View Full Version : Cold weather in the south
Blackett
12-02-2012, 21:47
Hi!
Would you share the coldest weather you experienced south of Harpers Ferry? What time of year was it and what were the conditions? I'm curious as I plan my 2013 NOBO.
Thanks!
Blackett
WILLIAM HAYES
12-02-2012, 21:49
march in the smokies see my gallery
kayak karl
12-02-2012, 22:14
it can be 10 degrees, 50 degrees, raining, snowing, cloudy, and sunny. all in the same day.
Cookerhiker
12-02-2012, 22:31
If you're starting around March 1, you need to be prepared for nights in the single digits; it's a real possibility especially after hitting the 5,000' level in NC.
And building on to Karl's point, you can have cold rain - even if it's not literally freezing rain, a cold rain in 35 degree temps is hypothermia city if you're not adequately geared. You can't count on shelter space either for the time of year you're starting.
I have seen New Englanders underestimate the cold in the South. And for that matter, I've seen Southerners underestimate the summer heat of the mid-Atlantic.
MuddyWaters
12-03-2012, 00:14
The humid cold in the south, feels much colder than the drier cold most northerners are used to as well.
In GA and NC in late February and early March 2010 there was a lot of snow and my it was close to zero degrees. Be prepared for cold weather.
Tipi Walter
12-03-2012, 00:44
In GA and NC in late February and early March 2010 there was a lot of snow and my it was close to zero degrees. Be prepared for cold weather.
And yet last March was the hottest on record in the Southeast. It was hellish for me cuz I had my full winter kit---down bag, down pants, down parka, exped downmat---and the temps never got below 60F. The two winters before were real winters with alot of snow. And oh the blizzard of '93 hit on March 12-13. Look out and prepare for helicopter rescue---or bring your headnet and sun screen.
Train Wreck
12-03-2012, 01:18
In GA and NC in late February and early March 2010 there was a lot of snow and my it was close to zero degrees. Be prepared for cold weather.
In southwestern-most NC, between Thanksgiving 2010 and the end of January 2011, there were at least 4 separate snow events that dumped anywhere from six inches to a foot each time - and this was as low as 2500' elevations. There was a stretch of about 5 or 6 days where the high temps never got to 20 degrees. The locals said it was the harshest winter they'd seen in 30 years.
Last year, they had no snow, daytime temps rarely got below 30 degrees, and were in the 50's or higher more often than not - basically the flip side of 2010.
stranger
12-03-2012, 04:12
Tray Mountain GA, early March 1995...14 degrees, wicked wind, no one slept well. The next day it was sunny and in the 60's
The coldest trip I ever had was when I had a WWII wool sleeping bag and a WWII poncho for a shelter. I don't know how cold it was but it was cold. Thankfully it was over 50 years ago.
Tipi Walter
12-03-2012, 09:01
In southwestern-most NC, between Thanksgiving 2010 and the end of January 2011, there were at least 4 separate snow events that dumped anywhere from six inches to a foot each time - and this was as low as 2500' elevations. There was a stretch of about 5 or 6 days where the high temps never got to 20 degrees. The locals said it was the harshest winter they'd seen in 30 years.
Last year, they had no snow, daytime temps rarely got below 30 degrees, and were in the 50's or higher more often than not - basically the flip side of 2010.
I remember that January of 2011 as I was out on a trip and the Knoxville wee'tards talked about going 10 days straight in Knoxville and not getting above 32F. Where I was at 5,000 it never got above 10F every night of those 10 days. Here's the trip report---
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=335847
The coldest trip I ever had was when I had a WWII wool sleeping bag and a WWII poncho for a shelter. I don't know how cold it was but it was cold. Thankfully it was over 50 years ago.
My coldest experience backpacking was during the Arctic Outbreak of January 1985. I was in Boone, NC with recorded temps at -30F. Yes, that's minus. Knoxville got -18F.
Blackett
12-03-2012, 09:29
Thanks, all. Would you recommend bringing snowshoes?
Snowshoes are only going to help you on the balds. You're not going to be able to use those things in the smokies or many other places. I hear I've traction devices are pretty good sometimes, like yaktrax and the like. I've never used them so I can't say personally. The thing is you can't trust the mountains. I've been in gatlinburg when it was 80 and it was 45 and raining on the Dome, a month later I was there and it was 45 and raining in gatlinburg and 65 and sunny on the Dome. Just an example. Just take a warm sleeping bag and some hot drinks and have some dry clothes to change into and you'll be good. Don't ditch your stuff until after the smokies at least. Depending on when you start you might want to keep them until after you get out of the Highlands, lots of balds, lots of wind.
Tipi Walter
12-03-2012, 10:13
Snowshoes are only going to help you on the balds. You're not going to be able to use those things in the smokies or many other places. I hear I've traction devices are pretty good sometimes, like yaktrax and the like. I've never used them so I can't say personally. The thing is you can't trust the mountains. I've been in gatlinburg when it was 80 and it was 45 and raining on the Dome, a month later I was there and it was 45 and raining in gatlinburg and 65 and sunny on the Dome. Just an example. Just take a warm sleeping bag and some hot drinks and have some dry clothes to change into and you'll be good. Don't ditch your stuff until after the smokies at least. Depending on when you start you might want to keep them until after you get out of the Highlands, lots of balds, lots of wind.
Your post remnds me of a trip I did back in January 2009 when I was on Hangover Mt at 5,000 feet at -10 below (see pic) and I got a radio report saying it was -22 on Mt LeConte.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2009/In-The-Citico-With-Hootyhoo/i-CdgnnwZ/0/L/trip%2090%20045-L.jpg
Yeah man not surprising. I was around hump mountain once for a few days and one day it was almost 80, two days later it was around 45 and raining. Can't trust the mountains. They do what they want.
The Solemates
12-03-2012, 11:07
-12 F without the windchill between christmas and new years. Cold Mountain, NC in 2001 (I think).
on the AT, we had 3-4 nights below 0 F at night on our thru hike.
I began my northbound AT thru-hike on April 10th and my coldest day/night south of Harper's Ferry was 28*F and snowing (somewhere in the Smokies or south of there).
My coldest day on my AT thru-hike was crossing Mt. Washington with what was a reported 72mph wind and a bahyl-me minus 19*F windchill (dog-gone frozer my begonias off). I did an entire act on the icy roof of the Mt. Washington building in front of the Internet webcam for my friends back home, only to discover the webcam was completely frozen over with ice. Considering my comedy act and having fallen on my face several times on the roof, possibly the frozen over webcam was a good thing).
In Maine I had some 20*F-25*F days in a blizzard which made for a most appropriate photo opp of me in the blizzard holding my Ball State University pennant flag I'd carried into the blizzard to take up Katahdin with me.
Just ahead of my trail position in the Smokies were some people who had a 17*F night and building a fire in the fireplace of one of the Smokies shelters didn't help much. Right up until Screamer showed up and stripped off his jeans and sweatshirt in front of the fire to warm up at 10pm one night. Andre', the Shelter Concierge the Forest Service employs during thru-hiker season, called Screamer's act the "dinner theater" experience all while you dined in your own personalized wire cage.
Doesn't get any better than that, even back home.
Datto
By the way, when it's cold and raining and you think the rain will never ever let up and you'll be hiking in the rain all the way to Katahdin, this is what you do:
June 28 - Pinefield Hut ... in N.Virginia-W.Va.-Maryland
Milepoint 874.2, 80 days since start of hike, averaging 10.9 miles per day
Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings. -- Proverbs 22:29
Rain again today, all day. A few days of continuous rain like this can be depressing on hikers.
As I approached the shelter tonight, walking through a driving rainstorm, someone from within the shelter yelled, "Datto!"
I walked up to the front of the shelter and above the rattle of rain hitting the metal roof yelled, "I'm here to entertain you!"
People stopped talking and turned to watch as I proceeded to sing "Raindrops keep falling on my head, But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turning red..." Well of course there was a dance act in the mud along with it -- how can you sing without also performing shelter choreography using hiking poles?
Fennel knew all the words to the song and joined in. Soon, the entire shelter was filled with smiling faces singing along with Fennel and me.
Datto
It was a very cold -15 degrees F on the AT camping at Roan High Bluff (NC/TN border) in January 2000. Later that year on my SOBO thru-hike it was -8 degrees F at Gooch Gap Shelter (GA) on the AT in December 2000.
staehpj1
12-06-2012, 11:01
I hear I've traction devices are pretty good sometimes, like yaktrax and the like.
FWIW, I trail run all year round and have found YakTrax pretty useless in that usage. On ice they are worse than just your shoes and on just snow you really don't need them. I found Stabilicers to work much better. I have not used them but hear good things about Kahtoola MICROspikes.
All that is based on trail running, but I think it should translate well to backpacking.
Thanks, all. Would you recommend bringing snowshoes?
Absolutely not. If snowshoes are needed it is unlikely you will be on the trail in conditions needing snowshoes Said another way, if you have to ask that question then you SHOULDN'T be out on trail in those conditions.
I used micro spikes extensively on the PCT in 2011. They are great in the morning when the snowpack was rock hard, little if any help on ice and horrid in fresh snow. Why did I wear them in fresh snow, there was up to a foot of fresh snow on top of a rock hard consolidated snow pack and it was helpful with grip. But the fresh snow packed under the straps and I had no feeling in my toes for the remainder of the hike.
I used to do a lot of winter hiking on the AT from Ga up to and including the Smokies. If it were me starting early season I would take trekking poles for sure, micro spikes only if there was an old snowpack and be prepared to hole up on or trail to avoid major fresh snow.
I've had good experiences with my Micro Spikes on hard packed snow and on ice on both the AT and the CDT. Helps get a grip when there's little else to rely on! Of course, my trekking poles are even more important to me. As for the wet feet...mine seem to get and stay wet in those snowy conditions whether wearing the Micro Spikes or not, but the Micro Spikes do make my feet feel even colder because they are very snug.
Blissful
12-07-2012, 15:42
Mid March, in the single digits near Franklin TN. After that, early April near Roan Mtn, low teens. Both night temps.
Blissful
12-07-2012, 15:44
Your post remnds me of a trip I did back in January 2009 when I was on Hangover Mt at 5,000 feet at -10 below (see pic) and I got a radio report saying it was -22 on Mt LeConte.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2009/In-The-Citico-With-Hootyhoo/i-CdgnnwZ/0/L/trip%2090%20045-L.jpg
Nice picture. Can I share on my hiker Facebook page with a credit to you?
Cookerhiker
12-07-2012, 16:27
Mid March, in the single digits near Franklin TN. After that, early April near Roan Mtn, low teens. Both night temps.
Was that Franklin, NC? There is a Franklin, TN but it's south of Nashville, close to the Natchez Trace.
Yeah I don't know, I've never used those things. I just deal with it.
A couple of hikers had to be rescued this past April in the Smokies when it dropped to near zero and began snowing. As luck would have it I was safely sitting in a hotel in Gatlinburg. I stayed there two days trying to wait it out...it was still in the low twenties with snow when I returned to the trail. Be prepared.
Cat In the Hat
Absolutely not. If snowshoes are needed it is unlikely you will be on the trail in conditions needing snowshoes Said another way, if you have to ask that question then you SHOULDN'T be out on trail in those conditions.
I used micro spikes extensively on the PCT in 2011. They are great in the morning when the snowpack was rock hard, little if any help on ice and horrid in fresh snow. Why did I wear them in fresh snow, there was up to a foot of fresh snow on top of a rock hard consolidated snow pack and it was helpful with grip. But the fresh snow packed under the straps and I had no feeling in my toes for the remainder of the hike.
I used to do a lot of winter hiking on the AT from Ga up to and including the Smokies. If it were me starting early season I would take trekking poles for sure, micro spikes only if there was an old snowpack and be prepared to hole up on or trail to avoid major fresh snow.
I'm surprised about your assessment of Micro Spikes. I feel like I could literally play basketball on ice with mine.
Cat in the Hat
OldStormcrow
12-10-2012, 19:26
Lots of nights in the Smokies it is below 0. On one occasion it was about -17 at Icewater Spring Shelter, down from 0 degrees and windy at Newfound Gap around lunchtime.....kinda pushing the envelope for my old 5 degree down bag. Don't underestimate Roan Mt. or Standing Indian, either.
Tipi Walter
12-18-2012, 09:15
Nice picture. Can I share on my hiker Facebook page with a credit to you?
Hey Blissful---Sorry for the delay in responding as I just returned from a December trip. Sure you can use the pic.
garlic08
12-18-2012, 09:43
On my NOBO AT hike, starting in early April, I was a little surprised to hike through two blizzards in the first few weeks, with temps in the teens in the high country (over 6000'). In the Smokies and over Mt Rogers I struggled with winter conditions as severe as anything I'd ever backpacked in (I'm not including some intentional winter camps in the Rockies and Cascades). Never underestimate spring weather in the southern Appalachians, I learned. The advantage on the AT is that you can pay attention to the weather forecast and sit out such weather in a hostel if you're not prepared for it, like many do. By mid-May, the weather turned very pleasant and warm.
Snowleopard
12-19-2012, 11:34
I'm surprised about your assessment of Micro Spikes. I feel like I could literally play basketball on ice with mine.
Last winter was very icy here, with thick hard ice on some local trails. My microspikes were marginal in those conditions. Ice like that with any steepness would have been scary with the MS. So, I got some Camp Magix crampons (like the Hillsound Pro Trail crampons) and these were much better. Still, for most conditions the ms are great.
A entry from my AT journal: April 18, 2001 Ice Water Spring Shelter. Tem. fell to 8 degrees last night. I froze in my 20 degree bag with all my clothing on.
snowblind
12-21-2012, 21:08
Thanks for the thread ... I'm continuing my SOBO from HF some time around early Feb, depending on the weather between now and then. Guess I'll plan for sustained sub-freezing hiking, and keep on eye on storms for the next 6 weeks.
It can also be really warm...just depends.