My Southbound Long Trail Thru-Hike: Eight Days, Eighteen Hours, and a Whole Lotta Type 2 Fun

On August 25, 2025, I stood at the Northern Terminus of the Long Trail at the Vermont and Canadian border. I've been down this trail before, once as a casual "normal" thru-hike and once setting out to see how fast I could go. This time was like the last one. My goal was to complete the 272 mile Long Trail from Canada to Massachusetts in under 7 days. I was packed for a self-supported journey, with only one planned resupply, loaded with meticulously planned food and gear. Spoiler: While I didn't hit my 7 day goal, what followed was a journey of pushing myself to my physical and mental limits to finish the trail both humbled and beyond proud of my accomplishment. 

Heading out, Vermont was in the midst of its driest summer in about 30 years. I was prepped for hot days and long water carries. Though, like clockwork, I hit the trail and it was raining. Not the torrential downpours that make for wild stories but just a consistent sprinkle on and off throughout the day. Enough that the overgrown ferns along the trail had me saturated all day but not enough to get the dried water sources flowing again. While I was soaked like a sponge, I still carried 2+ liters of water the entire trail. This continued for the first 5 days while Vermont's false Fall came with nighttime temps into the low 40s.

My sleep schedule throughout this hike started normally enough, though getting into camp around 11pm and up at 5am was far from the thru-hiker norm. As the trail progressed, and my time window got smaller, my sleep schedule could only be described as chaotic. With some nights, I finished hiking at nearly 2am, just to get up at 5 to start again. Other nights, there was no sleep, just "dirt naps" where I'd throw down my foam pad and set an alarm for 16 minutes. Just enough to take the edge off when caffeine, snacks and music could no longer keep me awake. There is something to be said about spending 20 hours at a time moving through the mountains, seeing the sun rise and the forest wake up to seeing it go back to sleep and wake up again all while moving throughout it. That being said, I'm okay not night hiking for a while.

Despite soaking weather, water carries and delirium, the Long Trail delivered in spectacular fashion. While I was socked in an wet on Jay Peak, my first big summit, I knew I was mentally ready to finish this trail. My morning up Mount Mansfield was slick and muddy from the morning downpour but the vibes from a day hiker cleared the skies for my summit and ridge walk. After my resupply, and with a heavy pack, I was able to summit Camels Hump, my favorite mountain for numerous reasons, in the sunshine after the trail's longest climb. The sun didn't last as my next big push saw me in the rain again over Mount Abe and through 2 wilderness areas, leaving me soaked and beyond tired. 

I was ready to be done, in fact I was done. A call to my wife, who has hiked thousands of miles with me, restored my drive and I remembered why I started this. It wasn't to set some arbitrary timeline I set for myself that was a failure if I didn't complete. It was to hike this trail that I love and push myself to see what I could do. I was 10 miles from Maine Junction and the Appalachian Trail where I knew the trail got "easier". If I didn't at least try I would regret it forever. I took my time that day and got to a shelter early. I needed the sleep for what I was about to try. I ate my dinner, loaded up all of my snacks for the morning and it was time to put the hammer down.

The 105 miles of the Appalachian Trail are miles that I know very well. From my AT thru in 2015 to my 2 previous LT hikes I was ready to fly. With 2 unplanned town visits, one for a resupply since I ran out of food and one for a sales meeting, believe it or not, I completed those 105 miles in less than 3 days. I was focused, and dialed. I came to realize on this hike that I was not as fast as I used to be but with some grit and time on my feet was able to pull off 2 40+ mile days and hitting the Massachussetts border just before midnight on September 2nd. With my feet swollen and blistered, hungry, dirty and smelly I couldn't believe what I had done. After eating my weight in granola and couscous, I hiked the length of Vermont in 8 days 18 hours, averaging about 31 miles per day. It wasn't an FKT or any record but my own. It's not something that will get coverage online but it was a hike that I may be most proud of.

Through the mud, mist, and a few too many questionable trail snacks, I got exactly what I came for: a good ol’ fashioned Green Mountain beat down with a side of beauty. If you ever get the chance to hike the Long Trail—do it. Bring your rain gear, leave your ego at home, and prepare to fall in love with every muddy mile.