Snowshoes on the AT in Jan & Feb?

[Plug-it In]

Are snowshoes needed in Jan to Feb? I've heard a person or two say the used them or needed them. Just curious. What do you all think?

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[rafe]

In the White Mountains or in Maine, for sure. Elsewhere in New England, quite possibly.

[Slo-go'en]

If your hiking north of Connecticut in Jan or Feb or March, you'll need them. Otherwise, not unless you happen to be up in the Smokies the day a blizzard hits. Ice is the bigger threat and for ice you want something like Microspikes which are a bit more reasonable to carry then snowshoes.

[MuddyWaters]

In ME, id say definite yes.

It kind of depends on where, you know? And if it snowed recently.

[Sarcasm the elf]

I usually only carry Microspikes in southern new england, north of that I bring a lot more gear. There are some times in MA and CT when I end up postholing through thigh deep snow and regretting not having my snowshoes, but that's usually not the case unless it's a heavy snowfall year and those cases I'm aware of the situation well in advance..

I'd be interested to hear if anyone knows what the average snowpack is in the mountains of Georgia and the smokies.

[George]

S of harpers, very rare - I have carried, but never used them - until the snow is 14 inches postholing is more productive/energy efficient

[rocketsocks]

In a survival situation you can always make a pair if you need to bail out, how good they'll work depends on how good a job you do, and the choices you make.

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[Feral Bill]

Do note that if you need snowshoes, you are not moving fast anywhere. Averaging 1 mph would be a very good pace. Half that or less quite likely at times. If you are a hyperfit beast you might do better.

[Patrickjd9]

I've done it only once, but snowshoeing is very hard work--even though it's not technically difficult. You'd need to have tested snowshoeing with the extra weight of your pack before relying on it to get from point to point.

[nsherry61]

I've never hiked or lived through a winter on the east coast. This year will be my first.

But, regarding snowshoes . . .

1) Yep, they're pretty unnecessary until the snow is deeper than a foot or so. . . unless you don't have traction devices like microspikes, and then the snowshoes can provide some needed traction in slippery conditions. But, microspikes are better until the snow is deep, or in deep snow when the crust supports you and the surface is icy.
2) Yep, they're slower than hiking. I do about 1-1.5 mph on snowshoes (in "average" snow") and 2-3 mph hiking. In <12" of snow and using microspikes, I'm probably about 1.5 mph on average. Of course, YMMV.
3) That all being said, snowshoeing can be a ball. Heck, I would never think twice about a winter assault on a trail just because of snow. Yeah, if you don't use them, the snowshoes add 2-3 lbs to your pack (not the end of the world), but winter hiking/snowshoeing/skiing rocks! Don't let a foot or two or three or 10 get in the way of some of the most wonderful outdoor adventures in the world??!!

[wormer]

Try a friends snowshoes on the trail first if possible. When I have used then in Maine on the AT in the winter, I have found them to be slow and tiring.

[BrianLe]

This post is in the "thru-hiker specific" forum. In that context, I'd say that my rule of thumb is that if I really need snowshoes, then I'm not going (yet): I'd wait or flip-flop or road walk around limited dangerous stuff, very much depending on where and when and most up-to-date local knowledge. I almost started the CDT with snowshoes; my hiking partner and I did a day hike in the area the day before using snowshoes for part of the trip and then took them off and hiked the rest of the day without them. Sent them home and never regretted it, despite lots of snow in Montana.

But it's very situational --- that was in July and you're talking about Jan/Feb. I've done a couple of NOBO starts in late Feb/early March and had snow to deal with, but by then not too-o much new snow falling anywhere.

Bottom line for me is that if little new snow is anticipated and what's there has had at least a little time to consolidate, I'd definitely not want snowshoes.

[Another Kevin]

This post is in the "thru-hiker specific" forum. In that context, I'd say that my rule of thumb is that if I really need snowshoes, then I'm not going (yet): I'd wait or flip-flop or road walk around limited dangerous stuff, very much depending on where and when and most up-to-date local knowledge.

Uhm, yeah. I live Up North, and we don't do long distance hiking in winter. We switch to peak bagging, where you can ideally get in and out again during a break in the weather.

On the trails around here, it's considered extremely rude to posthole. It's actually illegal in most of the Catskills and Adirondacks: the rule is that if there is more than an 8-inch snowpack, you must have snowshoes or skis. The rule is silent regarding crampons, but I've never had a problem. I've been greeted with a 'howdy' by a ranger who was wearing them herself. I might have been hassled if my snowshoes weren't on my back. (She had a pair on hers as well.)

When the snow lasts all winter, and gets alternatively slushy and icy, postholes leave a safety hazard for those who come after. This is much less of an issue in places where the snow is generally melted after a few days, or in places where it's so cold and dry that the snow stays powdery until it's tamped to ice. But that's New York and New England. Different places have different etiquette.

In the Northeast, it's ill-advised to go above about 3500 feet in winter conditions unless you have the gear, the companions and the skills to do so safely, and until you've been up a few times with experienced companions, you are NOT skilled enough to be safe. The weather in the Whites is worse than anywhere else in the Lower 48, and the Adirondacks aren't far behind. (The remaining fifteen of the Northeast 111 are not to be sneezed at, either.)

[Sarcasm the elf]

On a side note, if you are hiking in weather where you even think of wearing snowshoes, then I highly recommend wearing calf length gaitors as well. I wear them whenever there is more than a couple of inches of snow on the ground and they just make life much easier.

[DavidNH]

If the trail is heavily traveled and it hasn't snowed for weeks.. then probably crampons are all you need. but if it snowed heavily and list few days they you will absolutely need snowshoes. If you are backpacking --out for several days at a clip--- then you need snowshoes.. at least must carry snowshoes.. end of discussion.

[Malto]

I have done a good bit of snowshoeing mostly in the Sierra during the winter. Given you are asking this question, that tells me that you don't have much if any experience doing this. In all likihood, if snowshoes are easier than just walking through then you probably don't want to be in those conditions. It is slow and with a lot of fresh snow (the only conditions snowshoes make sense) the green tunnel starts to collapse. There would likely be places that you would need to crawl through. (Yes, I have had to do that on the southern AT.). Net, your progress would be significantly slowed and you would burn major calories. Snowshoes sound good in theory but impractical in my opinion in reality.

microspikes, on the other hand, would be a solid plan. There are times that the snow becomes rock hard, or worse, freezing rain and sudden cold snaps can turn the trail to shear ice. I have had to slide down the trail on my butt which is not exactly fun. (I probably wouldn't do another winter AT trip with Microspikes.) Conditions like this can be travelled if you are properly equipped without slowing you down much if at all.

[egilbe]

Did a three day trip the first weekend of May. Debated bringing snowshoes or not. Snow line was around 3000 feet. Above 3000 ft the snow rapidly deepened and wish I had brought them with me. Post holing in three to six feet of snow burns more energy than carrying snowshoes across bare trail. Funny, during the winter, this same trail was packed and trail spikes were all that were needed and we carried snowshoes, but didn't need them.

[Colter]

In all likihood, if snowshoes are easier than just walking through then you probably don't want to be in those conditions. It is slow and with a lot of fresh snow (the only conditions snowshoes make sense) the green tunnel starts to collapse. There would likely be places that you would need to crawl through. (Yes, I have had to do that on the southern AT.). Net, your progress would be significantly slowed and you would burn major calories. Snowshoes sound good in theory but impractical in my opinion in reality...

I agree completely.

[Traveler]

I'm on snowshoes a lot in January through early March in CT and MA. What seems to be very little snow in the valleys can be surprisingly heavy in the mountains a few thousand feet up.

I rather enjoy snowshoeing, though it is a little more work, if you can avoid postholes sucking your shoe into them, it can be a lot of fun and you can make it into areas you would have a very hard time getting to at any other time of year.