View Full Version : Conditions around Wayah
Chaco Taco
02-17-2010, 17:33
Anyone know how the trail conditions are around Nantahala Lake and Wayah, Silers Bald, via the AT and the Bartram???? Heading out in the am to play for a 2 days. Going to get on the Bartram at Nantahala Lake and go up and over Wayah and down the AT to Winding Stair Gap.
Jack Tarlin
02-17-2010, 17:37
Chac:
I'd call Ronnie Haven (828) 524-4403. Wayah and Silers are in his back yard.
Ox97GaMe
02-17-2010, 19:41
I was informed last night that there is still quite a bit of snow on Cheoh Bald and along the ridgeline. I would imagine you would see the same on Wayah and any of the higher peaks you hike across.
We were planning to have maintainers out cutting blowdowns, but will have to wait for the snow to melt some before we attempt it.
Ron Haven
02-17-2010, 20:29
double posted
Ron Haven
02-17-2010, 20:32
Anyone know how the trail conditions are around Nantahala Lake and Wayah, Silers Bald, via the AT and the Bartram???? Heading out in the am to play for a 2 days. Going to get on the Bartram at Nantahala Lake and go up and over Wayah and down the AT to Winding Stair Gap.Chaco,FS69 to Wayah is closed right now and I am told they are about 30 inches of snow there.They are more than a foot at Winding Stair.I was there today.
Chaco Taco
02-17-2010, 21:58
Thanks Ron, we will see you in the am. Still gonna try it out. I think we will be ok. We have the gear for it. Weather is supposed to get better tomorrow. Only plannin to do 8 or so miles.
Canada Goose
02-18-2010, 00:26
Still gonna try it out. I think we will be ok. We have the gear for it. Weather is supposed to get better tomorrow. Only plannin to do 8 or so miles.
Spoken like a true Trail Pirate! :)
Weather forecast looks good, but could be lots of snow still in the hills of the "Land of Noonday Sun".
Let us know how you made out....if you make it out! :eek:
CG ;)
Chaco,FS69 to Wayah is closed right now and I am told they are about 30 inches of snow there.They are more than a foot at Winding Stair.I was there today.
How is the road to Wayah Gap? Can an AWD with road tires make the drive?
take-a-knee
02-18-2010, 10:39
How is the road to Wayah Gap? Can an AWD with road tires make the drive?
Sure Dude, only two and half feet of snow there, let us know how it goes.
Ox97GaMe
02-18-2010, 15:01
It wont matter how deep the snow is on the road. If the FS hasnt unlocked the gate, you still wont be going up there. And they arent likely to open it until they feel it is safe for most vehicle traffic.
daddytwosticks
02-18-2010, 16:47
If I'm remembering correctly, the road to (thru) Wayah Gap is a state maintained paved road. Should be fine. No snow here for the last two days...this road SHOULD be plowed/cleared by now. :)
How is the road to Wayah Gap? Can an AWD with road tires make the drive?
Sure Dude, only two and half feet of snow there, let us know how it goes.
TAK, I was there two weekends ago hoping to drive up to the bald. I found the FS road gate locked and passed a plow on the highway. I questioned the highway conditions to Wayah GAP. Don't comment if you don't know.
Thanks, daddytwosticks
take-a-knee
02-18-2010, 20:05
TAK, I was there two weekends ago hoping to drive up to the bald. I found the FS road gate locked and passed a plow on the highway. I questioned the highway conditions to Wayah GAP. Don't comment if you don't know.
Thanks, daddytwosticks
I stand corrected!
Ron Haven
02-18-2010, 22:46
How is the road to Wayah Gap? Can an AWD with road tires make the drive?Egads the road 1310 is open and salted and you won't need 4 wheel drive but FS69 is closed.
Chaco Taco
02-20-2010, 23:09
Yea what Ron said. We hiked up the road from Wayah and tried to get to the top but snow drifts waist high and lots of postholin. Its really deep and gets deeper the further up you go. Its tough hiking. I thought we did pretty good hiking in it. We only made it up to around the Siler Shelter. The sun was really bright, take sunglasses, really friggin bright. Got a good dose of Vitamin D. Only thing was that the teps jumped, melted snow and made it like walking in a slushie. Shoes we soaked, pants soaked. It was a mess!
If I knew we would get this every winter, Id buy some snowshoes. Not many places exactly, rent them out here. If you have snowshoes, the road up Wayah would be perfect for them.
Ron Haven
02-21-2010, 01:06
It wont matter how deep the snow is on the road. If the FS hasnt unlocked the gate, you still wont be going up there. And they arent likely to open it until they feel it is safe for most vehicle traffic.I went hiking today with about 10 of my friends up in the back side of Siler Bald and places were clear but most if it had 3 to 10 inches of snow still there.
I skipped Wayah and drove on to GSMP.
Hiked up to Newton Bald following the tracks of two guys that started out the day before. Caught up to them on the bald at noon. They were already setting up camp. I planned to hike the Sunkota Ridge tr. to camp at Deep Creek but made a wrong turn (sign was missing) and ended up on the Thomas Divide tr. Snow was 2 ft deep & drifts 2.5 ft deep. The trekking poles in the pictures are 45" tall. There were a few climbs up knobs that 100 ft of progress required a rest break to get the heart rate down. It was sunny & warm enough for short sleeves. Feet got wet though, took trail runners w/ mesh uppers.
Love seeing all the tracks in the snow. I was surprised by the number of coyote tracks though.
Fantastic hiking.
We were in the Pisgah NF near Brevard. There was some snow on the Art Loeb Trail, but mostly it was a mess because of tree branches broken by ice. It was very slow going--we made less than a mile an hour. It is going to take many, many man-hours of labor to clean that trail up.
Chaco Taco
02-21-2010, 23:06
We were in the Pisgah NF near Brevard. There was some snow on the Art Loeb Trail, but mostly it was a mess because of tree branches broken by ice. It was very slow going--we made less than a mile an hour. It is going to take many, many man-hours of labor to clean that trail up.
Have you reported it to the Carolina Mtn Club yet??
Have you reported it to the Carolina Mtn Club yet??
Good point. I hadn't thought of doing that. I assumed they probably know about it. I'll look on their website and make a report.
Chaco Taco
02-22-2010, 13:06
Good point. I hadn't thought of doing that. I assumed they probably know about it. I'll look on their website and make a report.
Yea they know about it but if you have some pics, send them along.
I don't have any good pictures. A lot of the branches are fairly small, but right now they're frozen in place and can't be moved off the trail. When the snow melts, the cleanup will be somewhat easier.
Reviving this thread to see if anyone has any updated information about the area around Wayah Bald. New snow in the last couple of days? Trail passable? Nice and cold, I assume?
Chaco Taco
02-25-2010, 19:28
Reviving this thread to see if anyone has any updated information about the area around Wayah Bald. New snow in the last couple of days? Trail passable? Nice and cold, I assume?
Heard 2 feet, drifts 4 feet. Wind chill here has been really really bad!
bmwsmity
02-25-2010, 22:10
Heard 2 feet, drifts 4 feet. Wind chill here has been really really bad!
hmmm...maybe i should take my boots instead of trailrunners this coming week! of course, it'll be another week or so after that before i hit wayah...
thoughts?
New snow this week
This excerpt is from Doug McFall's Life on LeCont blog yesterday
"The deepest snow since I have been here is 46 inches which is on the ground right now."
bmwsmity
02-27-2010, 02:35
leconte is nowhere near wayah, right? and isn't it about 1k' higher too?
i love that blog...dude has some incredible pics!
Chaco Taco
02-27-2010, 16:28
leconte is nowhere near wayah, right? and isn't it about 1k' higher too?
i love that blog...dude has some incredible pics!
Not really in the same area, 70? miles away from each other roughly