HIKE APPALACHIAN TRAIL VERMONT

Hanover, NH to Sherburne Pass US-4


It all seemed so simple at home. I would drive to Vermont with my bike in the back. I would self shuttle myself each day by driving to the end point and biking to the start point then hiking back to my car. It worked to perfection for two days before problems started popping up.

I spent 6 days hiking 72.7 miles and biking 71.2 miles starting in Hanover, NH and ending on US-4 in Sherburne Pass in Killington, VT covering only 45.6 Appalachian Trail (AT) miles.

My hike was a nice walk in the woods as the trail is predominantly a high ridgeline and heavily wooded. I saw few people so it was quiet with only bird songs, the wind and two days of rain drops. I saw 2-3” iridescent orange salamanders everyday. Besides the normal small creatures you see in the woods, I saw a quail/partridge/grouse with young and some turkeys. There was lots of moose scat.

June 3, 2008 Tuesday Drive to White River Junction, Vermont

I got up and emptied the refrigerator of perishables into a cooler. After loading my 96 Mazda 626 with 227,000+ miles on it, I drove to the credit union ATM at 6:23 am.

My route took me north on US-29 to I-70 east to I-695 around Baltimore. I headed north on I-83 to Harrisburg where I took I-81 north to Scranton. From there I took I-84 east into New York across the Hudson River then north on the Taconic Parkway. I took NY-23 east to US-7 north in Great Barrington, MA. I picked up US-4 east in Rutland, VT and then US-5 north to Hanover, NH. For some reason I couldn’t find a motel in Hanover (I spotted several the next day) so I retraced my route back to White River Junction, VT. I drove 595.1 miles including several miles after missing a turn in Pittsfield, MA.

I started with a near full gas tank but stopped twice for 13.7 gallons costing $53.77. I grazed on the fruit, melons and vegetables from the refrigerator as I drove. Because I had no breakfast I had to stop for unsweetened ice tea, fish sandwich and fries $4.32 at McDonald’s (no choices).

I checked into the White River Junction Econolodge room 131 $78.44 at 7:00 pm. I went to the nearby AJ’s for a draught Long Trail Ale and a good haddock dinner at $22.52 including tip. I checked the weather channel for tomorrow’s forecast of rain. There were severe tornados happening from Oklahoma to Wisconsin and along the Ohio River Valley.

June 4, 2008 Wednesday Hike NH/VT Border to VT-14

I slept in a bit until 5:30 so I was a few minutes late for the 6:00 buffet breakfast. I consumed some orange juice, milk and a bagel with cream cheese and jelly. It is raining lightly as it will do most of the day with the thermometer at 55o when I drove away at 6:30.

Last night I checked my DeLorme Vermont map book and found a short route that roughly parallels my AT route today. I decided to drive this route to West Hartford on VT-14 and the AT to see what it was like. The road turned to dirt and was very mountainous so I determined it was not suitable to bike it. Instead I decided to bike VT-14 with a good shoulder and light traffic down the White River 7 miles to US-5. US-5 is narrow, rough with some construction and up the Connecticut River but has low traffic, a parallel bike path for some of it and is only about 5 miles. I purchased an Italian sub $5.77 and a 20 ounce bottle of water $1.00 (I forgot to fill my bottle at the motel) at the West Hartford Village Store and parked my car in their lot after talking to the owner.

After transitioning from biking to hiking I started back across the bridge at 9:08. I hiked along the road through Norwich, VT up the mountain and into the woods on the trail. After two fairly easy miles most of the nearly 1200’ vertical climb is over. I am walking on the ridgeline for miles with only a few small undulations. The trail is good and soft. The temperature is cool. It is quiet with the only sounds the chirping birds, an occasional sighing breeze and the dripping rain. I see no one so in the deep woods it is very peaceful and pleasant.

I took a 0.1 mile side trail to the Happy Hill shelter which has a loft and the name is in tiles. I spook a turkey in front me. I see dozens of two to three inch iridescent orange salamanders and hope I haven’t stepped on any.

I eat my very good Italian sub and an apple as I start to descend the last mile and a half. I arrive at my car in the store parking lot at 12:40 packed with the lunch crowd. I hiked 9.7 miles in 3 hours and 46 minutes averaging 2.69 mph climbing 1660’ and descending 1660’ in one climb.

I retrieved my bike driving over the dirt mountain roads and returned to West Hartford the same way. I talked to the owner of the store about tomorrow and bought an ice cream sandwich for $0.99. I drove the back roads I scouted out on the map last night from VT-14 through South Pomfret to VT-12 near Woodstock. The road is paved all the way and the climb though 5 miles long is relatively gentle with only a few short steep inclines. It is about 63o.

I don’t see any motels around Woodstock (although there are plenty there in plain sight) so I return to the White River Junction Econolodge and check back into room 131 $78.44. I turn on the weather channel for tomorrow’s forecast of overcast and cool like today. The tornados are in full swing again as the announcer issues a watch for Montgomery County, Howard County and then zeros in on Columbia for the next half hour.

I am full from my sub so I decide to go fast food as I don’t feel like a full meal. You guessed it, my only choice is McDonalds. I have a grilled chicken sandwich that is new and substandard with fries and tea $8.06.

June 5, 2008 Thursday Hike VT-14 W Hartford to VT-12 Woodstock

I’m up at 5:20, loaded the car and at the buffet for orange juice, milk and a bagel by 6:00. I check out and head for VT-12 at 6:23. It is 54o and overcast as predicted. I park at VT-12 and unload my bike. I am ready to go at 6:56.

I bike down VT-12 on a good shoulder with little traffic about three miles before turning sharply left on the outskirts of Woodstock. It is a long gradual climb of about 5 miles to the crest at the South Pomfret Town Hall with only a couple of short steep inclines. It is a breeze as I quickly descend 6.8 miles to VT-14 at West Hartford. I biked 14.8 miles in one hour ten minutes averaging 12.7 mph reaching a maximum 29.5 mph climbing 670’ and descending 1150’ in two climbs. I lock my bike to a sign and buy another Italian sub $5.77.

I hike across the bridge over the White River at 8:20. I am climbing steeply on the 2 mile 1300’ climb. Near the top I encounter my first hikers, two through hikers who left Georgia in early February and a section hiker. They are interested in breakfast in West Hartford which I assure them is plentiful, good and reasonable.

In one of the few open grassy areas by a large rock I came to about 6 feet of a quail/partridge/grouse. She spread her tail in a perfect fan, squawking loudly and running in a zigzag pattern in front of me as her few days old young (no feathers) ran in the opposite direction.

The trail surface is good but there are no flat spots. I am either going up or down often very steeply. I can feel some rubbing during steep descents on the back of my second largest toe on both feet. I am wearing new North Face trail running shoes with a shank in my endless search for good hiking boots since breaking my best ever on the Pennsylvania rocks.

I reach my car on VT-12 at 2:27. I hiked 12.6 miles in 6 hours and 7 minutes averaging 2.06 mph climbing 4190’ descending 3790’ in 6 climbs. That was a tough hike and I’m a little beat. It is only 65o but without the rain it feels warmer.

I retrace my bike route to West Hartford to pick up my bike and return the same way to Woodstock. I stop for a root beer float $3.29 on US-4 beside the Ottauquechee River. I stop at the Citgo station at the junction of US-4 and VT-100 for a roast beef sub, chocolate chip cookies $8.38 for tomorrow’s lunch. I cross over the Killington line and check into the Val Roc Motel room 6 $64.31. I talked to the owner for quite a while.

I went back about half a mile to the Back Behind restaurant. It was like stepping back a century in time. It was dark, all wood floors, walls and ceiling like the old west and the table clothes were heavy leather. I was sold on a Long Trail Ale and a mixed grill special consisting of a large platter of steak, scallops, potatoes and mixed grilled vegetables with cold slaw and hot bread $39.75 including tip. It was very good but I couldn’t eat it all.

Back in my room I turned on the Weather Channel for tomorrow’s weather. Cool with rain all day and heavy at times. The tornados are still active but dampened down quite a bit. I’m stymied because the next trail section is over 20 miles which means a long bike ride of over two hours, ie a late start on a long hike in the rain. I pour over the maps to find a way to break it in two. I find a dirt road opposite the Long Trail Brewery that divides it into 8 plus and 11 plus mile days. The trail guide says I can drive to 0.6 miles of the trail if the road isn’t too muddy. I’m tired and go to bed early.

June 6, 2008 Friday Find Appalachian Trail

It is about 6:20 when I wake up to rain. I drink two 8 ounce bottles of orange juice, a banana and finish the cantaloupe I brought from home. I drive east down the mountain to the Long Trail Brewery where I turn left on Chatauguay Road which quickly turns to dirt. The road continually climbs and narrows. I follow it for 7.8 miles to where the guidebook says to park. I continue another half mile while the road gets narrower, steeper and more rutted. I finally stop where the road is totally washed out and have to back down the half mile. I unload my bike and ride down about 0.65 miles in the mud when it occurs to me that I won’t know when I hit Chatauguay Road where it crosses the AT. There are several roads in the area used for logging. I return to my car having biked 1.3 miles.

I hike back up the road which gets extremely steep and rough looking for the intersection with the AT. My GPS tells me I have gone 1.31 miles when the road apparently ends with 3 ATV trails leading off of it. I hike back to my car continually looking for the AT as it rained heavily at times.

I decide that I may not be where I think I am so I take a different fork in the road and after an hour or so end up back on US-4 at the brewery. I study the maps some more and decide I was in the right place so I return.

I eat my lunch and start hiking back up Chatauguay Road at 12:20 when I meet two locals in an ATV. After much discussion I understand that the AT has been rerouted and is about 2.5 miles from my parked car. I return to the point where the road ends and continue on the ATV trail that is more or less in the general direction I was headed. It turns into a rough rocky stream but I continue as I see some landmarks they had mentioned. I finally reach the AT at 1:20 where a nice young couple of through hikers are finishing lunch. They started March 10 and are averaging over 19 miles a day. They warned me about the mountain with Quimby Road on it. I learned that Stoney Brook Shelter is 4 miles down trail not two miles as the guide says (reroute). My plan when I left the car was to hike in 1.5 miles to the trail, hike 2 miles on the AT to Stoney Brook Shelter (according to the map) and back to the car 1.5 miles on a side trail a total of 5 miles. Now my plan is 9 miles.

After a big climb I roll south on the AT and descend a long time to a large stream at 4 miles. I don’t see the shelter but I find the side trail which is the old AT. I decide to follow it as I can see the old markings and it is on an old road. After 0.25 miles, the trail is so overgrown with a large tree fallen over it that I cannot continue. I know I have to return the way I have come including the long steep up from the creek. I finally get back to my car at 6:00.

Today I hiked 15.7 miles in 7 hours averaging 2.24 mph climbing 3070’ and descending 3070’ in 5 climbs.

I returned to my motel and cleaned up. I had some blood on my right sock. I drove to the Mogul Sports Bar on Killington Mountain. It is big and packed, half are motorcyclists. After sitting for about 20 minutes I realized the one waiter wouldn’t wait on me because I was by myself. I drove to The Garlic an Italian Restaurant. The service was efficient and courteous as I had a pint of draught Long Trail Ale, hot bread with garlic spread, the house specialty pasta with meatballs and a raspberry mousse $37.11.

It was a frustrating day doing a lot of hiking in the rain while accomplishing nothing except finding the AT trailhead. I slept well knowing what I had to do the next two days.

June 7, 2008 Saturday Hike VT-12 Woodstock to Chatauguay Road

I’m up at 5:04 and have an 8 ounce orange juice and banana. I duck taped both 2nd big toes with a small piece of tissue on the wounds. I did this every day and had no more problems. It is 65o and predicted to reach 89o today. At 6:20 I drive to Blackie’s at the US-4 VT-100 junction for a ham, cheese, tomato and onion sandwich on whole wheat $6.00. I continue to the brewery and turn left on Chatuaguay Road for 7.8 miles where I park for the day. I unload my bike and start down the road at 6:59.

I bike 7.8 miles down the dirt Chatauguay Road to a left on US-4 and into 8 miles of construction alternating between hard packed dirt and rough grooved grated blacktop. I turn north on VT-12 in Woodstock for 4 miles of gentle climbing. I biked 19.81 miles in 1:33:23 averaging 12.7 mph reaching a maximum 23.5 mph climbing 320’ and descending 930’ in one climb to where the AT crosses VT-12.

At 8:45 I hike across the foot bridge over the stream and start the 1600’ 4.7 mile climb up Sawyer Hill. It is a very gentle climb so I move quickly keeping up with the rising fog that blocks the sun. I run into a couple of trail maintainers from the Green Mountain Club (GMC), she with paint and a brush, he with some loppers. The ridge line is enveloped with tree canopy, the trail is soft and wide with a few small ups and downs and there is a fairly consistent breeze. Hiking is pleasant and easy.

I take a 0.2 mile side trail to The Lookout. I climb to the roof platform for 360 degree views. It is very nice. Back on the AT, I pass a young lady trail runner, then a couple with a chainsaw plus a man with loppers all GMC AT maintainers. I descend 600’ to Chatuaguay Road through logging operations with several logging roads. I am greeted by Toby a large brown curly haired dog with another GMC maintainer couple with a chainsaw. Their car is parked by the trail and they offer me a ride but they are going in the wrong direction. I still have 2.5 miles mostly down to my car which I complete in about 50 minutes at 1:56. Today I hiked 11.5 miles in 5 hours 11 minutes averaging 2.22 mph climbing 3120’ and descending 2420’ in 5 climbs.

I drove back down to US-4 to Woodstock then up VT-12 to pick up my bike. I stopped for another root beer float $3.52. I stopped at Blackies for another identical sandwich $6 for tomorrow which a lady made for me. I got 11.13 gallons of gas $44.50. Back at the Val Roc Motel I put my sandwich in the refrigerator and cleaned up. I drove back to the Long Trail Brewery at 4:30 for a pint and 12 ounces of draught Long Trail Ale to wash down a bratwurst platter with fries $17.50.

The Weather Channel predicts more hot weather tomorrow.

June 8, 2008 Sunday Hike Chatauguay Road to VT-100

I’m up at 5:02 to drink 8 ounces of orange juice and tape my toes. I drive up the mountain to VT-100 and turn into the Kent Pond parking on the AT.

By 5:55 I am biking up VT-100 to US-4 then a fast descent for almost 12 miles to a left on dirt Chatauguay Road for a slow climb of 7.9 miles. At 7:48 I lock my bike to a tree out of sight next to the stream paralleling the road. I biked 20.10 miles in 1:44:24 averaging 11.5 mph reaching a maximum 29.0 mph climbing 810’ and descending 840’ in one climb.

At 7:56 I start hiking up the road for 2.5 miles. I turn left headed south on the AT. I climb steeply, eating half my sandwich because I skipped breakfast, then walk the ridge before descending to the creek after 4 trail miles where I turned around two days ago. I start ascending to cross Stoney Brook and pass the shelter after 0.7 more miles. I am past the trail reroute so my map is okay for this section. I climb 100’ over 2 miles to the summit of Quimby Mountain. This is my last major hurdle for today. I descend steeply for 2 miles on a switch backed trail.

On the way down I pass two young backpackers one with a friendly border collie. I reach the junction Ottauquechee River Road and Thundering Bridge Road at the bottom. I search for the trail and finally find old marks going up Thundering Bridge Road. The sign says I have about 2 miles to Kent Pond and my car. After half a mile or so, I see two brightly painted sets of turn hash marks to the right. I turn down past a nice waterfall across a long boardwalk to cross a dirt road and start climbing. I keep climbing steeply for about 1200’. I know there is a reroute so I figure I have bypassed my car and will come out on US-4 not far from my car. At the top a catch the same young backpacker I passed going down the mountain. After some discussion he convinces me I am now headed north bound not south. I am hot, discouraged , low on water and 3 miles back north on the trail.

I turn around with 5 miles to go and descend the mountain. I come out at the same road junction as before. The light comes on as I realize I missed the last switch back to the right, a reroute, bringing me out at a different spot on the river road. I repeat my walk up Thundering Bridge Road to the turn hash marks. This is where the rerouted AT crosses TB Road and where I got headed north. I turn left on the AT where there is one inconspicuous hash mark painted on a rock on the ground. It is a pretty walk through the woods and along Kent Pond to my car at 5:21 3 hours later than necessary. I hiked 19.9 miles in 9 hours 41 minutes averaging 2.06 mph climbing 5560’ and descending 5390’ in 7 climbs.

I am hot, out of water, dehydrated and not feeling well. I drive down the mountain on US-4 to the Long Trail Brewery before it closes at 6:00. I inhaled a Vermont pint (23 ounces) of Long Trail Ale $5 before driving up to retrieve my bike.

Back at the Val Roc Motel I paid the owner’s teenage son $67.26 for another night. He thought the tax was 14% and not the actual 9%. I constantly am drinking ice water as I clean up. I am totally dehydrated with no voice and not feeling well. I returned to the Back Behind Restaurant and ate at the bar. Erin was my waitress, the same as the other night. I ordered ice water, ice tea and a hamburger platter with pickle and fries. I drank the water and many glasses of ice tea before my burger was served. I couldn’t swallow my food and had to mix tea with each mouthful to get it down. It was a lot of food and I had to eat slowly but managed to finish it after several more glasses of ice tea. With something in my stomach and all that liquid I began to feel better and my voice returned. I had an apple cobbler with ice cream bringing my bill including tip to $30.20

Back at the motel I continued drinking ice water while checking the Weather Channel to see that tomorrow is another hot day in the high 80s.

June 9, 2008 Monday Hike VT-100 to US-4 in Sherburne Gap

I had decided that what I was doing was too stressful and I needed a new approach. Today’s plan is to hike the 3.3 mile piece left in this section of trail and then head home. I got up at 6:02 feeling surprisingly good. It’s going to be another hot day in the high 80s. I don’t have anything for breakfast but some crackers, cookies and an apple for lunch. I load the car and drive up through Sherburne pass on US-4 to the parking area for the AT, Long Trail and another trail.

At 7:37 I started biking 0.81 miles steeply back up US-4 to the pass. I started descending steeply when I spotted some men in a truck stop at a Deli in a small strip mall. I had the best breakfast burrito with two eggs, sausage, cheese and salsa. The burrito and 16 ounces of milk was $6.13. I continued down turning left on VT-100 then right into the Kent Pond parking area. I biked 2.9 miles in 18 minutes averaging 9.67 mph reaching a maximum 27.0 mph climbing 250’ descending 570’ in one climb.

I started hiking at 8:19. Crossing VT-100 and hiking through Gifford Woods State Park I started climbing steeply over 900’ to the top. I could hear the traffic on US-4 almost directly below me on my left. In an obvious reroute I circled right behind the mountain and everything is very quiet. I came to the Maine junction with the Long Trail and started descending. I could hear a little road noise again. I emerged from the woods to cross US-4 to my car at 10:00. I hiked 3.3 miles in 1 hour 41 minutes averaging 1.96 mph climbing 920’ and descending 630’ in one climb.

I retrieved my bike then returned on US-4 west to Rutland, VT. I took US-7 south to Bennington, VT then VT -287 west to NY-7 west. I stopped in Haynersville for lunch and ice cream but the ice cream was not working. I had a chicken summer (greens) wrap and a cream soda for $9.54. I continued on into Troy, NY and stopped at Friendlys for a root beer float and a large ice water $4.13.

I crossed the Hudson River and headed south on I-787 through Albany then I-87 paying a toll with my E-Z Pass. I took I-84 west then stopped for a break at the Pennsylvania welcome center. Returning to my car I heard, I heard my name and looked to see Rosie Suit! She had been hiking in the area with two friends. It is a small world. From this point I returned via route that I took up to Vermont backwards. I gassed up with 11.32 gallons $45.25 in Hazelton, PA. I stopped at the Cracker Barrel in Shrewsbury, PA for my traditional chicken and dumplings with mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans and unsweetened ice tea $11.42 including tip. I arrived home in Columbia, MD about 8:45.

On this trip I drove 1571 miles using 42.25 gallons of gas for an average of 37.2 miles per gallon. The gas cost $167.76 for an average cost of $3.97 per gallon. The trip cost $811.32.

Trip Statistics

JuneMilesTimeAvgMaxUpDown       Up #
3Tue
Drive595.1
4Wed
Bike12.31.0012.30     27.0 450’ 450’       1
Hike 9.73:362.691,660’1,660’       1
5Thu
Bike14.81:1012.6929.5670’ 1150’       2
Hike12.66:072.064,190’3,790’       6
6Fri
Bike1.30:126.507.010’10’       0
Hike15.77:002.243,070’3,070’       5
7Sat
Bike19.81:3312.7823.5320’930’       1
Hike11.55:112.223,120’2,420’       5
8Sun
Bike20.11:4411.6029.0810’840’       1
Hike19.99:412.065,560’5,390’       7
9Mon
Bike2.90:189.6727.0250’570’       1
Hike3.31:411.96920’630’       1
Drive.0
Totals
Bike71.2     5:57     11.9723.82,510'3,950'       6
Hike72.733:182.1918,520'16,960'       25
Drive1571.0

TRIP COSTS

Lodging    6417.07
Gas    4167.76    42.24 gallons    $3.97/gal    1591 miles    37.2 mpg
Food
    Breakfast6.13
    Lunch46.76
    Dinner166.56
    Other7.04
Total$811.32

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    Accesses since June 20, 2008.

    Last updated June 20, 2008