View Full Version : Roan Mountain in October
MattBuck30
10-01-2009, 15:28
Anyone out there hiked around the Roan Mountain area in October? I will be heading there with a group Oct. 15-19 to do a few miles. I have read that it is considered the coldest part on the Southern AT. I have seen the average temps are supposed to be a high of 65-70 degrees and a low of 38 degrees. Should we expect snow or ice? Also, will many Southbounders be in the area?? I can hook up some trail magic if so.
I thru-hiked Northbound last year and am looking forward to getting back on the trail!! Thanks for any help you can provide!
Chaco Taco
10-01-2009, 15:52
Anyone out there hiked around the Roan Mountain area in October? I will be heading there with a group Oct. 15-19 to do a few miles. I have read that it is considered the coldest part on the Southern AT. I have seen the average temps are supposed to be a high of 65-70 degrees and a low of 38 degrees. Should we expect snow or ice? Also, will many Southbounders be in the area?? I can hook up some trail magic if so.
I thru-hiked Northbound last year and am looking forward to getting back on the trail!! Thanks for any help you can provide!
You will be fine, may hit some frost on top. Not many SOBO's just yet.
Tennessee Viking
10-01-2009, 15:54
Expect it to be warm in the afternoons, and quite cool in the evenings. Winds will be cold. Heavy cloud cover. And wet.
Roan had one freak October snow in the last couple years. But I would probably bet on a good frost. Its been fairly wet and humid as of late.
Definitely take your cold gear. And stay at the Barn or Roan High shelters for any cold temps and high winds.
I have only seen a handful of southbounders at a weeks time when they hit Tennessee. And its usually mid October to November when they hit the area.
You can also contact Bob Peoples at Kincora if you can lend a hand on trail maintenance.
Chaco Taco
10-01-2009, 15:58
Shelters suck, carry a tent and pitch in a cool spot to catch a great sunrise or set. The air is so clear up here right now you can see for miles. Most of all, have fun enjoy the cool temps. Best time of year to be hiking:banana
gunner76
10-04-2009, 20:08
I lived in the area in the early - mid 70's and hiked/camped all over the area. While most times the weather was good we still prepared for the worse in the winter. A simple day hike in November across Grandfather Mountain got bad when a blizzard hit (we thought we had enought time to beat it).
I was with a friend leading group of scouts across Roan Mountain in December (aslo in the 70's). A major snow storm hit and I had one of 2 tents that did not blow away in the storm (there where other folks camping next to us and I watched several tents knocked down by the winds. All the scouts tents were knocked down. They ended up moving to the nearest AT shelter and throwing their tents on top of them for the night (the shelter was partially collasped which is why we did not use it to start with). The next morning the scout master wanted to continue the hike in the storm (heavy snow fall, white outs, high winds and sub freezing temps) and I had to talk him out of it as I told him, he and my girlffiend (now wife) and I could handle the storm as we where prepared for it and camped in these conditions but the scouts were not ready for such extreme weather. He agreed and and we aborted the trip and everyone walked away unharmed with a good story.
My point is to monitor weather for the area you are going to, hope for the best but plan for the worse. Have the gear to handle it and let someone know where you are going ( times expected back, route ect)
Christus Cowboy
10-06-2009, 12:57
Pretty much agree with the Viking on this one.... A year ago, I spent a night out there the first week in November got down to 23 degrees at night. Cold weather gear would be a good idea.
I'm a sobo, I'm in the Roan Mountain area and will be for a little while during those times. I'm also looking for trail magic. How can we make this happen?
Kerosene
10-09-2009, 22:42
I hiked over Roan the last week of October last year. The temperature dropped throughout the week and the snow started at nightfall when I was a few miles north of Mountaineer Shelter and kept up through the following afternoon. I stayed at the Mountain Harbour Hostel the next night, walking over through Roan Highlands in 15-degree temps and sustained 40 mph winds, but at least it was under clear skies! What a blast! Fortunately, I was prepared for the cold, although I didn't bring my gaiters so snow got into my boots and soaked them.
Tipi Walter
10-09-2009, 22:50
Anyone out there hiked around the Roan Mountain area in October? I will be heading there with a group Oct. 15-19 to do a few miles. I have read that it is considered the coldest part on the Southern AT. I have seen the average temps are supposed to be a high of 65-70 degrees and a low of 38 degrees. Should we expect snow or ice? Also, will many Southbounders be in the area?? I can hook up some trail magic if so.
I thru-hiked Northbound last year and am looking forward to getting back on the trail!! Thanks for any help you can provide!
Just go ahead and take your full winter gear and don't worry about it. I've got mine all layed out and it's going into the pack for my next trip soon to come! Let's pray for cold and wind.
I lived in the area in the early - mid 70's and hiked/camped all over the area. While most times the weather was good we still prepared for the worse in the winter. A simple day hike in November across Grandfather Mountain got bad when a blizzard hit (we thought we had enought time to beat it).
I was with a friend leading group of scouts across Roan Mountain in December (aslo in the 70's). A major snow storm hit and I had one of 2 tents that did not blow away in the storm (there where other folks camping next to us and I watched several tents knocked down by the winds. All the scouts tents were knocked down. They ended up moving to the nearest AT shelter and throwing their tents on top of them for the night (the shelter was partially collasped which is why we did not use it to start with). The next morning the scout master wanted to continue the hike in the storm (heavy snow fall, white outs, high winds and sub freezing temps) and I had to talk him out of it as I told him, he and my girlffiend (now wife) and I could handle the storm as we where prepared for it and camped in these conditions but the scouts were not ready for such extreme weather. He agreed and and we aborted the trip and everyone walked away unharmed with a good story.
My point is to monitor weather for the area you are going to, hope for the best but plan for the worse. Have the gear to handle it and let someone know where you are going ( times expected back, route ect)
I moved to Boone NC back in 1973 and went thru all the snowstorms we had in the 1970s and there were a lot of them. Every winter brought tons of snow and it was a challenge just to walk thru the streets of Boone for the winter season.
Gunner76: Do you have any photos of those early trips?
The Solemates
10-09-2009, 22:53
been snowed on in the southern appalachians numerous times in october through the years....always be prepared for it just in case.
Chaco Taco
10-12-2009, 10:39
I'm a sobo, I'm in the Roan Mountain area and will be for a little while during those times. I'm also looking for trail magic. How can we make this happen?
Thats the thing about trail magic, you dont ask for it, it just happens, thats why its called magic.
Frick Frack
10-12-2009, 10:45
Anyone out there hiked around the Roan Mountain area in October? I will be heading there with a group Oct. 15-19 to do a few miles. I have read that it is considered the coldest part on the Southern AT. I have seen the average temps are supposed to be a high of 65-70 degrees and a low of 38 degrees. Should we expect snow or ice? Also, will many Southbounders be in the area?? I can hook up some trail magic if so.
I thru-hiked Northbound last year and am looking forward to getting back on the trail!! Thanks for any help you can provide!
Thats exactly when we were going through Roan Mt. as sobo's last year and we were mid-pack so definately take some magic. It was freezing during the night and cool during the day with no snow or ice but anything can happen & you should be prepared. It is always very wind throughthere as well...making thos "average temps" even cooler than they are.
MattBuck30
10-13-2009, 11:03
Thanks for the help everyone! Weather.com is projecting rain/snow with a low of 33 for this upcoming wknd. Should be a fun challenge!! ha -Brewer, we will be at Roan Shelter on Oct. 16, Overmountain on Oct. 17, and Apple Orchard on the 18th (or Mountain Harbour Hostel)....will you be in the area still?? What are you craving most?!?
- Does anyone know if the Mountain Harbour Hostel is still open? I know his wife was sick last year.....
visited last winter and all was well. i'd highly recommend it over apple orchard shelter, which had a seemingly permanent inhabitant there last winter who had essentially established a full-scale camp there and was not willing to let others stay. another shelter too close to the road....
Cabin Fever
10-13-2009, 12:06
Thanks for the help everyone! Weather.com is projecting rain/snow with a low of 33 for this upcoming wknd. Should be a fun challenge!! ha -Brewer, we will be at Roan Shelter on Oct. 16, Overmountain on Oct. 17, and Apple Orchard on the 18th (or Mountain Harbour Hostel)....will you be in the area still?? What are you craving most?!?
- Does anyone know if the Mountain Harbour Hostel is still open? I know his wife was sick last year.....
Looking for trail magic aka bring me food because I don't want to buy it or carry it.
Expect all kinds of weather.
Gray Blazer
10-13-2009, 12:10
I'm also looking for trail magic. How can we make this happen?
Maybe you'll run into some faries.
Maybe you'll run into some faries.
Met plenty of trail faries. However, I try to avoid their magic. Thanks for the offer though.
Chaco Taco
10-14-2009, 16:25
Met plenty of trail faries. However, I try to avoid their magic. Thanks for the offer though.
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