July 20, 2018 – Daily Stats – End to End on the Long Trail
- Hiked 10.1 miles
- Start: Laura Woodward Shelter mile 8.3
- End: Stealth camp at mile 18.4
I was feeling simultaneously energized and at home as we set out from the shelter this morning. The very first glimpse I had of Jay Peak had me as giddy as a little kid. For as many times I skied Jay, I couldn’t imagine what the hiking up Jay Peak on the Long Trail would be like. I even remembered looking for the blazes this past winter when I skied here. That first glimpse of the tramhouse came through leaves and branches.
It was time to fly. Up, up, and up we climbed. Each step was a step closer to the top. The excitement continued to build in me when we stepped out onto the familiar slopes of the ski resort. I imagine True Friend thought I had lost my mind as I was no longer hiking up Jay Peak on the Long Trail, I was practically running up the slopes.
The summit was well work it. We took a break up top and I took advantage of the photo opportunity. I took the summit photos using my GoPro, I’m hoping to expand into making videos of my adventures. True Friend enjoyed our summit break with some writing in her journal.
We enjoyed another break at Chet’s lookout, although it was very overgrown. Along our day’s hike, we passed 5 NOBOs and there was lots of talk about water sources being dry. True Friend and I stopped into Hazen’s Notch Camp, but after dinner decided to add a few more miles to our day. We stealth camped just after the Hazen Notch road.