View Full Version : Leaving March 1, weather, etc.?
Hi there everyone. My boyfriend and I are planning a thru-hike, from South to North, leaving on March 1. I am doing as much reading and planning as I can at the moment, but I do think it is time for some advice...
So here it goes:
1. What kind of weather can we expect during the month of March? Is more than long johns, pants, and a fleece or jacket necessary for hiking during this time? If so, what should we plan on bringing?
2. How often do people stop for food? Some say every 3-4 days, some every 6-8. I am wondering what the average is.
3. How important is brand new gear? I have a North face 40 Terra backpack, but am thinking about springing for a larger pack such as the Osprey Aura 65 or the REI Venus 74 due to some size constraints, even though it is very comfortable. Is this the right choice?
4. We need a tent because the one we have is wayyyyy too heavy. Any price savvy, yet reliable models for a two person tent?
5. Do REI and EMS really replace all gear bought from them for free? (or is this just a myth I heard along the trail..?)
And that's it, but any other advice on gear, food, etc. will be greatly appreciated.
THANKS!
One more thing! Will we be too cold in our 40F sleeping bags in the early months?
Feral Bill
01-02-2010, 00:11
5: REI has a generous return policy for items that do not work out for you. You can buy from them and see if the gear works for you knowing that if it does not you can make changes. Your concience should keep you from abusing this, costing all members money. For instance, I returned a pair of shoes that blew out on me, but would not have returned them for wearing out over a long period of use. I also would not use gear for weeks or months with the intent of getting essentially a free rental.
I believe there is an REI in central NJ. Have a good trip.
drifters quest
01-02-2010, 00:14
Some of the people here more experienced can answer the rest of the questions for you, but I will say that a 40 degree down bag will likely be very cold bag for a March 1st start. I've been told depending on the year you can still expect a couple snow storms in March. I do know that REI has a very good return policy and will return items that have been used numerous times, have been stored in your closet for a while, etc. Not sure how far the warranty extends.
A few thru-hikers I met on the AT last summer said to buy REI or EMS because if something busts when you are on the trail, they will replace it for free. I have never bought from either of these retailers, so I did not know if this was a true policy.
Thanks for the help thus far. Looking for a heavier sleeping bag. Nobody likes to shiver all night...
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.mqLTIYOwGlF/b.4805465/k.9760/Hike_the_Trail.htm (http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.mqLTIYOwGlF/b.4805465/k.9760/Hike_the_Trail.htm)
Take no less than a 20°F sleeping bag.
There's no need to carry more than 3 or maybe 4 days of food at the outset. Your pack will be heavy enough with cold weather gear. Buy food as you go unless you have special needs until Fontana Dam. Expect to develop a powerful appetite.
You'll find plenty of helpful information by clicking below. If you don't already have a handbook, download the GA-NC-TN Companion files to aid in your planning.
Read Ideas for an Inexpensive Thru-Hike (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=22959#post22959) if you haven't already. See also our articles and gear forums.
You may be able to find what you require with the search feature. If not, keep posting to this thread until you obtain the answers you seek.
Spirit Walker
01-02-2010, 00:43
It will likely be down into the teens and twenties for at least part of the time the first two months you are on the trail. I would use a 10-20 degree bag at least until mid-May. (I used my 20 degree bag for the entire trail, but that's just because I don't like the hassle of switching out, especially since I would have needed to switch again in New England. I was cold in the Smokies, but otherwise it was warm enough.)
Starting March 1 you are pretty much guaranteed to have snow. I had snow in the Smokies on my first thruhike (in mid-April) and in NC and VA on my second hike (in May). Mostly you'll be warm enough when hiking in pants and long sleeved tops and raingear, saving the fleece for camp and rest breaks. Don't forget warm gloves and hats.
Yes, REI does accept returns.
The less food you carry, the lighter your pack, but the more money you'll spend by going to town more often. So - the choice is yours. In the south people tend to go to town often, because of weather concerns and physical problems, so you might plan on more town stops then. I didn't know any better, so I carried a week to ten days worth of food on my first thruhike. I only stopped in towns that were either on or very close to the trail. My pack was very heavy and I was really hungry because I wasn't getting enough food. On my second hike I stopped more often in towns and my pack was lighter. But it got expensive.
Henry Shires makes some good two person tents.
Beware of big packs. They are heavy, before being loaded, and you tend to fill them, so they get even heavier. If you have a smaller pack, it helps to discipline you to carry only essential items.
World-Wide
01-02-2010, 01:02
Hi there everyone. My boyfriend and I are planning a thru-hike, from South to North, leaving on March 1. I am doing as much reading and planning as I can at the moment, but I do think it is time for some advice...
So here it goes:
1. What kind of weather can we expect during the month of March? Is more than long johns, pants, and a fleece or jacket necessary for hiking during this time? If so, what should we plan on bringing?
2. How often do people stop for food? Some say every 3-4 days, some every 6-8. I am wondering what the average is.
3. How important is brand new gear? I have a North face 40 Terra backpack, but am thinking about springing for a larger pack such as the Osprey Aura 65 or the REI Venus 74 due to some size constraints, even though it is very comfortable. Is this the right choice?
4. We need a tent because the one we have is wayyyyy too heavy. Any price savvy, yet reliable models for a two person tent?
5. Do REI and EMS really replace all gear bought from them for free? (or is this just a myth I heard along the trail..?)
And that's it, but any other advice on gear, food, etc. will be greatly appreciated.
THANKS!
Hey Deity: I hope you get the answers to your questions above, but with less than 60 days to go before you head out on such a challenging endeavor, don't you think those questions should have been hammered out months ago? I'm not being judgemental; I'm just concerned with the safety of you and your boyfriend. Besides your concerns above, I hope you have everything else squared-away and ready to hard-charge the trail!! I wish you two the best and hope to see your names bunched in with many others who have completed their 2010 thru-hike!! :D W-W
futureatwalker
01-02-2010, 04:25
1. What kind of weather can we expect during the month of March? Is more than long johns, pants, and a fleece or jacket necessary for hiking during this time? If so, what should we plan on bringing?
THANKS!
If I was leaving in March from Springer, I would be prepared for winter weather. When I hiked the Georgia section of the trail at the beginning of April the nights were cold! So I would definitely bring a warmer sleeping bag, something like a 20 degree bag, and a therma-rest or something to go underneath.
I'd also bring a lightweight down jacket, long underwear pants, and warm socks - all for camp at night. At the end of the day, I definitely want dry, warm clothes to change into. Hat and a gloves are a must.
When you are actually hiking you should warm up quickly. For me, backpacking is like running, and in running the rule-of-thumb is to dress for temps 20 degrees warmer than the actual temp. Most importantly, in cold weather, you want to control how much you sweat.
Being outside in the cold for an hour is one thing, being outside 24 hours a day is something else. Stay warm!
Best of luck!
HeartWalker
01-02-2010, 09:34
I'll be starting in march and I am taking a 15 degree down bag, mid weight down coat and wool longjohns. My pack will be heavier to begin with but it is a must!
SurferNerd
01-02-2010, 14:07
I'm leaving March 1 as well. And this is what I've packed, purchased, tested, regarding your questions.
1. What kind of weather can we expect during the month of March? Is more than long johns, pants, and a fleece or jacket necessary for hiking during this time? If so, what should we plan on bringing?
ANSWER: COLD, SNOW, FREEZING, COLD, and more SNOW. I suggest packing your clothes in layers, not pieces. For instance, I have 3 layers top, 3 layers bottom. I have Patagonia Thermal Underwear for Layer 1, Layer 2 is REI Sahara Pants and REI Tech Tee, and Layer 3 is REI Taku Jacket(rain jacket also), and Sierra Design Waterproof Pants. I have Mountain Hardware gloves, and a Carhartt balaclava. Depending on the conditions, I can shed the layers as needed. I will say for real world using my body, hiking yesterday at 18*F in Nashville, I sweated(bad) in all three layers. I'd rather be slightly cold, then wet. Wet is BAD. I dropped to Layer 2,3 top, layer 1,2 bottom for this morning's hike, no sweat, good to go, Only got cold when stopped for more than 15 minutes.
2. How often do people stop for food? Some say every 3-4 days, some every 6-8. I am wondering what the average is.
ANSWER: Several books out there, best one is Hikers Companion, you can get last year's version free here: http://www.aldha.org/comp_pdf.htm The current release just shipped for 2010. I believe at most is about 8 days between trips, and that's conservative. If you had an emergency, your at most 2 days from a major road to get somewhere and get something.
3. How important is brand new gear? I have a North face 40 Terra backpack, but am thinking about springing for a larger pack such as the Osprey Aura 65 or the REI Venus 74 due to some size constraints, even though it is very comfortable. Is this the right choice?
ANSWER: Gear doesn't matter age, it matters durability and how good condition it is. Obviously replace shoes with bad soles, and don't hike with broken straps on your pack. If something is falling apart, disintegrating then I'd go ahead and replace it. I noticed your looking at HUGE packs. You shouldn't need a big one. I'm taking a Gregory Z55, weighs 3.1lbs empty, and 3350cu in. Considering you mentioned that its you and your boyfriend, there's NO need for two huge packs, you can share weight in food, water, tent, stove, etc. Bigger packs make the mind think of unnecessary things to fill it with.
4. We need a tent because the one we have is wayyyyy too heavy. Any price savvy, yet reliable models for a two person tent?
Henry Shires, the genius who builds tents. You can always go mainstream and buy a big name overpriced tent, but there are options. You have a few decisions here, 1: Free Standing or Not. This means whether the tent is capable of standing on its own without the need for stakes and supports. (MSR Hubba Hubba). 2: Single wall or double wall. This relates to condensation and venting mainly. Single walls grab lots of condensation if your a hot breather on a cold night. Double walls have less condensation, but also weigh significantly ounces more. Now the final question, how efficient do you wish to be? If your taking hiking poles you can double those as tent poles in certain models to conserve weight. Most of the hiking pole models aren't free standing but weigh a LOT less. My tent is a Henry Shires Tarptent Contrail. It uses 1 hiking pole, slept me and my tiny fiance' cramped on a few overnights. Including my aftermarket titanium stakes it weighs about 1.3lbs packed. I'd go take a look at his tents, but order soon if you choose him, he's always got low inventory about this time a year.
5. Do REI and EMS really replace all gear bought from them for free? (or is this just a myth I heard along the trail..?)
ANSWER: YES they do, but use common sense and judgment please. They replace for normal wear/tear, dislikes. They regretfully accept abused items occasionally. I would use better thinking here and please don't cost the rest of us REI members wasteful dollars. I will say you do have a better chance with the manufacturers themselves. Many hiking companies are crazy about helping their customers. When it comes to hiking gear, a companies' reputation and respect for its customers is the deciding factor of how big they can get. Sierra Design, MSR, Snowpeak, Gregory, Keen, and a few others are known for shipping new/refurb items to hikers directly on the trail to the next post office, and send them the bad/damaged goods back. No cost hassles involved. Also Trail Days in Damascus, VA (I'll be way ahead of it come May) has free gear repairs with several companies onsite to assist. I'd take a paper with you on the trail regarding phone numbers of all the gear manufacturers hotlines. Something happens, call and see what they'll do. I'd also call them before buying the gear and ask questions about policies if your out on the trail and such item should fail.
Hope all this helps, look forward to seeing you March1. AT2010NoBO.GA>ME
modiyooch
01-02-2010, 14:30
1. What kind of weather can we expect during the month of March? Is more than long johns, pants, and a fleece or jacket necessary for hiking during this time? If so, what should we plan on bringing?
One more thing! Will we be too cold in our 40F sleeping bags in the early months?
THANKS!
This question always alarms me. Folks, it's March. It's winter. It's the mountains and elevations exceed 6000 feet. Definately bring your warm weather gear.
modiyooch
01-02-2010, 14:42
This question always alarms me. Folks, it's March. It's winter. It's the mountains and elevations exceed 6000 feet. Definately bring your warm weather gear. I meant, definately bring your cold weather gear. I'm currently cold, and have "warm weather" on my mind.
Thanks for the great responses. I have never been to Georgia in March, so I was unsure of what the weather patterns would be. Looking at "average temperatures" does not give a clear observation of what one can expect, so thank you everyone for the input.
A Henry Shires tent is definitely going into my pack!
Thank you SurferNerd for the tip on layers, and the detailed response. We are putting together our clothing, and I will pack extra for the sake of safety and of course WARMTH! I will be getting off of the trail for a few days in early May for my sister's wedding, so I think this will be a great time for clothing exchanges.
I have planned for 7 days of food in each pack, trying to keep it light, but this will be my first thru-hike, so I imagine that as time goes by I will be more confident as to what I need and what I don't. We did a few week long hikes on the AT last summer, but overpacked food wise for sure. I think foil packets of tuna and chicken, peanut butter, oatmeal, noodles, and dried fruit will comprise much of our diet.
I am now greatly considering my North Face Terra 40 pack. It's in great condition. Aside from being a little on the heavy side, it has numerous pockets and is breathable and comfortable. I suppose I can always get another if I must after time.
SurferNerd
01-02-2010, 15:20
Well the valley of Atlanta, GA is significantly warmer than the high elevations you'll see in Northern, GA. Use this link:
http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KGVL/2009/3/1/MonthlyHistory.html
That above is the link to the month of March 2009, at Amicalola Springs last year. Wunderground is an amazing source for weather history, tracking. Use that site to gauge last years temps, as well as change the history dates to the past month or two to gauge the current conditions. I recommend switching the winter gear out about May, good choice, but remember that in the north, Mt Washington snows year round, and about CT north its gonna get cold up at elevation. I'd ensure I have a way to get that gear back later in the season, or just pack it thru (my method, never know a night it freezes and I regret sending stuff home.)
Food: Ramen, Liptop Noodles, Crackers, Nuts, Dried Fruits, peanut butter, tuna. That's about the best simple diet, lol. I'd recommend packing one-a-days. I'm gonna take one month at a time (dropship from fiance) for the rest. That way I get all my daily vitamins.
Your pack is your most important assest, its your "home." Ensure its what you want, or you'll regret it later. Make sure it comfortably holds weight, and properly distributes it. Three vital supplies are shoes, pack, sleeping gear. DONT SKIMP ON THOSE THREE.
As mentioned by MANY people, the sleeping bags you own are going to pwn you the first night. You need to replace those ASAP with much lower rated bags. Also suggest a sleeping pad for a while, helps with heat. I own an REI 20* bag, and I'm taking a Mountain Hardwear Liner to go in the bag(adds about 10*F warmth. Get a bag that fits snuggly, but able to move around, roll, and wear a few layers in between. Ensure that the fabric isn't stretched. Go with real Down if you can afford it, it's lighter than synthetic, but super expensive. I got my bag at REI on sale for about $180, bargain off its $280 MSRP.
Thanks for the great responses. I have never been to Georgia in March, so I was unsure of what the weather patterns would be. Looking at "average temperatures" does not give a clear observation of what one can expect, so thank you everyone for the input.
A Henry Shires tent is definitely going into my pack!
Thank you SurferNerd for the tip on layers, and the detailed response. We are putting together our clothing, and I will pack extra for the sake of safety and of course WARMTH! I will be getting off of the trail for a few days in early May for my sister's wedding, so I think this will be a great time for clothing exchanges.
I have planned for 7 days of food in each pack, trying to keep it light, but this will be my first thru-hike, so I imagine that as time goes by I will be more confident as to what I need and what I don't. We did a few week long hikes on the AT last summer, but overpacked food wise for sure. I think foil packets of tuna and chicken, peanut butter, oatmeal, noodles, and dried fruit will comprise much of our diet.
I am now greatly considering my North Face Terra 40 pack. It's in great condition. Aside from being a little on the heavy side, it has numerous pockets and is breathable and comfortable. I suppose I can always get another if I must after time.
bigcranky
01-02-2010, 15:32
1. Food and resupply. Assuming you have some hiking experience, and you start at the top of Springer, you'll get to the outfitter at Neels Gap on the 3rd or 4th day of your hike. No reason to carry the extra 3 days of food. You'll then hike 3-4 more days and go into Hiawassee from Dicks Creek Gap. Then 4 more days and go into Franklin, etc.
These are all great places to resupply and spend a night in town. Trust me, given the cold weather and all the other issues with the beginning of a long hike, you'll want to go into town. A hot shower, hot meals, warm bed, and dry clothes will rejuvenate you. Save the 7-day resupply for later up the trail.
There is a good resupply article (http://www.whiteblaze.net/index.php?page=resupplypart1) on the front page of Whiteblaze.
2. Weather. The 40-F bags will not be enough. No way. March and April offer variable weather, and you'll see some wonderful warm sunny days, but you'll also get some serious winter weather. Be prepared for a few nights in the teens or colder, and some snow, sleet, and freezing rain. Here's a post I did a couple of years ago (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showpost.php?p=487795&postcount=16) about winter clothing in Georgia.
3. Tent. We had the Tarptent Rainshadow, which is a 3-person tent, but is wonderful for two people and gear. Great tent, very spacious, easy to pitch, handles the weather well. We also have the two-person Double Rainbow, but I use that for solo hikes, as we've found it a little tight for two people in winter. You might also check the Six Moons Designs Lunar Duo. All of these are about 2.5 pounds total weight.
SurferNerd said:
"Get a tight fitting bag, the more room in the bag, the more heat is lost."
I agree with pretty much everything else said in this thread, and understand the logic of this suggestion too, but an alternate approach is to size your bag large enough to be able to wear, say, a down jacket inside the bag without the bag being so tight as to compress the loft of the jacket. I guess "tight fitting" is a relative term!
SurferNerd
01-02-2010, 16:23
Guess I should have been more specific in my post, sorry about that. Yes you want to roll around comfortably, and be able to add a few layers of clothes. I was referring to tight-fitting as NOT the ones you have so much room that your backpack fits in it, lol. The loft of the back is like a heat index, its destroyed by stretching, compression, and dampness.
SurferNerd said:
I agree with pretty much everything else said in this thread, and understand the logic of this suggestion too, but an alternate approach is to size your bag large enough to be able to wear, say, a down jacket inside the bag without the bag being so tight as to compress the loft of the jacket. I guess "tight fitting" is a relative term!
modiyooch
01-02-2010, 16:45
http://www.sophiaknows.com/atdb/weather.php I like this weather link. It's specific locations on the AT such as shelters, towns and summits and includes elevation and distance.
SurferNerd
01-02-2010, 16:47
Looks to be quite the white trail right now, lol.
http://www.sophiaknows.com/atdb/weather.php I like this weather link. It's specific locations on the AT such as shelters, towns and summits and includes elevation and distance.
There are shelters (three sided lean-to wooden structures) about every ten miles or so on the Appalachian Trail -- many people sleep in these shelters overnight before hiking on up the trail the next day. You might consider carrying a tarp (to save money and save weight) if you're planning to stay overnight in the shelters most of the time. It's possible the shelters will be already full of people way before you arrive in the late afternoon/evening of each hiking day so you should be planning to stay outside the shelters in your tarp at least once per week or more in the beginning of your hike since there will be loads of people who are also hiking on the AT. However, if you actually start on March 1st, there will be fewer people on the trail so the shelters should be more available for you to utilize. In any case, you should still bring and carry a shelter in your backpack at all times and never count on the shelters being available to you. As you move up the trail you may actually prefer the quiet, solitude and freedom of sleeping away from the shelters.
Pack weight will likely be one of your biggest hurdles to comfort (along with blisters on your feet) -- the three components that make up your biggest pack weight beyond food and water are 1) your shelter, 2) your backpack and 3) your sleeping bag. It may be best to focus your gear dollars on getting the lightest weight items you can afford for those three items since you'll always be carrying those items (the other items in your pack might be discarded/sent home once you figure out what you actually need and what is nothing but dead weight). However, you should definitely get a pack that is comfortable on your hips and shoulders and the only way to know that ahead of time is to buy one with the wisdom of the others on this forum and hike in that pack for a few overnighters before you leave for the AT. If you can't make up your mind on a pack, start with a Granite Gear Vapor Trail backpack (it's called a Granite Gear Vapor Ki backpack for the woman's version). That's a pack that is relatively light weight and is known to be comfortable for most people. Someone somewhere called it the most comfortable backpack ever made and I'd agree with that. Note that backpacks made for women (the women's version) tend to slant the hipbelt more when the hipbelt rides on a woman's hips and that will likely make a woman's version more comfortable for you than just using a smaller men's version of the same backpack. Also, the woman's version inches the shoulder straps closer together to accommodate the smaller shoulder width of a woman.
If you wanted to save yourself the trouble of hiking in the snow, you could start your AT thru-hike from Springer Mountain on April 1st to April 10th and avoid most of the bitter cold weather on the AT. I started my thru-hike on April 10th and missed much of the cold weather in the south but faced some cold and wintery days in Maine. My Appalachian Trail northbound thru-hike lasted about 195 days start to finish and so I ran into bad weather in Maine when I finished on October 21st.
Something else for financial budgeting purposes -- you should have one-half of your budget still available to you when you enter Connecticut. Reason: It's way less expensive in the south and way more expensive from Connecticut north on the AT. One of the more common reasons people leave the trail on a thru-hike is they ran out of money before the thru-hike was finished.
It rains so much every day on the AT that I'd never bring a down coat with me (down will not keep you warm if it gets wet and your coat will get wet on the AT). But that's just me -- someone here will likely pipe in with comments about how they've carried a down coat on the AT and didn't get it wet. The reason why a down sleeping bag works okay on the AT is that you can protect your down sleeping bag from within your backpack during the day whereas you'll likely be wearing your coat during most of the day during the beginning and the end of your thru-hike (with a raincoat overtop of your coat that will be keeping in the warmth as well as the condensation and making your coat even more wet).
Best of adventures to you with your upcoming thru-hike. A fabulous experience awaits.
Datto
Blissful
01-02-2010, 21:46
Need a Down jacket
You can usually resupply every four days but take an extra day in case you get stuck (it happened to us)
Tent = Tarptent squall (or rainbow etc) or I like the MSR hubba hubba
Don't get as large pack, yu fill it up. Get your gear, then get the pack last if you want something different. Lighter is better and you will be glad for it. Trim in ounces.
Weather in early March can vary from 70s to single digits with high winds. (I started March 5th) Be prepared for everything
Have a down jacket. So very nice and warm that I think it is worth the space and the weight in the beginning.
For those folks that have stopped every four days..do you feel like all you are doing is stopping in town? I know that many are not directly on the trail, so do you find that you will spend your entire 4th day going in and out of town?
modiyooch
01-04-2010, 11:20
I think every four days is too frequent for me. Keep in mind, some hikers hike the trail for the town experience and hit every town for the sake of it. towns can become expensive. once in town, it's hard not to succumb to the comfort of dinner, lodging, shower, entertainment....
I think every four days is too frequent for me. Keep in mind, some hikers hike the trail for the town experience and hit every town for the sake of it. towns can become expensive. once in town, it's hard not to succumb to the comfort of dinner, lodging, shower, entertainment....
We are in it for the trail experience...not the town experience...we can get that at home. Some of these towns are so far off the trail that I can't see how one could stop every four days and expect to reasonably finish the trail without blowing every buck in their pocket...
bigcranky
01-04-2010, 17:26
Kinda depends on how many miles you can or want to hike in a day. If you plan to resupply every 80 miles, some people will hike that in 4 days, others in 10 days. I don't think anyone advocates a rigid "4 days only" resupply schedule, either. I'm happy with 3-5 days, maybe 6, depending on where I can get a reasonably simple and fast trip to a store.