Early North Bounders: Batten down the hatches

**Venchka** · 03-12-2014, 10:52

Anyone who hit the AT in late February or early March, winter is upon thee.
Asheville & Boone, North Carolina forecasts call for wind, cold, rain, wind, freezing rain, cold, sleet, wind, snow and cold. After those preliminaries, it is going to get nasty.
Temperatures in the foothills to lower mountain elevations predicted down into the mid-teens. Wind speeds at 25-35 mph, gusting to 50+ mph. Expect lower temperatures and higher wind speeds at higher elevations and along exposed ridges. The AT is at 5,000+ feet in many places along the NC-TN border. The balds are going to be downright brutal. Hilleberg tent conditions.

http://www.raysweather.com/

To all of you who ask, "What kind of gear do I need in February and March NOBO on the AT?"
The answer is: Winter gear! Rain, sleet & snow aren't the only things that will be hitting the ground. Trees will fall down.
Be dry, warm & safe Y'all.

Wayne
Sent from an office in Houston, Texas. Wish I were out in the mountains south of Elk Park, NC.

**Slo-go'en** · 03-12-2014, 11:00

Maybe my heat wave post a few minutes ago was premature?

**Sara** · 03-12-2014, 11:02

Thanks for the update Venchka!

I would like all the snowy weather to finish by the end of March.

**Honuben** · 03-12-2014, 11:21

I am glad to be a sobo'er this year and understand the weather a bit more. My buddy is retiring from the navy in '15 and we were thinking of a late feb start. No way now. I think the april start would be much better.

**Venchka** · 03-12-2014, 11:33

Choosing between two evils: Early start / miserable weather. Late start / miserable crowds / heat / bugs.
As a devout antisocial curmudgeon who happens to own a decent collection of winter grade gear, I wouldn't mind giving an early start a try.

Wayne

**Venchka** · 03-12-2014, 11:37

BTW, I hope that folks along the AT are watching the weather forecasts. I first read about this event day before yesterday - on Monday. If you are going to carry a phone with internet service, use it to watch the weather.

Wayne

**Honuben** · 03-12-2014, 11:47

Had to look up curmudgeon, I am glad i did. Early start to avoid the crowd is nice but that weather is brutal. I should start lookin for winter gear.

**Venchka** · 03-12-2014, 12:26

Originally Posted by Honuben

Had to look up curmudgeon, I am glad i did. Early start to avoid the crowd is nice but that weather is brutal. I should start lookin for winter gear.

Did the definition fit? Grinning.
I have never had any trouble getting and staying warm. I find that heat and bugs and crowds are impossible to escape.

Wayne

**takethisbread** · 03-12-2014, 12:28

crowds are pretty significant on march 1 on. right now might be the thickest , as you have a army of thru hikers mixing with spring breakers . march is a tough weather month. I'm sure the AT has a few more cold fronts coming in the southern Appalachians

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**Drybones** · 03-12-2014, 15:54

Sounds like a repeat of this past spring, hopefully they wont get the deep snow though.

**mountain squid** · 03-12-2014, 16:02

Well, the next couple of nights in NE TN are supposed to be in the 20s with tomorrow in the 30s (much colder on Roan obviously). Might get some snow also . . . looks like back to the 60s on Friday though.

Originally Posted by Sara

I would like all the snowy weather to finish by the end of March.

Last years hikers might remember the Apr 4th ice storm on Springer . . . . brrrrrrrrr . . . . Stay Warm and Stay Dry!

See you on the trail,
mt squid

springer mountain weather

**Coffee** · 03-12-2014, 17:00

Originally Posted by Venchka

Choosing between two evils: Early start / miserable weather. Late start / miserable crowds / heat / bugs.
As a devout antisocial curmudgeon who happens to own a decent collection of winter grade gear, I wouldn't mind giving an early start a try.

I view a SOBO AT Thru hike as a good way to not have to choose between those evils. In 2017 or 2019, I plan to start in Maine around July 1 and hike south, taking in the Northeast in the pleasant summer months and hopefully only enduring a few weeks of heat and humidity in the mid Atlantic before glorious fall leaf weather in Virginia and Tennessee, then completing the trail before Thanksgiving in Georgia. At least that's the plan.

**canoe** · 03-12-2014, 17:16

Originally Posted by Venchka

Anyone who hit the AT in late February or early March, winter is upon thee.
Asheville & Boone, North Carolina forecasts call for wind, cold, rain, wind, freezing rain, cold, sleet, wind, snow and cold. After those preliminaries, it is going to get nasty.
Temperatures in the foothills to lower mountain elevations predicted down into the mid-teens. Wind speeds at 25-35 mph, gusting to 50+ mph. Expect lower temperatures and higher wind speeds at higher elevations and along exposed ridges. The AT is at 5,000+ feet in many places along the NC-TN border. The balds are going to be downright brutal. Hilleberg tent conditions.

http://www.raysweather.com/

To all of you who ask, "What kind of gear do I need in February and March NOBO on the AT?"
The answer is: Winter gear! Rain, sleet & snow aren't the only things that will be hitting the ground. Trees will fall down.
Be dry, warm & safe Y'all.

Wayne
Sent from an office in Houston, Texas. Wish I were out in the mountains south of Elk Park, NC.

Great post. There are many in that area right now. I hope your post helps those on the trail or they get the heads up on the weather.

**The Cleaner** · 03-12-2014, 19:18

Those heading NOBO are now probably heading for the nearest hostel/town. Many sharing motel rooms and crowded hostels, a good way to start this year's Norovirus outbreak. Over on Trailjournals probably more posting from indoors somewhere than on the trail. I wonder how that guy wearing blue jeans is and the other ones in sandals may be buying boots or a ticket home...

**10-K** · 03-12-2014, 19:34

Pulled 4 hikers off Roan Mt. (Carvers Gap) today... Blue jeans, the whole thing.

A real flashback from my first AT hike... sleet storm on Big Bald, blue jeans, no gloves, cotton jacket with cotton long johns...

Makes for great stories later.

**The Cleaner** · 03-12-2014, 19:53

I guess I should head back up to Jerry's Cabin shelter and cut some more firewood. Last year about 3-24 there was over a foot of snow there...

**The Cleaner** · 03-12-2014, 19:59

I can see some scratching their heads and wondering "Hilleberg ?" what's that. I just pulled the trigger on a TarpTent Moment DW. I wanted more protection from wind than my Hubba provided.

**Venchka** · 03-12-2014, 20:58

Thanks to 10-K, The Cleaner and everyone else looking out for anyone on the trail. Thank you! I hope to meet Y'all someday. When it's warm and the brews are cold!
I'm beginning to think Double Rainbow. It appears to batten down better than my previous favorite, the StratoSpire 2. Or the new Hilleberg look alike tunnel model. Cloudburst 3 I think? A real bomb shelter.

Wayne

**10-K** · 03-12-2014, 21:07

I have a Rainbow and it has stood up to some pretty strong storms and high winds. You can cross brace it with your hiking poles perpendicular to the main support pole - it's quite sturdy. I wouldn't want to live in it for a month Tipi-Walter style but for sleeping and getting out of the weather it works well.

With any tent and inclement weather site selection and orienting the tent with the wind direction is a really big help.

**rafe** · 03-12-2014, 21:20

Rainbow's a good sturdy tent. Single-walled though. Not as comfy as a double-walled tent when the rain's beating down, but that's really its only weakness.

Thread: Early North Bounders: Batten down the hatches

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Display

Early North Bounders: Batten down the hatches

Posting Permissions