View Full Version : G.A. mountain weather now?
Has any one been up on springer or on the trail in ga lately? What is the current temps up there this week?
Lone Wolf
02-06-2004, 09:28
Right now it's raining like hell with temps. in the 30s.
deeddawg
02-06-2004, 10:23
Has any one been up on springer or on the trail in ga lately? What is the current temps up there this week?
I hiked from Woody Gap to Hogpen Gap last weekend (1/31-2/1). Friday night at Woody Gap it was clear & windy, low temp dipped down to 19F, back up to ~24F by sunrise. Saturday night on top of Blood Mountain it was about 25F. Daytime highs were in the 40's or a bit warmer, I don't remember.
If you check the weather forecasts for Suches or Dahlonega you'll have a pretty good idea as to the weather for most of the first bit of the trail in GA.
Currently here in Atlanta at 9:30 AM Friday it is cold, very dark outside and raining all day very heavy. Predictions for the trail are even worse with flood warnings. Saturday and Sunday predictions for Suches are highs of 38-42 and lows of 19 both nights. Subtract a few degrees as you summit the mountains.
This has been one crappy season for this area, with above average cold and tons of overcast rainy days! I read some journals of hikers currently on the trail and they are having a terrible time with the condictions. With our weather here, this could change to a sunny 60 degree day overnight...and often does...just not enough this year.
Brushy Sage
02-06-2004, 14:05
Currently here in Atlanta at 9:30 AM Friday it is cold, very dark outside and raining all day very heavy. Predictions for the trail are even worse with flood warnings. Saturday and Sunday predictions for Suches are highs of 38-42 and lows of 19 both nights. Subtract a few degrees as you summit the mountains.
This has been one crappy season for this area, with above average cold and tons of overcast rainy days! I read some journals of hikers currently on the trail and they are having a terrible time with the condictions. With our weather here, this could change to a sunny 60 degree day overnight...and often does...just not enough this year.
Are you the man who used to pass me going up mountains and say, "Happy trails, from Happy?" Could use a bit of weather happiness here in the Asheville area as well. Some improvement forecast for tomorrow (Sat), but turning colder and with intermittent snow!
I'm going to drive up the western route (Roy Rd./Doublehead Gap Rd.) to the FS 42 parking lot at Springer Mtn. and then on over FS 42 to Suches later on tonight. I'll post what I find when I get back.
Jody7818
02-08-2004, 10:20
Has any one been up on springer or on the trail in ga lately? What is the current temps up there this week?
The weather here in Gainesville, Ga has really sucked. It's been icy, wet, windy, and cold. There were a few flurries yesterday. But it didn't stick to the ground. I expect Springer to be about the same or a little worse.
Has any one been up on springer or on the trail in ga lately? What is the current temps up there this week?
Georgia mountains weather very hard to predict....just before hiking...ck out weather.com or your local (NE GA) NOAA weather station for updated forecasts.
in 2002 my hike partner: "TeePee" took a NOAA wx radio along for the trip & they were right on the money 99% of the time...
good luck with your hike....hope to meet some ya'll out there this year! :p
see you UP the trail!
papa john
02-08-2004, 11:32
Wonder what happened to hacksaw? He hasn't made it back yet?
Wonder what happened to hacksaw? He hasn't made it back yet?
papa john,
Wonder no more. I did made it back, And a fine old time in the woods it was.
Let's see. Friday night was about average for this time of year on Springer, low of 22 degrees ambient, Barometer was 30.04 steady, wind was 18 sustained with gusts of 27-32 with a max gust of 37 (recording anemometer-sweet). It was a dark night with a full moon until really late when the clouds blew away for about 30 minutes, then it clouded over and started a day of flurries and wind blasts. Saturday was mostly gray and windy until about dusk when the wind picked up and the snow started in. Most of the snow was on the western slopes and peaks as well as the FS roads. Saturday night was spent on the FS roads between GA 60 and GA 52, eventually traversing FS 42 from Doublehead Gap Rd. to Tritt's old store at GA 60 and Cooper Gap Rd.(FS 42) then back to FS 28-1 (0n FS 42) and down past Camp Merrill (since 9/11 They've gotten real serious about their little base-no more open front gate, lots of concrete and razor wire and machine guns!) and the 4-H Camp and over FS 28 to Nimblewill Church and up FS 28-3 to the approach trail and back(Pretty rough up toward the trail). Next was 28-1 back toward Merrill to the junction with FS 77 and a really fun ride back up to Winding Stair Gap and finally down FS 58 to Doublehead Gap Road and out Big Creek Road to GA 52 and down to my friend Billy Grant's Apple Barrel Restaurant for some serious biscuits and gravy, among other things.
As to road conditions, there was about 3 inches of snow over frozen dirt road in pretty good shape, except up toward Nimblewill Gap which is typically rough, rough, rough! When all this stuff melts it'll be really muddy.
The areas where we actually were on trail were in pretty good shape, with some blowdowns, and evidence of several cleared trees and a good covering of snow throughout. Hiking was only minimally slower than usual. Some nice middle of the night vistas early Sunday after the snow stopped and the clouds went away. especially on FS 28-1 above the ranger camp and up FS 77 toward Winding Stair Gap. All in all, about 10 trail miles (in various 1 or 2 mile treks) and about 100 miles driving on the FS roads (Never left Dawson, Lumpkin,Gilmer, Fannin and Union Counties, and most of that was on adjoining county lines!)
Bottom line: Temps and winds were about the same as Friday Night(normal), Trail conditions were also normal for this time of year, but the roads were all exceptional. Had no real difficulty navagating any of the approach roads, even 28-3! (Nimblewill Gap Road) in my 2 wheel drive Toyota pickup with marginal rear tires, although I must confess to having about 300 pounds of sandbags directly over the rear axle.
We saw 2 vehicles in the FS 42 lot at Springer Mtn and about six or eight "car campers" ALL with roaring campfires over the 2 nights we were out, but encountered no other hikers on the trail. Saw several deer, a HUGE owl, some hawks and buzzards, but no bears, bobcats, or the resident cougar family that lives up near...... Sorry, you got to go find them for yourself.
A LARGE time was had by all.
Hacksaw
papa john
02-09-2004, 14:28
Glad you made it back OK and thanks for the detailed report. SOunds like you had a fun evening. I can attest to the road conditions up to and just past Nimblewill Gap. Don't go up there if you value your vehicle! And if you do go up there DO NOT go past the parking area where the approach trail cuts across the road. Extremely rough going. We got about 200 yds down the hillside and decided to back up (no way to turn around) and got hung up on a rock. About an hour later and a broken jack handle, I managed to get off the rock and back up to the parking area.
I can attest to the road conditions up to and just past Nimblewill Gap. Don't go up there if you value your vehicle! And if you do go up there DO NOT go past the parking area where the approach trail cuts across the road.
Yeah, If I want to go past the Approach Trail at Nimblewill I go in from the other end through Old Bucktown.