LONG TRAIL Unsupported hike 2014. Need to know best pack to use for the weight.

See Sectionhiker.com. He has a writeup about the Long Trail using a Mariposa. I was planning to use a Gorilla this summer.

June is "iffy" with blackflies. A later hatch can often put them out in later June. But, usually towards the end they are gone or much reduced. Still, you need to be prepared. They "sleep" at night, so there is no problem. You have to keep moving during the day if you bump into them. Permethrin on your outer cloths, DEET on exposed skin will limit bites to one or two for the trip…certainly tolerable. Mostly, it is a high country trail, without the major swarms found on low land trials.

Section hiker was talking about a normal Thru hike with resupply.. i don't think Mariposa can do 45+ pounds unsupported.

check the 40lb load pack thread in Gear a few up/down from this thread.

June will have some bugs. it was a snowy winter so it will probably be Ver-MUDDY too. I went at the end of July and there were no bugs. It was also a drought year.

Vermont his high country? Since when? they are called the Green mountains for a reason.

This is what typical trail looks like

This thread would probably interest you

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=91387

THANKS! :)