once.

Duncannon was a cool place. We stayed at the historic Doyle Hotel; a run down place with a lot of character and friendly people. A $25 hotel room is hard to find these days! Also found the last good food bargain in this country. For breakfast I had 3 thick, 'big-as-your-head' blueberry pancakes at a diner across the street for $2.90! I couldn't finish them and I have a thru-hikers appetite!! NICE.

Day 76, 7 July: Zero Day 9: Harpers Ferry, WV (this was a planned zero day)
Day 77, 8 July: Zero Day 10: Harpers Ferry, WV (this was an unplanned zero day!!)

Day 78, 9 July: Harpers Ferry, WV - WV/MD border - Pine Knob Shelter (MD) [1036.4], 21.4 mi / 3800ft gain
Day 79, 10 July: Pine Knob Shelter - MD/PA border - Deer Lick Shelter (PA) [1059.1], 22.7 mi / 3900ft gain
Day 80, 11 July: Deer Lick Shelter - Fayetteville, PA resupply - Quarry Gap Shelter [1074.9], 15.8 mi / 2400ft gain (heavy rain shortened our day!)
Day 81, 12 July: Quarry Gap Shelter - Midpoint of A.T (1089.1 miles) - Pine Grove Furnace S.P. - James Frye Shelter at Tagg Run [1099.4], 24.5 mi / 2600ft gain (Hooray, we're half way.... We're only half way.....)
Day 82, 13 July: James Frye Shelter - Boiling Springs, PA - Darlington Shelter [1125.9], 26.5 mi / 3500ft gain
Day 83, 14 July: Darlington Shelter - Duncannon, PA [1137.3], 11.4 mi / 1400ft gain (stayed at the histroic Doyle Hotel, an awesome place)