Ten month countdown to a ten week backpack

[una_dogger]

Hey All;
I'm graduating next May (second degree, I'm an old bird) and I am planning on taking from May 15 to Aug 15 off to do some long distance trailage before I must re-enter the working world and begin repaying my loans (and perhaps, die of old age or never again have the opportunity for such reckless abandonment, at least not for the next 25 years).
I'm toying with two ideas:
1. The Colorado Trail: perhaps backwards from Durango to Denver to take advantage of a slightly early May 25 start. I did the Colorado Trail through the La Garita Wilderness 2 summers ago, plus lots of other trails in La Garita, and LOVED it. Since this trail takes about six weeks to thruhike, that will give me time to visit friends in Colorado, check out a few potential employers, and perhaps drive to Montana and visit the Targhee Lakes region. That will leave time to drive there and back as well.

2. Hanging a left on the AT from my backyard and walking to Maine. I've already done most of the trail in Maine, Vermont, CT and NY, but I'd gladly repeat it all many times over. Plus, the only driving I'll need to do is my ride home!

Has anyone out there done the Colorado Trail?? I've got time to plan my adventure. Or, if you had ten weeks, where would you go?? I'm open to new ideas! My criteria is a long distance trail or section of one, I have to bring my dog, so it must be in the USA, and I can't spend lots of time driving here and there, so a cross country circuit of peak bagging is out of the budget range. (but that's a great idea!)

Thanks,
Sabrina

 

[Mike P.]

I belive Tim Scott also known as Chomp over on VFTT has done a stretch of the CO Trail, although it might have been a stretch of the CDT.

 

[MichaelJ]

C'mon folks - this is a dream ... 10 weeks to go hiking anywhere! Where would you go???

I'd do the Long Trail end-to-end, then use the remaining time to bag all of the 46 4000-footers in the Adirondacks, plus the 2 in the Catskills (thus finishing the 115 peaks of the Northeast 111).

 

[SilentCal]

I'd have to join you for the Long Trail Michael. North to South of course! Then I would start the AT in Gorham and head north. That should eat up ten weeks nicely.

 

[blacknblue]

It will probably be too earlier for the Colorado Trail. I was being turned back this year until about July 4th by deep snows and undermined snow bridges on stream crossings.
If I had 10 weeks??... I would probably start at the VT/CA border and hike the Long Trail south to Killington, and then the AT to Katahdin, continuing on the IAT until time ran out (or reaching the ocean!).
Maybe you could do half back East, and then come out West for the latter half of your break. Lemme know; I'm in CO these days so I could point you in the right direction.

 

[MichaelJ]

I would probably start at the VT/CA border and hike the Long Trail south to Killington, and then the AT to Katahdin,

Such a simple plan and I never thought of it ... that would make for one *amazing* trip. Great idea!!!

 

[blacknblue]

I would probably start at the VT/CA border and hike the Long Trail south to Killington, and then the AT to Katahdin,

Such a simple plan and I never thought of it ... that would make for one *amazing* trip. Great idea!!!

Yeah, it combines the best stretch of the AT and the best stretch of the LT. It would be enough to get that thru-hike feel, yet not so long as to take the whole summer.

 

[una_dogger]

Awesome IDEA

Hey!
Thanks to all that replied, the AT/LT combo sounds great!
I've done the southern section of the LT from the Mass Border to Killington and the Northern Section from Jonesville to the Canadian Border. So if I start it off with Camel's Hump and head south, then take the AT north from Killington, that would be a superb trip!
Sabrina

 

[una_dogger]

I'd have to join you for the Long Trail Michael.

Do I sense a budding Alpine Zone Trek in the making???

:wink:

 

[MichaelJ]

Not unless you can magically make my employer quintuple my amount of paid vacation!

 

[una_dogger]

Not unless you can magically make my employer quintuple my amount of paid vacation!

Well, the good Sabrina the witch in me would love to magically wave my wand and make vacation time and heaps of treasure appear for all worthy hikers...alas...you may just have to plan a strategic job move to score the time!

:lol:

 

[pedxing]

I'd have to join you for the Long Trail Michael. North to South of course!

That was my summer trip and I loved it. If you don't want to feel like you are traveling in a pack, SOBO is the way to go. For 10 weeks, I might do the LT SOBO to Maine Junction and then turn North on the AT (or do the AT south from Katahdin and turn North at the Junction).