Stage 22 - The End of the LT and Journey's End Trail

On Tuesday, June 8, 2010 I simultaneously finish both the Long Trail and all the recognized side trails. I am the 9th person in 2010 and the 3,813 person to ever officially finish the LT and I am the 2nd person this year and only the 12th ever to officially finish all of the side trails.

I arrive at VT 105 and the LT (2,150 ft above sea level) at 10:00 am. Kim drops me off and I immediately begin a short ascent of Carleton Mountain. As I round the second turn in the trail, not 200 yards in, I almost step on the snake pictured to the right. He refuses to move so I pick him up with my hiking staff and place him off the trail to continue.

The climb up Carleton Mountain (2,670 ft) is a short 1.2 miles and I fairly jog up with eagerness to finally finish the Long Trail. There is ashort spur off the trail to a ledge that affords a view to the south over the trail I have come these past 270 miles. That picture is to the left.



The descent is also quite pleasant, a mere 1.4 miles to the Canadian border. Less than a quarter mile down a clearing opens up and I'm able to take a picture of Canada to the north (picture above). I make even better time down the mountain than up and arrive at the northern terminus of the LT after a total of 2.6 miles hiked in 70 minutes. I climb a rock about 20 yards past the sign pictured at the top center of this post and I take the photo to the right of Canada. I also take a shot of a survey marker in the Center of the rock I climb.









I then begin my search for the US/Canada sign post. I wander around some indiscriminate bushwhacked trails searching for the post and just about give up thinking that the little marker on the rock must be all there is when I decide to climb the rock again. I climb down the other side and see the post. I imagine a number of hikers have come all this way and not seen it. It says "Treaty of Washington" on one side and gives the date of the treaty on the other. Remember, you can click on a picture to see a larger image.

After killing about 5 minutes on the border, I decide not to seek asylum in Canada and begin my hike down the final side trail, appropriately called Journey's End Trail. A short but muddy 0.6 miles later I come to Journey's end Camp (1,720 ft, built 2003, sleeps 8). Just past the camp I arrive at a stream crossing that has a rope to help you climb the slanted rock on the other side. This is a new twist on stream crossing that i have not seen elsewhere on the trail.

Another 0.7 miles and I arrive at the trailhead where Kim is parked and waiting for me. It has taken me well under two hours to hike 4 miles and, aside from a muddy final mile, the hike has been pleasant. Kim takes a picture of me at the finish and, as I climb into the car to leave, it begins to rain.

We drive to Stowe, Vermont where the headquaters of the Green mountain Club are located. I deliver a hard copy of this entire blog and they certify me as a completer of both the end-to-end and the side-to-side requirements. They give me a couple of patches and certificates, congratulate me, sell me a t-shirt and a ball cap, and send me home to shower.

I recall a sign that was hand written over the inside door frame of the Journey's End Camp shelter that said "The mass of men lead lives of quite desperation". It is a quote from Walden by Henry David Thoreau (a book I have read twice and love). It occurs to me that this extended hike has been a good break for me, allowing me to disconnect from society for a while and enoy the outdoors, isolation, and exercise. In three days I will be moving to Florida to start a new job in the Panhandle. I commit to doing what I can to keep my efforts there from becoming anything close to "quiet desperation".