Best Places for Winter Hikes?

[Robin Hood]

Any favorite spots (on the AT or otherwise) for winter hikes, both day and long distance?

[Lone Wolf]

Grayson Highlands/Mount Rogers area in SW Virginia

[weary]

Any favorite spots (on the AT or otherwise) for winter hikes, both day and long distance?

I backpacked in Maine every winter for 35 years. Baxter Park was my favorite, but the logistics were difficult. The road to the park isn't plowed, which entails nine miles in on the AT, a bushwhack, or complicated spotting of cars to reach the wildest and highest country.

But the Bigelow Range makes a nice three day traverse. And the area around Grafton Notch and the Mahoosucs offer numerous fine winter excursions.

For years my "cool down" walk between Christmas and New Years was to the Carter Notch hut, an easy walk, with bunk rooms and a semi-heated hut for cooking. The 4 mile trail leaves the highway, around 10 miles south of Gorham, NH.

Weary

[dessertrat]

Have you been over the Barren-Chairback range in the winter, Weary? If so, what gear (snowshoes, ice axe?) do you recommend for a trip like that, and how long would it take?

[Blissful]

Trails in SNP are nice with no leaves on them. The AT is actually scenic through there.

[JAK]

I like the Fundy Footpath in winter, and the looging roads that run parallel and perpendicular to it. Parts of the Fundy Footpath are not safe in winter, at least not for me, and I like that. My world would be a much smaller and sadder place if there were no places left unforbidden by such fearsome elements, where ghosts and legends might still haunt if only in winter.

[weary]

Have you been over the Barren-Chairback range in the winter, Weary? If so, what gear (snowshoes, ice axe?) do you recommend for a trip like that, and how long would it take?

I've climbed whitecap in Winter, but not barren-chairback. All Maine high peaks require snowshoes. An ice axe and knowledge of self arrest is handy, but unless you go above timberline or mess with steep ravines, probably not really needed. But above the tree line, crampons should also be used.

Problems come mostly when summits are ice covered, which is often. Then a slip can be fatal. Without means of stopping quickly, you quickly can accelerate down a steep slope until you are sliding too fast to stop, even with an ice axe.

Barren Chairback is difficult because you never can be sure the private companies will be plowing their roads. I drove to within five miles of Gulf Hagas once. We explored the area that afternoon. But that night nearly a foot of wet snow fell. We walked out to my parked station wagon the next morning. to find it totally snowed in. I persuaded two snowmobilers to ride in front of me the width between my wheels apart. They compressed the snow enough so I was able to make it out, 12 miles to the plowed road.

Most of my winter backpacks tended to be into the Mahoosucs and Grafton Notch areas where the trailheads were public roads that were always kept plowed.

I did Mahoosuc Notch a couple of times in February. Both times the notch was filled with snow. It took several hours to reach the notch on an unmarked trail. But once there the notch was just a smooth inclined plane, taking about 20 minutes to go from one end to the other.

Weary

[peakbagger]

For winter Day hikes, the whites in NH are very good as there is lots of traffic keeping the trailbreaking down to a minimum. Usually all the major trails are broken out within 3 days of a storm. Of course you need the equipment and capabilities in case of an unexpected snowstorm, but you may not need to break all day. Once you get into Maine (barring the Bigelows), you are probably breaking trail all the way. Even wth a couple of folks in good shape 1 MPH is sometime tough to achive when breaking trail up hill.

As for equipment, its always a trade off on snowshoes, if the trails broken, small snowshoes are fast and easy, if its deep snow, the bigger the better. Unfortunately large snowshoes dont fit snow shoe tracks real well and arent as good for climbing.

[Marta]

I'd suggest preparing for a number of options when planning a winter hike.

Some things that might affect the final destination:

Ease of access. Plan a place that you can get in and out of if a storm is coming, as well as a fair-weather launching point.

Cold. Be able to camp in an exposed spot if the weather is calmer; in a protected spot if it's very cold and/or windy.

Other hikers. If you haven't done much winter hiking, pick a place where you'll run into other hikers, or they'll come across you. And, of course, leave a hiking plan and a latest-possible-return plan with someone who's not going on the trip.

Special events. Winter is a fabulous time for star-gazing and watching meteor showers. It's fantastic to lug a load of warm gear to someplace like the summit of Max Patch to cowboy camp during a meteor shower.

As far as great places to hike during the winter...just about anywhere. Snow and ice are magic. Views are better with the leaves off the trees and the humidity frozen out of the air.

[JAK]

Winter is great. Even in the same place no two days seem to be the same, and you don't have to go as far to get lost. It's best to have multiple exit points so you can stay out as long as you are prepared for should the weather change and slow you down. I think my favourite places in winter here in New Brunswick are those place that are just one hill beyond where perhaps I should be, but still one hill short of those places that are totally unsafe. Of course the weather can change those boundaries from one day to the next, and depending on the month, but my world would be way too small where there no such places where ghosts and legends might still exist. It's nice to know such places are beyond our reach, if only during winter storms, or that most treacherous time between late winter and early spring with the risk of both, where the cougars live.

[Fiddleback]

Decades ago when I lived in the area I liked to use the C&O Canal for winter hiking or an early spring overnight. Easy in, easy out and easy hiking. I also liked Shenandoah NP in the winter...very quiet, very pretty, little bit deeper snow...

FB

[bathtub boy]

the bigelows in winter are very nice.

[Slo-go'en]

Here in the Whites, the place to go is the RMC Gray Knob cabin near tree line on Mt Adams. Lowes path is nearly always broken, only exception is immeditatly after a big snow strom, in which case wait until about noon on Sat to go up and at least a few people will have gone up before you :-)

Crampons are a must for going up Lowes, there can be some bad icy spots on the headwall early in the season and help when the snow is packed hard. Short snow shoes can be handy too. Usually, you can get up with out either of these though, but it is harder. Crampons make wandering around above tree line a lot easier too, where the snow is wind packed and crusty.

Gray Knob has a full time, year round caretaker and a wood stove, but don't count on it being too warm inside. The stove is only lit for a few hours at night. From Gray Knob, summiting Mt Adams, Madison or Jefferson is not too hard to do. If your really geared up, the traverse to Washington and back is possible, but thats a serious hike in the winter!

If you want to rough it, the Crag Camp cabin is near-by and is unheated and there is also the Perch lean-to and tent platforms, but bring a shovel to dig them out!

Also, the AMC Carter Notch and Zeland Falls huts are open year round, but they cost a lot more to stay at. Gray Knob/Crag Camp runs $12.00 a night last time I checked.

Finally, there are numberous places you can cross country ski into like the Pemmie wilderness area.

I was summer caretaker for Crag Camp and then fall/winter caretaker for Gray Knob during the 1986/1987 season. 9 continues months of living near tree line. It was heaven! And I got paid to do it too, what a kick! I had my cat up there with me and she did not want to leave when my stint was up, but then, neither did I!

[hnryclay]

Grayson Highlands/Mount Rogers area in SW Virginia

My personal favorite.

[DAKS]

Trails in SNP are nice with no leaves on them. The AT is actually scenic through there.

fall and winter in SNP! best time to hike it! caution though, the knee deep leaves are slippery! lotta' fun though and best time of year for spectacular views!

[Cookerhiker]

As others have said, winter backpacking in Shenandoah NP is great - quite a contrast from the crowded, touristy, car-filled Skyline Drive in summer and early fall. In fact, Skyline Drive is often closed except for the Central District.

I've winter backpacked in SW Virginia, Connecticut, and most recently the Laurel Highlands Trail in SW PA. All were enjoyable. Anywhere in the Mid-Atlantic is rewarding without the extreme cold of Northern New England.

[Nearly Normal]

Foothills Trail.
Winter is a great time.

[MOWGLI]

Foothills Trail.
Winter is a great time.

Yup! Hiked it in January '05. I nearly froze my vital vittles though, so be sure to carry appropriate gear - even though it's SC. It got down into the teens one night, and could get even colder in the mountains.

[Toolshed]

I'd have to ask by "winter", do you mean just some cold temps and a little snow, just some cold temps and no snow, or full blown winter conditions at elevations with snowshoes, near- (or sub-) zero weather perhaps crampons and an ice axe?

[JAK]

I'd have to ask by "winter", do you mean just some cold temps and a little snow, just some cold temps and no snow, or full blown winter conditions at elevations with snowshoes, near- (or sub-) zero weather perhaps crampons and an ice axe?

It's all good, but the really nasty stuff is most convenient because you don't have to travel so far to get yourself in deep ****.