Summary: hike from Kid Gore Shelter to a previously unfinished small section between USFS 71 and Kelley Stand Road and then climb over Stratton Mountain to Stratton Pond shelter under the pressure of impending rain
During the night I woke up 3 times (20:30, 22:45 and 03:30) and every time I was worried that I would disturb the neighbors. Every move and every creak is being carried back and forth through the silent night air.
06:12 Wake up with the brightest sun reaching right into the shelter. The view of a sunrise is spectacular indeed. I will go north bound and my neighbors will continue to go southbound covering the same section of AT as I did yesterday.
07:23 start the hike. My neighbors are still at the camp eating – they only need to do 7 to 8 mi today.
08:08 -08:43 – hiked 1.09 mi. Elev. 3181. My first stop – rest on a large fallen tree at an open spot. Today we are expecting 13-20°C. According to iPhone I am in East Arlington. The rain might start at 3PM and will reach a peak performance around 7-8 PM. I am under tremendous pressure from the miles planned to accomplish today, and that ruins the whole enjoyment of a clear sunny day in the wild. I should be happy to be here in the forest with clean air and blue sky. It is a skill not to let the current tasks completely ruin your enjoyment of life. I take a picture of clear sky in front of me as a reminder not to forget to enjoy life.
While sitting here on the perch I am updating my WordPress site to the latest version to prevent any security vulnerabilities. Among other things I am doing Duolingo – steak day 2452.
10:04 I do not remember the stop where 2 pictures were taken. Somewhere near an inconspicuous body of water.
10:23 Another forgotten pond with dozens of dead trees stomps protruding through the water like sinking warriors.
10:36 -11:02 I am at Story Spring Shelter. Hiked today 4.66 mi with an average speed of 1.9 mph. Elev. 2796′. +19°C. Remains 10.4 today and 21.1 mi in total. I deserve to eat next (if not the last) orange, take a bathroom break. I will put orange peel under shoulder straps.
11:48 – forest road 71 (USFS 71) – after some 20 mi of hiking I am crossing the first road in 20 mi and a mid-point of this hiking trip. In May 2020 I hid my bike in the woods here to go back to the car. Next 1.9 mi of the trail I missed on my previous trips here.
12:13 Going along the uncovered section of the trail, although seems insignificant and unimportant, it has several distinct features. In one place it goes over a bog on elevated boardwalk for over 50 yards, it crosses several water ways, has 2 footbridges and even a very cute and cozy camping spot by the water with fireplace and chairs made from square-section bars.
12:44 – 12:56 – elev.2228 – I am on Kelley Stand Road – Hiked so far today 8.25 mi and 21.7 for the whole trip. Remaining 6.7 today and 17.4 mi to the car. A quick but very satisfying stop. Back in 2020 (July 4) it was the final point of my hiking for this section and switching to a bike. Now I am going in a different direction. There is a big AT parking lot here with few cars, but there are no people. I dropped my backpack to the ground and sat on the roots. Behind me there is some noise and activity. Some large animal, like a deer or a moose, is walking confusedly and trying to find a good spot to cross the trail.
I am at the lowest elevation point for the day, and I am going to the highest point for this trip – Stratton Mountain. But today I feel that I am more in control of the situation. More miles covered by 1 PM (compared to yesterday), I am more than halfway through today and for the whole trip. The sun is now gone behind clouds, but I still hope to get to the shelter before the rain begins.
13:51 The climb starts very gradually, but only now – about an hour into it – the climb feels more strenuous. However, when looking at the elevation chart – the climb looks pretty much straight up from 2200′ to almost 4000′. So far, I have met only 3 hikers today.
14:00 – 1.8 mi remains until the summit and 4.8 mi to the shelter. I still need to gain over 1000 feet to the top.
15:09 – 15:25 I am on top of Stratton Mountain – 3940′. There is a tower here, but I will not go. Here I’ve met another 6 day-hikes with several dogs. People are walking here using a side trail from a gondola ride that is going to the top of a nearby ski area and that ski lift remains operational year-round. I was so focused on gaining miles and elevation that now I need to remind myself to drink some water.
16:02 I continue to go down from the top. There is only 1.9 mi more to go. The weather is still OK. I do not feel any cold. I am carrying very little water, but I think there is spring somewhere at the hut.
16:30 I am crossing grass covered IP Road 341 (IP stands for International Paper Company). This is more a historic trace than an actual road. It might be used in winter, but there is very little evidence of the road being used now.
16:43 The rain finally starts and I can hear it pounding on the leaves, but I do not feel it yet. I am starting to go even faster.
16:57 OK. After 9.5H of hiking I’ve reached a sign to Straton Pond Shelter that is in ¼ mi. The rain is still in its infancy, and I still hope to be under the roof in a few minutes.
17:04 I see the shelter and there is no one here. It is huge shelter with two levels of banks, with a large loft for four more lodgers, and a separate cooking / eating area with a picnic table completely covered by the roof. Excellent.
17:11 There is a cell signal here, so I am sending a message to Lira – I just arrived at the shelter and the rain just started for good. Very lucky timing.
17:30–17:53 — An estimated 0.2-mile walk each way to Stratton Pond to find the nearby spring. The walk is slow and unpleasant. Wearing a bright yellow poncho, I move carefully over uneven rocks and feel my way down toward the pond. At the water’s edge, I find a trickle connecting several puddles. That must be it. I go to the uppermost puddle, where the water appears crystal clear. The return is even harder because I am carrying three liters of water in a bladder. Still, a sense of calm and tranquility begins to settle over me. Yes—I did it: almost 15 miles today, with 10 more tomorrow.
After I returned and started preparing food, one after another through hikers starting to appear. They are wet and tired but happy to reach the shelter. That night a total of 5 people (including me) will be sleeping in that shelter – one SOBO, one NOBO and mother with a son – all very experienced hikers.
All 5 of us shared the table and we ate altogether. We hung a folding lamp on a rafter – another excellent invention – and spent an hour or two on a very cozy kitchen area. I think I was eating Caribbean Curry Hiker’s meal. It was tasty, but I wouldn’t eat that at home. The time just flew by. The heavy rain is no longer a menace. We were on a dry kitchen porch.
20:27 What a loaded day. I am finally in my bunk. The rain will continue to drum on the metal roof for hours all the way till morning, although the rain most likely stopped around 22-23H tonight. Everything is under control. Let the stars appear in a dark sky.
Navigate through the List
- 01 2026-08 First August trip to Vermont (2026/08/17)
- 02 2026-08-18 TU First day so full of driving, biking and hiking (2026/08/18)
- 03 2026-08-19 WE - second hiking day - jump over Glastenbury Mountain (2026/08/19)
- 04 2026-08-20 TH - 15 mi day over Stratton Mountain (2026/08/20)
- 05 2026-08-21 FR last 10 mi to the car (2026/08/21)
- 06 2026-08 AT VT trip lessons and overall summary (2026/08/22)
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