A New England Wander

Continuing on my journey of completing my third Appalachian Trail hike where I left off in mid-New York from my summer jaunts and onward into beautiful autumn weather. 

For the first week, beginning shy of Bear Mountain, NY, I had mild weather and even shorts weather without any precipitation and lots of sunshine. However, despite the warmth, the leaves were starting to turn and fall was in full progress.

But like anything, weather can change on a dime as it did while on my hike, including snow as I entered Massachusetts at the highest point of Mount Greylock. While there I stopped inside Boscomb Lodge for a nice cup of tea and a sandwich which I had missed on my previous two hikes. Seeing the pines decorated in snow and ice was magical. 

But it also taught me that carrying the winter gear I did for the first two weeks paid off on that last week when the weather turned cold. Always make sure you are planning and preparing for all weather contingencies especially if your section hike is a long one.

The hike was completed at Bennington, Vermont, of which next year I hope to finish the rest of the trail for my third AT completion.

I met several hikers out there, and a few even hiking the section I was doing in lower New England.  Like all aspects of the trail, one has to get used to the rocks and doing the uphills. Stairmaster heaven. But after spending three weeks, I had accomplished some pretty good conditioning, hoping that pausing the hike at Bennington, Vermont will prepare me for the challenging White Mountains of New Hampshire and the mountains of lower Maine. Stay tuned for hiking adventures in 2025.

For books on my hiking adventures on the AT and the Florida Trail, check out Blissful Hiking