Trail Conditions: MD, VA, or NC

[Taboo]

Hope to do a 40ish mile section next week (Mar 24th) and am wondering about trail conditions. I can stand a bit of misery, but don't wanna do any post holing or giant ice slides. I'm flexible on the site.

Plan A: Maryland section
Plan B: Damascus, Va north
Plan C: Albert Mountain north

anyone have any info on trail conditions...especially snow.

[MDSection12]

Hope to do a 40ish mile section next week (Mar 24th) and am wondering about trail conditions. I can stand a bit of misery, but don't wanna do any post holing or giant ice slides. I'm flexible on the site.

Plan A: Maryland section
Plan B: Damascus, Va north
Plan C: Albert Mountain north

anyone have any info on trail conditions...especially snow.

You may find spots of snow in the shade in MD at the higher elevations, but it will be very rare.

[Taboo]

Thanks MDSection 12. I'm leaning toward doing MD just because the lower elevation should offer fewer sudden surprises. My limit to winter weather hiking is 18 deg with 20 mph sustained winds/40 mph gusts. Made it fine, and learned an important lesson about water filters and 18F weather But being from Alabama doesn't teach you a lot about dealing with deep snow. We get sudden and dramatic temperatures flux (70 today, 15 tomorrow has happened) but I just wasn't sure how much snow had piled up on the trail and had not melted. Appreciate the info. I'll keep a check on the weather.

[MDSection12]

I think we will stay within your criteria next week. Wind chills could potentially approach 18 degrees on the ridges but I don't think the actual temp will get that low. The MD section is a lot of fun (does my username give away that I may be biased?) if you haven't done it. If you like history, particularly civil war history, then it will be especially fun for you. If you do make sure to spend a night at Annapolis Rock. Good luck!

[FarmerChef]

For hikes in this region I like to go down to SNP's webcams and have a look around. They're at a decent elevation for the area and even though I can't see snow on the mountain tops about 2 miles from my house I often wonder about another 1 or 2 thousand feet up. Here's the cam at Big Meadows. You can see patchy snow there. MD would most likely be clear by comparison unless the snow drifted and just took longer to melt.

This method isn't foolproof but it and posting here to get local input are some of the best methods I've found so far.

[MDSection12]

Oh ya forgot this bit; if you do MD go South. Pen Mar Park is cool, but there's not really anything up there. Going South you finish up in (literally in) Harper's Ferry, WV and there are any number of places to grab a burger and a beer while you wait for your ride. I love finishing hikes there. I grab some grub and a beer and by the time my wife pulls up I'm fat and happy just lounging in the grass near the train station.

[richmondhokie]

Oh ya forgot this bit; if you do MD go South. Pen Mar Park is cool, but there's not really anything up there. Going South you finish up in (literally in) Harper's Ferry, WV and there are any number of places to grab a burger and a beer while you wait for your ride. I love finishing hikes there. I grab some grub and a beer and by the time my wife pulls up I'm fat and happy just lounging in the grass near the train station.

PenMar to HFWV was my first real section hike and had a blast - finishing up the last miles along the river (FLAT) was a welcome relief.

[MDSection12]

PenMar to HFWV was my first real section hike and had a blast - finishing up the last miles along the river (FLAT) was a welcome relief.

Ugh. I hate hiking on the C&O. The only scenery that changes is the numbers on the mile markers.

[richmondhokie]

Ugh. I hate hiking on the C&O. The only scenery that changes is the numbers on the mile markers.

Well - it was a nice FLAT finish to my first real hike.....that's ALL I liked about it.

[earlyriser26]

MD has little or no snow. I hiked part of the state 2 weeks ago and will complete the rest the first week in April. Just bought 6.6 acres in VA today near Richmond. Finally moving much closer to the AT soon.

[Taboo]

Oddly, it's supposed to snow in my part of Alabama tonight. Looks like it'll be plenty cold in Maryland, but nothing as bad as the other sections I had as possibilities. And I love Civil War history so that should add to it all. Now just gotta find a shuttle for Monday morning and I'm set. Thanks again for all the help.