Getting back from northern terminus?

[catch]

I'm planning an end to end of the long trail this July and am running into the same problem of figuring out how to get back to my car (whether I leave it at Journey's End or in Williamstown) - would you mind expanding on how you ended up managing it? Thanks!

[10-K]

Me too... Need a ride from the southern terminus to the northern end August 2.... Commercial shuttles are +$500

[cleanshave]

Hey guys, I'm planning a southbound thruhike of the Long Trail this Sept. 2012 and thought I'd share my research about getting to and from the northern terminus. Its pretty simple and cheap. Local buses will get you to within 18 miles of the terminus, and to a point where hitching is easy.

http://www.thingsgoingsmoothly.com/2...hern-terminus/

[NorthCountryWoods]

Hey guys, I'm planning a southbound thruhike of the Long Trail this Sept. 2012 and thought I'd share my research about getting to and from the northern terminus. Its pretty simple and cheap. Local buses will get you to within 18 miles of the terminus, and to a point where hitching is easy.

http://www.thingsgoingsmoothly.com/2...hern-terminus/

Excellent info. Link to both the Burlington to St. A and St. A to Richford schedules-

http://www.gmtaride.org/franklin/rou...-franklin.html

Not sure if I'm reading the schedules right, but it looks like you'd have to catch the 6:40am bus out of the Burlington area and would have the whole day to hang out in St. Albans to get the afternoon bus to Richford. Several shopping options along the route that goes thru city of St. A.

The 5:15 arrival in Richford would give you limited time to hitch out the 18 miles to the trailhead. Luckily Journeys End camp is only a half mile or so from the lot and under 2 miles from North Jay Rd. Richford does have a couple B&Bs and a Macs Market if you did have to stay over.

Better option than hitching the whole way or paying for a shuttle. The St. A express is only $4 one way. Didn't see the rate for the Richford bus, but doubt it's much.

[stumblegasp]

What worked for me... I finished a thru at the northern terminus late September, 2012, and traveled to a Boston suburb via hitch and public transport. Note that this scheme takes time.

Walk out to VT105 on the south edge of North Troy -- about 3 miles of roadwalk. Walk-and-hitch south to Morrisville (VT105 to VT101 to VT100 to VT15). This is a 40-mile hitch and will probably take a while, but you're likely to meet some interesting and generous locals.

The Morrisville PO will hold a General Delivery package of clean clothes. If you have to overnight in Morrisville, there are options in the End-to-Ender's Guide. I stayed at the Thistledown Inn (http://www.thistledowninn.com/), downtown; a 10-minute walk to the gazebo on Lower Main St. where you'll catch the shuttle bus (read on). Sheila at the Thistledown is very thoughtful and the place is beautiful. If you take the early morning shuttle, tell her you'll have to miss breakfast -- she might give you a discount; otherwise, ask for the cheapest room she has or risk being put in a more expensive one.

From Morrisville there's a shuttle, the "Route 100 Commuter" that will cost $2, exact change, weekdays only; details at http://www.gmtaride.org/. It leaves Morrisville early in the AM and in the early evening. You can transfer at the Waterbury Park & Ride to the "Montpelier LINK Express," which goes to downtown Burlington, for another $2, OR you can continue on the "Commuter" to the Waterbury Amtrak station.

At the Waterbury station, you'll need a cellphone to call Amtrak and get a "reservation number" for the train to Springfield, Mass. When you board the train the conductor will ask what fare the phone system quoted you, and he'll charge you that. He might ask for your reservation number, but he wasn't interested in mine.

At the Springfield Amtrak station you can book your next Amtrak leg at the ticket window, or walk around the corner to the Peter Pan bus terminal (exit the train station, turn right onto Lyman St., at the end of the block turn right onto Main St.; the bus station is 1/2 block ahead on the left). At the ticket window you can book a bus to Boston (or even to Williamstown, if you left your car there).

Good luck.

[coach lou]

Northern Terminus Question

In many of pictures of folks at boundry marker looking north, there is a straight cut in the trees that looks like a power line cut. Does anyone know what that is?

[pedxing]

In my 3 times at the terminus, I don't remember a substantial cut in the trees - other than the LT and the Journey's End. There was a small gap just behind the boundary marker that didn't really go anywhere. Perhaps someone will correct me (it's been almost 3 years since I've been there)..

[coach lou]

In my 3 times at the terminus, I don't remember a substantial cut in the trees - other than the LT and the Journey's End. There was a small gap just behind the boundary marker that didn't really go anywhere. Perhaps someone will correct me (it's been almost 3 years since I've been there)..

It is in a picture right now in the new gallery posts!

[pedxing]

Wow! Very clear in that pic. Looks freshly groomed. It doesn't show in my pics (angle, lighting, growth?). I'm wondering if that could be the border clearing. I'm sure someone else will know better than I.

[StubbleJumper]

I always presumed that the cut-line was to mark the border and permit some form of border patrol.

[Miner]

The northern US border is a giant clear cut line. You see it at the northern end of the PCT out west as well.

[Odd Man Out]

Yes, they are going to build a wall to keep the Americans from escaping to Canada, eh?

[coach lou]

Thank you folks.......I will now Google earth it . I should have done that already!





..........later that morning...................Indeed it appears that that clear cut is from Lake Champlain straight to the Connecticut River and then a jagged cut all the way to Amity, Maine.

[Furlough]

I'm planning an end to end on the LT this September after college graduation. I haven't gotten my map or guide book yet so forgive me if this info is in there. How can one get back to Williamstown, MA from the Canadian border?
Any help would be appreciated.

About Face. Forward...March.

[StubbleJumper]

Yes, they are going to build a wall to keep the Americans from escaping to Canada, eh?

Don't be silly. Everybody knows that a giant wall is ugly. Much better to grow a 4,000 mile cedar hedge.

[pedxing]

My current plan is to turn around at the border, walk back to 105 and hitch east (then south) from there - to get back to greate Boston. Has anyone tried this? Is traffic better or worse than it would be if I hit 105 near North Troy coming out via Journey's End?

I hiked Northbound once before and was lucky enough to meet up with a kind soul going the opposite direction who offered to pick me up after he finished (he lived near Johnson) if I called him from Jay Peak before he had to go back to work. Absent such good luck, this seems like the best plan I can come up with.

[stumblegasp]

My current plan is to turn around at the border, walk back to 105 and hitch east (then south) from there - to get back to greate Boston. Has anyone tried this? Is traffic better or worse than it would be if I hit 105 near North Troy coming out via Journey's End?

I doubt that would save you any time. At the end of my 2012 thru, I walked-and-hitched south on VT105 from North Troy to well past the 105/101 junction before I got a ride, and then it was only for a few miles. (You may be luckier, of course.)

Next time I do the LT, I'll probably just turn around at the Canadian border and hike the 50 miles south to VT15, then hitch east to Morrisville for the Route 100 Commuter (see my previous post). You might get a shuttle to Morrisville from Nye's Green Valley Farm B&B -- they're about 4 miles west of the VT15 crossing.

[pedxing]

Thanks Stumblegasp, as it turned out my wife planned on coming out and meeting me 17 days into the hike. I ended up accelerating so she could meet me at 105, finish up with me and walk back to the car. There were record rains then (2013) so I didn't want to risk Journey's End road. Walking back to 15 isn't a bad idea. I met someone who lives in Hyde Park the first time I did the LT and he hosted me the next 3 times I've done it, so it could work very well for me. Though next time I'll probably go southbound.