View Full Version : October weather in Vermont
RhusRadicans
08-09-2006, 23:10
I'd like to hike the Vermont portion of the AT in the middle of October.
What kind of weather can I typically expect?
Lone Wolf
08-09-2006, 23:11
Cold, cold rain and snow.
weathercarrot
08-09-2006, 23:40
I know this is a lame answer, but it could go either way. I hiked the same section in mid to late October one year, and it can really be a perfect time for it. Peak fall color in the low elevations, and fading color to bare up top. There's often perfect hiking temps as well, in the 50's during the day. But large chunks are relatively high elevation, which gives you a good chance of a cold rain, and possibly wet snow on the peaks. We had about 3 or 4 inches of fresh snow on Killington on about October 14th of 1999. Unlike the northern LT, or the New Hampshire AT, it's a fairly un-exposed woods walk, so even in bad weather, it should be similar to hiking the high southern Appalachians in late March, but with less extremes of temperatures.
Cookerhiker
08-10-2006, 09:10
I section-hiked the Eastern part of Vermont (AT/LT split to Hanover) in mid-October and experienced one of the most pleasant times of all my AT hiking because the weather was perfect - sunny, about 65 with fall foliage at its zenith. Granted, this stretch didn't cover the higher points (Glastonbury, Strtton, Killington). Be prepared for anything but do it!;)
hammock engineer
08-10-2006, 11:10
That's when I am planning on hitting the LT. I am planning on everything from 70+ to below freezing. Good Times. Hope to see you out there.
Rockjock
08-10-2006, 11:19
One word--Beautiful!
last year in vermont october was peak leave color,fair amount of rain
high temp was in 50's and lows in mid 30's.i pretty much enjoyed my hike
:cool: neo
We did Killington to Hanover the first week of October last year and it was too warm! Reached 80 during the day and we slept on top of our 20 degree bags. The year before we did Stratton to Killington the same first week of October and we had frost two mornings. Hikers' luck on the weather.
JoeHiker
08-22-2006, 10:28
Last year, around october 20 if I remember correctly, the green mountains were whalloped with at least a foot of snow. Cold temperatures during the night, mid 20s, and also cold day temperatures for the fall, highs no more than mid 40s during the day..It can certainly happen again.
Usually fall is nice- cool in the evenings and mornings- down to the mid thirties at night, with an occasional light frost, and warming up to the 50s-60s during the day..cool and crisp.
Snow is always a possibility, and barring that, cold rain.
Yes, it was Sunday, October 23rd, to be exact. I was in the middle of my LT through-hike (North to South). That Saturday night, I got into my Hammock at Rolston Rest Shelter with the ground dry. The next morning there was a foot of snow and my tarp had dropped several inches down to right on top fo the hammock! It's a good thing there was an old, abandoned road out of the mountains right there or we would really have had a tough time hiking to the Inn at Long Trail!
Until the hike had consisted of 8 solid days of cold rain followed by a day or two of pleasant weather.
perfect hiking weather:D ky