PDA

View Full Version : Weather and gear for North Georgia/North Carolina trip



butts0989
03-01-2010, 13:45
This is my regular gear list that i will be taking for a 9 day trip from Springer to Fontana. This trip will be from march 5-13. I was wanting to know ya'lls opinions on weather and gear. Here is my gear list:

Clothing (worn) (oz)
Nike Fit running shorts 3
Nike Fit running shirt 4
Coolmax Socks 1
OR Desert hat 2
Nike Fit running tights 5

Footwear
La Sportiva Fireblade 28
Simblissity Levagaiters 1.5

Clothing (carried)
Patagonia Capeline 3 7
Montbell U.L. Tec Down Jacket 11
Golite Virga Rain Jacket 7
Sierra Designs Rain Pants 7
First Ascent microfleece beanie 1
REI light wool mix socks 2
Mountain Hardware Powerstretch gloves 2


Packing
Golite Jam (modified) 22.5
STS Drisack 8L 1
STS Drisack 4L .5
STS Drisack 2L .2
Silnylon stuffsacks .5
Trashbag rain cover .5

Shelter
Tarptent Contrail (seam sealed) 25
5 Easton stakes 1.2
Tyvek gorundcloth 4.5

Cooking
.9L Ti-ware pot 4
Ettowa Alcohol Stove 3
Ti-ware spork .2
Cloth .3
Empty fuel bottles 1

Sleeping
WM Summerlite 32° 19

Thermarest Ridgerest 7
STS silk lineer 4.8
Accessories
REI Ascent UL poles 12
Lighter .2
Wallet (license, cash, debit card…) 1
Petzl Tikka Light 3
Peppers Sunglasses case 1
Nikon Coolpix w/ case 5
ipod w/ headphones 2
Firestarters (Esbit) 1

Items worn and carried 201.9
12.61 lbs
Items carried 145.4
9.08 lbs

Chaco Taco
03-01-2010, 13:48
THE BuTTS?????? The BUTTS I know????

butts0989
03-01-2010, 13:49
OH MY GOD!! dude how are you!? did you finish you're thru?

Chaco Taco
03-01-2010, 13:54
OH MY GOD!! dude how are you!? did you finish you're thru?

Yes i did, September 30,2008
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a279/Panimaniac/ChacoandWak1603.jpg

Chaco Taco
03-01-2010, 13:55
You may want a lower rated bag. Its wicked cold here and lots of snow

Chaco Taco
03-01-2010, 13:57
That Montbell jacket is tha bomb eh? i have one as well.

You list looks pretty good. Having hiked with you for a stretch, Id say you are pretty well off and way ahead of most of those that take off for the whole trail. I may see you while you are out there.

butts0989
03-01-2010, 13:59
ok ya i was wondering about that. It has about 4 inch of loft and i took it down to 20 the other night outside my apartment. You think there will be a lot of snow while im up there? If so im going to bring my yaktrax, if i dont have to carry them i wont but im unaware of the conditions near fontana right now.

butts0989
03-01-2010, 14:01
man i would be pretty excited to catch you out there. ya ive been training a bit for this trip, kind of testing myself to see if im ready for a thru.

Chaco Taco
03-01-2010, 14:02
ok ya i was wondering about that. It has about 4 inch of loft and i took it down to 20 the other night outside my apartment. You think there will be a lot of snow while im up there? If so im going to bring my yaktrax, if i dont have to carry them i wont but im unaware of the conditions near fontana right now.

40 inches of snow on some parts of the trail. Its pretty bad once you get above 4000 feet. Lots of blowdowns. More snow on the way tonight and tomorrow.

GA BASS
03-01-2010, 14:03
bring the yaktrax

Chaco Taco
03-01-2010, 14:03
man i would be pretty excited to catch you out there. ya ive been training a bit for this trip, kind of testing myself to see if im ready for a thru.

I can tell you right now, you are more ready than most people that will leave GA this year. You can do it. You have the gear to do it.

butts0989
03-01-2010, 14:13
I appreciate the opinion and encouragement. I just hope i have the mindset. And ya that Mont bell jacket is Bank man, could be lighter but ill carry it for its warmth. So what are you up to now man?

Chaco Taco
03-01-2010, 16:03
I appreciate the opinion and encouragement. I just hope i have the mindset. And ya that Mont bell jacket is Bank man, could be lighter but ill carry it for its warmth. So what are you up to now man?


We must have different Montbells cuz might is feathery light.
Trust me dude, you will be fine. Just think to yourself on the tough days "I could be at work/school or I could be here"

Blissful
03-01-2010, 16:13
Might need a warmer bag.

Chaco Taco
03-01-2010, 16:37
You may want a lower rated bag. Its wicked cold here and lots of snow

Take some extra heavier socks for camp and to have in case you have days of higher temps and plodding through snow. Darn Tough socks are the way to go

warraghiyagey
03-01-2010, 16:48
Take some extra heavy unnerpants for camp and to have in case you have days of higher temps and plodding through snow. Darn Tough unnerpants are the way to go

butts0989
03-01-2010, 18:16
Ya i was thinkin about bringing my long capeline's. my dri-fit tights are REALLY warm, but i know what you mean about drudging through the snow. honestly i probably just wont wear any long underwear or tights on some hotter days so i wont have to worry about getting them wet.

Chaco thanks for the bit about the socks, for some reason its always the really easy things that we forget...

butts0989
03-01-2010, 18:22
Also on the bit about the jacket- Im a member of BPL and they're freaks about ultralight. being new to WB, i dont really know the majority of opinions here. 11ounces is considered a pretty heavy down jacket by the BPL group.

Chaco Taco
03-01-2010, 18:55
Ya i was thinkin about bringing my long capeline's. my dri-fit tights are REALLY warm, but i know what you mean about drudging through the snow. honestly i probably just wont wear any long underwear or tights on some hotter days so i wont have to worry about getting them wet.

Chaco thanks for the bit about the socks, for some reason its always the really easy things that we forget...

Yea take a baselayer. Its going to be cold up there this year. Much much different than 2008 my friend.
I know about BPL. I venture over there but I already know everything so i dont go there. :D
Nah in all honesty, its going to be cold right up til the end of winter this year. Good chances winter will stick around a little longer. WIth you going on March 5th and a snowstorm in the works for the next couple of days, pay close attention to the weather in the area. The snow will be deep in some spots and there will be a whole bunch of blowdowns on the trail. Just be prepared for that! the good thing, lots of people are getting on the AT and packing down the snow on the trail so thats good for YakTRaks. Oh and wrap some duct tape around your lighters to repair any rips and tears you may get from sliding on rocks

butts0989
03-01-2010, 19:05
ya i keep some DT around my fuel bottle. Thanks for the help man and good talkin to ya. hope to see ya up there, covered in snow and all...

Mocs123
03-02-2010, 09:52
At this rate you might need snowshoes! (j/k - kind of)There is almost four feet of snow in the Smokies above six thousand feet, and I had ten inches of snow on my trip north of Hot Springs last weekend.

It is supposed to warm up this weekend, but it has been cold with lots of snow. You would probably be OK in that bag if you wear all of your clothing, but you might be pushing it a bit. It really just depends on how you sleep. You might want to add some additional insulation for your legs for sleeping and camp chores. I would add another pair of liner gloves, and or a pair of waterproof mitts (MLD eVent Mitts?) because with snow your gloves will probably get wet during the day. I would also add some "produce bags" to put over your dry socks when you get to camp (so you can wear your wet shoes around camp without getting your sleeping socks wet) and maybe a plastic bag to put your shoes in at night so you can bring them in your Contrail and put them under your pillow or under your feet where they won't freeze at night.

Otherwise your list looks great! Have fun and be careful.

Mocs123
03-02-2010, 09:53
Oh, and what lighter did you find that weighs 0.2oz? My mini bic is 0.4oz and I am always looking for something lighter and better.

butts0989
03-02-2010, 11:01
Ha that was what my mini bik rang up under, its somewhat empty though, i just copied and pasted that gear list from about a month ago, ive made small adjustments but nothing big. Good idea about the eVent mitts, i may try and fin some cheap waterproof mittens around here, unless MLD ships in 2 days.

The produce bag idea is fantastic, definitely going Im hoping ill be ok with just my yaktrax, starting at springer this friday the 5th and hikin 20-25 miles a day will get me to dicks creek by monday. Ive heard thats when it starts gettin bad, most likely because of the significant elevation shift. Im going to have to decide at dicks on an impulse what im really going to do. Thanks for the help man.

-Butts-

Praha4
03-02-2010, 12:53
Butts: great UL gear list, hey got a question.

your NikeFit running tights that you're using for a base layer with your running shorts.... what Capiline would be closest to those for a base layer? Cap-1? Cap-2?

I second the suggestion you take a warmer bag, its going to be cold at night thru March

Praha4
03-02-2010, 12:56
Butts:

also, what are you doing for water treatment? chemical, UV, or pump filter?

taking gatorade bottles and/or hydration bladder for carrying water?

butts0989
03-02-2010, 13:00
ooops i knew i forgot somethin. Ya ill be using aqua mira for filtration and a big aquafina water bottle for carrying water

butts0989
03-02-2010, 13:02
hard to say, most likely a cap 1, because they are skin tight it insulates a bit differently that a regular cap. Pretty similar to the weight of a cap 2 though.