The start of a new year is a great time to reflect on what practices and mentalities we’re leaving behind in the old year, and what timeless advice and new perspectives we’ll bring forward with us. When it comes to hiking in Vermont and on the Long Trail, here’s what GMC thinks is “In” and “Out” for 2025 (inspired by the Washington Post’s annual list of ins and outs for the new year).
More outdoorsy ins and outs:
| IN | OUT |
| The Ten Essentials | Cotton |
| Taking care of the alpine zone | Pit privies |
| Northern lights | Total solar eclipses |
| Getting inspired with help from GMC’s new visitor center | Gatekeeping knowledge from other hikers |
| Hiking your own hike | Getting stuck |
| Sharing trip reports | Missing out on GMC’s hiking community. |
Safety and Preparedness
IN: The Ten Essentials. Safety and preparation are timeless. Even for experienced hikers, checking that you’re well-prepared for your planned outing and the current conditions is essential to both an enjoyable AND safe time on trail. This list of the Ten Essentials and the HikeSafe Hiker Responsibility Code are two resources we encourage all hikers to be familiar with and use to guide your preparation and decision-making. Know your planned route, carry a physical map and know how to use it, and make sure someone trusted knows your hike plans and how to check in with you.
OUT: Cotton. There’s a saying in the outdoor community: “Cotton kills.” While it sounds dramatic, when cotton gets wet, it stays wet – and cold. We’re swapping out moisture-retaining cotton clothing for knowledge of how to properly prepare for all your outdoor adventures. Increase your knowledge base by learning how to choose your layers for various hikes, when and why to hike with microspikes or snowshoes, what bear-proof food storage is, and other essential tips and skills.
Stewardship
IN: Taking care of the alpine zone. Leave No Trace and good stewardship practices are always in, year after year. Protecting the natural landscapes and resources the Long Trail System travels through never goes out of fashion. In environments that are especially vulnerable to human impacts and activity, like the alpine zone areas on the Mount Mansfield ridgeline and summit of Camel’s Hump, responsible hiking practices and etiquette such as leashing dogs and walking on durable rock surfaces helps protect beloved outdoor spaces for future hikers.
OUT: Pit privies. In 2024, GMC officially completed the decades-long process of converting all pit privies on the Long Trail System and Appalachian Trail in Vermont to composting models. We’re leaving pit privies behind and moving forward into a 2025 of efficient and sustainable backcountry waste management.
Skygazing
IN: Chasing the northern lights. The aurora borealis, or the northern lights, are a special sight to behold in the night sky. Vermont is lucky to be located far enough north that the aurora can occasionally be glimpsed with the bare eye. Due to strong waves of solar activity, 2025 is set to be another especially strong year for viewing the northern lights, with the peak for this year’s solar activity predicted for July 2025.
OUT: Total Solar Eclipses. What an exciting and amazing experience we had in 2024, with a total solar eclipse visible in nearly half the state! Vermont won’t see another total solar eclipse until 2079, but maybe don’t toss the eclipse glasses quite yet – Vermonters can see a partial solar eclipse on March 29, 2025.
Community
IN: Getting inspired with help from GMC’s new visitor center. Try a new hike or make new hiking connections with a section outing. Refresh or learn new skills with GMC’s educational programming, most of which is free! Get inspired by the adventures, work, and storytelling of hikers, scientists, advocates, and athletes that are part of the 2025 Outdoor Adventure Speaker Series.
Much of this programming will take place at GMC club headquarters, where the new Rothberg-Birdwhistell Visitor Center will open in time for the 2025 hiking season. We look forward to welcoming hikers and visitors into the new space, answering questions about the trail, providing hike advice and recommendations, and increasing educational opportunities for the public.
OUT: Gatekeeping knowledge from new hikers. When we share the hiking knowledge we’ve gained through our own on-trail experiences, we can help grow a welcoming and safe community of hikers! Offering the patience and grace to help other less experienced hikers learn the skills and information needed to safely enjoy the trails makes our Long Trail hiking community a better place.
GMC offers as much information and as many education resources as we can through seasonal hiking guides, hike recommendations and itineraries, maps and guides, and recorded hiking workshops.
Making Your Own Adventure
IN: Hiking your own hike. Whether you’re a day hiker or thru-hiker, a fast or a slow hiker, a peak-bagger or leisurely wanderer, may you stay true to you and hike in the ways that make you happiest. And we hope you’ll extend the same encouragement to other hikers.
Looking for new trails or recommendations for your next unique adventure? We have dozens of recommendation lists and itineraries sorted by location, effort level, trail features, and more to help you find hikes that fit YOU.
OUT: Getting stuck. One thing that may keep you from being able to hike your own hike is getting stuck on a muddy dirt road. Mud isn’t only something hikers encounter in Mud Season (typically early March through Memorial Day). With more frequent freeze and thaw cycles in winter and storm events year-round, hikers may encounter muddy conditions in any month, not just traditional spring Mud Season.
Many popular trailheads are accessed via dirt roads, which can be infamously hard to travel when thawed and muddy. Hikers can help preserve the integrity of the roads and make travel in these rural areas more pleasant and safe by checking town guidelines and road closures while hike planning, and seeking alternative hikes when road conditions are rough. You can also check GMC’s trail updates page and TrailFinder for closures and access updates.
The Hiker Experience
IN: Sharing your trip reports. Don’t forget to share your adventures with GMC! Tag our social media accounts in your post-hike posts and have your adventure reshared by us, or send photos and trip reports to [email protected].
OUT: Missing out on GMC’s hiking community. Stay connected with the club and your hiking community to make the most of another year on the Long Trail. You can join groups like Long Trail Hiking – GMC Community and Hiking in Vermont on Facebook to share trip reports and see current trail conditions from your hiking peers. And stay up-to-date with the latest news, updates, and stories from GMC on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and by signing up for the eblaze, our monthly newsletter!
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