Tricorner to Newfound Gap
Is it unrealistic to try to do Tricorner to Newfound Gap in 1 day?..especially during this time of year?
No, it's not unrealistic at all even this time of year. It's only about 15 miles and it's easy hiking from Tricorner to Newfound. Just be sure to stop and check out Charlies Bunion on your way it is a must see.
No, easy hiking. +1 on Charlie's Bunion. Get an early start.
If by that you mean very short daylight hours, that's true. It would be my concern.Originally Posted by mts4602
RainMan
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[I]ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: ... Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit....[/I]. Numbers 35
[url]www.MeetUp.com/NashvilleBackpacker[/url]
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The last 3 miles or so from Icewater Spring is downhill, easy grade, nice wide trail. Shouldn't be a problem in the dark.
Note that there is a major storm going to hit Friday afternoon, and Newfound Gap Road will likely be closed for a day or two.
Thanks a lot,
My main concern is the weather. We are starting on the 1st of January not this friday so hopefully we'll luck out with the weather.
And yes my question was towards the lack of daylight hours and difficulty.
where is tricorner?
My question is how are you getting to Tri-Corner Knob? it can be done in a day but take a headlamp.
"When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice."
Between Peck's Corner and Cosby Knob shelters, just north of Mount Chapman. It's where three different mountains come together to form a "corner". It's also considered to be the most remote spot in North Carolina. Easy water, too, because the spring is about 10 feet from the shelter, and the pipe is high enough you don't even have to bend down! I think it's also the highest shelter in the park.
Y'all are making this sound so inviting . . . but then I look out the window.
Snow continues at Sugar Grove.
Kinnickinic
You never know just what you can do until you realize you absolutely have to do it.
--Salaun
I was supposed to do a trip in the Smokies this weekend, but I got worried about the weather the other day and called and talked to a ranger that said there was two feet of snow in the higher elevations. I decided that I probably shouldn't go post holing through that by myself so I decided to reschedule.
coming from mt. sterling via balsam mtn trail.
I hope the snow is still there in 2 weeks but i just don't want to hike through a snow storm like this weekend.
As of right now 24 inches at newfound gap, 28 at mt. leconte
I'll second that. I went from Newfound Gap to Icewater in the middle of the night in January a couple of years ago. Plenty of snow around, some whipping winds and single digit temperatures. Had my normal winter gear and plenty of headlamp power. No problems. I'd be worried about cold rain more than anything else for a long day, but anything over a foot of snow will put huge limitations on how far you can expect to travel, IMO.
That's my dog, Echo. He's a fine young dog.
Two feet of snow will seriously hamper your ability to do fifteen miles. I speak from experience. Eighteen to twenty-four inches of snow in the smokies brought my late 2005 sobo to a near standstill. I remember a grueling day of post-holing where we covered maybe seven or eight miles. We were in great shape at that point but post holing in two feet of snow sucks the lifeforce right out of you. We bailed into the valley near siler's bald after hitting up clingman's dome and ended up taking Hazel Creek Trail into the lakeshore trail and finally one other trail into the fontana dam area if my memory serves me correctly. No snow down low made for easy hiking. Even with snowshoes that would be a haul banging out fifteen miles up high in two feet of snow. Then again if you do this type of thing all the time you might be good but if you don't...coming from mt. sterling via balsam mtn trail.
I hope the snow is still there in 2 weeks but i just don't want to hike through a snow storm like this weekend.
As of right now 24 inches at newfound gap, 28 at mt. leconte
-frankenfeet stomps it flat-
A thought.
To the hiker who started this thread:
Forget focusing on "Can it be done at this time of year?" You will get all kinds of answers that will not help you figure out if you will live thru this hike and a have a good time of it. Change the question. "Can it be done by me in a style that ecourages hiking safely in the conditons that I will be facing?" That is now a question with meaning. Enjoy your hike.
-frankenfeet stomps it flat-
First of all, I asked the question Before the smokies got 2 feet of snow. The snow of course changes everything. I've hiked on easy trails at home in the snow and it takes forever so I understand.
B/c of the snow we are just going to leave our car at big creek and hike from tricorner back to big creek. If we encounter too much snow, we'll know by the time we get up to Mt. Sterling on the first day and can make changes to our plans if need be.
I have a valid point.
Dump the tude dude. My point still sticks. If you want to know whether a trip is feasible asking others is ok but you still need to examine your own skills and your ability to apply them in a given set of conditions. Asking someone else if you can do something can yield interesting answers.
-frankenfeet stomps it flat-
You exhibit some great qualities.
Hey I am glad you are flexible with your trip in regards to route planning and modification of said route along the way. A book I am reading "Deep Survival" asserts that folks resistant to modifying their routes simply because they planned it that way and therfore they must do it that way are more likely to become SAR cases. A significant cross section of survivors of SAR cases seem to express this common thread of being unwilling to change their plans/route even in the face of unsafe conditions. I hope your trip is enjoyable. I have hiked in the area you will be in and it is very nice.
-frankenfeet stomps it flat-
My experience in the smokies with snow is as long as you are there a day or so after the snow some one else has probably broke trail and the going is a little easier. the AT seems to get fairly heavy use even in winter. balsam mtn is a wonderful trail but may require postholing depending on who has been through there befor you. take some instep crampons they are a lifesaver.
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