Snow and ice in the park

[10-K]

So, I'm sitting here twiddling my thumbs wasting my days posting stuff nobody cares about on WB hoping the snow melts enough in the park for our hike next week.

As of the 20th the park website says there is still significant accumulations of snow and ice and that travel in the backcountry is difficult. Crampons are recommended.

Dang... the last 2 hikes I've had planned have been scratched because of weather. Can't do anything about it but I sure wish we could get a short stretch of clear trails.

[tawa]

Are they calling for more snow in and around the Smokies? It is really coming down here in Indiana ---once again.

[The Cleaner]

So, I'm sitting here twiddling my thumbs wasting my days posting stuff nobody cares about on WB hoping the snow melts enough in the park for our hike next week.

As of the 20th the park website says there is still significant accumulations of snow and ice and that travel in the backcountry is difficult. Crampons are recommended.

Dang... the last 2 hikes I've had planned have been scratched because of weather. Can't do anything about it but I sure wish we could get a short stretch of clear trails. I hear ya man...I'd like to get out and try out my GPS.Hiking in snow/clouds is no fun you end up just surviving a trip,not enjoying the Sun&good vistas.Last year Feb.,the weather wasn't much better.:eek:

[Tennessee Viking]

Dang... the last 2 hikes I've had planned have been scratched because of weather. Can't do anything about it but I sure wish we could get a short stretch of clear trails.How about hiking some of the forest roads in the meantime if they are bit more clear.

[The Cleaner]

OMG...the Sun is out @47 degrees....Tomorrow's forecast...snow&28 w/wind :eek:.....and that is the city forecast..I guess that's why Bears hibernate....

[The Cleaner]

So, I'm sitting here twiddling my thumbs wasting my days posting stuff nobody cares about on WB hoping the snow melts enough in the park for our hike next week.

As of the 20th the park website says there is still significant accumulations of snow and ice and that travel in the backcountry is difficult. Crampons are recommended.

Dang... the last 2 hikes I've had planned have been scratched because of weather. Can't do anything about it but I sure wish we could get a short stretch of clear trails.BTW If this means much,I think your posts are well informed:-?....

[SGT Rock]

January 6th I was supposed to start a hike a Newfound Gap and hike about 60 miles over the week to get to Top of the World. That day 441 was closed, so I ended up starting at Laurel Falls trail head trying to make it to the AT. I ended up camping at #21 that night but only because of a late start - the snow really was only about ankle deep. That night it came down so hard it sounded like rain hitting my tarp. The next morning it was above my knees in camp, and camp was only about 3,800'. It was still coming down hard and the forecast was for two more days/nights of that. I decided to bail instead of post holing for 6 days trying to keep on the schedule. It was above my until I got down to about 3,000'.

I walked down to the Sugar Lands to call my wife for a ride. The rangers said the only road in the park open was the <2 miles from Gatvegas to the Sugarlands. At that point there was 22" of snow on the ground at Newfound Gap and it was looking like another foot or more was coming over that weekend. They said they were going to need a bucket loader to clear the snow from the road because it was too deep for plows. It turned out we did get a lot more snow over the weekend. That Saturday night down here in Blount County where I live I estimate about 10" of snow that night.

At altitude the temps probably haven't got high enough for good melt. I suspect there is going to be crusty deep snow about 3,000' for quite a while.

[Miss Janet]

This past Sunday evening after the SoRuck at the NOC a southbound thruhiking couple came in from the trail. They had snowshoed the entire way through the park and had bailed at Newfound for a day because of waist high drifts.

[SGT Rock]

Pictures from my hike.

http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/5/100_0370_thumb.jpg (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=44965&c=683)
Snowman left by some dayhikers about 1 mile up Sugarland Mountain Trail.

http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/5/100_0371_thumb.jpg (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=44964&c=683)
Me trying to stay warm.

http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/5/100_0372_thumb.jpg (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=44962&c=683)
The trail uphill from the snowman, I'm the first up there in a while, but it isn't bad.

http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/5/100_0375_thumb.jpg (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=44963&c=683)
The next morning when I am headed back down. I think this is about 3,500' and the snow is knee deep.

[10-K]

Rock - that sounds like an adventure.

I'm just going stir crazy I reckon... I've been getting out for 10-15 mile day hikes at least every other day but I'm really itching to put on my pack and stay out a couple of nights.

I might just hike up to Curley Maple Gap shelter tomorrow night and try to get a fix... It's just 4.65 miles from my Lazy-Boy but at least it's outside. :)

[SGT Rock]

Sounds good. Have fun.

[Sierra Echo]

Sgt Rock, I like your snowman! Or i assume it was a snowman. There was no snowballs to be found~! :eek:

[SGT Rock]

The day hikers made it for me.

[Mocs123]

SMOKY MOUNTAIN TEMPERATURES AND PRECIPITATION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
827 AM EST THU JAN 20 2011


FOLLOWING IS THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION
INFORMATION, VALID FOR A 24 HOUR PERIOD ENDING AT 7:30 AM.


STATION ELEV HIGH LOW PCPN SNOW DEPTH NEW SNOW

SUGARLAND CENTER 1600 41 32 0.02 0 0
NEWFOUND GAP 5000 36 25 0.00 10 0
CADES COVE 1900 38 30 0.01 0 0
OCONALUFTEE 2040 47 29 0.00 0 0
MOUNT LECONTE 6400 33 22 0.00 14 0

This should give you an idea on the snow depths at a variety of elevations.
I am planning to hike from Cades Cove up the Abrams Falls Trail to the Hannah Mtn Trail
over to Gregory Bald and back this weekend (if the roads stay open).
I can report back on the snow

[Mocs123]

That didn't stay formatted well

10" of snow at Newfound ~5000ft
14" of snow at LeConte ~6400ft

no snow in the lower elevations

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/productview.php?pil=MRXRTPMRX

[10-K]

This should give you an idea on the snow depths at a variety of elevations.
I am planning to hike from Cades Cove up the Abrams Falls Trail to the Hannah Mtn Trail
over to Gregory Bald and back this weekend (if the roads stay open).
I can report back on the snow

Thanks, that would be great.

We were supposed to get up to 3" last night and just got dusting here in Erwin.

[canoehead]

We're getting another 6-8" of snow this morning so I'm headed out to do some BC skiing then plow again. tonight temps down to -10ish, and we're camping out / ice fishing here in Chesterfield. NO Bugs.

[birdog]

The bad part is that after the next couple of days any trail leading to any significant elevation will thaw(somewhat) and then refreeze and become an ice covered slope that requires some crampon work. I used to laugh at the thought of using spikes in the Smoky's but after an 8 hour trek from Newfound Gap to LeConte one day I remain a believer. I'll be there next weekend to try out some new gear and I'm still trying to decide what to hike.

[Ashevillian]

Most if not all schools west of Asheville where either on a 3 hour delay or closed this morning. I all heard all the TN border counties in NC got another good dose of snow last night.

[10-K]

My kids are out of school today.... We didn't even get enough to barely cover the yard here in Erwin.

We've only got 1 high school for the whole county and a lot of Unicoi Co is over 3000'. My house is at 1750'.

[Ashevillian]

The Enka district (West Asheville) had a 3 hour delay. I live out near Warren Wilson College in East Asheville a bit below 4000' we didn't get one flake of snow this time. We still some spotty patches on the ground, but 1 mile down the mountain below 3000' there is no snow left anymore.

[Mocs123]

I ended up doing a loop starting at Big Creek and taking the Swallow Fork Trail across Mt Sterling Ridge over into the Cataloochie Valley and back up the Mt Sterling Trail to the summit of Mt Sterling and then took the Baxter Creek Trail back to Big Creek. There was a bit of snow above 3000 feet with over a foot in the higher elevations. It was fairly easy hiking on the Big Creek side of the ridge as it had already been traveled quite a bit, but on the Cataloochie side it was hard going post holing back to the top of Mt Sterling. I had Microspikes but didn't use them much, I used trail runners and low gaiters and I wish I had some taller gaiters for snow that deep.

For what it is worth, someone had already traveled all the BMT that I saw on my trip so that would help.

[10-K]

Well, I'm disappointed not to be hiking the BMT this week as I had planned but me and my son are leaving in an hour or so to head down to South Carolina to hike the Foothills trail. I can think of worse ways to spend 3-4 days. :)

Looking forward to being out in the woods for a few days!

[SGT Rock]

Have fun. Your guidebook is in the mail.

[Yamagame]

I know Mocs123 used Microspikes instead of crampons. Anyone else used them through the ice in the Smokies? How has it worked out?

[jlb2012]

I've used Microspikes on ice here in Shen. NP - worked fine - easy to put on/take off when only part of trail is icy - added weigh to foot is noticeable but not too bad - sort of like hiking with a heavier boot - with the trail runners I use I did notice a mild toe squeeze due to the way the Microspikes grip the shoe - this might become annoying after a few hours

[Yamagame]

Ah that's great news. I've used microspikes a lot for long periods of time and think they work as well as crampons for 90% of the ice/snow out there---just wanted to make sure anything on the BMT didn't fall into that 10%.