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View Full Version : Trail Conditions (snow amounts) for I-40 to Hot Springs, NC?



Mocs123
02-18-2010, 11:58
I was planning on going from I-40 to Hot Springs this weekend but am worried about running into amounts of snow that are nearly in passable without snowshoes. The plan was to stay (ie camp) at Roaring Fork Shelter. The weather this weekend looks great, but I would hate to have to try and do a 18 mile day post holing in two feet of snow. Does anyone have an idea on how much show there is on the high peaks (Snowbird, MaxPatch, Bluff Mtn.)? I called Bluff Mountain Outfitters but they didn't know how much snow was up there.

Tennessee Viking
02-18-2010, 12:02
Call Standing Bear. But if its anything like Nantalhalas or Roan Highlands, its probably 2 or more feet of snow in the open areas.

Ox97GaMe
02-18-2010, 14:53
Mocs,
also note that I-40 is still closed between NC state line and NC Exit #7. Waterville is the last open exit as you are heading east on I-40. If you are staging vehicles you will need to make sure you come around from the Newport side and not the Asheville side.

curtisvowen
02-18-2010, 15:30
Alot of blow-downs between here and Snowbird. Hard work.
From Snowbird we did 1 mile/hr. downhill, 1ft.+ of snow, 2 weeks ago.
Do Ground Hog, test the trail, then bust out some miles?

Mocs123
02-18-2010, 18:49
Thanks for the info everyone. I will be coming in from the TN side to Hot Springs, or at least that was the original plan.

Curtis - Can you even get to Groundhog Creek Trail with I40 being closed? Would it be better (as far as blowdowns) than going up Snowbird?

If we wanted to shorten the trip up, I am assuming that Max Patch Road is closed, correct?

curtisvowen
02-18-2010, 19:51
I-40 is wrong. Will not be open until April. No one can get up to Max/Snowbird via I-40 Exit 7/Harmon's Den....maybe Exit 15 Fines Creek....but that ain't helpin' ya if you are comin out of Chattanooga.
Put-in at Exit 451 or up in Hot Springs and go for it.
Just sayin' the hardest part is the blow-downs.
Get ya a dose of the snow.
You'll be fine son.

g8trh8tr
02-18-2010, 22:07
I was in Hot Springs last week and the immediate area wasn't bad but the higher elevations had alot of snow. Max Patch had 2-3 feet and you definitely needed snowshoes in that area.

Mocs123
02-19-2010, 00:57
We are going to do a there and back north of Hot Springs now. The elevation there is lower and since we are now doing a there and back, we can stop if we aren't making good time. Thanks to everyone for their help.

Chaco Taco
02-20-2010, 23:03
Im going to just say this about the snow here WNC. MOST of the snow below about 3200 feet should be pretty close or will be close to gone by mid week. Forecast of 50's and some rain coming early in the week. Now, above about 4000 feet it gets a little tricky. Snow depths can and have ranged from reports of 30-40 inches in the upper elevations. There are alot of drifts that are waist high. We have some pics of drifts on Wayah Road that are waist high. We saw a thruhiker, woman in her fifties, at the Budget and she was pretty happy. Said it has all been really beautiful. We didnt see a single blowdown from Winding Stair to just before the Siler Shelter. I have heard though, that there are a ridiculous amounts of blowdowns and that members of the Carolina Mountain Club are out and will be out clearing the trail.Soooooooooooo, all of us really need to give up a few dollars, purchase some "Trail Maintainers Rock" stickers from Fishin Fred, and give these things out to people to show appreciation to those working on the trail this spring. Its going to be a busy year. Go out and volunteer with your local clubs and help clear these trails. Buy a packsaw, take it with you and clear some of these blowdowns. Happy Hikin ya'll!

Grits
02-21-2010, 00:46
I talked with a friend that hiked from Sams Gap to Big Bald today and they ran into 2ft + snow drifts and had a great time.

Marta
02-21-2010, 16:15
Im going to just say this about the snow here WNC. MOST of the snow below about 3200 feet should be pretty close or will be close to gone by mid week. Forecast of 50's and some rain coming early in the week. Now, above about 4000 feet it gets a little tricky. Snow depths can and have ranged from reports of 30-40 inches in the upper elevations. There are alot of drifts that are waist high. We have some pics of drifts on Wayah Road that are waist high. We saw a thruhiker, woman in her fifties, at the Budget and she was pretty happy. Said it has all been really beautiful. We didnt see a single blowdown from Winding Stair to just before the Siler Shelter. I have heard though, that there are a ridiculous amounts of blowdowns and that members of the Carolina Mountain Club are out and will be out clearing the trail.Soooooooooooo, all of us really need to give up a few dollars, purchase some "Trail Maintainers Rock" stickers from Fishin Fred, and give these things out to people to show appreciation to those working on the trail this spring. Its going to be a busy year. Go out and volunteer with your local clubs and help clear these trails. Buy a packsaw, take it with you and clear some of these blowdowns. Happy Hikin ya'll!

Good point! As I just said in another thread...the Art Loeb Trail is just about unhikeable because of the tree debris. It's going to take a long time to clean up the mess from the ice storms.