Hi all…again.
Just a quick question. I’m leaving July 5th from MA. Juat how cold could I “expect” it to get at night. I have a MH Phantom 32d, MH Phantom 45d and most recently aquired a MH Spectre SL for X-mass. Whichwould best suit the most likely nightime climate on the LT during the July month?
Thanks in advance,
-Sprocket (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=2631)
Sprocket
Most summers up my way are just cool at night, in the 50’s at the coldest. For max comfort you could use the 32 as a blanket. The weight between them all isn’t much. It could also be hotter than a muggy summer night on the eastern shore. I remember one night in Conn when it was nearly 90 in June. Should be nice when you go though. Keep in mind that with all the rain we’ve had the skeeters may be nutz. Best bring a breathable tent/tarp/tarp-tent/hammock/shelter.
Bushwhack
thanx bushwack,
what part of NE do you usually camp in? I’ve heard it gets “cold”…down to 40 degrees in the Green mountains in July? I expected mid 50’s, but THAT cool? Any LT hikers care to comment?
Sprocket
Hey, Sprocket. I’ve camped and hiked in every state up there. I’m from NH. The 50’s is typical New England summer weather. The mountains up there are in an unusual place on the earth. They funnel Canadian air south. You’ve heard of Mt. Washington being the wildest place on earth? It is. It can be 60 one minute and below freezing three minutes later. A lot has to do with altitude. Anything over about 4000’ gets cool. Less green house effect. Nothing to worry about. Think of it as a break from the nasty humid afternoon. After a few hours laying ON your bag it’ll cool down nice for the rest of the night. Try and camp part way up a hill; you’ll be shelterd from the ridge winds and will have less chance of fog settling in a valley getting all your gear wet.:cheers
BW
If I had to I would carry the 32 degree bag. I was in the Green Mountain in August of 03 and the temps consistently got into the high forties @ 3000-4000 foot. That was with daytime temps in the high eighties. I can see you are trying to cut weight so you have a decision to make. If you bring the 45 degree and are cold you will be cursing yourself over a few ounces of weight. I asm thru hiking the AT this year and will carry a 35 degree bag for the summer months thru mid atlantic and NE until Glencliff.
tribes
yea even down in CT there was only a few weeks that i used my 45, in those dog days in august. but in NE it can get chilly at night any time of year really and i think youd be well advised to carry the 32. if you like complete warmth every night. i dont think youd die with a 45 or anything…
milo
…so far for all the comments. As an aside, I also usually wind up using a silk bag liner to keep 'em clean and I know it’ll add some extra warmth as well. A 45 deg. rated bag could serve reasonably well (in conjunction with the liner) down to freezing. I got two bags for X-mas (the Spectre SL andthe 45D) and was just not sure which made the best sense…
Sprocket
Sprocket === Lighting and I hiked the LT in 2003 starting July 28th. We had rain 12 out of 24 days those were the cooler nights. I hiked with my 40 deg. bag and had NO problems. A couple of nights I put my hat on when I first got into the bag and took it off when I warmed up. You will have a GREAT time nice trail to walk.
Brother Buzz
Brother Buzz
I Finished just as Sprocket was starting, although I no longer count how many days of rain, it rained alot, particularly further north. I started with no bag, just a fleece blanket. I have a four season tent and therma rest and carried my usual colder weather gear. Hat, gloves, long underwear, fleece pants and jacket, and water proof outer shell. One night it dropped well below forty, radio was saying like 38 but I was camped at 3500 feet. When I got to Waitsfield, a very kind woman who runs an Inn, gave me another fleece blanket. I was fine from there on in. This year Im taking my 20 degree Mountain hardware as well as my fleece blanket. Ive finally come to grips with fact that in mot comfortable out there without certain stuff. This usually weighs about 37 pounds without water. Much better than my 2000 AT hike when I avergae about 47 pounds.
Chef
In my last post I ment Brother Buzz, not Sprocket. Obviously he has not hiked yet. Sorry:cheers
Chef
Sprocket, I’m sure with you on the silk bag liner (mine is actually a rectangular travel sheet/bag)…nothing better to keep your bag clean, too. I also used mine in a lot of places I’ve stayed. Plus if it’s warm you can sleep in it on top of your bag. 
Lady Di
I used it on my recent hike through the Mahoosucs and into NH (with a silk liner). We had 15 to 20* every night and I slept nice n cozy. I feel confident that it will hold up in the high 20’s just on it’s own.
Cheers
cheers
I’ve found a NOAA website that gives weather data pretty much all along the AT. Go to www.erh.noaa.gov/radar/national.html. Once there, click on the dot for the radar site your interested in. Then click on the site homepage which is directly above the radar image. Once at the site homepage, scroll down until you find a box labeled “Experimental Forecast Images”. Click on it to get recent weather info including temp, wind speed and rain amounts.
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