Good start to the trip. Sweet Pea brought us (Phenix and I) up to the northern terminus last night and all three of us hung in the trees next to journeys end road.

Got rolling at 6 am to a cold and blustery day. Phoenix and I took each others photos at the border monument while trying to keep our hats on in the heavy wind.

Walking was good but wet and muddy on much of the trail..with a few spots that were hard to avoid getting a shoe full of the black mud. Many downfalls still as we are out before much trail maintenance has begun. There was some sheep climbs that were challenging. I’ve heard the northern half of the LT compared to some of the more difficult parts of Maine on the AT, and I would say that is accurate thus far.

We noticed in the trail logs that we are not the first SOBO thru hikers of the year. There is someone within a couple a day in front of us. We met 3 NOBO hikers that were almost finished. Also met a guy who came out here to fast for the next two weeks and meditate.

Jay Peak was the highest elevation for the day and we stopped there for lunch. It was quite windy and cold and we went down into the emergency shelter in the basement of a building on the summit. It was warm there and a great place to take a break.

Camped off trail just past Hazen Notch next to a small creek…

Around 19 miles