View Full Version : Hiking in the heat
hiking in and camping in the heat is my least favorite time out. When it gets above 90' and humid and just sitting around your sweating yeah not fun. I know nowadays they have all kinds of cooling methods like $40 underwear, cooling shirts, shorts etc... they have fans,and even really small ac units you can put in your tent. When I've been in the heat I've used cooling towels and $40 underwear and car camping I'll use a battery operated fan. What's y'all's keeping cool methods?
illabelle
07-10-2020, 14:00
cyber hiking works pretty well.
daddytwosticks
07-10-2020, 14:12
I do not overnight hike in the summer unless a rare cold front passes through. I do day hike, knowing I can grab a shower in an AC'ed environment afterwards. I will car camp on occasion at higher elevations where at least it's cooler. Call me a wimp. Guess I'm getting old. :)
Slo-go'en
07-10-2020, 15:26
Hike in the early morning and early evening. Take the afternoon off - preferably at a pond or stream.
Hike in the early morning and early evening. Take the afternoon off - preferably at a pond or stream.
Probably the best and most preferred plan. But how about methods of trying to stay cool like when lying there in your tent or hammock . Or while hiking like umbrella, hat, long-sleeved or short sleeved etc...
LittleRock
07-10-2020, 16:16
Yeah, I do day hikes in the summer but avoid backpacking for that very reason. I can hike faster without a pack and get 10-12 miles in before noon, then head home for lunch and an afternoon in the A/C.
I had a 90+ degree day in southern PA on my last section hike in October. Luckily, I was able to plan ahead and hike more miles the previous 2 days so I could have a shorter day in the heat. I knocked out my 10 miles early and spent most of the afternoon in the A/C at the AT museum at Pine Grove Furnace. Too bad the store was closed or I could've had ice cream too. :-)
There certainly is alot more ways to stay warm in the cold than there is ways to stay cool in the heat. You can use your own body and do exercises to stay warm. But over heating and heat stroke can be a huge concern. I seen a pretty cool (pun intended ) device the other day it goes around your neck plastic thing claims to be ac i know it sounds silly but if light weight and right there keeping the arteries in neck cool there by circulating cool blood.
Back in 2011 during my AT Thru-Hike I remember some 100°+ days. One day I was commenting on my 10+ mile and someone else said it was over 100°, that's why we didn't accomplished any big miles. Another day we approached Mount of Atonement Monastery and I found a cold shower, I dropped my pack and crawled in clothes and all and enjoyed the shower. Yes, that was a great hike even as the temperatures climbed.
Five Tango
07-10-2020, 19:31
I did an overnighter on the Ocmulgee River Trail the weekend of the 4th.I normally get good results out of my Artic Cool shirt but it was so humid and there was NO breeze so the evaporative feature of the clothing was a moot point.However,once we made camp the decision was made when we went to get water to just jump in the river.THAT WORKED!
In the thralls of a southeastern US summer, I lay on top of my quilt and use my liner as a blanket. Generally find that pretty comfortable even when the lows are in the mid 70s. I tend to go to bed pretty late when it’s blazing out as well to give the outside temperate and my body time to cool down a bit. I will say it’s my least favorite time to backpack, but I still enjoy it.
Traffic Jam
07-10-2020, 21:19
I am always astonished at how much the heat and humidity affects my physicality and the expectation that I have for myself. It’s a lesson in humility and requires a significant amount of flexibility when trip planning.
Traffic Jam
07-10-2020, 21:22
Hike in the early morning and early evening. Take the afternoon off - preferably at a pond or stream.
Many times, I’ve planned to hike in the morning and evening but I have a difficult time making myself stop during midday. I’d rather make slow progress than no progress.
Slo-go'en
07-10-2020, 23:04
Many times, I’ve planned to hike in the morning and evening but I have a difficult time making myself stop during midday. I’d rather make slow progress than no progress.
I'll have to admit, that's what usually happens to me too. Slow down to a crawl in the afternoon.
I bought a cheap, 1 pound hammock thinking I'd use it to hang out during the heat of the day. The idea being it would be off the ground and in the shade. Problem was, after an hour or so of having nothing to do I get bored and end up packing up and moving on anyway. But I think if I were going on an extended summer hike, I'd bring it along.
Looks like some record breaking and persistent heat and insane heat indexes are on tap for the next two weeks across most of the country. Another reason to stay home for a while :)
garlic08
07-10-2020, 23:23
When I need to get through a summer heat wave on a long trip, my strategy is to support my body's cooling system. Support the perspiration with water and salt. If you fall short of either of those, you're in trouble. On those warm nights, I pitch my shelter for maximum exposure to any breeze there is, and keep the quilt ready to throw over me if I cool down enough.
I remember years ago I was hiking the snp summer time hot as hell and thunderstorms rolled in which quickly turned to hail big hail. I used to carry a small tarp in my side pocket of my pack i pulled it out and covered up with it i mean big hail coming down hard and fast. About that time 2 fellows come running down the hill in kilts lol, from the uk they asked if they could duck under my tarp with me for a minute. It was a funny moment on trail after that they went there way i went mine and I got the pleasure of eating ice chunks off the ground for a while.
Many times, I’ve planned to hike in the morning and evening but I have a difficult time making myself stop during midday. I’d rather make slow progress than no progress.
I'm the same way I can't just lay there in that heat. Those days by the time I get to camp I'm zombie hiking.
Traveler
07-11-2020, 08:14
To the point, when I used to camp in hot weather I typically found a way to wash or just get wet and let evaporation do its thing while I try to sleep.
As I have gotten older I find myself becoming less tolerant of heat and its related miseries. When temperatures reach into the high 80s and beyond along with dew points climbing well into the 70s, evaporative cooling is non-existent and camping becomes equally as unpleasant as climbing steep grades in 90-degree weather. For those reasons I find fall/winter to be my preferred backpacking season.
Summer has become my off-season and I will stop backpacking in mid June through Labor Day to avoid most of the summer heat and uncomfortable nights. Some exceptions exist of course, for example if I get a chance to hike a bit of the PCT or north Cascades that are only accessible in late summer or north Cascades, but as a general rule I move to summer time day hiking to stay in shape.
At my age, I'm out of the house for 15 minutes and already can twist the sweat out of my shirt. So I'm just waiting for breezy days.
At my age, I'm out of the house for 15 minutes and already can twist the sweat out of my shirt. So I'm just waiting for breezy days.
I have a brother in Clearwater right above you a few miles. I went to visit one time in the summer whew I couldn't last 15 minutes outside absolutely miserable, and they neglected to tell about the fireants i went out barefooted and boy did they tear me up!
Kaptainkriz
07-11-2020, 17:32
Patagonia is looking pretty nice this week... :-?
Tuxhiker
07-11-2020, 21:49
Mississippi sumertime heat plus humidity and horseflies is pretty miserable. I can only handle early morning hikes to a creek to cool off then back to car. I don't think any cooling shirts or gadgets would make much difference. One thing I do is freeze water bottle so I have cold water. Mostly I just use treadmill at home and imagine I'm hiking in the mountains! I'm craving a trip to the mountains! Darn that Covid!!
Dan Roper
07-11-2020, 21:58
Most of my AT trips have been in the summer and all of them in the South. The difficulties of heat and humidity are largely offset by the good things - long days, ability to pack light (no extra clothing), the lush beauty of the season, and the magnificence of a breeze on high ridges and gaps. 4,000 feet seems to be the magic contour interval in Ga, NC, Tenn, and Virginia. Above that it's always comparatively pleasant. Below that can be stiflingly miserable.
Embrace the suck mentality love it. And them cold mt sreams that are always cold or that swimming hole you come upon, true trail magic!
Hike in the early morning and early evening. Take the afternoon off - preferably at a pond or stream.
Nailed it. Somewhere to take a dip, get cool and wash off the dirt is an afternoon well spent. Get up with the sun. Hike til it gets really hot. Dick around or nap until 5 or so. Hike til dark, or after. I've hiked until midnight many times when the heat was oppresive.
tridavis
07-13-2020, 17:38
just went to the Smokies with a friend to help her finish them. It was 72-74 most days but humid, and we started at Clingman's SOBO. All I can say is, for once I was thankful for the reservation system as that kept our days at 12 miles or less.
nsherry61
07-13-2020, 23:02
The biggest problem I have with heat is the first three days or so. Reading posts about hikers wanting to get into air-conditioned buildings makes me think that the biggest problem isn't so much the heat they are hiking in, but rather the air conditioning they are coming from?
For years I couldn't understand why restaurants kept their air conditioning so cold in the summers that I pretty much always take a fleece or puffy coat to dinner with me in the summer time and wear it to stay warm. Then, I figured out that, if most of their clientele live and work in air conditioned spaces, the restaurants probably aren't cold to them. So, the trick to hiking in the heat is to not live in air conditioning the rest of the time?
Hikingjim
07-14-2020, 00:33
So, the trick to hiking in the heat is to not live in air conditioning the rest of the time?
I have found there's some truth to this. I will leave the AC off most of the time to encourage me to get outside more. Otherwise, it feels horrible heading outside on a hot and humid day
Also, to add to what people say about hiking in the morning:
I try my best to do big morning miles and get a big climb done. Then I can rest up and head downhill in the afternoon for awhile... hide out a bit more, then I'm ready for another evening run
Doesn't always work out that way, but often enough
I always have 2 light hiking shirts in the summer since I sweat a lot. I do the big climb, take off that disgusting shirt, squeeze it out or lay it on a rock, tie it to the back
Tipi Walter
07-14-2020, 14:18
I just got back from an 18 day backpacking trip in Snowbird wilderness in NC---most of it in July.
I don't mind backpacking in the heat although I do hate being inside a tent on hot nights. One solution is to camp by a creek and get underwater frequently thereby lowering your core temps enough to "cool down the motherboard". Once out of the water this cool body can last a couple hours in camp. Wilderness creeks are Miss Nature's solution to furnace temps.
The Cleaner
07-15-2020, 12:57
After spending 30 years working outside year round, the last thing I want to do is sweat some more in my free time. I avoid the heat from late June till September. I did hike in the summer many years ago and agree with Tipi Walter that camping near a creek is one solution to cool down. Also just filling a water bag from a spring and just rinsing off with cold spring water at camp is nice too.
I just got back from an 18 day backpacking trip in Snowbird wilderness in NC---most of it in July.
I don't mind backpacking in the heat although I do hate being inside a tent on hot nights. One solution is to camp by a creek and get underwater frequently thereby lowering your core temps enough to "cool down the motherboard". Once out of the water this cool body can last a couple hours in camp. Wilderness creeks are Miss Nature's solution to furnace temps.
Still waiting for the trip report :cool: . I don't really mind hiking in the heat either .And like you said just laying around trying to sleep or relax in the heat sucks. And like you suggested and I supposed, a nice cold mountain stream ahhhh ..... sooo good, taking a dip and or soaking a bandana wrapped around the neck will absolutely make a significant difference in cooled body temp as well...
Average Hiker
07-17-2020, 08:20
I don't mind the heat too much, but then I grew up in South Carolina. When I'm hiking during the day I usually wear a very thin, button up, long sleeve shirt. Over the years I have found I stay cooler. In the evenings I always take a sponge bath before going to sleep, even if I have to carry a little extra water to dry camp. I always use a light weight quilt in warm weather. I also try to set up camp where I have the most exposure to potential breezes without being right on top of a ridge. Honestly though, I head west to higher elevations for summer backpacking if possible.
I've been thinking :-? , yeah I know dangerous. Wouldn't it be COOL if someone invented the disposable cold pack? Similar to the hot hands but cold hands. Maybe something like liquid nitrogen filled pellets you shake or squeeze to activate. ( theatrically plausible)?
Call me al
08-13-2020, 15:02
Many great suggestions already posted. Put your work in as early as you can each day and take advantage of the cooler hours later in the day. And above everything else learn to listen to your body.
Tipi Walter
08-13-2020, 16:14
Many great suggestions already posted. Put your work in as early as you can each day and take advantage of the cooler hours later in the day. And above everything else learn to listen to your body.
There's also another valid reason to starting hiking very early and call it quits by noon---pit viper activity. Copperheads and rattlesnakes like to sit in sunny patches on the trail most esp when temps are hot.
Tipi Walter
08-13-2020, 16:15
I've been thinking :-? , yeah I know dangerous. Wouldn't it be COOL if someone invented the disposable cold pack? Similar to the hot hands but cold hands. Maybe something like liquid nitrogen filled pellets you shake or squeeze to activate. ( theatrically plausible)?
I'd give anything to have a portable "window fan" that didn't require batteries so I could put it at my tent door and sleep in a cool wind all night.
Go to a higher elevation with greater exposure and/or shadier trail.
Night hike. Avoid hiking strenuously during the hottest part of the day.
Stay hydrated. This begins before hitting a TH!
Stay fueled. No energy roller coasting.
Cooling foods and herbs - cucumbers, radishes, cilantro, greens, sprouts, raspberries, watermelon, strawberries, cherries, mangoes, lemon, lemon balm, red hibiscus, cardamon, mint - foods with higher moisture content which equals eating some of your water needs rather than drinking it. If rose hips are available squish some into water. Avoid warming foods like cayenne or curries.
Light apparel colors loosely wrapping up exposed skin. Cover up. Ventible hat.
Pace slower. Rest. Go to a lighter wt TPW.
Sleep higher.
Slow down the mind.
Eightyone
08-16-2020, 18:20
I've been thinking :-? , yeah I know dangerous. Wouldn't it be COOL if someone invented the disposable cold pack? Similar to the hot hands but cold hands. Maybe something like liquid nitrogen filled pellets you shake or squeeze to activate. ( theatrically plausible)?
I've been a lurker here for quite a long time. Finally made an account to let you know this is a thing - those heat packs work via an exothermic chemical reaction. You can go the other way - getting cold - with an endothermic reaction. Look up 'instant ice pack' , or raid your first aid kit and see if you already have one.
I've been a lurker here for quite a long time. Finally made an account to let you know this is a thing - those heat packs work via an exothermic chemical reaction. You can go the other way - getting cold - with an endothermic reaction. Look up 'instant ice pack' , or raid your first aid kit and see if you already have one.
Huh, oh yeah ok I forgot all about those things. Thank you and :welcome to Whiteblaze! So I can stop working in my laboratory trying to invent one,Just kidding. I looked them up and the first one that came up was packs of 6 size 5×7 in and 1.92 lb for the 6. So wouldn't that feel awesome after a long day of hiking in the heat ? Get dinner done and camp chores done and finally get to lay down with a cold pack resting on the carotid artery delivering nice cool blood to the rest of your body . Might make for a better night sleep just like hot hands in the winter. Would anyone consider carrying these disposable ice packs if your section hike is going to be really hot?
colorado_rob
08-16-2020, 19:24
hiking in and camping in the heat is my least favorite time out.... What's y'all's keeping cool methods? I guarantee you I'm the world's biggest heat-wimp, so basically I just can't do it (hike in the heat). I hiked the entire AT without ever touching the trail in the summer. So, easy solution here in the west, get high! My feet basically never touch a trail below 10,000' or so from mid June through mid-September.
Cheap flights! C'mon out. My wife just round-tripped it out east to visit her daughter, $98 total, mostly empty planes and airports. She was very careful.
Well that was my plan before the big C-word came around. I was planning on being out there to hike the collegiate west beginning of September. I was out there last labor day week spent a couple days at twin lakes and btw experienced record heat low 90's Denver was 100' . But i had to come back due to medical issue, come to find out it was fluid on the heart . Had to spend a week resting kinda scary got lucky that's all it was.But anyway maybe next year will be the year for the collegiate and the maroon bells.
Traffic Jam
08-17-2020, 17:52
Go to a higher elevation with greater exposure and/or shadier trail.
Night hike. Avoid hiking strenuously during the hottest part of the day.
Stay hydrated. This begins before hitting a TH!
Stay fueled. No energy roller coasting.
Cooling foods and herbs - cucumbers, radishes, cilantro, greens, sprouts, raspberries, watermelon, strawberries, cherries, mangoes, lemon, lemon balm, red hibiscus, cardamon, mint - foods with higher moisture content which equals eating some of your water needs rather than drinking it. If rose hips are available squish some into water. Avoid warming foods like cayenne or curries.
Light apparel colors loosely wrapping up exposed skin. Cover up. Ventible hat.
Pace slower. Rest. Go to a lighter wt TPW.
Sleep higher.
Slow down the mind.
I BP’d at higher elevation last week and the sun was searing in the open areas...got quite sunburned (forgot my hat). I should have hiked after dark as you suggest because it was very cool and comfortable.
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Very cool! Now if these hats could store the solar energy . You could wear all day and then when it comes time to rest and recover and it's still hot at night, hey turn your hat fan on and put that disposable cold pack on your neck and drift off into cooling sleep......
nsherry61
08-18-2020, 02:32
Something I haven't seen posted on this thread yet is choosing to wear cotton, cotton blend, or wool cloths as you can get them wet and they evaporate in the heat at a useful rate. One of the many down sides to synthetic fabrics in the heat is that when you soak them, the evaporate to fast so they are unpleasantly cold and don't stay as a cooling tool for any length of time. So yeah, that wet cotton may kill on a cold night (or day) but it can be a life savor in dry heat.
Traveler
08-18-2020, 06:15
I agree with the above, synthetic shirts for me are not all that comfortable in high temperatures (though oddly synthetic shorts and socks are) and I prefer hiking in cotton shirts in summer temperatures. LL Bean has/had a nice tee shirt (No Fly Zone?) that is about 65% poly, 30% cotton, and 5% spandex (approximates). The shirt wicks well but the cotton blend slows evaporates rate that keeps a cooling action going for most of the day. Having been full cycle with the cotton/synthetic debate, I've found a range of clothing that work well from cotton alone to cotton/synthetic blends in summer, synthetics in fall/spring, to wool/synthetic blends in below freezing temperatures.
I find summer hiking to be uncomfortable overall, but I don't like being shut out of the activity in July and August. Once I returned to cotton shirts I've not looked back and am able to keep conditioning at a level that allows jumping into the fall season (the absolute best in my view) without missing a beat.
kewilso3
08-18-2020, 15:08
All synthetic clothing for me, trail runners instead of boots, lots of water and spare undies for bedtime. Other that that I use a tarp set high/flat for shade over the hammock. You could look into a monolite hammock for maximum airflow, it's a strong, lightweight mesh. Tents are just too hot and stagnant.
Time Zone
08-19-2020, 09:02
I agree with the above, synthetic shirts for me are not all that comfortable in high temperatures (though oddly synthetic shorts and socks are) and I prefer hiking in cotton shirts in summer temperatures. LL Bean has/had a nice tee shirt (No Fly Zone?) that is about 65% poly, 30% cotton, and 5% spandex (approximates). The shirt wicks well but the cotton blend slows evaporates rate that keeps a cooling action going for most of the day. Having been full cycle with the cotton/synthetic debate, I've found a range of clothing that work well from cotton alone to cotton/synthetic blends in summer, synthetics in fall/spring, to wool/synthetic blends in below freezing temperatures.
I find summer hiking to be uncomfortable overall, but I don't like being shut out of the activity in July and August. Once I returned to cotton shirts I've not looked back and am able to keep conditioning at a level that allows jumping into the fall season (the absolute best in my view) without missing a beat.
I agree with this - following the "cotton kills" mantra unquestioningly in the heat of summer can make hiking life more miserable, not less.
The other day I was lucky enough to hike at elevation here in the southeast, temps around 65F mid-morning, rising to 70F or so. For bug and sun protection I went off-board and chose a longsleeve, 70% cotton Insect Shield shirt. Did I sweat on the climbs? Sure. Did I sweat more? Probably not, and, coupled with a wide brimmed hat and IS-treated pants (65% polyester, 35% cotton), I was able to avoid sunscreen and bug spray. A light breeze and cooler temps, the shirt dried off fairly well at stops. Not completely, but substantially (turns out, I didn't really get much sun exposure until the turnaround point on the bald). And on the downhill return, I stayed dry.
So finding the right balance of materials, in light of weather conditions and hike type - it can lead to a better experience than being an absolutist on cotton.
That's why you see farmers out there working in their fields with cotton flannel shirts and landscapers out there working in long sleeves . It's thermal cooling or convection cooling.
Time Zone
08-19-2020, 10:26
That's why you see farmers out there working in their fields with cotton flannel shirts and landscapers out there working in long sleeves . It's thermal cooling or convection cooling.
I think it's termed evaporative cooling, IIRC from my prior days as a motorcyclist. Evaporative cooling vests are popular in summertime, esp. under an armored-but-mesh riding jacket. They contain some kind of hydrophilic (?) gel material that you saturate with water, and it takes quite awhile to evaporate (depends on conditions), cooling you the whole time as air flows over it through the jacket mesh. A soaked t-shirt does the same thing but doesn't last nearly as long.
What is thermal cooling? Cooling is removal of heat usually resulting in a lower temperature lowering by any other means may also be called cooling the transfer of thermal energy may occur via thermal radiation, heat conduction or convection.I also think you're correct it's also dubbed evaporative cooling as well.
colorado_rob
08-19-2020, 13:59
Well that was my plan before the big C-word came around. I was planning on being out there to hike the collegiate west beginning of September. I was out there last labor day week spent a couple days at twin lakes and btw experienced record heat low 90's Denver was 100' . But i had to come back due to medical issue, come to find out it was fluid on the heart . Had to spend a week resting kinda scary got lucky that's all it was.But anyway maybe next year will be the year for the collegiate and the maroon bells. YEah, I remember you earlier talking about coming out, and I had wondered what had happened, sorry you had that condition and hopefully all resolved.
FWIW, the CO trail is quite the "zoo" this year, I've hike off and on it all spring/summer this year, lots and lots of folks using it as a consolation hike to skipping off the PCT (and other longer trails). For example, two years ago, we "owned " a gorgeous camp site about 4 miles into section 21, doing that same stretch, same time of year this year we camped there with about 25 CT thru-hikers, yikes (but great folks, we had fun with them). I also hike a part of the C-loop, very crowded. Hopefully next year will be better.
I also think a plain old cotton t-shirt is awesome when hiking in heat, way more comfortable than synthetic.
Thanks Rob I appreciate it. I wasn't feeling good about 3 weeks out from my trip with chest pains that got worse when I laid down. But 1 week out got feeling better but then when I got out there I couldn't get my breathing corrected and chest pains came back . I did some small day hikes but couldn't really catch my breath correctly. So reluctantly I came home and went to the doctor and the diagnosis " fluid on the heart" . I consider myself lucky it wasn't something worse. Within a week of rest it cleared up by itself. And thank you about telling me about the overcrowding on the trail it does make me feel better because that's not what I'm looking for.
Traveler
08-20-2020, 06:27
Happy to hear you responded to what your body was telling you and left a planned trip to get help early enough so the condition could be addressed easily. A cautionary tale to be sure!
Cookerhiker
08-21-2020, 11:37
As a section hiker, you can pick the time of year where the weather is best. Admittedly, there are some professions e.g. teachers who don't have that flexibility. During my 20s to mid 50s, I lived in the DC area, a reasonable distance from the AT. I confined my summer sections to day hikes in Northern VA, MD, and Southern PA. The only mid-summer section hike I did was joining a friend for a few days on his thruhike in NJ. Utterly miserable with extreme humidity and mosquitoes. Although I intended to hike with him for 10 days, I quit after 3, went back in late August to much nicer weather, and finished NJ and NY west of the Hudson. All my other sections were in late winter, spring, late summer, and fall. Of course the one exception is the White Mountains which I did in July.
As most of you know, the ATC has been encouraging alternate forms of hiking the whole trail in one season flipflopping from different points. Before they began advocating this approach, I had decided that if I ever attempt a thruhike (doubtful at this point in my life), I'd do the following:
1. Start at Harpers Ferry on St. Patrick's Day or the Spring Equinox, hike south to Springer with goal of arriving in early June
2. Head out to Colorado, base camp around Leadville, and do short hikes including some 14ers to maintain aerobic fitness.
3. Make reservations at Katahdin Stream CG, head to Baxter around August 5, ascent Katahdin on any trail, then start the SOBO to Harpers Ferry.
This way, you have the pleasure of experiencing the entire seasons of both spring and fall while skipping most of the awful summer heat.
Obviously you need to have the time on your hands and flexibility to pull this off. And while you'll certainly meet fellow hikers, you won't experience the full social aspects of making new friends with whom you share campsites and other experiences. Personally, that doesn't bother me - it depends on what you're seeking.
Cookerhiker
08-21-2020, 11:40
...I also think a plain old cotton t-shirt is awesome when hiking in heat, way more comfortable than synthetic.
Especially in the west where even cotton dries quickly in the dry air.
Cookerhiker
08-21-2020, 11:49
Most of my AT trips have been in the summer and all of them in the South. The difficulties of heat and humidity are largely offset by the good things - long days, ability to pack light (no extra clothing), the lush beauty of the season, and the magnificence of a breeze on high ridges and gaps. 4,000 feet seems to be the magic contour interval in Ga, NC, Tenn, and Virginia. Above that it's always comparatively pleasant. Below that can be stiflingly miserable.
Yes, in the South you have those high elevations which will provide relief from the heat of the valleys. For that reason, I believe - and this is buttressed by experience - that with respect to heat, the mid-Atlantic is worse than the South because you're rarely above 1,500', the humidity is intense, and the mosquitoes make things miserable, particularly in evenings. And this is the problem with a "traditional" S-N thruhike: most hikers go through MD-PA-NJ-NY-CT smack in the early-to-mid summer when all these conditions are at their worst.
Having slogged thru Cumberland Valley, Alec Kennedy to Darlington, last July can attest to heat, humidity and especially skeeters. Short day to the cool bar at the Doyle was nice recompense.
Epsilon>0
09-24-2020, 10:30
This is probably only feasible for day hikes, but a 2 liter Camelback (or something similar) filled with ice and water will stay cold for a few hours. If I start (possibly very) early and bring a Camelback, staying cool usually isn't an issue.
For overnights or hikes lasting a few days or more, I just start hiking early and slow my pace when the day heats up.
But, yeah, I feel you. I hiked the same local trail here in southern Ohio twice last week. One day it was in the upper 80s, and on the other day the high was 70. My experience of the trail was very different on the two days.