Northern Georgia at the end of August?
Just how hot and miserable will we be?
Yeah. better to wait but work/vacation time available dictate otherwise.
It most likely will be hot and humid. You might consider going up to NC to get to higher elevations and it will be a little better.
I dont mind hot and sweaty in day
Its hot, sweaty, humid, itchy at night i cant stand
And thats what you get
Temp will finally bottom at 60 or so at 5 am. Until then its hot and humid. Maybe 70 at midnight. Cant cover with anything. I sweat and itch and just cant sleep. But thats me.
1000-1500 ft more makes a big difference, 5-7f cooler
What I would give for temps bottoming at 60F! I was just in WNC @ 1200 ft and it was 80F at 10p, 70F at 5am. Winds at zero mph. If you're behind noseeum at 80F, it's warmer than 80F in there, I assure you. Without a fan I'd have lost my marbles.
For a gentleman from Bradenton, FLA, the Georgia section of the AT might not be too bad in late August. I live in Georgia and have done 80% of my AT sections in June, July, and August, all in the South. I did Georgia in two sections: the first in a ridiculously hot August and the second in a typically sultry July. It wasn't like relaxing in an air-conditioned room but it wasn't atrocious.
Usually, temps have begun to moderate just a bit by late August. Sometimes, an early season cool front comes through. But even if it still feels like summer, it's not as bad as Florida. If the days are particularly hot, making the climbs tough, plan accordingly to have some down time during the heat of the day. Hike early. Hike late. Rest in shade for several hours or longer during mid-afternoon. And even if it is summertime hot, the ridges at 3,500 feet or more should still offer nice breezes and decent temps.
Water may run low in late summer (and autumn), so know your reliable sources and always "gas up." Places like Stover Creek and Justus Creek and the usually-reliable shelter springs will be key.
Like Parrish or Fruitville FL but ascending and descending single track in deep woods backpacking with little breeze(not like Bradenton within 2-3 miles of the Gulf) through shaded understory forest. I lived in Temple Terrace(Tampa), Punta Gorda, and Fort Myers working as a steel worker across the state based out of Nokomis while in college at USF. I volunteered for several yrs at Selby Gardens but the weather there is more breezy being on Sarasota Bay than the GA AT will be. It will be hot and humid. You will be exerting yourself but that can be addressed for the conditions to make yourself more comfortable. You will sweat. You will likely get rained on. Prepare for those conditions. Plan wisely. GO!
Prepare by walking on the deep sandy beaches in Bradenton, wading in the Gulf hip deep water in sandy bottom, hike up and down bridges with a pedestrian walkway, and taking overnighters in Myakka River SP. Go with a very light wt kit. Drink often. Take an electrolyte mix. Pace yourself. That's what I did when living in FL preparing for backpacking trips elsewhere. It worked for me.
You hit all the main points---80F at 10pm, WINDS AT ZERO MPH, in-tent protection IS HOT etc. Were you car camping so you could have a fan????Originally Posted by Time Zone
The stillness in the summer air really is a drag---no wind for weeks at a time. Muggy, hot, miserable.
The bugs and noseeums can be bad but you get used to backpacking in the heat eventually. You'll be in a sweatlodge-sauna when humping your gear up mountains and you'll overheat but just find some deep shade and dump the pack and rest for 20 minutes. Start again.
The main consideration in August/September are the yellow jackets nests along the trail---and the copperheads or rattlesnakes you may see on the trail or in camp. All the rest isn't a real problem.
Yo GaryM!
Go north. Go up.
Skip the Smokies.
Roan Highlands. South of US 19-E at Elk Park, NC.
Currently in Boone, NC, elevation 3,300’, at 1pm it’s 78 degrees. Lows for the week in the upper 50s. Subtract 5-10 degrees for the AT in the Highlands. Late August will be even nicer.
Have fun!
Wayne
How much further north would I need to start for reasonable weather?
I just told you. Northern limit: US 19-E on the North Carolina-TN border. Mountain Harbor B&B, Hostel, Shuttle Service can take you as far south as you want to go.
Wayne
Missed that. got it now. Looking into it. Gonna have to buy the next section of Guthook...
5000 ft elevations in nc/tn are more tolerable at night.
After that....going north...you got to go all way to VT and NH to get more comfort. Mid atlantic is humid and hot low elevation.
Well, at least for the next 2 days. After that the hot and muggies arrive again, along with thunderstorms for the beginning of next week. The low tonight in the northern Whites will be 42, the low this coming Sunday, 62.
Follow slogoen on Instagram.
If you're going that far north to hike head west instead to CO or higher elevations in the southwest in NM and upper midwest like to to Y or G NP's. Even the GC N Rim will have lower humidity than the Aug blanket of the southeast, mid Atlantic, and all the way into the lower Northeast in Aug. When humid and hot I think it a great time to do a water filled coastal hike. The Olympic Peninsula or OR coast are great hikes. Do a coastal hike at either. Or, head up to MN and tackle the Superior Tr taking frequent advantage of the nearness to the lake. If you're going to slog make it epic easier. Dont be alarmed. The AT will still be there in the fall...maybe.
Another thing I've been increasingly adding to outdoor adventure is paddling sometimes added to a hike during the dog days of summer. I bring my yak or rent a canoe or a yak and do a paddle slash hike slash fishing trip. I'm looking to buy a packraft too. It's another great way to work with the seasons while still getting out getting the decompression time. Look for large lakes or reservoirs or tame rivers with trails along or circumnavigating around them. Float, fish, swim, and hike. Next day repeat.
Currently in:
Blue Ridge, GA: 85
Elk Park, NC: 68
The Tetons, Valley Floor: 80.
Wayne
I've lived in north GA about 25 miles from the AT for the last 30 years. This has been one of the wettest and coolest summers that I can remember. I'm in the woods just about every day and it really hasn't been bad concerning heat and mosquitoes. Most days it has been 80 - 85 during the day and 60 - 65 at night. I live at about 2,800 feet. Ticks have been bad though, but they are not as bad now as earlier in the summer. It hasn't rained everyday, but it's been close. And sometimes it rains more than once per day. Things could change in August, but I doubt it.
I wouldn't hesitate to hike GA in August and in fact do, living here. I spent a chilly night at Gooch Gap in August. I was in a hammock and no pad. Hey, it was August? Surely I'll be warm enough! It dropped low enough to force me up to put a jacket and socks on.
Yes - I was on a car trip thru WNC to RTP, and decided to stop overnight at Lake James SP in Nebo. They have a very nice frontcountry, tent-only campground.
But the fan wasn't big. It's small enough to hang around your neck, and operates on 2 AAs. With a silicone wristband around it, I was able to invert its usual upward orientation, so I hung it inside the tent, pointed down at me.
https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/sto...ce-fan/3273057
Try the Killington are of VermntTry the Killington area of Vermont. Ahhhh, wonderful.
You never know just what you can do until you realize you absolutely have to do it.
--Salaun
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