CT Section Hike!

[pelissarim]

Hi everyone! Section Hike starting by end of Week.

I should start with I am a eagle scout and done tent camping on 2 other instances which were like 10-14 days each in a tent.
So I will be doing my first long hike in a while, started getting into ultralight gear 4 years ago but did only some minor weekend stuff 2 years then and it kinda fizzled out.
Well I am back more on a soul searching and peace. I have my gear list mostly finished.

My question is: What is the easier route to take, Nobo or Sobo. So either starting on the NY or MA border doing the full 50.1 miles over at max 5 or 6 days. I plan on taking it slow at 10 miles a day.
I will be doing it straight carrying in all my food.

Just looking for any tips or extra logistics help.

[Slo-go'en]

Doesn't matter much which end you start at. Toss a coin. If you want to go from state line to state line, you'll have to retrace your steps a bit on each end to get to the state line. Otherwise, you'd have to start and end at the closest road crossings in NY and MA. That will add some additional mileage to the trip either way.

Keep in mind CT is a "designated camping site only" area so your mileage will be determined by how far apart shelters and designated tent sites are apart. If you don't already have a trail guide to tell you where these are and how far apart they are, you need to get one ASAP. There are 5 shelters and 3 designated campsites in CT. Two of the shelters can be ignored, as their right at the start and end of CT and it's unlikely you'd stay at either.

CT is pretty easy, so it shouldn't take more then 3 nights/4 days to complete. It's going to be wicked hot, so you'll want to get up real early and carry a lot of water. Water is a bit scarce, so you need to be aware of where you can find it (shelter sites). You don't want to drink out of the Housatonic. If you do short miles, you'll end up sitting around most of the day with nothing to do.

[Gambit McCrae]

I did it sobo and loved every day of my 250 mile trip

From Mass to Salisbury I remember there being 2-3 pretty good climbs. From Salisbury to St Johns Rock I do not remember anything too crazy, some rocks and short up up ups but they wouldn't last long. Going up st johns rock was the only thing keeping up from cold beer and pizza in Kent, CT. And it wasn't brutal because of all the work we had put into getting ready for that trip, but it wasn't a walk in the park either.

Lots of little delis, and towns that are about 20 trail miles apart from each other. We walked into Kent, got pizza and walked back out to the next shelter sobo to mt algo shelter. Nice tenting there

I was in CT first week of October, sept 30th to be exact and ended October 16th down in PA, but I could have shifted the trip backa week maybe 2 and weather would have been just a bit cooler/ better

[HangTime]

[QUOTE=Gambit McCrae;2213971]We walked into Kent, got pizza and walked back out to the next shelter sobo to mt algo shelter. Nice tenting there

I/QUOTE]

How was the water situation at Mt Algo while you were there?

[Gambit McCrae]

It was perfect

[HangTime]

It was perfect

Thank you!

[Traveler]

If you are not limited to remaining inside the CT border, I would do the section from Rt 52 north and complete the Riga Plateau area at Jug End Road. There are a few end points you can use as well, Mt. Washington Road at Bear Mountain, or Mt. Everett Road (Gilder Pond) if time or circumstance demand it, however doing the full plateau provides an opportunity to camp at Sages Ravine and the pleasure of hiking in a really specially and unique environment along that stretch of trail.

[pelissarim]

Thanks, Everyone for the great advice, I just sat down the the official guide book and high lighted all the shelters and main roads I could get picked up at with Kent, CT being my 0 marker and doing the math out for what each distance would be about 20 miles before and all the way to great Barrington CT. Looking to get a good 50 miles somewhere in there, and maybe it could be more or less. I am going to be carrying about 11lbs of food so that should be solid for 5 full days waking up in a tent and eating all day.

[Slo-go'en]

If you start at the road crossing south west of Kent proper (CT 341), you have to climb up and over a nasty piece of trail I have never heard anyone say nice things about. Usually the descent off of St. Johns ledges is described in very colorful terms not suitable for print. However, there is a nice dirt road which follows the river (River road) and goes around this ridge. The road starts by going past the collage campus just outside of town on 341. Starting out with 11 pounds of food on a hot day, you might want to use the River road. You can actually drive up to where the AT crosses.

The best part of that section is right at the CT/MA line which includes Bear Mountain, Sage Ravine and Mount Race. Upper Goose pond is a neat place too. Ending at RT20 in MA (just off the MASS Pike) would be a good ending point. Once past Upper Goose pond, you get into the great swamp and the legendary Mass Mosquitos.

Salisbury is within walking distance of the AT (half mile) and can be used for resupply and a meal. The IGA there is the most expensive in the world, but they sell a reasonably priced made to order deli sandwich. There are even picnic tables behind the store. Hard to say if it's worth the detour on a 5 day trip, but could lower your initial food load.

[pelissarim]

Hi again everyone, so how does this route sound.

Start: Conn. RT 55 - East-2.5m to Gaylordsville, Conn. PO06755 - 0 miles
1: Schaghticoke Mountain Campsite - 7.6 miles
2:Silver Hill Campsite - 21 miles
3:Sharon Mountain Campsite - 30.2 miles
5:Limestone Spring Campsite - 39.1 miles
6:Riga Lean-to - 47.8 miles
End: Undermountain Trailhead - 48.9 miles

Tho I may want to revaluate this based on a quicker pace and/or looking at the elevation a bit more.

[Traveler]

If you park a car on Mt. Washington road, just west of Bear Mountian, you can summit Bear Mountain and take the AT down the north side of Bear. Take the unmarked access trail to the west (left) about 2/10s of a mile north/west of the junction of the AT and Paradise Lane Trail that goes to Mt. Washington Road would only add about 2 miles complete the hike with all the summits of the AT in CT under your belt. If you added Bear Mountain to your itinerary out and back from the Undermountain Trailhead on the AT you would add about 2 miles as well.

[pelissarim]

If you start at the road crossing south west of Kent proper (CT 341), you have to climb up and over a nasty piece of trail I have never heard anyone say nice things about. Usually the descent off of St. Johns ledges is described in very colorful terms not suitable for print. However, there is a nice dirt road which follows the river (River road) and goes around this ridge. The road starts by going past the collage campus just outside of town on 341. Starting out with 11 pounds of food on a hot day, you might want to use the River road. You can actually drive up to where the AT crosses.

The best part of that section is right at the CT/MA line which includes Bear Mountain, Sage Ravine and Mount Race. Upper Goose pond is a neat place too. Ending at RT20 in MA (just off the MASS Pike) would be a good ending point. Once past Upper Goose pond, you get into the great swamp and the legendary Mass Mosquitos.

Salisbury is within walking distance of the AT (half mile) and can be used for resupply and a meal. The IGA there is the most expensive in the world, but they sell a reasonably priced made to order deli sandwich. There are even picnic tables behind the store. Hard to say if it's worth the detour on a 5 day trip, but could lower your initial food load.

Thanks for all the great information!

If you park a car on Mt. Washington road, just west of Bear Mountian, you can summit Bear Mountain and take the AT down the north side of Bear. Take the unmarked access trail to the west (left) about 2/10s of a mile north/west of the junction of the AT and Paradise Lane Trail that goes to Mt. Washington Road would only add about 2 miles complete the hike with all the summits of the AT in CT under your belt. If you added Bear Mountain to your itinerary out and back from the Undermountain Trailhead on the AT you would add about 2 miles as well.

I was thinking about that but also kinda wanted to get a different section hike from Bear Mountain to Great Barrington. I have alot of time to do little weekend trips form like a friday night to sunday. Tho those extra 2 miles really give me a perfect 50 mile trip tho. Might depend on who I may have picking up at that area, so bear mountain could be a option while I wait for a drive. Its a bit over 2 hours from my house in CT, no easy highways to get tot that part of the CT/

[HangTime]

How’s the water sources in CT right now? Particularly asking about Mt Algo lean to stream.

Thanks!

[pelissarim]

How’s the water sources in CT right now? Particularly asking about Mt Algo lean to stream.

Thanks!

No idea, but I am heading to the CT 55 Trail head at the NY/CT Border this morning. Wish me luck, I hope things work out and I can shelter at my planned locations...

[linus72]

You can view our water source conditions here: http://www.ct-amc.org/trails/at-water.htm - we update them as often as we can, so most are current but always be prepared with extra water. Water at Scaghticoke CS is low so you'll want to carry enough up there for the night and to get you to the next source. Also, the NY border is .3 south of the Rt 55 lot - on Hoyt rd - and there's room for 3-4 cars.... if you really wanna start at NY border its 10 minutes more walk to do so.