First Winter overnighter!

[Uncle Joe]

So I did my first Winter overnight! It was much colder than I had psyched myself up for! I did the section between Indian Grave Gap and Dick’s Creek Gap in GA. I think this is the hardest section I’ve done. The climbs are so much longer than I can recall anything before it in the GA section. I thought Tray would be tough but honestly don’t think it was nearly as hard as what remained. Kelly’s Knob was far tougher. The climbs weren’t technical and had few switchbacks but they were long climbs. I camped with some guys at Sassafras Gap who have camped in cold weather a lot. They were surprised by how cold it got, though. The wind picked up in the night which was bad for me. My tarp doesn’t close on the ends and wind was coming in through the side. I didn’t have a lot of choices for orienting the hammock in a different direction. No under quilt, which would have helped. I did use Reflectix and a sleeping pad (air). My backside did pretty good. I think it was the wind coming through and chilling the top of my sleeping bag that got me. But I managed to sleep. The next morning one of the guys said his watch (one of those barometer, temp, altimeter jobs) went down to 14F and died!


On a side note, I packed sub-30 lbs in my Osprey Aether 60. Most weight I’ve carried. I think around 28 lbs. The straps bothered me the longer I hiked. I chalk this up to added weight and the fact that I hiked all Summer and Fall with my ULA Ohm. That said, I think I’m selling this Osprey. Has only a few hikes and this one overnighter so if interested I’ll be posting in soon. Think I’m going to get a ULA Circuit or Catalyst for my Winter pack.


Another note, I think maybe I will get a tent for cold weather. The expense I put into an under quilt could go into a good tent. Also, moving around in a hammock isn’t easy. Stashing things you don’t want to freeze isn’t either. Any thoughts on that would be appreciated.


Working on the video now so that will be up on my channel soon. It was a tough hike. I was very tired when I finished. Tired enough that I really didn’t want to think about my next section at all. But I knew that would pass when I got off the trail and had time to recover.

[cneill13]

I camped out at Gooch Mountain shelter last Friday in Georgia. Man it was cold! I saw 4 people sleeping in a 1 person tent. I didn't think that was possible. We also had 3 NOBO thru hikers camping with us that were just starting out. It's going to be cold in those Smokies.

Carl

[Uncle Joe]

I camped out at Gooch Mountain shelter last Friday in Georgia. Man it was cold! I saw 4 people sleeping in a 1 person tent. I didn't think that was possible. We also had 3 NOBO thru hikers camping with us that were just starting out. It's going to be cold in those Smokies.

Carl

Yeah not sure I will do that again on purpose.

[Malto]

Rather than a full tent.... If this is just for shoulder/winter then bugs aren't an issue and a mid style tarp like an MLD Solomid could be a very lightweight and robust solution. they can be pitched directly to the ground and are likely one of the most robust designs short of a full on 4 season tent like Tipis palace.

The North Georgia mountains surprise a lot of people. While Atlanta is fairly mild, the wind and cold howls over them ridges and hollers.

[PackHorse]

When I'm "hammocking" and it gets to cold for me (I don't have the underquilts), I "go to ground". I set up my tarp for a 3 sided tent either using a hiking pole or tree and use my hammock wrapped around my sleeping bag as a bivy layer. I think just getting down out of the breeze is the key for me.

[Uncle Joe]

Yeah I thought about a tarp-tent but not really crazy about being directly on the ground but the absence of rods and such are a plus.