View Full Version : SOBO cold weather expectation
starting from Bluemont Va. last week in Sept. hiking to Springer...Assuming a rate of 10 mi. per day, where would be the best place to mail drop cold weather items, like ...sleeping bag liner, puff ball jacket, long underwear...etc. (i will define my threshold of cold as 40 degree nights)
Where the heck is Bluemont, VA? Where ever it is, you'll probably want to pick up some warmer gear in early October, or maybe even start with it.
starting from Bluemont Va. last week in Sept. hiking to Springer...Assuming a rate of 10 mi. per day, where would be the best place to mail drop cold weather items, like ...sleeping bag liner, puff ball jacket, long underwear...etc. (i will define my threshold of cold as 40 degree nights)
To be on the safe side, ship them to Bluemont.
Check this (http://www.thru-hiker.com/temporal.asp?zip=20135&startMonth=9&startDay=1&endMonth=10&endDay=31&Submit=Get+the+graph%21) out. Remember, you will be at higher elevation.
Kerosene
08-10-2004, 09:37
Bluemont is near Snickers Gap, just south of Harpers Ferry.
I encountered sub-40 degree days in mid-October just south of the Shenendoahs. I'd probably bring this gear, except for possibly the puff ball jacket, from the start of your hike. If you want to stretch it, I'd plan to pick up your cold weather gear in Daleville; Pearisburg latest.
On our SOBO hike in 2001 we got our warmer bag mailed to us in Harpers Ferry in early Sept due to some colder nights in PA. I don't remember where we got our fleece sent to. Maybe Harpers? We did get some wicked cold night N of Damsacus. Pearisburg VA might be a good bet. HOwever, to play it safe you're talking maybe an extra lb for your sleeping bag and an extra lb for a fleece/down jacket. You should already carry alight pair of gloves and hat. You prob won;t notice 2 lbs after a day. Better safe than sorry.
TakeABreak
08-16-2004, 18:54
I lived near franklin NC, after my thru hike for 2 years and it get cold earlier at the higher elevations. I recommend you do as the others mentioned carry the basics from the word go, October can be warm but change quickly, you never know. A good sleeping bag, gloves, wool hat and rain gear is essential year round in the mountains. The extra pound or two is worth it on a cold day. A warm sleeping I think is very important.
Consider this,
I started my NOBO 2/12/00 and carried my Marmot Pinnacle 775 Down (rated +15) the whole way, and was glad I did. I never got cold at night. Marmot now has a Marmot helium bag 900 down rated +15 weight 1lb 13oz.
minnesotasmith
10-01-2004, 22:44
I figure that if I time it right, I can hike in autumn conditions at least 3/4 of the way. Keep in mind that to someone like me who has lived in MN/WI for most of the last decade, summer turns to fall when day temps don't go over low 60s anymore, and at least some nights go below 35. Fall turns to winter only when the snow comes and stays, or when most days don't go above about 35.
This would mean IMO that 1) I would want to get to Maine about the 1st week of August at the latest, and 2) I might as well carry my cold weather gear from the beginning (or have it before I hit the Whites at the latest). I would then hang on to it all the rest of the way, figuring on hitting Amicalola by Xmas. I don't think that I'd need to go super heavy with carrying warm clothes with that schedule, "walking with fall" that way, not having too much likelihood of seeing any serious subzero temps on the way.
Comments?
steve hiker
10-02-2004, 00:00
If I ever do a thru, I'll probably go SOBO. Reasons are to avoid the prolonged steambath of heat and humidity that most NOBOs suffer through, avoid most of the bugs (I'd start mid-July or later), and to enjoy the snow and early winter down south.
It's not that cold in the southern mountains in the winter, IMHO. Last winter I hiked through 2 feet of snow in the smokies in nothing but my raingear. Temps were in the 20s, and I had to take off my base layers because they were too hot with raingear (Marmot Precip). At times it can get to zero in the winter, however, so I'd take a very good down bag. No 20 degree bag, that won't cut it in January.