LT rides and car options

[Guthook]

Hey everyone. Long time no see... My plans for the summer have changed a bit and I'm back in New England for a little while. I'm trying to throw together a last minute plan to hike the Long Trail starting sometime around July 16. The only big problem is that I'll be driving from Maine and don't have any good ideas for where to (safely) leave my car, and how to get back to it after the hike.

Anybody have any good suggestions? It doesn't matter to me which direction I go on the trail, just so long as I get to spend a few weeks out there. Ideally, I think, I would leave the car someplace safe in the north, get a ride south, then hike back to the car, but if there's a better way, I'm all ears.

Thanks in advance for good advice!

 

[tomcat32]

I started in the north. I stayed at the North Troy Inn about a mile from the border. You can park your car there as long as you need to, get a nights stay, breakfast, and a ride to Journey's End for $41 I think it was. It is pretty easy to hitch back north to that area. Not exactly what you want but may work.

 

[Brambor]

Three of us will go August 6th Northbound, hopefully reaching the northern terminus in 2 weeks. I would be interested what you could come up with for transportation options.

OTOH - if you don't find anything in terms of transportation maybe it would be feasible that you park your car and then we give you a ride to your car when you finish. -- and you could reciprocate by giving us a ride to our car when we finish.

 

[Guthook]

Tomcat, thanks for the lead. I will give the North Troy folks a call soon and see about that option. Hitch hiking is fine for me-- the biggest problem is usually when I need to be in a certain place at a certain time. Hopefully I won't be so rushed, though.

Brambor, also a good idea. I may not be available in August, but that's still up in the air. Let's keep in touch and talk about rides I'd be more than happy to give a ride if I can.

 

[Peaks]

Why not call Green Mountain Club and see what advice they can offer

 

[una_dogger]

The GMC Guide used to list at the back a section called something like " GMC Volunteers offering Rides to LT Thru Hikers"...I used their listing to arrange a ride from Killington to the MA border in 2005 and from The CA border to Jonesville in 2004.

Times may have changed, but then again -- in Vermont, maybe not so much!

 

[Brambor]

I have the latest guide and this information does not appear to be in there anymore.

The GMC Guide used to list at the back a section called something like " GMC Volunteers offering Rides to LT Thru Hikers"...I used their listing to arrange a ride from Killington to the MA border in 2005 and from The CA border to Jonesville in 2004.

Times may have changed, but then again -- in Vermont, maybe not so much!

 

[poison ivy]

The Green Mountain Club's End to Enders Guide has transportation options for section hikers and end to enders... if you visit the website you should be able to pick up a copy for a couple of bucks. (Mine is many years old and probably out of date, or I'd list them for you.) For what it's worth, I used several of the people listed in the End to Enders Guide when I was section hiking and they were all great. There were some folks who would shuttle back to cars... I assume there are still folks who will do that.

 

[Guthook]

Okay, I emailed the Club's info line and they have a very extensive Trail Angels ride list, organized by section, that they send out by request. I should have known that already, since I worked in that office for a year

I haven't called anyone yet, but I think I'm going to start in the north, leave my car there, and arrange rides when I'm close to the end. Brambor, I'll still keep in touch with you in case I'm able to offer a ride, but it's probably still worth emailing the GMC for the rides list.

 

[Brambor]

Thank You. I have also e-mailed them today. Thanks for the tip to send them an e-mail.

Okay, I emailed the Club's info line and they have a very extensive Trail Angels ride list, organized by section, that they send out by request. I should have known that already, since I worked in that office for a year

I haven't called anyone yet, but I think I'm going to start in the north, leave my car there, and arrange rides when I'm close to the end. Brambor, I'll still keep in touch with you in case I'm able to offer a ride, but it's probably still worth emailing the GMC for the rides list.

 

[The Unstrung Harp]

For future reference, I am in Maine as well, and I would be willing to give a ride to/from the LT to those needing it, on occasion. I will, at some point, need a ride as well, so...throwing it out there. Cool that there is a listing too though.

Have a great hike, guthook!

 

[Guthook]

Thanks, Unstrung Harp. Karma is always a good thing to get ahead with

Brambor, I'll let you know when I find out more. I think I'll be leaving my car at the North Troy Inn-- I called them, and they say they can't do car storage unless you stay at least one night at the inn (not bad marketing, I guess). It actually sounds like a nice place for the night before the hike, so I think that's what I'm going to do, and then hike SOBO starting on the 18th.

Another thing for planning... you might want to check out Whiteblaze's Long Trail forum, because it seems pretty active with people planning to start their hikes soon.

 

[una_dogger]

The Green Mountain Club's End to Enders Guide has transportation options for section hikers and end to enders... if you visit the website you should be able to pick up a copy for a couple of bucks. (Mine is many years old and probably out of date, or I'd list them for you.) For what it's worth, I used several of the people listed in the End to Enders Guide when I was section hiking and they were all great. There were some folks who would shuttle back to cars... I assume there are still folks who will do that.

Thanks Amy- that's the guidebook I meant to reference

I found some great folks willing to help hikers in the guide when I backpacked 2 100 mile sections.

 

[Brambor]

I have also received the document with rides and parking options but I haven't yet made any phone calls. It is however comforting that there are options.

I like the option of parking at the North Troy Inn. I will give them a call. I wonder if a 'promise' of booking a room there at the end of our hike will allow me to park my truck for the 14 or so days that we will actually be hiking.

So the plan now is to leave in two cars (one driven by my son who is not hiking with us) and head to the Northern Terminus. Park the truck and then our son will drive us south to the beginning of our hike.

Hopefully we make ti to the Northern Terminus in time. If not, then I will try to utilize the shuttle options in the document or hope that we can find our son again and ask him to com get us

Thanks, Unstrung Harp. Karma is always a good thing to get ahead with

Brambor, I'll let you know when I find out more. I think I'll be leaving my car at the North Troy Inn-- I called them, and they say they can't do car storage unless you stay at least one night at the inn (not bad marketing, I guess). It actually sounds like a nice place for the night before the hike, so I think that's what I'm going to do, and then hike SOBO starting on the 18th.

Another thing for planning... you might want to check out Whiteblaze's Long Trail forum, because it seems pretty active with people planning to start their hikes soon.