On Saturday, September 21, Green Mountain Club staff and sections celebrated this year’s Long Trail Day fundraising efforts with our wonderful Long Trail hiking community. The weather was on our side this year, with sunshine and fair temperatures adding even more cheer to the weekend’s activities.
Thanks to you, we raised $59,100 by the end of Long Trail Day weekend for the long-term care and protection of the trail! Every year, the hiking community shows us just how much love and support surrounds the club and the Long Trail, and we’re so grateful for the enthusiasm and participation shown this year.
GMC Staff
It was a stunning day at Barnes Camp this weekend, and we loved chatting with visitors, hikers, and several thru-hikers on their journeys from End to End. We hope some of you were able to stop by and enjoy snacks from in-kind donors Cabot Creamery, Vermont Smoke and Cure, and Guinep. After packing up at Barnes Camp, we celebrated with pizza at American Flatbread’s Benefit Bake!
Bread Loaf Section
The Bread Loaf Section went all out, organizing several different group hikes and a post-hike celebration at Drop-In Brewing in Middlebury!
“One of the Bread Loaf Section’s Long Trail Day hikes went to Burnt Hill and Silent Cliff. Another fun Long Trail Day!”
– Anne Houser
Burlington Section
The Burlington Section celebrated Long Trail Day with both a GMC info table at Underhill State Park, greeting hikers on their way up the Sunset Ridge and Laura Cowles Trails, and with a group hike up Mount Mansfield starting from the Stevensville trailhead. Volunteer David Hathaway led the hike to the forehead of Mount Mansfield going up the Butler Lodge and Wampahoofus Trails, and down the Maple Ridge and Frost Trails.
“Four of us met at 8:30, and after waiting several minutes for another person who had RSVPed, we started up Butler Lodge Trail. Turns out she’d been just a few minutes behind us, and caught up with us at Butler Lodge. There we spent a few minutes talking to Steve, the caretaker, and then headed up the Wampahoofus Trail. Fortunately, the trails were mostly dry, which helped the footing over the steep sections. The weather was mostly sunny, but hazy enough to hide views of the distant Adirondacks. We reached the Forehead around 11:15, had some lunch, then headed down Maple Ridge trail.”
– David Hathaway
Northeast Kingdom Section
Every year, the Northeast Kingdom Section’s team, “Kingdom Express,” tries to hike a different portion of the Long Trail for Long Trail Day. This year, they hiked the 7-mile stretch from Jay Pass to Hazen’s Notch, traversing 4 peaks.
“We started the day with a car drop at Hazen’s Notch at 7:30 a.m. Seven of us met at Jay Pass at 8 a.m. and began climbing Gilpin Mountain. It was a beautiful hike with lots of conversations. Cathi Brooks hiked in from Hazen’s Notch and met us near Hazen’s Notch Camp. We all continued to Hazen’s Notch. After we met at Jay Country Store and Chowhound Smokehouse.”
– John Predom
Upper Valley Ottauquechee Section
Members of the Upper Valley Ottauquechee (UVO) Section enjoyed a group hike around Griffith Lake and over Peru Peak to celebrate Long Trail Day and the fundraising efforts of the section team, “The UVO Section Woodchucks.”
“There were nine of us on last Saturday’s UVO Section Woodchuck’s 2024 Long Trail Day hike. It was a beautiful fall day, sunny, clear crisp temperatures, and some early fall leaf color as we hiked the Long Trail around Griffith Lake and then many went over Peru and Styles Peaks to Mad Tom Notch.”
– Tom Kahl
*****
Thank you to our Long Trail Day sponsors: Thuja and American Flatbread, and in-kind donors Cabot Creamery, Vermont Smoke and Cure, Darn Tough, and Guinep. And again, thank YOU for making Long Trail Day a success.
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