Snowshoes in Georgia, now. Yes or no?

[ShelterLeopard]

Title says it all. I leave for my thru on Friday (), there's a TON of snow up here in New Jersey. How about it, should I bring snowshoes for the first month, yes or no? (Small snowshoes from LL Bean, see the picture/link, slightly smaller than the ones I posted) Or should I leave 'em home?

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/57390...owshoes-womens

[Two Speed]

I sincerely doubt you'll need them on the AT in Georgia. Take them if you want to but I'm pretty sure you'll be mailing them home from Neel's Gap.

[bigcranky]

I would call the outfitter at Neels Gap and ask. We were on the trail in Tennessee south of Damascus over the weekend and definitely needed snowshoes. The current trail journals I've been reading talk about knee deep snow with waist-high drifts in Georgia right now. It looks like many hikers are doing it without snowshoes -- but I would sure want them under those snow conditions.

[Lone Wolf]

I would call the outfitter at Neels Gap and ask.

why? those guys don't leave the building

[BrianLe]

I figure if it's bad enough to need snowshoes for extended periods I'll get off trail and wait for the snow to pack down enough or melt out enough or whatever. If not needed for extended periods I'd rather just deal with it than carry snowshoes.

[ShelterLeopard]

Good idea, I'll call the Walasi- Yi.

[canoehead]

Small narrow snowshoes won't float you & a pack in the snow.
I'm 5'7" 170. backpack was 40lbs winter pack & skis and I just came back from the whites I use a 30" snowshoe that will float up 250lbs.
I'd go with good Gaiters to keep the snow out and step in 4 point crampons thier small and work if you get into steep icey stuff. you'll also be burning allot more energy, sweating and not traveling very far.. If it's that deep hit town and wait for someone else to break trail enjoy

[Tipi Walter]

I'd take crampons before I'd take snowshoes. Two trips ago I was caught in a hellish snow with deep cold(around 0F)and had to plow thru 24 to 40 inch snow along a high ridge in NC and it ain't no fun. It's hard to do even without a pack but of course I had a pack, etc. 3,000 feet off the mountain there was snow but nothing deep. Postholing. Who likes to posthole? You can do it though it'll take you 3 or 4 times as long. Slog thru it, go 2 or 4 miles, set up camp, and continue the next day. What's the hurry? You'll have plenty of snow to use for melt water.

The thing is, just sit tight and pull a couple zero days in the tent. What's the hurry? Most AT types bail and hole up in a motel for a few days but this is unnecessary and you're back where you started: on a couch like a potato and not out in the woods. The Blizzard of '93 shut down the Southeast and alot of the backpackers had problems when they tried to bail. Hunker in and enjoy the show.

[Cool AT Breeze]

why? those guys don't leave the building

Don't need snowshoes. I was out all day shuttleing from Unicoi to Springer. I even got about 3 miles of hiking in. Talked to alot of hikers. The snow is no more than a foot deep. Lots of blow downs and low hanging branchs. Right now the footing is good. Soon it will be a mud pit. You need 4X4 to get to the parking lot on FS 42 right now, lots of ice mud and deep snow. Be carefull out there, and have fun.

[SGT Rock]

why? those guys don't leave the building

I bet you won't need them around Damascus either. The AT to Dots is probably clear too.

[Cool AT Breeze]

I bet he could make it home from Dots in a whiteout.

[Ox97GaMe]

I wouldnt think they would be needed. I have been up on the ridgeline in the Smokies at least one day for each of the last 6 weeks. We have had what folks around here call a 'Very High Snow year'. Although snowshoes were helpful in a few spots, there wasnt anything that absolutely required them.

In Georgia, there are really 2 mountains that you might need to worry about large amounts of snow; Blood Mtn and Tray Mtn. Coming down Blood will be absolutely miserable with snowshoes on, as it is rock stairs for a considerable distance.

There will be enough hikers in that area to have broken trail for you. You will only really be contending with the previous day/night's snow on any given day. Any snow that does get on the ground in Georgia generally melts within a day or two, once the weather gets above 32.

[Mags]

The snow won't be enough for snowshoes and what snow there is will probably be packed down. Even in CO, you can often bareboot the heavily packed down and more popular trails...

[kanga]

you won't need snowshoes. you will, however, have a ton of fun coming down blood mtn. it's ice on and off through april.

[Ox97GaMe]

Got an update this morning. GATC is still planning to do trail maintenance (Relo) this weekend between Unicoi Gap and Tray Mtn. Snow is not an issue at this time. They are watching another storm scheduled to arrive Thur/Fri in the area. But I would say that if the snow isnt deep enough to cancel trail maintenance, hiking wont be an issue at all.

[ShelterLeopard]

I'd take crampons before I'd take snowshoes. Two trips ago I was caught in a hellish snow with deep cold(around 0F)and had to plow thru 24 to 40 inch snow along a high ridge in NC and it ain't no fun. It's hard to do even without a pack but of course I had a pack, etc. 3,000 feet off the mountain there was snow but nothing deep. Postholing. Who likes to posthole? You can do it though it'll take you 3 or 4 times as long. Slog thru it, go 2 or 4 miles, set up camp, and continue the next day. What's the hurry? You'll have plenty of snow to use for melt water.

The thing is, just sit tight and pull a couple zero days in the tent. What's the hurry? Most AT types bail and hole up in a motel for a few days but this is unnecessary and you're back where you started: on a couch like a potato and not out in the woods. The Blizzard of '93 shut down the Southeast and alot of the backpackers had problems when they tried to bail. Hunker in and enjoy the show.

Sounds good! I guess I'll just take the micro-spikes. And zero days in the tent sounds good- I'll pack a little extra food.

[take-a-knee]

you won't need snowshoes. you will, however, have a ton of fun coming down blood mtn. it's ice on and off through april.

Not on the Freeman trail for the most part.

[kanga]

Not on the Freeman trail for the most part.

i thought we were discussing the at?

[Lilred]

i thought we were discussing the at?

The Freemon trail is the bad weather trail for Blood Mountain. I took it and it is a rock hop for the most part. Loved it!! So, during extreme weather it is the AT, or at least can be substituted.

[kanga]

The Freemon trail is the bad weather trail for Blood Mountain. I took it and it is a rock hop for the most part. Loved it!! So, during extreme weather it is the AT, or at least can be substituted.

the purists will crucify you for saying that!