Northville Placid Trail vs. Devil's Path, foot gear

[trijuggle]

In two weeks time, I’ll have a week off (the 20’s of March). Will the conditions of the NPT be snowshoe like? Unbroken trail? Insulated boot’s necessary?

I’m kind of leaning towards trying a Devil’s Path traverse. Could I get away with just a pair of wool socks (or double up nylon dress socks), sneakers and micro-spikes?

Thanks

[Snowleopard]

I think that both may have lots of snow. The Windham, NY area got over 4' of snow recently. Rain or snow is forecast this weekend for the Catskills and conditions will change a lot by the 20th. For current conditions ask at the two forums at:
http://www.adkhighpeaks.com/
Trip report for Blackhead on 3/7: http://www.viewsfromthetop.com/forum...ad.php?t=35032

I'd say waterproof insulated boots would be best. I've seen temps of -25F just west of the Catskills in March, but that was before global warming. It seems likely that you'll run into either pretty cold conditions (dry snow) or moderate temps with heavy wet snow.

[Toolshed]

The NLP was a favorite trail of mine for over a decade and I spent many weekends and weeks there in all seasons, when I lived nearby.

NLP in mid-March = Pac Boots and snowshoes. You'll find broken trails for a few miles in from each trail head. In many cases, snowmobile trails that snowshoers and skiers follow into the closer L/T's for dayhikes or simple overnighters.

That area easily retains it's snow until mid April and in many spots until mid May. In many cases, snow can be very deep - hipdeep or higher and since it is lowland, it becomes muddy bog once the snow is gone, but I don't think any warm weather over the next couple of weeks will change the snowpack that much.
I know a couple of folks who were snowshoeing it last winter, they completed, but it was tough - especially deeper in the woods such as from Piseco to Moose River Rec area. And they did it in mid winter when it was less wet.

You can try with trail runners and wool socks, but keep in mind your soles will be sore if wearing snowshoes with trail runners and if not if you are post-holing in slush all day long sometimes up to your hips, your feet will be a constant wrinkled cold mass of being immersed in temps of 30 degrees or less.
Also as the snow melts underneath the snow-pack, and small streams start running, you could end up post-holing through thick snow-pack and stepping into melt-water and few inches or more deep.

Anyways, I wish you luck, I'd honestly rather take my chances with my Sorels and snowshoes.