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mts4602
12-17-2009, 14:01
Is it unrealistic to try to do Tricorner to Newfound Gap in 1 day?..especially during this time of year?

Mocs123
12-17-2009, 14:03
No, it's not unrealistic at all even this time of year. It's only about 15 miles and it's easy hiking from Tricorner to Newfound. Just be sure to stop and check out Charlies Bunion on your way it is a must see.

bigcranky
12-17-2009, 14:29
No, easy hiking. +1 on Charlie's Bunion. Get an early start.

Rain Man
12-17-2009, 18:06
...especially during this time of year?

If by that you mean very short daylight hours, that's true. It would be my concern.

Rain:sunMan

.

bigcranky
12-17-2009, 18:16
The last 3 miles or so from Icewater Spring is downhill, easy grade, nice wide trail. Shouldn't be a problem in the dark.

Note that there is a major storm going to hit Friday afternoon, and Newfound Gap Road will likely be closed for a day or two.

mts4602
12-17-2009, 20:18
Thanks a lot,

My main concern is the weather. We are starting on the 1st of January not this friday so hopefully we'll luck out with the weather.

And yes my question was towards the lack of daylight hours and difficulty.

valleyfire
12-20-2009, 00:29
where is tricorner?

Blue Wolf
12-20-2009, 00:32
My question is how are you getting to Tri-Corner Knob? it can be done in a day but take a headlamp.

Hikes in Rain
12-20-2009, 09:28
where is tricorner?

Between Peck's Corner and Cosby Knob shelters, just north of Mount Chapman. It's where three different mountains come together to form a "corner". It's also considered to be the most remote spot in North Carolina. Easy water, too, because the spring is about 10 feet from the shelter, and the pipe is high enough you don't even have to bend down! I think it's also the highest shelter in the park.

SawnieRobertson
12-20-2009, 10:45
Y'all are making this sound so inviting . . . but then I look out the window.

Snow continues at Sugar Grove.

Kinnickinic

Mocs123
12-20-2009, 11:09
I was supposed to do a trip in the Smokies this weekend, but I got worried about the weather the other day and called and talked to a ranger that said there was two feet of snow in the higher elevations. I decided that I probably shouldn't go post holing through that by myself so I decided to reschedule.

mts4602
12-20-2009, 19:41
coming from mt. sterling via balsam mtn trail.

I hope the snow is still there in 2 weeks but i just don't want to hike through a snow storm like this weekend.

As of right now 24 inches at newfound gap, 28 at mt. leconte :eek:

ed bell
12-20-2009, 20:20
The last 3 miles or so from Icewater Spring is downhill, easy grade, nice wide trail. Shouldn't be a problem in the dark.
I'll second that. I went from Newfound Gap to Icewater in the middle of the night in January a couple of years ago. Plenty of snow around, some whipping winds and single digit temperatures. Had my normal winter gear and plenty of headlamp power. No problems. I'd be worried about cold rain more than anything else for a long day, but anything over a foot of snow will put huge limitations on how far you can expect to travel, IMO.

tarbender
12-23-2009, 13:11
coming from mt. sterling via balsam mtn trail.

I hope the snow is still there in 2 weeks but i just don't want to hike through a snow storm like this weekend.

As of right now 24 inches at newfound gap, 28 at mt. leconte :eek:

Two feet of snow will seriously hamper your ability to do fifteen miles. I speak from experience. Eighteen to twenty-four inches of snow in the smokies brought my late 2005 sobo to a near standstill. I remember a grueling day of post-holing where we covered maybe seven or eight miles. We were in great shape at that point but post holing in two feet of snow sucks the lifeforce right out of you. We bailed into the valley near siler's bald after hitting up clingman's dome and ended up taking Hazel Creek Trail into the lakeshore trail and finally one other trail into the fontana dam area if my memory serves me correctly. No snow down low made for easy hiking. Even with snowshoes that would be a haul banging out fifteen miles up high in two feet of snow. Then again if you do this type of thing all the time you might be good but if you don't...

tarbender
12-23-2009, 13:22
To the hiker who started this thread:

Forget focusing on "Can it be done at this time of year?" You will get all kinds of answers that will not help you figure out if you will live thru this hike and a have a good time of it. Change the question. "Can it be done by me in a style that ecourages hiking safely in the conditons that I will be facing?" That is now a question with meaning. Enjoy your hike.

mts4602
12-23-2009, 13:54
To the hiker who started this thread:

Forget focusing on "Can it be done at this time of year?" You will get all kinds of answers that will not help you figure out if you will live thru this hike and a have a good time of it. Change the question. "Can it be done by me in a style that ecourages hiking safely in the conditons that I will be facing?" That is now a question with meaning. Enjoy your hike.

First of all, I asked the question Before the smokies got 2 feet of snow. The snow of course changes everything. I've hiked on easy trails at home in the snow and it takes forever so I understand.

B/c of the snow we are just going to leave our car at big creek and hike from tricorner back to big creek. If we encounter too much snow, we'll know by the time we get up to Mt. Sterling on the first day and can make changes to our plans if need be.

tarbender
12-23-2009, 13:59
Dump the tude dude. My point still sticks. If you want to know whether a trip is feasible asking others is ok but you still need to examine your own skills and your ability to apply them in a given set of conditions. Asking someone else if you can do something can yield interesting answers.

tarbender
12-23-2009, 14:10
Hey I am glad you are flexible with your trip in regards to route planning and modification of said route along the way. A book I am reading "Deep Survival" asserts that folks resistant to modifying their routes simply because they planned it that way and therfore they must do it that way are more likely to become SAR cases. A significant cross section of survivors of SAR cases seem to express this common thread of being unwilling to change their plans/route even in the face of unsafe conditions. I hope your trip is enjoyable. I have hiked in the area you will be in and it is very nice.

chelko
12-23-2009, 17:06
My experience in the smokies with snow is as long as you are there a day or so after the snow some one else has probably broke trail and the going is a little easier. the AT seems to get fairly heavy use even in winter. balsam mtn is a wonderful trail but may require postholing depending on who has been through there befor you. take some instep crampons they are a lifesaver.