ANNUAL NAKED SOLSTICE HIKE: LONG TRAIL VERMONT

   The weather was hot and the skies were sunny, and the forest was shady, ideal conditions for hiking au natural.  This year we had between 35 - 40 people who participated in this annual event, with at least 6 members of Gay Outdoors in attendance!  We started our hike at 9:30 am and almost immediately crossed Rte. #140 where we received honks and waves from passing motorists.  We reentered the forest and hiked 2.5 miles to White Rocks Overlook where we had lunch and enjoyed the view of the valley floor below us.  After lunch we hiked 4 miles to Little Rock Pond where we stopped for a well-deserved swim.  On the remaining 2.2 miles left of the hike, we encountered a thunderstorm.  I covered my pack with a plastic bag that I had brought and continued the hike in the refreshing warm summer rain.  We arrived at the trailhead parking lot on Forest Road #10 at 4:30 pm and we socialized a while as we waited for the tail end of the group to arrive.  After carpooling back to the starting point, many gathered in Manchester, VT for an après hike pizza party.  I did not attend as I had a 3-hour drive ahead of me, but I am told by those who did attend, an enjoyable time was had socializing and making new friends for future hikes.  

We will be joining a mixed group that has been doing this hike for years.  The total distance covered is approximately 10 miles, should take about 6 hours with stopping for lunch and an afternoon swim, and the elevation gain is approximately 1,300 feet, all within the first 3-4 miles, downhill or after that.  We will meet at the trailhead parking lot for the Long Trail on Forest Road 10 east of Mt Tabor at 9:00 am.  From there, we will leave some cars at the trailhead and carpool to the trailhead parking lot on Route 140 approximately 3 miles east of Wallingford.  Once everyone is ready, the hike will commence.  The trail leaves the western side of the parking lot and in a short distance, the trail crosses Route 140.  A short distance from there, the trail reaches the Roaring Brook Bridge.  After crossing the bridge, the trail ascends beside a dramatic gulch and then enters the White Rocks Recreation Area.  Shortly thereafter, the trail crosses Bully Brook.  The trail then ascends at a moderate grade and passes the trail junction with the Keewaydin Trail.  The trail continues to ascend at a moderate grade and passes the trail junction for the Greenwall Spur.  In about half a mile, the trail reaches the junction with the White Rocks Cliff Trail which leads downhill .2 miles to a vista from the top of White Rock Cliffs, where we will stop for lunch.  After lunch, we traverse the .2 miles back to the Long Trail where the trail ascends further and passes just to the west of White Rocks Mountain.  The trail then begins a steady descent and intersects with the old South Wallingford-Wallingford Pond Road and the crosses the Homer Stone Brook Bridge and later intersects with the Green Mountain Trail.  In a short distance, the trail reaches Long Pond and follows it’s eastern shore to the Little Rock Pond Shelter where we will stop for a swim.  After the swim, we will continue down the trail which in a short distance intersects with the Little Rock Pond Loop Trail at the southern end of Little Rock Pond.  The trail continues almost level and in 1.5 miles crosses Little Black Branch over large rocks and shortly after, crosses it again over an I-beam bridge.  The trail then follows an old woods road and shortly reaches Forest Road 10, which we cross to the trailhead parking lot.  We stop to rest in the parking lot after which we carpool back to Wallingford to pick up the cars parked there.  After the hike, those interested can meet at Sam's Wood-fired Pizza, 4478 Main St, Manchester VT, for dinner.