The 273-mile Long Trail tracing the spine of Vermont's Green Mountains has a well-deserved reputation for bringing the pain—to your quads. It shoots straight up and over peaks, instead of switchbacking. This 15-mile section—known as the Monroe Skyline—is a prime example. Expect 8,000 feet of ups and downs, challenging routefinding around blowdowns, hand-over-hand scrambles up steep granite slabs, and thin sidehill traverses. No pain, no gain, right?

You'll enjoy wicked multi-state views from the tips of the 'Dacks all the way down to the surface of Lake Champlain. The bald, 4,083-foot summit of Camel's Hump, which is this section's crux, features rare (for this latitude) alpine vegetation and a stone lodge for weary hikers. You'll also find pure solitude on seldom-traveled Mounts Ira Allen and Ethan Allen, and then finish up by descending one of the Long Trail's few long, rocky ridgewalks.

INFO: No permits required. (802) 244-5867; greenmountainclub.org.

-Mapped by Berne Broudy

TO TRAILHEAD: From Montpelier, VT, take US 2 W to Vermont 100B S (becomes Main St.). In 13.3 miles, turn right at VT 17 W. In 0.1 mile, turn right at Mill Brook Rd./VT 17 W. Go 6 miles to Appalachian Gap.

Today we hiked Moosiluake. Going up we took the Gorge Brook trail, which is shorter and has good views. We took the Carriage Road - Hurricane trail coming down. It is longer than Gorge Brook and does not have as many good views, but the descent is gentler.

Gorge Brook trail was dry and we didn't many bugs along that trail, but there were several wet patches and many bugs along the Carriage Road and Hurricane trail. The weather was cloudy and windy throughout, but it did clear for few minutes and we got good views then.