Looking to set up a snow hike in TN or NC within the next 2 weeks. Suggestions?

[ugaking]

There will be 5 of us. We would like to hike 2 days and camp one night in snowy conditions. We were thinking the Roan Mountain area the AT. Thoughts? Suggestions?

[Tipi Walter]

Roan is good. The higher the better. Mt Rogers will probably see snow. Shining Rock could be a good choice.

[ugaking]

Thanks TW.
Roan is good. The higher the better. Mt Rogers will probably see snow. Shining Rock could be a good choice.

[TNhiker]

hard to judge when snow will hit and last in the southeast but i would go with roan or mt rogers.....

wasnt much snow (like less than a trace) two weekends ago in the joyce kilmer area up near 4500 or so feet...

but, it was also in the 60's in the valley..........

[ugaking]

Thanks TNhiker!


hard to judge when snow will hit and last in the southeast but i would go with roan or mt rogers.....

wasnt much snow (like less than a trace) two weekends ago in the joyce kilmer area up near 4500 or so feet...

but, it was also in the 60's in the valley..........

[hikernutcasey]

Here are a couple links to decent indicators of whether or not there is snow at the higher elevations of the southern Appalachians.

http://www.highonleconte.com/daily-posts

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/data/MRX/RTPMRX

[Roanmtnman]

I live in roan mountain and its snowing as we speak. Shoot me a pm and Ill give you the current conditions whenever you are ready to go!

[HooKooDooKu]

hard to judge when snow will hit and last in the southeast.....
Ditto...

The climate average is that day time temperatures climb above freezing even at Clingman's Dome (highest point in GSMNP) through out the winter.
If you look thru the archive of the GSMNP web cams, you will see that on any give winter day, the odds are against there being snow on the ground.
Instead, what happens is a weather system comes thru, dumps a few inches of snow on the upper elevations, and it melts over the course of about 5 days.
It then might be two weeks to two months before another snow producing weather system comes thru... if indeed another one comes thru before next winter.

So the only reliable way to plan a hike in the snow is to be ready to go on a moments notice and wait for a weather system to come thru.

[FlyFishNut]

This weekend would be a good one, per the forecast.

I'm itching to do this as well - are you planning on snowshoeing? You probably already thought of this, but Microspikes would be a good idea to have with you.

Let us know how it goes.

[Tipi Walter]

Dangit but I just got back from a 22 day backpacking trip to the mountains of TN and NC and expected snow cuz I brought my snow shovel and microspikes. Not one flake fell the whole time. Now it's gangbusters and the hills are getting walloped, drat it. Without my participation, sob.

[TNhiker]

yeah....

OP needs to do it this weekend.....

could be feats of snow in feets of snow..........

[rocketsocks]

Dangit but I just got back from a 22 day backpacking trip to the mountains of TN and NC and expected snow cuz I brought my snow shovel and microspikes. Not one flake fell the whole time. Now it's gangbusters and the hills are getting walloped, drat it. Without my participation, sob.
I'd invite ya up this way, but I think the roads are closed already.

[rocketsocks]

I'd invite ya up this way, but I think the roads are closed already.from a recent text alert.

https://readynj.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/january-26-2015-travel-restrictions.pdf

[rocketsocks]

Truth is I can't remember a single time when snow stopped us as a kid. My dad just put the studed snow tires on and went like a mofo.

[rocketsocks]

any way, I cant seem to copy/paste it. but one section in theat decree says limiting entrance into an area deemed under state of emergency. Which means it could affect a drop off and pick up for a snow affected area...just somethin to take into account (as best one can) when planning such a snow trip....bring extre food.

[ugaking]

Thanks so much Roanmtnman! That would be GREAT. Happy trails. BK


I live in roan mountain and its snowing as we speak. Shoot me a pm and Ill give you the current conditions whenever you are ready to go!

[ugaking]

Thanks HKDK. Very good advice. We know we need to be ready and be mobile in a hurry. BK]


Ditto...

The climate average is that day time temperatures climb above freezing even at Clingman's Dome (highest point in GSMNP) through out the winter.
If you look thru the archive of the GSMNP web cams, you will see that on any give winter day, the odds are against there being snow on the ground.
Instead, what happens is a weather system comes thru, dumps a few inches of snow on the upper elevations, and it melts over the course of about 5 days.
It then might be two weeks to two months before another snow producing weather system comes thru... if indeed another one comes thru before next winter.

So the only reliable way to plan a hike in the snow is to be ready to go on a moments notice and wait for a weather system to come thru.

[ugaking]

We have discussed having Microspikes or Crampons with us. I we keep you posted on the results. BK

[George P Burdell]

I highly recommend Mt Leconte in GSMNP. I stay there in the snow at least once every year. You can track current conditions with the blog posted above. Mountaintop point forecast is here:
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=35.65425620600047&lon=-83.43682988599966&site=all&smap=1#.VMl-aFLTDIU
In my experience, the actual weather up top has been colder and snowier than forecast.
Rainbow falls is easiest way up(almost 4000 vertical feet btw), just make sure Cherokee Orchard Rd is open:
http://www.hikinginthesmokys.com/rainbow.htm
29786

Here's a video of the mountain after a snow storm as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kNWu8q9j_0
I passed this guy carrying his camera gear up the mountain as I was going down.

[Alleghanian Orogeny]

I'd get real friendly with Ray's Weather, out of Boone, NC. They provide very specific forecasts for the Blue Ridge of NC and adjacent parts of TN and VA. Forecast for tomorrow, Friday the 30th, involves very high winds (gusting 55mph) during the day and still gusting over 30 mph at night, and temps in the low 20s, lower up high.

For a good estimate of what conditions along the AT on the balds between Carver's Gap and US 19E are like, look at Ray's for Beech Mountain. Beech is not more than 10-12 air miles from Yellow Mountain and at 5,500', is likely to have virtually the same conditions.

You can also get a real-time look at snow cover via some of the webcams on Ray's site, particularly the Sunalei Snake Mountain cam. It's hard by the NC-TN line above Trade, TN, is aimed southwest, and is on a major ridgeline north of Beech Mtn and just southeast of Mt Rogers, VA. Sitting at over 5,000', it gives a good look at what snow cover on a bald in the nearby Roan Highlands may look like, and the Snake Mountain station gives temps and windspeeds in real time. Ray's also has a Grayson National Bank @ Whitetop cam, located in the Whitetop community along US 58 east of Damascus. It is aimed southwest at Pond Mountain (NC, not TN), and at about 3,800' elevation, gives another decent look at snow on the ground conditions.

Lastly, there are some useful webcams at www.resortcams.com. More long-range views in the north Georgia/Smokies/Nantahala NF area, but decent for a general look-see.

AO

[ugaking]

GREAT info! Thanks so much GPB! Happy trails.

BK


I highly recommend Mt Leconte in GSMNP. I stay there in the snow at least once every year. You can track current conditions with the blog posted above. Mountaintop point forecast is here:
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=35.65425620600047&lon=-83.43682988599966&site=all&smap=1#.VMl-aFLTDIU
In my experience, the actual weather up top has been colder and snowier than forecast.
Rainbow falls is easiest way up(almost 4000 vertical feet btw), just make sure Cherokee Orchard Rd is open:
http://www.hikinginthesmokys.com/rainbow.htm
29786

Here's a video of the mountain after a snow storm as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kNWu8q9j_0
I passed this guy carrying his camera gear up the mountain as I was going down.

[ugaking]

Thank AO! Looked over the raysweather.com site. It's great. Thanks again for all the help. Happy trails. BK


I'd get real friendly with Ray's Weather, out of Boone, NC. They provide very specific forecasts for the Blue Ridge of NC and adjacent parts of TN and VA. Forecast for tomorrow, Friday the 30th, involves very high winds (gusting 55mph) during the day and still gusting over 30 mph at night, and temps in the low 20s, lower up high.

For a good estimate of what conditions along the AT on the balds between Carver's Gap and US 19E are like, look at Ray's for Beech Mountain. Beech is not more than 10-12 air miles from Yellow Mountain and at 5,500', is likely to have virtually the same conditions.

You can also get a real-time look at snow cover via some of the webcams on Ray's site, particularly the Sunalei Snake Mountain cam. It's hard by the NC-TN line above Trade, TN, is aimed southwest, and is on a major ridgeline north of Beech Mtn and just southeast of Mt Rogers, VA. Sitting at over 5,000', it gives a good look at what snow cover on a bald in the nearby Roan Highlands may look like, and the Snake Mountain station gives temps and windspeeds in real time. Ray's also has a Grayson National Bank @ Whitetop cam, located in the Whitetop community along US 58 east of Damascus. It is aimed southwest at Pond Mountain (NC, not TN), and at about 3,800' elevation, gives another decent look at snow on the ground conditions.

Lastly, there are some useful webcams at www.resortcams.com (http://www.resortcams.com). More long-range views in the north Georgia/Smokies/Nantahala NF area, but decent for a general look-see.

AO

[ugaking]

Thank you GPB. Great info! Happy trails. BK


I highly recommend Mt Leconte in GSMNP. I stay there in the snow at least once every year. You can track current conditions with the blog posted above. Mountaintop point forecast is here:
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=35.65425620600047&lon=-83.43682988599966&site=all&smap=1#.VMl-aFLTDIU
In my experience, the actual weather up top has been colder and snowier than forecast.
Rainbow falls is easiest way up(almost 4000 vertical feet btw), just make sure Cherokee Orchard Rd is open:
http://www.hikinginthesmokys.com/rainbow.htm
29786

Here's a video of the mountain after a snow storm as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kNWu8q9j_0
I passed this guy carrying his camera gear up the mountain as I was going down.