Erwin NOBO this spring ---When???

[Rightfoot]

I would like to take a two week section hike this spring heading NOBO out of Erwin. Given that there is no "typical" spring weather in the mountains, in general when do the really cold temps. move out along with the threat of snow. My wife will not enjoy the trip if too cold or snow to contend with. Having asked that, I would also want to avoid the freight train of thru hikers heading NOBO to allow us more solitude. When would they generally be moving through this area in mass? ( This reads badly... nothing at all against thru hikers, wish I was one of them).

Thanks for the help,

Rightfoot

[Papa D]

I would like to take a two week section hike this spring heading NOBO out of Erwin. Given that there is no "typical" spring weather in the mountains, in general when do the really cold temps. move out along with the threat of snow. My wife will not enjoy the trip if too cold or snow to contend with. Having asked that, I would also want to avoid the freight train of thru hikers heading NOBO to allow us more solitude. When would they generally be moving through this area in mass? ( This reads badly... nothing at all against thru hikers, wish I was one of them).

Thanks for the help,

Rightfoot

I was just there last weekend - several inches of snow on the trail - you should be good to go in late February though, I would guess. Send a message to 10K. He lives in Erwin and is a great source of current trail info of that area - are you going Erwin to Damascus, VA.? - that should be a nice hike.

[bigcranky]

May or even early June would be great. Decent weather, not too cold, and not as many hikers on the trail.

[Slo-go'en]

I'd pick the 2nd and 3d weeks of May. That should be reasonably safe for being not too cold, but not too hot either and still have wild flowers and flowering trees and bushes still putting on a show.