Green Mountains National Forest -- 2024
 |  |
|---|---|
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |
Having failed to complete the Long Trail in 2018, I wanted to give it another try in 2024. At this time, I had as much time to spend on the trail as needed. Because of this, I thought I would start in the north where there is less access and transport, and finish in the south where there are hotels and transportation out.
From Burlington Airport, I arranged transportation to the Journey’s End Trail trailhead. I arranged for an early morning flight so I could arrive on the trail with time to get further into it and stay in a shelter. My transportation picked up the iso-butane for me, which helped me out a lot. I arrived at the trailhead around 2pm which I thought was a lot of time. However, this was October, and the sun was setting pretty quickly at this northern latitude. The trail was fine. The temperature was pretty nice, and it was dry. My boots had nice traction on the rocks. It is a pretty rough trail. I reached the Shooting Star shelter just as the last light was present. By 5:30pm, it was pretty dark. I had a nice meal using my Vargo mug. The evening in the shelter was very nice.
The next day I retrieved water from the well to start my day. It was already raining on and off, and the temperature was a lot colder than the previous day. The day also had a lot of “ups”. I had to ascend Doll Peak and then get over Jay Peak. It was a rough trail, very steep. This was more treacherous for me with the slickness on the rocks. Ascent and descent on these steep, wet rocks were dangerous. I fell five times. I also slipped on a swamping crossing and dropped my GoPro. Then I went back to search and retrieve it. Getting to the top of Jay Peak was rewarding. This is one of the dominant views of the Green Mountains. Impressive. It was also cold, wet, and windy. Very uncomfortable. I would have liked to stay on the summit and enjoy the views, but it was too uncomfortable. The descent from Jay Peak was equally challenging. Very slick, steep rock. I finally arrived in Jay Camp around 3pm. I was cold and wet from the day’s hiking. The next four days were all in the 40’s. This wasn’t the trip I wanted. I called the person who shuttled me in and got picked up. I think I’ll surrender to the Long Trail and not attempt a through-hike again.