Long Trail: End to Ender (48-day session)
Many hikers who’ve been enjoying the beauty and adventure of Vermont’s Long Trail may have wondered what it would be like to complete the historic 100-year-old path; how it must feel to meander along the crest of the Green Mountains from Massachusetts to Canada. Hikers on shorter trips may have sensed the excitement of End to Enders along the trail who have stopped to share their countless stories.
Now it’s your turn, so take the chance! This trip is geared toward success through learning and practicing extended-trip principles like route and menu planning, pacing, and appropriate packing. The course will be co-led by experienced trip leaders who are eager to enjoy the company of the 2012 Questers and share their knowledge. Their experience and awareness of group dynamics will help Questers as they learn the requisite skills of self-care, diet and how to handle the challenges of the 273-mile journey.
As with any Questers course, the trip leaders will support participants and orient them to the specific backpacking techniques, while coaching them on how to be self-reliant and make decisions collaboratively. Questers on this trip will experience the F&W values of simple living, spirituality, exploration of self (both with individual challenges and time for reflection), and the importance of community. Participants will have ample time to journal, contemplate and truly internalize this experience.
The Questers July and August session trips will consist of traveling from Maine’s Rangeley Lake along the Northern Forest Canoe Trail to the foot of the Presidential Range in New Hampshire. We will be traveling by canoe and foot for fifteen days, and then culminate the trip with three days of rock-climbing. No previous outdoor skills are needed, just an interest and willingness to learn and become an integral part of a team.
Meet and Pack Out Questers start at Saltash Mountain Camp, where we practice canoeing fundamentals and learn techniques for backcountry packing. These include prepping the menu, gear inspection, and reviewing the route. When the last dry bag is packed, it’s off to Maine.
Canoe (Days 1-8) Questers will start their journey on Maine’s beautiful Rangeley Lake and canoe through the upper reaches of the Androscoggin Basin while exploring a 60 mile section of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. With amazing camping in an area teaming with wildlife, this section of the trip is sure to provide breath taking and unforgettable beauty. Questers will have time to work on their paddling strokes and canoe partner communication before taking on some of the more challenging moving water sections of the Androscoggin. We’ll also take the opportunity to give back to this beautiful area by completing a service project with the Northern Forest Canoe Trail Association.
Backpack (Days 8-15) Questers will strap on their packs and dig into the incredibly scenic White Mountains National Forest. As they hike classic ridge trails along the famed Appalachian Trail, they will continuously take in amazing views and feel the unforgettable rush of summiting peak after peak along including New Hampshire’s highest, Mt. Washington. Questers will stomp out over fifty miles of beautiful and rewarding trails over during this seven-day section of the journey.
Rock-Climb (Days 15-19) The Granite state of New Hampshire is home to the best climbing in the Northeast. Questers will basecamp in the Sugarloaf area for three nights while ramping up their rocks and ropes skills. While working together to find and attempt routes up the rock face, Quester will also have the opportunity to set their own goals and find their own climbing style.
Back to Camp Questers end their journey back at Saltash Mountain Camp, where we unpack and reflect on our amazing adventure. August session Questers will arrive back in time for the Farm & Wilderness Fair Day.
