Somewhat Soggy Solstice Shuffle on the Connecticut AT

[Ben W]

Ridges and clouds march in from the west, Bear Mountain

Visiting my parents in Connecticut for the holidays, I took a couple days to hike the full Connecticut section of the AT from the NY/CT border to the CT/MA border. The hike spanned about 55 miles and 48 hours centered on the winter solstice, with two camps. This section of trail is not a banner destination for most people, but it (along with some of southwestern Massachusetts) was where I discovered as a kid that hiking was for me, where I took my first solo backpacking trip as a teenager, etc. It's been a number of years since I last set foot here, so it was good to return. I originally planned to take a full 3 days for a slightly more leisurely pace and add the next section in southern Massachusetts as well, but other commitments constrained the available time and I settled on a faster-paced border-to-border hike that, with the low daylight and presumed colder temperatures would be more of a challenge, mentally and physically. The weather defied expectations, serving up fog, rain, thunder, lightning, and even a little bit of visibility, but nothing one might call winter. Nonetheless, challenge, nostalgia, and enjoyment were still readily available.

A short reflection
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Anyone else get a chance to visit old stomping grounds recently?

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