Journal Entries

The colours really pop in the grey day.

On our way down. The peak of Mount Mansfield and the Long Trail is shrouded in that cloud, no doubt very wet and treacherous.

Not sad to save that part of the Long Trail for another day.

Leaving the Long Trail to take the Forehead Bypass trail to get over to Haselton Trail.

It’s been a great trip but I’m ready to be done and I’m not sad we’re missing the summit of Mount Mansfield today. It’s going to be a wet one up there...

One of the many creek crossings today. When we started the trail, one week ago today, we had to be mindful of water, carrying what we needed through dry sections. After all the rain of the past few days everything is flowing, also this section might have more water in general.

It’s definitely another wet feet day.

Somewhere in Nebraska Notch. The hiking looks so tranquil here... a little calm before the storm, quite literally since as we climbed up Mansfield we climbed into the rain and clouds.

Thankful for a ladder on these slick, steep rocks

Looking back south east, the place we started from this morning, as we make our way to Mount Mansfield.

I’ve seen 2 sunrises in this trip, both from the cosy comfort of my sleeping bag.

Damien has been having an allergic reaction to an unknown allergen - maybe down? maybe evergreen trees? - for the duration of our trip. The symptoms are puffy and itchy eyes. This has become an ongoing issue for Damien, whenever he’s in the woods, for the last 5 years.

He’s been using medication in the woods and eating an anti-inflammatory and immune-building diet at home and on the trail. Even so, his eyes have been getting progressively worse on this trip. Poor guy.

This morning his eyes are really bad. One eye is almost closed, it’s so puffy.

So we’ve made the decision to end our hike a day early, using the side trails on Mansfield to leave the Long Trail and get down to the car this afternoon instead of tomorrow.

This will be our last day on the trail.