View Full Version : Smokies - Late Oct/Early Nov.
Anyone who lives down there know what it's like?
Fall foilage? Temps? Snow?
Coming down this year, staying in Cosby, and would like to bushwack up to Guyot summit since I passed by it on the AT, but didnt actually summit.
Thanks.
flemdawg1
09-17-2014, 10:24
Foilage peaks normally just before halloween. Temps can be anywhere from 70s to teens, and snow is possible but not likely.
Last time I went down there in mid November, it was 11 degrees the first night (campsite 37/Walnut Bottom). Not that this is typical, but it can happen. We were told at the time that it had been 7 degrees on Clingman's the night before.
illabelle
09-17-2014, 10:35
Foilage peaks normally just before halloween. Temps can be anywhere from 70s to teens, and snow is possible but not likely.
Absolutely true. Superstorm Sandy dropped record October snowfall in the Smokies two years ago. Ten days earlier we were hiking the ridgelines in shorts. Kinda chilly and foggy that day as I recall.
bigcranky
09-17-2014, 13:40
I hike a lot in November in NC. Temps are all over the place, it could be single digits at night, or it could be in the 40s. Get a good forecast for the mountains before you hit the road.
Smokies weather (http://www.srh.noaa.gov/data/MRX/RTPMRX)
NOAA Newfound Gap point forecast (http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=35.61154366937999&lon=-83.42708587646484&site=mrx&smap=1&marine=0&unit=0&lg=en#.VBnHVi5dXEU) (>5000 feet)
likewise, im in TN and go backpacking year round, and have found winter can be hit or miss..
some days in shorts, some in long pants.....
after sandy dumped her storm in the smokies---the first few days had upwards of 3 to 4 feet of snow on the AT, but it was really warm and melted kinda quickly.......
HooKooDooKu
09-17-2014, 15:24
Based on climate data, the Hi/Lo temps around Cosby should be about 68º/38º.
Based on climate data, the Hi/Lo temps around Guyot should be about 48º/32º.
Actual temperatures can easily be +/- 15º.
I've seen permafrost in the trees and snow on the ground above 5,500' that time of year. But that's been rare in recent years.
I'd love it if you would take along a GPS and report back with a track log. One of my goals is to bushwack to Guyot some day. I recently hiked the AT by Guyot summit myself and didn't see many good starting places.
You might want to consult with Goggle Earth as see if you plot an estimated path that avoids the large patches of downed trees. I've heard stories of people who have spent an hour trying to climb Guyot and never touched the ground because of the number of blowdowns in places.
There is a pretty good water source up there however.
not that ive been there but i think you'll find the summit of guyot to be dissappointing.....
other than grabbing it for peaks above 6000'........
Heading down there in 2+ weeks, getting closer to Springer then Franconia Notch to Katahdin
rmitchell
09-17-2014, 21:59
There are no views from the summit of Mt. Guyot. The peak is rather rounded and forested with fir trees. I did go to the top about 30 years ago. Last week I did a loop that passed by there. There is a small pile of stones and a faint path that appears to go toward the summit from the AT.
rmitchell
09-17-2014, 22:37
Photo taken 9/9/2014 just south of Mt. Guyot.28351
The Cleaner
09-17-2014, 22:56
I'm only less than an hour's drive and no longer go there. Too many hikers there now and Rangers. I hiked several hundred miles there in the 80's and I'll let others have my reservation....
HooKooDooKu
09-17-2014, 22:56
not that ive been there but i think you'll find the summit of guyot to be dissappointing.....
other than grabbing it for peaks above 6000'........
There are no views from the summit of Mt. Guyot. The peak is rather rounded and forested with fir trees. I did go to the top about 30 years ago. Last week I did a loop that passed by there. There is a small pile of stones and a faint path that appears to go toward the summit from the AT.
You don't go to Guyot for the views... you go for the bragging rights... highest peak east of the Mississippi with no trail to its summit. The fact that it is also located in one of the most remote sections of the park means that not many people tag this summit.
BTW, when I was walking by and looking for an entrance to climb the mountain, I didn't find any stone piles or anything that looked like a faint path. If any one has specifics on where to find this supposed path, it would be nice to know.
Ray's Weather. Ray knows the mountains.
Wayne
The day before you leave check out the weather center and Local Yocal weather .com that will give you good idea what to expect everything else is just speculation no one knows what the weather will be like a month from now.
with my experience of hiking in the smokies in wintery conditions my best guess would be Cold and wet.
Violent Green
09-18-2014, 19:44
You don't go to Guyot for the views... you go for the bragging rights... highest peak east of the Mississippi with no trail to its summit. The fact that it is also located in one of the most remote sections of the park means that not many people tag this summit.
BTW, when I was walking by and looking for an entrance to climb the mountain, I didn't find any stone piles or anything that looked like a faint path. If any one has specifics on where to find this supposed path, it would be nice to know.
Well, I wouldn't say Mt. Guyot is remote necessarily. Heck, you can see it from I-40 and thousands of hikers walk along its shoulder every year. Few people do make the torturous journey up to the summit though. I've looked up that way several times for an easy way to the top and it doesn't exist. My GPS even shows a turn off for "Mt Guyot Spur", but it's not there anymore if it ever was.
As far as fall foliage goes, it is slightly different every year depending on how early/late fall arrives, but a good safe bet is anytime between Oct. 20th-30th. You can check out the Smokies webcams to give you an idea of how/when the leaves are changing.
www.nps.gov/grsm/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm (http://www.nps.gov/grsm/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm)
Ryan
Thanks for the all help all.
Going to Guyot for bragging rights mostly b/c it's Bushwack from the AT. I have a general idea of where the summit is from between Snake trail and the closest shelter.
I will be in this area soon and was thinking about trying to find the trail to the summit. I have been through here once, heading SOBO, but will be heading NOBO this time. Any tips for locating it?
Any tips for locating it?
the only tip i can give is good luck.....
Violent Green
09-22-2014, 21:31
I will be in this area soon and was thinking about trying to find the trail to the summit. I have been through here once, heading SOBO, but will be heading NOBO this time. Any tips for locating it?
Stick,
From what I've read, there isn't a trail anymore, it's been overtaken by spruce/firs, blowdowns, etc. Most of the trip reports I've seen people just walked until they found Guyot Spring and then turned up the mountain. I would like to try to find it myself one of these days. If you want some company, shoot me a PM.
Ryan
Check up the writeup on Summit post. It gives a general area and what to look for.
HooKooDooKu
09-24-2014, 15:45
Check up the writeup on Summit post. It gives a general area and what to look for.
Website? Link?
Website? Link?
Here is a link:
http://www.summitpost.org/mount-guyot/710504
Also, here is a link to a route that another person took:
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=43750
I have seen another map similar to this one that looked like he summited at the same place as this one, and then came back down the same way. He went up between the 2 streams like on this map... (if that makes sense).
Do not bother trying to locate a faint trail or manway. You won't find it.
this is probably the most important piece of information from those links............
HooKooDooKu
09-25-2014, 12:27
Here is a link:
http://www.summitpost.org/mount-guyot/710504
Also, here is a link to a route that another person took:
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=43750
I have seen another map similar to this one that looked like he summited at the same place as this one, and then came back down the same way. He went up between the 2 streams like on this map... (if that makes sense).
Yea, I've seen those resources before.
I hiked by Guyot about a month ago and tried to take note of what looked like some good places to try to head up the mountain in the future. My main two way points closely match the GPS log in the 2nd link.
The "problem" attacking the summit is that the moment you get off the trail, you're in some very dense forest. When you add the "mess" of downed trees around the summit, I currently wouldn't suggest going in the way the guy from the GPS log went in (9 o'clock position on the GSP track). His way out (between the two streams) looks like the way to try it.
So for someone trying it (hopefully me included at some time in the future), it sort of looks like the best plan might be this.
Entry: 35.707785°N, -83.258092°W
Summit: 35.705238°N, -83.257419°W (best as I can tell with Google Earth, anyone with accurate coordinates)
Try to climb strait from the entry point to the summit point.
Yeah if I decide to try it I will likely try somewhere between the 2 streams too. The other maps I came across was in the same place.