New Hampshire!
Level 13 of 14 on our trip–we’re getting so close! Yet, still so far with two of the hardest, but most beautiful states to go. We enjoyed our time in Vermont; it was indeed a very Green State.
From Bennington we hiked up Glastenbury Mountain, which, according to some locals, is a bit haunted as there was once a town atop the mountain. There was no view from the ground, but we hiked up the fire town to find ourselves above the evergreen treetops with a dramatic view of some big mountains. We stayed in a small shetler with our friends Lotus, Thinker, Jon & Jess, and were visited in the night by a porcupine gnawing on the shelter. So strange! The next day it rained on us some more as we went up and over Stratton Mountain at 3,936 feet. It was chilly on top and in the clouds. Stratton Mountain is the probably spot where the idea for the AT came to life and we wished we could have seen the view Benton McKaye had seen! We met some southbound hikers (or SOBOs) that told us about this shelter ahead that was like a cabin with windows and a sliding door so we ended up doing about 23 miles to make it to that shelter. It started pouring rain just as we got there and we were glad to have a roof over our head and a door to shut to keep ourselves warm as it poured all night.
We awoke the next morning to a creek running down the trail and we sloshed our way 2.8 miles in the pouring rain to hitch a ride into Manchester Center, VT with our friends Jon & Jess. We decided we should take the day off to dry out and clean up so we split a room in a hotel with our friends. Manchester Center was a nice little town with an outfitter, laundry, groceries, a bookstore and even a theater. All in all, a nice day off.
It cleared up and we hiked the next day to a campsite where we met back up with our buddies Rocksteady & Butters. We camped out at a shelter that came with a $5 per person (!) charge. The Green Mountain Club is sometimes called the Green Money Club because they have several charge sites for camping and AT hikers don’t like having to pay to camp! The next day we ended up hiking about 23 miles to get into Rutland, VT where we could resupply food. We stayed at the Back Home Again Hostel run by the Twelve Tribes and it was awesome! A bed with sheets, dinner and breakfast, showers, laundry and some energy bars to go. We did a work for stay: Andy did dishes and I swept and mopped. Much thanks to those guys!
We hiked up and over Killington Mountain the next day, yet again in clouds, and were the only ones in the shelter so we set our tent up inside and slept well. We hiking into Killington, VT the next day where Andy picked up some new shoes (finally!) and I picked up my film camera that my parents sent me for the rest of the journey. Met back up with our friends who had gotten ahead and had a nice lunch at a deli in town. Took us two more days to hike into Hanover, NH, and they were nice, sunny days. Vermont got bumpier as we got farther north and now we are only a few days from being in the White Mountains that we’ve been hearing about since we started. The trails were built before the switchback was invented so we just go straight up and straight back down rocky mountains, many of which are above treeline. Our tired bodies are in for a beating!
We could take this day off in Hanover thanks to Ralph and Karen who run Tigger’s Tree House, a place for hikers to stay. We are set up in a pop-up camper, which is perfect and cozy, especially when it started raining this morning and we didn’t have to get up and hike! So thanks so much to Ralph and Karen for your cozy haven!
That’s about all for Vermont, check out the photos on the photos page! Wish us luck for rocky NH and rugged Maine!
Best,
susan, andy & corley
July 31st, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Oh guys! I am SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!!!
I completed my 08 goal of half the AT this year. Finished at Pine Grove Furnace on July 24th. Met a lot of great people behind you. Where’s the Chunk now? Tell Thinker and RockSteady and Butters I said hi. (or high) And anyone else I knew.
I’m painfully jealous. Does it show?