Mid-February Start: Why or Why Not

[ChinMusic]

.........ran into a few NOBO's this year in late March, all wish that they had more company.

Where these guys fast? I'm guessing I will see plenty of the field as the youngsters overtake me.

[stranger]

Stranger - I see you are from Australia. When you stated "several days on end with temps around or below zero", where you talking F or C? If F I go to a hotel. If C........I call that great sleeping weather.

I'm not from Australia, I live in Australia...I'm from upstate New York, and lived there for 25 years. I am speaking in Fahrenheit, not Celsuis. And temps around zero F are not even close to being extreme in NY in winter.

Assumptions, assumptions : )

[ChinMusic]

I'm not from Australia, I live in Australia...I'm from upstate New York, and lived there for 25 years. I am speaking in Fahrenheit, not Celsuis. And temps around zero F are not even close to being extreme in NY in winter.

Assumptions, assumptions : )

You do realize that the southern AT doesn't go thru NY, right?
The rare below zero stretches on the southern AT are easy to avoid. And I would.

[stranger]

stranger, I can only speak for my one-time experience of course, but again --- some of these statements strike me as extreme. It might be interesting to hear from others (besides me) who started in February.

Unless you're using the celsius scale, "around or below zero" seems like an extreme presentation. Starting in late Feb in 2010, the lowest temps I got were in the upper teens, and that was just the low temp during a handful of nights.
FWIW, one of the challenging factors early on was wind --- cold wind. I would plan to dress in something that's not too heavy and yet covers a lot of skin during the day.

Note again that my year (2010) was one where the south was relatively hammered with snow. Lots of people talking about how light the winter was in the north and how heavy it was in the south, and so lots of vegetation (brush and trees) down across the trail. So while I'm certain there can be (much) worse conditions encountered in February, I don't think that I had it particularly easy. Butt-deep snow all through the Smokies, frozen hard in the mornings, slushy or postholing soft in the afternoons, tough wind-blown energy-sucking snow drifts to deal with, etc etc (if you listen carefully you can hear violin music in the background).


Again, I can only speak for my particular experience, but I had very little hot weather, and essentially none of the "sticky humid" hot weather of the kind that a west coast boy like me so-much dislikes about the east coast.

I finished in late July, and that was with a couple of weeks off in New York to get over a bout of giardia plus time off to go to Trail Days (and I'm not a young fellow, didn't particularly burn up the track or strive for any speed records). I recall very little in the way of bugs. Or at least, of three different thru-hikes, my recollection of the AT is as the least buggy. There are specific times and places on the other trails that I remember bugs all too well. I couldn't point to anywhere on the AT that bugs were a big enough issue to make me remember them, and I slept with no bug protection in shelters most nights on the trail.

I don't claim that others will have the same fortune that I enjoyed along the way, but nevertheless --- some of these concerns are things that aren't guaranteed to happen. A February start does offer challenges and risk, but there are some solid benefits too. Just expect that it will be tough for the first few weeks, have some winter hiking experience and be ready to bail out to town should that become the wise option. Then enjoy being out with a relatively few other hikers and get your hike done soon enough that you can do other things with the rest of the summer (which was my motivation).

I never said if you start in Feb you will see temps close to zero (F), what I said was that I had been out in those temps and would not recommend dealing with avoidable cold on a thru if I could help it. I do think seeing zero temps in the Smokies in Feb would be unlikely, but not unheard of by any means.

And let's be clear, high teens is still pretty damn rough for many hikers, add some wind and things get interesting real quickly. If you embrace long distance hiking and enduring temps at or around 20F, go for it.

My point was I would not recommend it.

As for your hike, it does sound fairly unique. My views are based on my trips between 1994-2008, not on any particular year, and exceptions always do occur.

The fact remains that on average (read: not always) the earlier you leave Springer Mountain, the more potential there is for snow and sustained cold temperatures.

[stranger]

You do realize that the southern AT doesn't go thru NY, right?
The rare below zero stretches on the southern AT are easy to avoid. And I would.

The point to the thread is debating why or why not you would start in mid Feb, I take the view it would not be advisable due to my own thorough experiences in extreme cold weather, some of which is located in NY, New Zealand, Colorado and the southern AT...

Mt point is that it CAN get down close to zero, or below...in the higher elevations of the south in Feb.

The thread is not about how to avoid the cold weather in the south or how cold it will get in early April.

[ChinMusic]

I never said if you start in Feb you will see temps close to zero (F)

HUH? Then what was your point with the following?

It's not about fearing cold weather, it's about minimizing extremes, thus cold weather. Have you ever been out for several days on end with temps around or below zero? I have, many times. My opinion is that would not be advisable during a thru-hike attempt, unless it could not be avoided...which it can be.

You clearly claimed that hiking several days on end with temps around or below zero is not advisable. I agree, it IS avoidable. It almost NEVER happens down there. And if we did get a record cold front coming through I think we would have plenty of lead time.

Temps around 20 at night is just good sleeping weather for me.

[stranger]

So how about this as you seem a little hung up on wording:
- we replace the words 'around or below zero' with 'prolonged cold weather'
- let's define 'prolonged cold weather' with your figure of 20 F at night, with extremes ranging from 10F to 30F at night

Would you say that starting in mid Februrary is more, or less likely to expose the hiker to prolonged cold weather?

Yes or No?

Whether or not YOU are comfortable sleeping in 20F is irrelevant, no where in the OP was that question asked or implied. I personally don't find 20F cold either, but it's relative...compaired to -17F with 20mph wind...20F is balmy. To the average, first time long distance hiker...functioning in 20F would be fairly difficult, let alone for many days on end. Many hikers would prefer to deal with lows in the high 30's, but clearly you would not - that point is taken. And that is great...for YOU.

[ChinMusic]

Would you say that starting in mid Februrary is more, or less likely to expose the hiker to prolonged cold weather?

Yes or No?.

Uh YES, as freaking earth shattering as that may be.................lol

[verasch]

While I've never been to Georgia in the winter, much less the mountains there, I can only assume that it shares something in common with the north that Arizona seems to lack almost entirely: humidity. There's something about the humidity that affects the cold that gives it considerable 'weight' to it. I'm not sure that's the right term, but I find the snow in northern Arizona to be less waterlogged, and the air to be considerably drier.

I'm not arguing that you should or shouldn't, but youll need to keep in mind that wet snow is heavier out here than you might be used to.

For comparison, the south in february might be like flag in march or April. Usually nice days and a likelihood of cold as sin evenings. I did a hammock hang at that ski mountain (san Francisco) in a 15 bag and was okay. But the water trick is key.

My wife reminded me just now of a time in August we went hiking in the white mountains and it was 95 deg with 90% humidity and the air was so wet we couldn't start a fire. That was an interesting trip to say the least.

My friend cerveza started on march 1st (i think) in 2010, and she had a good experience. Maybe a compromise is all you need?

[WIAPilot]

Some of the main reasons I am leaning more toward a Feb start involve the humidity in VA and the Mosquitos. I am like a magnet for them. I hate humidity. I also plan to be in cabins a lot in the beginning like at Goose Creek, etc. So if I need to take a few days off and get out of the snow, I don't think that will be a problem.

I am not real experienced with the snow, but I will research it thoroughly and as long as I'm dressed warmly; have a warm sleeping bag; let others know where I am and keep an eye on the weather reports, I think I'll be OK. Maybe others who are leaving at that time can tell me what they're bringing and we can discuss clothes and gear.

[Papa D]

Go for it - - no doubt that you will have to tackle some snow and super cold times in GA and NC but if you are willing to stop at a few more hostels than most early on and are understanding that the going may be slow, you will be rewarded come mid-March when most of the snow is gone and you are already through the Smokies (which will be a fun challenge with some snow on the ground almost for sure) booking it toward Damascus. You will be thoroughly enjoying the trail as a NOBO without the crowds and at close to the very head of the pack.

[The Solemates]

the only start dates i would consider would be before 1 feb or after 1 may. go for it.

[Moose2001]

Hey Pilot.....it's always a crap shoot on what you're going to get on weather. The first time I hiked, I started March 20. Had a great trip through the Smokeys....65 degrees every day. In 2005, I started at Springer on April 1 and had a huge blizzard and single degree temps in the Smokeys. Everyone bailed down to Gatlinburg for 3 days! As long as you are prepared and are willing to come off the trail if you're worried or uncomfortable, you'll be OK.

The flip side of this discussion is the later you start at Springer, the higher the chances are that you'll have winter type weather in Maine! I've seen that as well!

[booney_1]

Isn't just following the trails difficult in places with a lot of snow on the ground? I'm thinking of all the white blazes I've seen on rocks. Even the blazes on trees can be hard to see with a lot of snow on the ground. I"ve done a lot of snow hiking/camping, but never on the AT. comments from anyone whose actually hiked the AT with snow on the ground?

[jersey joe]

- short daylight will mean spending more time in camp

Excellent point stranger! Less daylight each day would be one of the main reasons why I wouldn't want to start in February. Something about starting to look for a campsite at 3:00 because it is dark by 4:30 doesn't appeal to me.

[WIAPilot]

Excellent point stranger! Less daylight each day would be one of the main reasons why I wouldn't want to start in February. Something about starting to look for a campsite at 3:00 because it is dark by 4:30 doesn't appeal to me.

Actually, in February you have approximately 11 hrs of daylight. Sunrise is at about 7 am and Sunset is a little past 6 pm. (There's an app for that! ). That is more than enough of hiking time for me in the beginning.

[brian039]

Snowstorms wouldn't be what would bother me, I would just come off the trail for a while. It's the days where it is 35 degrees and raining then everything freezes overnight and sucks to hike on rocks days that would be more of an issue. That's kind of typical mountain weather for N. Georgia and Western Carolina in Feb and March. You'll surely see snow but most of the precipitation will be rain that time of year, which to me, is worse. As long as you're cool with that go for it.

[TD55]

It's not so much the snow to worry about. It's the ice. Slip and fall accident will get you off the trail fast. Ice will slow you down too.

[ChinMusic]

Actually, in February you have approximately 11 hrs of daylight. Sunrise is at about 7 am and Sunset is a little past 6 pm. (There's an app for that! ). That is more than enough of hiking time for me in the beginning.

Exactly. In the beginning I'm not interested in putting in more than 10 hours anyway. On top of that a headlamp works just fine. The short-day angle means nothing to me.

[jersey joe]

Actually, in February you have approximately 11 hrs of daylight. Sunrise is at about 7 am and Sunset is a little past 6 pm. (There's an app for that! ). That is more than enough of hiking time for me in the beginning.

Often it seems like it is getting dark earlier when hiking in the mountains/valleys with tree cover though. And the added daylight is helpful in not only while hiking but in camp too. Figure 11 hours of daylight means 13 hours of darkness. Given the choice, I'll take more daylight...to each their own...