winter gear

[C Seeker]

I will be hiking on the AT this upcoming year, only problem is that I have a late starting because of schooling. I My plan is to start in VA go to Maine by September or November. Go down to Georgia and hike back to VA by December. I was wondering if I would need to bring any hard core winter gear, snowshoes, boot chains, anything? If so any certain spots on the trail? Thanks

[bigcranky]

This is actually a good plan -- if you start at, say, Harper's Ferry in mid-June, you can be at Katahdin by mid to late September, then flip south and do the other half (though I think many hikers would start at HF again and hike south to Springer.) Then you'll finish before Christmas, most likely.

In my experience. you won't need any serious winter gear other than a good winter bag and clothing. Oh, and some blaze orange stuff. We don't really get a lot of snow in December. But the nights are long and can get cold. But I still think it's the best time of year to be on the trail.

[IronGutsTommy]

in the whites, the areas of new hampshire and maine, youll definitely want some crampons and snoe shoes. i was tempted to go the microspike/bootchain route til i read about people falling 1500 feet, 400 feet with micros or stabilicers on. luckily they werent seriously injured but it justified the weight addition to bring crampons. also keep in mind the Kennebac river ferry (maine) usually stops for the season oct. 12th, youll have to contact him, name dave i believe, to arrange a special crossing otherwise. you could try to ford the river, but a hiker drowned in 1985 trying to do that.

[C Seeker]

I am starting at Front Royal 50 or so miles south from Harpers Ferry (home town) and going to try to get out of Maine by end of September...do you think I would need crampons? As that is just the starting of fall. Thanks

[bigcranky]

Hey, Tommy, she'll be hiking the Whites in late August -- care to rethink your suggestions?

Seeker, you will hit New England at the PERFECT time of year. Enjoy.

[C Seeker]

Thanks, Tommy through me for a loop when he said I needed stuff in New Hampshire and Maine, for the season I was hiking in. Glad to get that clarified. Now I'm just wondering how is it going to be, hiking up from the south October-December

[Moose2001]

If you flip back to HF as Big Cranky suggested, you should be able to hike with the southbounders. Otherwise, you'll spend a lot of time alone.

[C Seeker]

That was going to be my plan, but my Boyfriend/ hiking partner wanted to do the south up to north. I decided to go the route he wanted to, sometime you just have to trust your partner and go the route he wants to. Plus I like the idea of hiking home on maybe walk in my house on Christmas day as I live on the trail.

[C Seeker]

Do you all feel like i'm going to run into snow on the mountains, also how cold may it get? October- December Springer to SNP

[Moose2001]

Snow - VERY possible. All depends on how the winter weather on the East coast is.

Temps? Hmmm.....If it was me, I'd have a 0 degree bag.

[bigcranky]

Hmm, if you flip to Georgia around October 1 and finish up at Harper's Ferry by Christmas, you might get a little snow. We usually don't get a lot of snow until after the new year. The Smokies might have some early snow, but you'll be through there before the end of October. It can get cold, though -- I do take my winter bag after mid-November or so. I'm fine with a 30-F bag in October through early November.

For me the biggest challenge is the short day length. But you'll be at the end of your hike, so getting the miles in shouldn't be too difficult.

[Wolf - 23000]

C_Seeker,

I've section hike the AT completely in the winter (only months that counted were Dec. - Feb.) What your looking at, you won't need anything to hard core unless you really are planning on hiking up Mount Katahdin in November - After Oct 15, park rangers really don't recommend you climb to the top.

The second location you could get hit with is around the Smokies. I've seen the Smokies get slam with snow - 4 feet off of one storm. It made it hard hiking getting through everything.

Hope this helps.

Wolf

[Nean]

You will be fine and wont be crowded. As you know- snow in the doah in Dec. is possible (we had 7-12" last year) but I still wouldn't bother w/ snowshoes.

Funny how some who haven't a clue will advise.

[JAK]

I've hiked parts of the Fundy Footpath in winter, which is similar to the AT. Because it runs along the Bay of Fundy Coast much of the trail runs along the side of a steep slope, while also going up and down regularly where gullies and streams and rivers cut through.

Anyhow, there can be blowdowns that trail maintainers haven't gotten to yet because it just happened or its off season. I summer it is not so bad figuring out a way under or around these blowdowns, but in winter the steep slope, combined with snow and ice, can make it very difficult and often very dangerous to get around these blowdowns. In fact, even without blowdowns there can be ice across the trail, from meltwater oozing out of the upslope side of the trail, refreezing on the trail and down the slope from the trail. Sometimes there are trees to make your way across, but sometimes there isn't and you are looking at a pretty nasty slide down a steep and icy slope if you happen to slip, which in some cases is pretty much guaranteed unless you take measures. The Fundy Footpath is generally on a south facing slope, and the Bay of Fundy tends to be sunny in winter, so you get alot of this icing. There are several small landslides in places also. Usually not a problem scurrying across in summer, but they would be more treacherous in winter, especially after fresh snow with everything covered over.

So, what to do? Are you likely to come across these sorts of scenarios in winter on parts of the AT? What would you bring along to deal with it? I've thought of this on the Fundy Footpath but haven't done the whole thing in winter yet. So far I've just found my way safely around, or turned back.

Stuff I have considered:
1. A decent folding saw for cutting branches to make a tunnel over or under a fallen tree across the path. It's mostly spruce on the Fundy Footpath, and the have alot of branches.
2. Crampons you can hike in. This would be a PITA, but if there is snow on the trail you might not see the ice. If the side slope is steep and treacherous enough then you might need the extra precaution. Maybe 10-20% of the trail is like this, if you include the parts where you would just keep them on rather than putting them on and taking them off.
3. A hiking staff or pole to feel your way along for ice under the snow. Perhaps hiking sticks, but it is very useful on the path to grab trees most of the time, so a single staff or pole might be better.
4. Ice crampons. Really serious ones for really nasty ice in dangerous places. Or perhaps some sort of an ice-axe instead.
5. A rope to tie youself to a tree in case you do slide off the trail and down the slope, but I don't know enough about mountaineering to know how you would go about this and be still be able to get your rope back.

So far, lacking the skills and knowledge to use them properly, I don't bring anything special, and I just turn back. I've been considering simple slip on ice cleats and maybe a short rope. I often carry a pole in winter, something I pick up along the way if needed.

So it might not be very often, but now and then it is possible to come across something in winter that might seriously require mountaineering equipment and techniques to cross safely. So do you risk it, if you can't safely improvise, or do you go back the way you came?

Does this apply to parts of the AT in winter? I don't know. Maybe after a storm.

Anyone?

[Nean]

Crampons would come in handy for a few places in the Smokys and Whites for ice. Saws, ropes, ice axe not needed.

[Luddite]

I know on my hike through the Smokys I wish I has a pair of crampons everyday. Those inexpensive light crampons would work great. Its hard to keep a good pace when you're trying not to slip.

[JAK]

Would those yak trax be enough for really slippery side slopes?
Are they comfy in light snow, when there might be ice underneath?
If there is suddenly some slippery ice under snow, would yak trax work in that situation, or are they really only good on bare ice?

[bigcranky]

She'll be in the Smokies in early October at the latest. There isn't any need for crampons or Yaktrax.

[kayak karl]

Would those yak trax be enough for really slippery side slopes?
Are they comfy in light snow, when there might be ice underneath?
If there is suddenly some slippery ice under snow, would yak trax work in that situation, or are they really only good on bare ice?

yak craps are not worth the money. instep crapons ok. ZIP SCREWS IN BOOTS WILL BE ENOUGH.

[Elder]

Check out the IceTrekkers at www.icetrekkers.com
The Diamond grips do not effect stride, even running and are designed for backcoutry all terrain (except vertical) mixed rock/snow and ice.
Like snowchains for your feet.