Gloves best for the Grandfather Mountain Cables???

[Lnj]

Headed to Grandfather Mountain on Halloween weekend. I have been forewarned that it could be some kind of cold up there at that time and possibly even some snow. I'm excited. However... I saw on the map to the trails we'll be trekking, there will be some ladders and cables for climbing as part of the adventure. I'm good with that but want to make sure we have the right type of gloves for that. I don't want my hands to be eaten up (as I will be hoisting some serious weight) and I don't want the gloves to ripped up immediately, and warmth is always a plus.

Who knows the perfect gloves for this type of thing? I have some flock lined suede leather ones already, but they are more cosmetic than work gloves I think. So do we go hard leather work gloves with some kind of liner maybe or will fleece work just as good as any???

As usual... pour your wisdom on me please.

[Grits]

I use glove liners and and three season gloves but a pair of good water resistant work gloves would work for hiking. You want a warm pair of mittens or gloves for a backup in case those get wet or you need to stop. Google them, like http://sectionhiker.com/three-season-hiking-gloves/

[pauly_j]

You want something like these:

http://www.directsafetysupplies.com/Insulated-Freezer-Work-Gloves?zenid=088fae03013712692d72d3613bff276a

[Another Kevin]

A trail with ladders and cables - and the possibility of snow. Have you asked the locals what traction gear is required? I'm sure Microspikes at the very least. Is the runout on the cabled sections safe, or are you going to die if you slip and can't arrest? (In the latter case, you need crampons and ice axe, and the skills to use them.)

As far as gripping the cables go, I'd use construction-worker type work gloves, a bit oversize, with glove liners underneath. That's what I'm going to wear on a trail maintenance trip this weekend. Better than insulated work gloves because you can adjust insulation. That's another case of 'dress in layers.'

[bigcranky]

There's not going to be any self-arrest when climbing those ladders and cables -- it would be lunacy to have an ice axe out in one hand while climbing. I thought I had some photos online of the Grandfather Mountain ladders, but I can't find them. That said, any snow will likely be very light at this time of year -- not enough to slide down and self-arrest anyway. Mostly just big rocks.

I'd worry about ice on the rocks and the ladders. Microspikes at the very least. For gloves I would take sturdy leather work gloves.

[Another Kevin]

There's not going to be any self-arrest when climbing those ladders and cables -- it would be lunacy to have an ice axe out in one hand while climbing. I thought I had some photos online of the Grandfather Mountain ladders, but I can't find them. That said, any snow will likely be very light at this time of year -- not enough to slide down and self-arrest anyway. Mostly just big rocks.

I'd worry about ice on the rocks and the ladders. Microspikes at the very least. For gloves I would take sturdy leather work gloves.

OK, thanks, that's why I said to ask a local. There are some cabled trails in the ADK's, and if I were to do them in ice, I think I'd ignore the cables and front-point up the slabs. Ideally with a belay and helmet.

[Alleghanian Orogeny]

I'd just consider bringing some sort of light-weight work gloves. Even cotton work gloves with the "gripping dots" should work fine. The cables and ladders are of very short duration so I envision no need to worry about those gloves being insulated. I'd just take off whatever "cold weather" gloves I was wearing, put on the work gloves for the ladders/cables, and change back out after each interval.

Micro-spikes? A very good idea.

I'm interested to know if your plans involve starting from either US 221 or the Blue Ridge Parkway (where the Parkway may be closed if there is snow/ice on the roadway--it doesn't see snowplows often in Winter, and if closed you'd have to start a half-mile below the Boone Fork Trailhead on US 221), from NC 105 along the Profile Trail, or if instead you're planning to start from up high at the Swinging Bridge area. It's often tempting to start from the Swinging Bridge area given its elevation of around 5,200' being only 750' below the Calloway Peak summit elevation. The problem with that is that to reach Calloway Peak from the hiker's parking area at the Swinging Bridge you must pick up and lose some 200-400' several times as you proceed over McRae Peak, Attic Window Peak, etc before reaching Calloway Peak. There is nearly as much total elevation gain from the Swinging Bridge area as there is coming up from the Parkway or up the Profile. And, the "cheat route" along the Underwood Trail (correct name?) can be VERY difficult inasmuch as it includes long segments of hopping over large boulders on the shady side of the mountain. There are several more ladders/cables to deal with coming from the Swinging Bridge along the main trail, too. If memory serves, there is only one ladder and one cable interval coming up to Calloway from the Parkway or US 221, and maybe only one coming from the Profile.

If you're coming up from the Parkway/US 221, consider using the Crag Way off of Nuwati instead of the Daniel Boone Scout Trail. The former includes some awesome view points (but is steeper), while the latter is largely within a deeply eroded channel covered by extensive rhododendron thickets--the green tunnel to a T.

AO

[Lnj]

The planned route at this time is the below, but in the reverse order, as we discovered there is no overnight parking allowed at the Grandfather Mtn attraction:
Friday 10-30-2015 8:00PM Arrive at Grand Father extension trail ready to start hiking.
Friday 10-30-2015 8 PM till Midnight or sooner (nighthike) between 1-3 miles. I am thinking one mile
There is camping at the 1 mile mark, plus a point of interest- this way we won’t miss it.
Saturday 10-31-2015 Hike the following trails (total Hiking day 1 about 6- 7 miles) this is catching all points of interest and accounting for Strenuous Hiking, which every trail is
1. GrandFather Extension to Underwood trail- 2 points of interest (.5 Miles)
2. Grandfather trail 1 point of interest (2.4 Miles)
3. DanielBoone Scout trail to the Crag Way trail- 1 point of interest (about 3.5 miles)
4. Crag WayTrail to Nuwati trail (about 1 mile) turn left on Nuwati Trail
5. Nuwati trail to the Refuge about a mile.(make camp) 1 point of interest.
Sunday 11-1-2015 Hike the following trails (7.7 miles)
1. NuwatiTrail (1.2 Miles) easy hike
2. Turn right on to Tanawha Trail for about .25 to .50 miles
3. Turn right on Daniel Boon Scout Trail (3.0 Miles)
4. GrandFather Trail to Underwood Trail (2.4 Miles)
5. Underwood to Grand Father extension (.6 Miles)
Sunday 11-1-2015 Try to arrive back at truck around 4 PM

Does this seem reasonable? This is a training and shakedown hike for us. Thoughts? Advise?

[Alleghanian Orogeny]

First, some disclaimers: 1) I haven't backpacked on Grandfather Mountain since 1973. That's not a typo--it's been 42 years since I spent the night on the mountain. Virtually all of my experience is day-hiking. 2) It's been around 8 years since I summited Calloway Peak from the Boone Fork Trailhead on the BRP. 3) I've only been on the Underwood Trail once, and that was at least 15 to 18 years ago, when my sons were teenagers. I have never day-hiked the whole distance from the Swinging Bridge to The Refuge one way or round-trip.

The Extension Trail starts a little below the Swinging Bridge. I've never been on it since whenever I day-hike from that side I just go to the Swinging Bridge parking area and start/end from there. I believe you'd miss some fairly steep and perhaps cabled segments by starting on the Extension. If I follow you correctly, you'd then pass through the Underwood Trail in order to reach a 3.0 mile point, in total darkness. The reason I have only hiked the Underwood Trail once is that it was awful the one time I hiked it. My sons and I thought it'd be a break from having hiked the Grandfather Trail's severe ups and downs over McRae Peak on our way to Calloway from the Swinging Bridge. It wasn't a break. Much of it was boulder-hopping over rocks the size of Volkswagens or larger. I can't imagine doing it in the dark or carrying a backpack. If I were headed out to The Refuge and wanted to mix it up with Crag Way in one direction and DBST on the other, I'd descend from Calloway on DBST and ascend on Crag Way, especially carrying backpacks. DBST is much gentler to descend. Coming down Crag Way would likely be much more difficult with a backpack. By whichever route, your return trip of 7.7 miles on Sunday will be tough--you'll have to pick up nearly 2,000' from the Nuwati-Crag Way or the Nuwati-Tanawha junction to Calloway, then several hundred feet more net elevation gain over Attic Window Peak and McRae Peak, or somewhat less if you go back on Underwood. As noted, Underwood has its own challenges when carrying a backpack.

Bear in mind my perspective is one of a 60 year old guy who hasn't done much backpacking in recent decades and who hasn't been on Grandfather Mountain much in recent years, either. We have a vacation home near Blowing Rock so much of my hiking is nowadays day hikes around Boone Fork, Cone Park, Price Park, etc. You might consider telephoning the Footsloggers store in Boone, NC to see if any of the folks working there have done any packing on GF recently. They can most likely tell you more about Underwood Trail. Perhaps it's not the Fresh Hell I recall it being.

AO

[bigcranky]

Kevin, here's a photo I found online of one of the ladders (http://www.appstate.edu/~marshallst/photos/boone_photos/grandfather_traverse_2/Grandfather_Traverse-053.jpg). You see what I mean.... Plenty more photos here (https://www.google.com/search?q=grandfather+mountain+trail+ladders&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=646&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMIy73mo5TDyAIVCG0-Ch1h9ghZ#imgrc=fAFS_GTBlW_eUM%3A).

Again, though, given that the OP is going in late October this should not be a problem. It'll be cold at night, and windy. Just have to be careful about slippery trails, especially early in the morning, maybe call the main park office and check the trail conditions the day before, with specific questions about ice.

[Emerson Bigills]

I have hike GFM several times in the last few years. Spent one cold night at the Scout Campsite, after hiking up to the Ravens Roost and deciding I would not sleep much in wind tunnel conditions. The ascent from the Blue Ridge Pkwy up Nuwati, then Cragway is very scenic and not too tough. There are only a couple simple ladders on that route up to Callaway Peak.

McRae Peak is actually a better view. I have not done the short hike from Callaway to McRae, but have gone to McRae from the Profile trail and the swinging bridge. Those routes would be a little sketchy if there was ice. I recall one less than comforting exposure on the route from the swinging bridge to McRae. It's all good and the weather will probably be pretty fair, but ..... you never know. Grandfather is a really great mountain with lots to offer. There are some ugly touristy aspects there, but if you go for the trails, you leave those behind pretty quickly as they are all on the way up to the swinging bridge.

As someone else mentioned, the Underwood trail is brutal, pure rock hell. Not a good alternative. Unless you have a major fear of heights, avoid the Underwood trail.

[Another Kevin]

Kevin, here's a photo I found online of one of the ladders (http://www.appstate.edu/~marshallst/photos/boone_photos/grandfather_traverse_2/Grandfather_Traverse-053.jpg). You see what I mean.... Plenty more photos here (https://www.google.com/search?q=grandfather+mountain+trail+ladders&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=646&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMIy73mo5TDyAIVCG0-Ch1h9ghZ#imgrc=fAFS_GTBlW_eUM%3A).

Again, though, given that the OP is going in late October this should not be a problem. It'll be cold at night, and windy. Just have to be careful about slippery trails, especially early in the morning, maybe call the main park office and check the trail conditions the day before, with specific questions about ice.

OK, different conditions. That trail looks like fun, and yeah, microspikes all the way.

When I think of cable routes, this is the one that comes to mind, in the Adirondack Great Range. (Not my picture, I found one online, too.) That route has some ladders, too. If it might be icy, I want real crampons for that stuff. And in late October in the Great Range, there could easily be a foot of snow, an inch of hard ice, rainwater cascading down that slide, or a gorgeous 60° day. Mother Nature likes varying the menu at this time of year.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FI8NVU3omgU/T6fG8dfmSsI/AAAAAAAAARE/qY4cERoSWkQ/s320/P5050431.JPG http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9WE_H1riZ-w/T6fGiFZhxOI/AAAAAAAAAQs/IjTP-Mwn644/s320/DSC08227.JPG

[Alleghanian Orogeny]

Come to think of it, you may need to check with the folks at Grandfather Mountain concerning hours of access to the Hiker Parking just below the Swinging Bridge. My understanding is that vehicle access, and all access, to the Swinging Bridge and nearby attractions, is restricted to the regular "gate hours" which are 8:00-5:00 in the Fall and 9:00-4:00 in Winter. There is some ambiguity as to overnight parking at the Hiker Lot-- in one interpretation it appears that any hikers planning to camp inside the State Park (which includes the entire "Crest Trail" and the trails down into Boone Fork Bowl) are NOT allowed to park overnight at the attraction. In an event, even if one can park overnight in the Hiker Parking, one cannot arrive after the main gate down on US 221 has closed for the day. Also, access via the main gate requires payment of the fee by each person @ approx. $20 each. Looks like Boone Fork or Profile are your only options for a late Friday start.

AO