Lessons from the LT

I learned many things from my short time on the LT, and I hope to apply them to my next thru-hiking attempt at it. My goal here is to give my impressions and a description of how they will change my next attempt.
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1. Water is amazingly abundant!

I should begin this section by saying I'd only very briefly hiked in the Northeast prior to this trip and that, growing up in Colorado, we are taught that water is a precious thing in the backcountry. This is a concept that I'm pretty sure doesn't apply in Vermont. Everywhere you look there is water - be it a lake, stream, mud, or rain itself. In doing research about the LT, I read through guides, databooks, viewed photos, and spoke with those that had hiked the trail in the past - none of it prepared me for the sheer amount of water available. In contrast, take my Shakedown Hike of the Colorado Trail: despite having a guidebook and databook, we were still hard pressed to find water even when it was listed as abundant. So, to any future hikers of the LT, be assured there is richly available water along the trail.

So, how will this alter my next attempt at the LT? In terms of gear, we will carry 1/2 of the water (so, 1.0 liter instead of 2.0 liters) at any given time. While it was nice only filling up our water bottle 1-2 times a day, the extra water weight (~2.2 pounds) definitely slowed us down. Additionally, I'll carry AquaMira instead of a water filter. The choice to carry a filter is something that I regretted immediately and had planned to swap out at my first opportunity. The original concern was Ramius' propensity to drink treated water, but I've since tested it and found he has no reservations whatsoever. Finally, I'm going to have to purchase a new pack or deal with the added weight of a pack cover. Don't get me wrong - I love my Fluid48, but my setup (packliner) ended up adding weight to my pack when it rained since the pack became waterlogged. My ideal pack is the ZPacks Blast 30, which is inherently waterproof and eliminates the need for either a pack liner or pack cover.

The one lingering concern I have about the amount of rain experienced is Ramius' fear of it. My hope is that he'll eventually overcome it, and I will do my best to rid him of it as soon as possible.
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2. Shelter-hopping is the way to go

AT and LT hikers are spoiled rotten - they're provided with shelters reasonable distances apart that offer them so many advantages! And, yes, I'm aware that leaks, crowding, and rodents are sometimes problems along both trails. But those issues are quite minor when one considers the amount of rain experienced, the pack weight saved, and the relatively lower number of hikers that use the shelters along the LT than on the AT.

Having hiked in the rain many times, I can tell you that having to set up a shelter in the rain - while try to keep the inside dry - is majorly difficult. And, once you've gotten inside of your shelter, you and your gear are most likely soaked anyway. Finally, you have to dry out your shelter the next day - something that takes away from hiking time, exposes your shelter to possible damage, and/or sometimes isn't possible due to continued rainfall. By shelter-hopping, all of these potential problems are avoided.

After setting up our tent in the rain.

That said, one runs the risk of not finding a berth once arriving at a shelter. Luckily the LT has low enough traffic rates that the chance of this happening is pretty low. Plus, the low traffic ensures finding the shelter in better condition in terms of rodents (i.e., fewer) and overall physical shape.

Perhaps the most significant advantage of shelter-hopping is the reduced pack load. This past summer I was carrying 34 ounces-worth of shelter/shelter gear. By switching to a shelter-hopping strategy and carrying a ground-cloth and tarp (~9 oz total), I can save over 1.5 pounds. A lighter pack means more trail miles and more trail miles means I'll be more able to end my days near a shelter. And, should a shelter be full, I will still have the tarp to fall back on.
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3. Confidently use a bounce box

A bounce box is simply a package that you continuously send 5-10 days ahead of where you are on the trail so that you may access the contained supplies when you arrive at your destination. Many people seem to confuse the purpose of the bounce box with that of care packages and suggest that you ask someone to mail you said care packages instead since that should save on shipping. Bounce boxes should be small and contain only what you will need when in town (e.g., phone and camera chargers) so that you don't end up having to carry that extra weight whilst on the trail.

The LT has a great bunch of post offices along its length, each full of employees that understand the rigors of hiking the LT and who will often hold packages longer that the typical 2 weeks if the box is marked 'Hold for LT hiker.' It is because of this robust and reliable grouping of post offices that I have complete confidence that both food parcels and a bounce box will reach their destination and remain there until I'm able to pick them up.
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4. Itinerary? Maybe.

I set out with a defined itinerary and was immediately off schedule - a fact that gnawed at me. I'm quite torn about their use and am unsure whether or not to use one in the future. That said, they do offer an advantage when shelter-hopping, sending food packages, and using a bounce-box - advantages that are quite relevant an a trail like the LT.

So, will I use an itinerary in the future? Probably. Will I stick to it? Probably not. Will we be off schedule at some point? Probably. Will I let it irk me again? Hopefully not.
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5. Dog on the trail? No problem!

Figuring out how to get Ramius to and from Vermont, within a set budget, was perhaps the most nerve-racking part of planning my LT hike. That said, once we were on the trail things were simply wonderful. Whether in town, on the trail, or attempting to find space in a shelter, Ramius was always warmly received - and I was thoroughly relieved. Dog owners are quite spoiled in Boulder County: most stores allow dogs inside, Boulder OSMP allows dogs off-leash after taking an online survey, and there are many dog parks available around the county. As mentioned above, I hadn't spent much time hiking in the Northeast prior to this excursion, and I had wondered what the atmosphere on the trail would be like and how many changes I might have to make coming from such a dog-friendly city.

Now, would I have had the same experience with a dog twice his size? I don't know. Ramius takes up little to no room in a shelter (we share a sleeping bag) and is very well mannered in terms of social niceties (e.g., he won't jump up). We encountered a few other dogs along the trail, but none at shelters, so I can't say whether or not other, larger dogs have more difficulties in terms of finding berths in shelters. In any case, I'm hopeful that our next LT attempt will prove just as satisfying as a dog owner. 

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6. The Long Trail Culture

Being the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the country, the LT has had ample time to develop a culture of its own. From the towns surrounding the trail, to the post office workers, to trail angels that give you a hitch without a second thought, the LT has one of the most robust communities I've ever encountered. I'm hesitant to gush too much about the positive experiences I had, but I will tell you that when I hurt my leg and staggered off of the trail and into town, I was provided medical services by a doctor who had hiked the trail with his son the previous year. He didn't charge me a dime for his time, expertise, or even the xrays he took - and after he told me that I should cease my hike he took me out for a beer. This is just one example of the trail magic I experienced, and my gratitude toward the individuals who made it happen is boundless.