Long Trail 25: Pico to Logan

I roused myself from the hammock later than usual. It was after 5:30 am when I climbed out, and began slowly breaking camp. The two hikers I had met the evening before were already finishing breakfast and prepping to leave. They were traveling together, but were only connected by choosing to hike this section of the trail. One was from Canada, the other from Ohio. We chatted a bit while preparing for the day ahead. I estimated a 10 mile day ending at the next shelter, Logan. We all had the same mileage goal, but would hike at a different pace. I waved good bye as they headed out, knowing I would be slow today, recovering from a long day in New Hampshire.

Trudging out of camp at 7:30 am, I had a full stomach and a good night’s sleep. I stopped to fill my “dirty” water bottle at the stream nearby. I would filter the stream water later into my “clean” bottle after exhausting it’s contents and then repeat the process through the day. I carried a backup filter as well. My third backup was purification drops to kill any parasites, bacteria and virus’ in the water I collected.

There was little birdsong in the forest. I passed one hiker heading south about 45 minutes into my journey. He was moving quickly and sweating as he tried to put on miles before the heat of the day took effect.

At approximately 10:30 I reached the Rolston Shelter.

I was making good time, but there were several blown down trees on the trail in this section that had begun to slow me down. Would my good luck continue? I took a short rest break, but decided to move on as there were many miles to cover before reaching Logan shelter.

The trail skirts South Rolston peak, but I would have to hike over South Pond Mountain. From there I would travel along a ridge line. There would be numerous ups and downs,but the topo map did not indicate any ascents of consequence. I estimated another 7 miles to camp.

Those seven miles would not come easily. There were many more fallen trees that blocked my way over the next several hours. Some of the trees had fallen victim to storms and could be considered “blow downs.” Others had simply been felled by disease or age. On several occasions very large old growth trees required diverting from the trail, while other demanded climbing over or under the obstacle.

The acrobatics I was performing while wearing a 20+ lb pack in 80+ degree temperatures with humidity began to take their toll. My pace slowed to a crawl. I would estimated there were more than three dozen trees that blocked the trail on this section. I was quite amazed at the damage, and the Green Mountain Club crews would certainly have their hands full in clearing the trail of some of these obstructions. My shirt was soaked through with sweat from the exertion. I never wear cotton, but instead choose “moisture wicking” synthetics. Long Sleeve shirts and pants. It was still “black fly season” in Vermont. I was swarmed constantly bu mosquitos and midges as well. The smallest of the attackers often commit ritual suicide by flying into hiker’s eyes, where we squish or blink them out of existence. They were plentiful on this section, and I had soon opted to put on a mesh head net to keep from being dive bombed. The larger mosquitos circled my head looking for a chink in the armor, causing a constant buzzing in my ears.

I finally arrived at the Logan Shelter late in the day around 1600 hrs. On my way to the shelter, I noticed the water source, a stream with a few pipes that channeled water out of the stream bed. I would set up camp first and return here to fill up.

The two female hikers I had met earlier in the day were already settling in, and I greeted them before locating a spot to hang a hammock.

The shelter was a bit older and dark inside with a slanted roof and three sides. Unlike the Rolston Shelter, it’s entrance was surrounded by a railing and a gate, as well as waist high steel wire fencing secured to the railing, perhaps to keep critters out. I headed away from camp to wash, and then refill my water before cooking dinner. I left my bear can in a location far from the site in the event a bear followed his nose to my food. Some shelters along the Long Trail have large steel bear proof boxes for storing your food overnight. The Logan Shelter does not have a bear box. I hope the bear can down the hill would entertain any late night visitors. I would reclaim it in the morning.

The heat of the day lingered, and I decided to roll the dice on a rain free evening. I hung a tarp, but left it pulled away from the top of the hammock so I could see the sky and get as much fresh air and ventilation as possible. The hammock itself has a mesh insect net sewn on to the bed, and I climbed in for a break from the bugs after eating dinner and washing up. I washed out my sweaty stinky shirt and socks and hung them up to dry.

While I was resting in my hammock, two thru hikers joined us at the shelter. They were hiking the Appalachian Trail, but had detoured onto the Long Trail, and after finishing planned to return and finish the AT. They chatted a bit with one of the female hikers while setting up. Darkness began to fall, and I soon drifted off to sleep.