Looking to do a week or so on the trail in Massachusetts at the start of October

[Elaikases]

I'm looking for suggestions or tips for that time of year. Just the very end of September/first week in October.

I'm looking for suggestions, if a 40 degree bag will be enough (one really good to comfortably take me to 40), what the water is like, things not to miss, etc.

Expect it will be less crowded by then.

I've printed out half a dozen sets of maps, have Whiteblaze (the book from here), Guthook and, of course, the looseleaf version of the guide, but I'm looking for more advice. Probably overthinking it. I'll be doing the section with my wife. Over the rollercoaster she was good for 13-15 miles a day without any complaints and has done other section hikes with me.

The links here (https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/26043-website-average-high-and-low-temperature were all dead. /sad face

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Looks rainy today (http://www.sophiaknows.com/atdb/weather.php) but of course we are in August -- I expect the weather to change by October.



Most of the weather guides cut out for Massachusetts in September -- but they pick up for the next state north, so I figure they are still useful.

Weather Charts


http://trailquest.net/weather1.gif



Some places indicate that the temperatures may be lower?

https://sectionhiker.com/planning-an-appalachian-trail-section-hike/

In which case I want to be warmer. But I'm not sure Maine is comparable.

A lot of the web searches take me to "official" sites set up like brochures.

https://pilot.mass.gov/locations/appalachian-trail

Not very information dense.

Some of the links and whole sections seem to be deleted now.

e.g. http://www.appalachiantrail.org/home/search/page/2?indexCatalogue=atc-main-search&searchQuery=temperature&wordsMode=AllWords reflects that the temperature charts there have all been cut.

Anyway, thanks for any thoughts, suggestions and advice.

[Heliotrope]

New England in early Fall. I'm going with a 20deg bag. Also the time I start bringing more pad insulation. R 3.5 should do.


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[Venchka]

Hello neighbor!
Just a thought. Wilderness Areas in New Mexico and Colorado are closer. Not a lot colder in my experience. Abundant water.
Have fun!
Wayne

[Slo-go'en]

If you want to be comfortable at 40, you need a 30 bag. Mornings in late September / early October can be very "crisp". That is also the time of year we usually get a wide spread hard or killing frost. Averages can be deceiving since a couple of really warm days can cancel out a couple of really cold day. Coming from a sweltering hot place like TX you will feel the cold much more then you might expect.

If your dates are flexible, you might be able to work around a cold snap. But that time of year the weather can change every 2-3 days as fronts move back and forth. I look for a 3 day window of good weather in the fall around when the colors peak to go on a hike. Three days is about the longest stretch of good weather we can expect, but you pretty much have to live here to catch that ideal weather window.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

Better make it a 20! New England is changeable....minute to minute....and though the elevations in MA aren't that great, it's still NE and unpredictable. It could be 90 degrees or it could snow. Or both.

Must sees: Mt. Greylock, Tom Levardi, the Cookie Lady, Upper Goose Pond Cabin, Tyringham Cobble, Shay's Rebellion Marker, Race Falls, Sages Ravine.

PM me if you think you'll need help or support.

[Ethesis]

Those are really good points.

Especially the warning that 40 degrees is not enough to be safe.

[Traveler]

The Riga Plateau in northern CT and southern MA is one of the highlights of that area of the AT, Lions Head, Bear Mountain, Sages Ravine, Mt Everett and Jug End some of the nicest hiking in southern New England. Really worth the effort and time.