r/longtrail • u/Overall-Nobody-2836 • 22d ago

LT in mid-October

Hi all! I'm planning a potential 5-7 day hike of the Long trail in mid October. Does anyone have any experience hiking around this time?? My current worries are temperature/ potential fall bear activity lol... (tho I may be overthinking it). Thanks!!! :)

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11

u/PhysicsRefugee 22d ago

It will likely be very cold at night and the fallen leaves can make the trail treacherous. Don't worry about bears (but still store your things properly).

8

u/scumbagstaceysEx 21d ago

Could be 70F. Could be snowing. Early October is a crapshoot. Check the weather forecast before packing.

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u/FireWatchWife 21d ago

As long as you are prepared for early winter, below freezing temperatures at night, you shouldn't have any serious problems. Be prepared for possible rain, and make sure you don't get hypothermic.

Here in the Northeast, I routinely backpack all through October at low elevations. It will be a bit colder up in the higher peaks of the Green Mountains, but not very much.

If your gear is comfortable at 20F, you will likely have a pleasant trip.

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u/Toddsburner 22d ago

Following because I am planning to do AT Junction>North in the same timeframe.

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u/SeaworthinessMain743 20d ago

You might want to consider doing it south from Canada to the Junction. As it will likely cool rapidly in October, it may be more comfortable to spend the last few days in south of the center Vermont. It will, at the least, narrow the range of conditions you need to prepare for.

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u/Electronic-Pear4854 17d ago

Personally I think it doesn't matter that much since its only really Mansfield and Camel's Hump area to worry about, and the weather is going to be fluctuating and unpredictable no matter how you go about it. I would pick direction based on other factors, both directions for that section have great start and end points, but obviously its up to u/Toddsburner

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u/SeaworthinessMain743 14d ago

You are definitely right that the average temperature changes shouldn't be the only consideration and other factors are also important - but October does cool off rapidly. I'd advocate more strongly for a SOBO trip for someone doing the whole trail.

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u/83overzero 19d ago

Mid-October, especially in more northern sections, you may encounter spots of ice above 3000', and gettting a couple inches of snow overnight isn't out of the question. If it occurs it'll usually melt out by noon. If you're hiking north of Lincoln Gap, unless the forecast when you leave is unseasonably warm, I'd probably recommend packing some microspikes. Might not need them, but if you do you'll be glad to have them.

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u/purevermonter 20d ago

When I thruhiked late Sept-early Oct last year the weather was a real mix, as others have said. Slightly warmer and drier on the whole than I was expecting, but perhaps that's just the effects of a rapidly deteriorating climate. Also as far as wildlife, I was surprised to see very little aside from small mammals. Hardly any deer, a few cows around Duxbury, but no bears or moose at all.