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View Full Version : plan AT Smokies hike N to S in early NOV



bertcourson
10-24-2017, 11:17
HI:

Any helpful hints for me to plan AT Smokies N to S in early November? Weather, resupply, shuttles still operating, etc?
I plan on hiking about 12 miles/day to Fontana Dam. Thanks,

Berserker
10-24-2017, 11:35
Make sure to get your shelter reservations, I think you can do this 1 month in advance if I'm not mistaken. Also, have fun. I did GSMNP South to North in May and it is a beautiful section of the AT.

JC13
10-24-2017, 11:46
Are you starting from Davenport Gap, I40 or Standing Bear Farm? Curious as that will play into day one as Cosby Shelter is 8 miles form the gap and 15.7 to Tri-Corner if you wanted to push that far day 1.

As for resupply, the only option is to come off at either Newfound Gap or Clingmans Dome and get a shuttle/hitch into town.

Weather could be anywhere from snow to warm and sunny but I will let the experts weigh in on that.

Bmelee
10-24-2017, 12:49
Right now, places on and near the AT in the Smokies are expecting several inches of snow this weekend, so keep an eye on the forecast for your planned timeframe. Also keep in mind that Cosby Knob Shelter is still closed due to bear activity, so that is not an option for Night 1. You will have to use either Davenport Gap or Tricorner Knob for the first night. Or you can drop off the AT on Snake Den and Maddron Bald Trails to Campsite 29 for the first night if Cosby Knob does not reopen before your trip. Enjoy, it is a beautiful hike anytime of the year!

Gambit McCrae
10-24-2017, 13:02
Clingmans Dome Road will be closed by November if not sooner due to snow so do not plan to get picked up at Clingmans dome, Newfound gap is your only resupply option.

Due to how unpredictable the weather can be up in the smokies from pretty much now thru April, I would pay close attention to the weather forecast of the east coast, and the gulf of Mexico the week prior to and week of your trip. If a late hurricane blows in on either, and and after effect blows over the Smokies it can get quite a surprise snow fall. With that being said, I personally would take an extra 2-3 days of food in case I wake up to 3 ft of snow and am stuck at the shelter for a couple days. And yes this has happened and the snow does catch people on the AT almost every year resulting in either park service going in to rescue them, or said hikers waiting out the snow. The other plus side to this 2-3 days extra of food is that if you get to newfound gap with more food then you expected to to have by then, plus the 2-3 days as a safety then you could walk on to Fontana without needing a resupply.

I personally am not a fan of hiking in the snow, it makes me nervous and I dislike cold wet feet. I enjoy hiking the northern 30 miles of the park in May.

Slo-go'en
10-24-2017, 14:13
Several inches of snow in the Smokies this weekend? How can that happen when it will be in the 60's all the way up here in the White Mountains? Even after the cold front pushes through with some sorely needed rain tomorrow, it's not even going to go to freezing around here. We're on track for the hottest October ever. Good chance that will last well into November. My goal was not turn the heat on in my cottage until Nov. Now I'm shooting for Thanksgiving :)

Anyway, going SOBO you face a really long, steep climb and a really long day to get to Tri-Corner. It's much easier to the those 15 miles NOBO. While you still face a good climb up to Mollies ridge from Fontana, it's not nearly as bad.

As noted, getting a ride down to Gatlinburg is not assured, so you really need to plan to carry enough food to go the whole way. If you want to only hike about 12 miles a day, you will have to plan your shelters stays carefully and hope you can get reservations for them all.

Day1, Mollies ridge, 11 miles from Fontana dam
Day 2, Derrick Knob 12 miles from Mollies
Day 3, Mount Collins 13.5 miles form Derrick

Day 4, Now do a short day of 7.5 miles to Ice Water springs.
Day 5, That leaves a 12.6 day to Tri-corner
Day 6, Then the 15 miles to Davenport gap on the last day when your pretty much out of food.

Five and a half day's of food isn't too unreasonable to carry up to Mollies Ridge. Since this is a short trip, I'd invest with Mountain House type meals for dinners. Bulky but light.

Bmelee
10-24-2017, 15:09
Check mountainforecast.com. I don’t make these things up. Of course, the forecasts change on that site quickly. It has already changed since I responded earlier, but it is still calling for at least minimal to a couple of inchesof snow on Leconte, Gregory Bald, and other locations in the Smokies on Saturday.

And Clingmans Dome Road does not close until the END of a November, according to the Park’s website.

Gambit McCrae
10-24-2017, 15:23
For Tricorner:

"Sunday: Rain showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 44. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Sunday Night: A chance of rain showers before 8pm, then a chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

"

TNhiker
10-24-2017, 15:37
And Clingmans Dome Road does not close until the END of a November, according to the Park’s website.



unless theres a weather event........

JC13
10-24-2017, 16:25
Heck, here in Alabama this weekend the high\low Sat is 55\36 and 54\35 on Sunday. Weather is crazy.

HooKooDooKu
10-24-2017, 16:30
Weather:
The climate average that time of year along the mountain ridge calls for highs in the 40s and lows a little below freezing.
Typical weather will be +/- 15º from this average.
Extreme weather will be +/- 25º from this average.
Snow is always a distinct possibility from October thru April. However, for any given day in winter, the odds are that there will not be snow on the ground. If it does snow, chances are that most of it will be melted away within a few days (though might linker in shady spots for a few more days).
Deep snow lasting for several days making for difficult to hazardous travel is unlikely but possible. Actually... so long as you are prepared for snow, the most hazardous thing would likely be slick muddy ground along the ridge as the snow melts.
You're only going to be out for a week... and while forecasts can change, https://www.mountain-forecast.com provides a 6 day outlook for many peaks along the GSMNP ridge.
You can also look at 10 day forecasts for places such as Gatlinburg and plan for temperatures to be about 20º colder along the ridge (though actual temperatures are often warmer than that).

Shuttles:
Shuttle companies like "A Walk In The Woods" and "AAA Hiker Service" don't shut down for November as best as I recall. However, a shuttle is going to be expensive ($$$) because it will take a driver a full day to get from home to pick you up at Fontana, drive you to Davenport Gap, and return home.

Resupply:
You'll have to either do without, hitch hike into town from New Found Gap, or hire a shuttle to meet you with supplies at New Found Gap. You're not allow to store supplies anywhere in the park with the exception of inside a parked vehicle.

Permits:
Since you are not starting and ending your hike 50 miles beyond both boarders of GSMNP, you are not eligible for a Thru Hiker back country permit and must instead obtain a General Purpose back country permit. That requires that you have a reservation for each campsite for the given night you plan to stay at that campsite (i.e. you have to make, reserve, and stick to an itinerary). Fortunately that gives you the flexibility of not staying on the AT. However, a detour to some place like the campsite along Maddron Bald trail, all such campsites are about 2+ miles off the AT and 1,000' lower in elevation. So if Cosby Knob shelter closure becomes a stumbling block, you might want to start from Big Creek campground and join the AT farther along. As an example, you could climb Baxter Creek trail and spend your 1st night Mt Sterling where you can climb the fire tower for a view (as you would be by-passing Mt Cammerer). Then follow Mt Sterling Ridge and Balsam Mtn to rejoin the AT at Tricorner Knob shelter.

TNhiker
10-24-2017, 16:33
Shuttle companies like "A Walk In The Woods" and "AAA Hiker Service" don't shut down for November as best as I recall




walk in the woods is open year round......

bertcourson
10-25-2017, 13:48
Good to know.

bertcourson
10-25-2017, 13:51
Thanks for the info.

Venchka
10-25-2017, 18:14
The highway across the park will close when they close it and open when it opens. Weather dictates closings and openings. I know because we were stopped on the NC side in April by snow. Less than 100 yards from the entrance.
A prudent person would not rely on resupply.
Is your sleeping system up to the task?
Good luck.
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

rmitchell
10-25-2017, 20:37
Cosby Knob Shelter appears to be open now. On the Park Service website it is listed in the section of sites closed due to bear activity. However if you go to the Reservation website it is open for booking.
It was closed last month when we were up the for the day. It was posted with a warning about "aggressive bear activity" and there was a game camera monitoring the approach from the AT.

HooKooDooKu
10-25-2017, 22:23
The highway across the park will close when they close it and open when it opens. Weather dictates closings and openings. I know because we were stopped on the NC side in April by snow. Less than 100 yards from the entrance.
A prudent person would not rely on resupply.
While not impossible, it's extremely unlikely the road would be closed in early November. Even the road to Clingman's Road isn't scheduled to close for the season til December.

Venchka
10-26-2017, 08:51
I wasn’t expecting the road to be closed in mid-April either. Barely visible snow flurries at the base of the mountains. No telling what was happening at 5-6 thousand feet.
The system headed for the Smokies as I type isn’t normal. Temperatures are dropping 40-60 degrees across the plains.
That said, temperatures could go up 40-60 degrees just as quickly next week.
The point being that things are very different above 5,000’. Be prepared.
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

HooKooDooKu
10-26-2017, 09:28
I wasn’t expecting the road to be closed in mid-April either.
Yea, you never know what might be happening with the weather in GSMNP. The folks up at LeConte Lodge have said they have seen snow on the ground up at the lodge in every month of the year except July and August. Two years ago I was camping on the 4th of July and that night LeConte Lodge experienced an over-night low of 38º.

But those are extreme and unusual weather events.

For the last couple of years, I've usually found myself camping in GSMNP over Veteran's Day weekend, and during these times, the typical weather I have experienced has been dry with cool afternoons and cold nights (above freezing in the valleys, around freezing in the mountains).

JC13
10-26-2017, 09:33
Just another point, Clingmans Dome tower is closed for rehabilitation so you won't be able to climb it on your way past.