grayson highlands snow?

[jodestick]

headed up to backpack in the grayson highlands this wkend. can anyone tell me how much snow is up there? trying to decide if we need snowshoes & if parking lots at the trailheads will be accessible. thanks for any reports/advice you can offer.

[mtnkngxt]

Call Grayson Highlands Park and ask the rangers. They can give you the best intel on what conditions are like out there.

[The Cleaner]

Judging by local news reports of 15+" in valley towns, I'd say at least 2-3' in higher elevations....

[topshelf]

I'll be up that way later today, I'll post when I return, here to the north we had about 12-14, but a good 4-5 melted yesterday, a lot more will melt today

[topshelf]

I wasnt able to make it up to the Massie Gap parking lot without four wheel drive, the last long hill up was a solid sheet of ice becuase it gets no sunlight, I went up til I could no more and backed down until there was a clearing that actually got some sun. There didnt appear to be too much snow, but the drifts were probably deep. Appeared to be less snow up that way compared to the areas west of the mountain. Ended up starting at Partnership Shelter and hiking north for a few miles.

[bigcranky]

Yeah, I know that stretch of the road in the park, it can be very slick. Maybe even worse coming back out downhill....

Thanks for the report. Thinking about heading up there next weekend.

[bigcranky]

Yeah, I know that stretch of the road in the park, it can be very slick. Maybe even worse coming back out downhill....

Thanks for the report. Thinking about heading up there next weekend.

[mtnkngxt]

Yeah, I know that stretch of the road in the park, it can be very slick. Maybe even worse coming back out downhill....

Thanks for the report. Thinking about heading up there next weekend.

watched a family slide off the road in Grayson Highlands a few years back at a hammock forums winter hangout. Luckily they hit a tree and didn't roll down the 75' embankment.

[WalksInDark]

I was at the same hammock hang....and got there right after the wrecker came to pull the car back up the hill. The earlier accident kept me from having to "discover" that wherever the road did not get direct sunlight....it was a complete sheet of no traction black ice.

Now, whenever I head out to the hinterlands during snowy weather...I try to imagine what it felt to the driver of the car who slid off of the road. Needless to say, that exercise helps me to R E A L L Y S L O W DOWN!

[mtnkngxt]

So I take it snow shoes are mandatory right now in the highlands?