Lessons from the Long Trail

Last August I had the amazing opportunity to thru-hike the Long Trail in Vermont. Traversing the entire state lengthwise from the border of Massachusetts to the border of Canada, the 273 mile trail was the first long distance hiking trail in the U.S. In fact, as legend goes it was the inspiration for the development of the Appalachian Trail. 

This trail was a great physical and mental trial run for my upcoming Appalachian Trail (AT) thru-hike. After many years of backpacking, including 300 miles on the AT in 2020 and 300 miles on the Colorado Trail in 2021, I thought I knew a thing or two about hiking. The Long Trail however, was very humbling. That trail is exceptionally hard, mostly due to its rugged terrain. Don’t be fooled by the two to four thousand foot Green Mountains. They are modest in stature but torturous in difficulty. (Proof that size doesn’t matter). The trail has a ton of elevation gain and loss, steep ascents with no switchbacks, and many rocks and roots to dodge. 

As with most challenges, lessons were learned. I start my AT hike almost exactly six months after completing the Long Trail, a good amount of time to adjust my physical training, tweak my gear, and prepare myself mentally. Some of my take aways are below.

Gear

After many backpacking trips of various lengths, I mostly have my gear dialed in. That said, almost every trip prompts at least one or two micro improvements. Perfecting one’s backpacking gear is really a hobby all on its own. These are the tweaks I’ve made after the Long Trail, and may give you a glimpse into the minutia that I (and other long distance backpackers) obsess about. 

• I need a new pack. This was definitely the biggest gear adjustment. I liked my previous pack but it started to fail me on the Long Trail. The lightweight frame stay snapped, and although I’ve ordered a replacement part, the pack is showing wear and tear and I know it won’t last another 2,200 miles. After much research and trial and error, I think I’ve found the right one, a Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50. It hasn’t been on any overnight trips yet, but it has felt great on some training day hikes. 
• Bring a stuff sack for clothes. Hardcore ultralight backpackers often don’t bother using a separate bag for clothes – they save weight by just stuffing everything in the main body of the pack. I found that I wanted one more bag for organization so my clothes weren’t all over the place when I was setting up camp. 
• Get a bigger pot. Though I really liked my pot (Toaks 700 ml), it was just a little too small to comfortably cook some of my meals. Stirring was a delicate act. I’ve since upgraded to the 900 ml version. 
• I need something to wear while doing laundry. In Vermont I wore my long underwear and rain jacket. As fashionable as it was, the laundromat in August was a sauna and I just about died. 
• Bring a second micro USB cord. My power bank, headlamp, and Kindle are all charged via micro USB. With a second cord I’ll be able to charge multiple devices at once when I’m charging up in town.
• Bring a tiny cloth or sponge to wipe out pot. I store my stove and fuel canister inside my cook pot, and because the pot never fully dried out after each use, they started to develop a bit of rust. 

Having six months in between allowed me to utilize Black Friday and holiday sales for the new gear I had to purchase. Though I’ve added a few items to my kit, and thus increased my weight to carry, I think the conveniences gained are worth it. A few additional ounces will help me maintain my sanity while hiking for months.

The Long Trail was probably more difficult than the majority of the AT. I do generally feel well-prepared for the AT, but I must also keep a spirit of humility. I am sure my backpacking routines and gear will continue evolve. Every experience in life is an opportunity to learn and progress, little by little.