winter hiking

[Hamidmarzban]

hi you all planning to hike a week in Jan. first or second week of it. starting from NC section. I have not done any winter hiking,but have done alot of hiking in late spring and summer . So i need help and advice on special gears i would need . i live in Fl. and would love to hike in snow!!! i will be hiking solo. thanks for any input

[Ktaadn]

Almost year round, I plan to have a base layer, an insulating layer, and a shell. This is the same in the winter, but everything is thicker/warmer. Obviously a warmer sleeping bag too. The other consideration is footwear. I tend to lean more towards a gore-tex shoe/boot in the winter, where as I'm more willing to go without in the warmer months. A balaclava is a must have for me in the winter also.

[booney_1]

There is no telling what type of weather you might have. You might be hiking in a freezing rain. Hiking in snow is no picnic. In NC, if there is snow, it probably won't be deep. But it will cover up every stone and root . Oh yeah...the white blazes on the AT are hard to see, especially when they are on painted on rocks.
Check out the length of the day...the sun sets earlier this time of year. And especially in the mountains...the shadows can make it hard to see late afternoon.

I don't know what you are wearing on your feet, but unless you are hiking in pac boots, I'd look at getting gaiters to keep snow/water out of the top of your boots/shoes. They will also keep your lower pant legs dry.


The special gear you need are clothes that keep you dry and warm. In NC you won't be facing sub-zero temps, but more likely mid-20's and maybe very wet.
It's also windy on ridge lines.

If you are planning on staying in shelters (crowding not a problem!), you might want to bring a tarp to cover the front to block the wind (and snow!)

Winter has it's problems...but also it's rewards. It's quiet...not crowded. You will spend more time in camp..cause the days are shorter...so maybe a book?

Enjoy your hike...

[Praha4]

warmer clothes and sleep system (bag & pad) are obvious necessities. But don't overlook how winter weather will affect your hydration system. Water filters and water kept in bladders/hoses or bottles will freeze up, so you have to adjust to that factor! Much shorter days that time of year too. I did a mid December section a few years ago from Dicks Creek Gap to Winding Stair Gap, and only met 2 other section hikers the entire time on the trail. Also met some hunters with rifles on the AT, who gave me a "Deliverance" feeling from the brief words we exchanged. Met some duffle bag hiker near top of Albert Mtn., who appeared to be in the middle of a bad acid trip, the dude was freaking out, talking to the trees, and running around the woods in 30* mid-day temps in his underwear. He had an old army duffle bag and bags of popcorn spread out in the trail. Interesting hike it was.

[rocketsocks]

Sunglasses help not only with the increased exposure due to lack of foliage, but go a long way to cutting ice cold winds that dry me right out.

[rocketsocks]

hi you all planning to hike a week in Jan. first or second week of it. starting from NC section. I have not done any winter hiking,but have done alot of hiking in late spring and summer . So i need help and advice on special gears i would need . i live in Fl. and would love to hike in snow!!! i will be hiking solo. thanks for any input

oh and because it's your very first post...you get one of these. to white blaze.

[Feral Bill]

Take a peak on Amazon for books on winter camping. There are several you might find good. It will be more efficient than going through numerous internet posts.

[Slo-go'en]

First, you need to be prepared to be cold AND wet. Any snow you encounter is likely to be heavy and wet. Real sloppy stuff. Your more likely to encounter ice, but in patches which makes it a pain to deal with.

Definately go with the Gortex boots and tall gaiters. That will go a long way towards keeping your feed reasonably dry. Then some kind of easy to use traction aid, such as micro spikes. The rest is just warm clothes and sleep system. Just remember it is a very good idea to have at least one extra day's worth of food with you in case you get stuck someplace or you can't make it all the way to the next camp and fall behind schedule.

[freightliner]

I usually get laid off in the winter and spend it hiking. It does make my La-Z-Boy lonely but it usually forgives me when I get home. The things that I've learned over the years is when you get to a shelter or camp you got to quickly put on all your clothes whatever you have that's warm. You have to keep whatever warmth that you have made while hiking because if you lose it it's very hard to get it back. Some people change clothes but I don't usually bring any extra clothing and I don't like having to put on a wet T-shirt in the morning. I do change my socks so that I have warm dry socks on and the day socks are usually put in the bottom of my sleeping bag so when I'm sleeping they will dry. I also carry two wool hats because the one you hike in will be very wet and it takes too long to dry so you'll want a dry one when you get the camp. Then you're going to want to go get water and have enough water so you don't have to go again later. I use a platypus water tank it holds all the water I need for cooking and cleaning and drinking. When that is done now is the time your going to want to make a hot drink and get your dinner started and while that's cooking its time to set up your tent and sleeping bag making sure it's fluffed up nicely. I always carry a small 16 ounce nalgene mini-grip bottle for my hot drink and you understand this when you grab it with your freezing cold hands. When you're all done eating and cleaned up go ahead and boil 2 cups of water to put in your bottle and put that in the bottom of your sleeping bag to start warming it up. That hot water bottle will be your best friend when you're hiking in the winter. Once you start getting your core temperature back up to normal you can start shedding some of the clothes that you're wearing. This isn't just what I do most everybody that hikes in the winter does this but you don't really want to learn it the hard way. One really good idea is to carry a packet of instant Jell-O mix that you add to boiling water. This thing will make you understand what a crack head feels. In about 15 minutes your heart will start racing helping you warm up. If you get to the point of no return this is one thing that'll help you come back. One time I was shaking so bad after hiking in freezing rain all day I could barely get the pouch of instant Jell-O open. Good luck and if you need to know more I would be happy to tell you

[July]

At this time of year in NC, make SURE you bring a warm bag.

[Venchka]

At this time of year in NC, make SURE you bring a warm bag.

Warm means a conservative (honest-real world) rating of 20 degrees. Minimum. Coming from Florida, 10 degrees might be better. It takes a few days for your internal thermostat to make the switch from Florida to winter in the mountains.
Wool and down and a white gas stove are your best friends at altitude in January.
North Carolina covers a lot of high, exposed country. Where exactly will you be hiking. Don't count on rural mountain roads to be open quickly after a storm if you need resupply or just bail out.

Wayne


Sent from somewhere around here.

[ocasey3]

http://www.wintercampers.com/

I found a lot of good information here.

[The Solemates]

Warm means a conservative (honest-real world) rating of 20 degrees. Minimum. Coming from Florida, 10 degrees might be better. It takes a few days for your internal thermostat to make the switch from Florida to winter in the mountains.
Wool and down and a white gas stove are your best friends at altitude in January.
North Carolina covers a lot of high, exposed country. Where exactly will you be hiking. Don't count on rural mountain roads to be open quickly after a storm if you need resupply or just bail out.

Wayne


Sent from somewhere around here.

I've hiked all my life in the southern Apps of TN, NC, GA, and VA. No way would I have anything less than a 0 deg bag for an extended trip. Below 0 temps are not uncommon, esp when the windchill is factored in.

[The Solemates]

Warm means a conservative (honest-real world) rating of 20 degrees. Minimum. Coming from Florida, 10 degrees might be better. It takes a few days for your internal thermostat to make the switch from Florida to winter in the mountains.
Wool and down and a white gas stove are your best friends at altitude in January.
North Carolina covers a lot of high, exposed country. Where exactly will you be hiking. Don't count on rural mountain roads to be open quickly after a storm if you need resupply or just bail out.

Wayne


Sent from somewhere around here.

I've hiked all my life in the southern Apps of TN, NC, GA, and VA. No way would I have anything less than a 0 deg bag for an extended trip. Below 0 temps are not uncommon, esp when the windchill is factored in.

[Demeter]

This is my winter gear list

The full post is here on my blog

You can get a ton of valuable info from WB and other forums. However, I can't stress how important it is to try your gear out overnight before going for a week. It doesn't take much to ruin a trip with untested gear. Everything is harder in cold weather, when you are tired and cold. Setting up camp, filtering water, even going to the bathroom!

[Duramax22]

Booties!!!! they are wonderful for camp which in the winter the night is much longer, zippo makes some kickass handwarmers, and grab yourself some katoohla microspikes

[Duramax22]

I've hiked all my life in the southern Apps of TN, NC, GA, and VA. No way would I have anything less than a 0 deg bag for an extended trip. Below 0 temps are not uncommon, esp when the windchill is factored in.

very true spent a sub-zero night on mt leconte last winter, although it stood no chance to my WM versalite

[Coffee]

Booties!!!! they are wonderful for camp which in the winter the night is much longer, zippo makes some kickass handwarmers, and grab yourself some katoohla microspikes

+1 on booties. My Goosefeet Gear down booties help a great deal. I purchased them after having numb feet from the time I set up camp until an hour after getting back to my car the following morning. This was a short overnight trip in SNP in March 2013. I kind of went nuts after that experience and ordered the down booties 100% overfilled. But they only weigh 3 ounces and worth it to me.

[freightliner]

Every time I see those down booties I always think I should get a pair but I never do. I do love my down pants and a hike with them even in the summer because I like to be warm when I'm in camp. The hot water bottle usually warms up my feet but I'm liking the idea of down booties. One more thing I forgot to add to my last thought was that you need to bring a ass pad with you because if it snows you won't have any place to sit. I cut mine from that cheap blue Walmart sleeping pad. One sleeping pad will last you a lifetime. I wouldn't count on fire to keep you warm because usually in the winter all the sticks are frozen and hard to get going not impossible but hard.

[Coffee]

I made a sit pad from a Wal mart blue pad. It was the best addition to my pack in some time. Very useful.