Temp - Appalachian Trail

imported
#1

Is there a source where I can find average temperatures along the southern part of the trail for a given time of the year?

I’m begining to think that my 15F bag won’t cut it for a late Febuary start.

Jeff T

#2

Hey Jeff,

Try www.weather.com just type in one of the citys on the route on the search bar, and when the result comes up, click on the “averages and records” link. then, subtract ten degrees for being on the mountain tops, twenty if the weather is bad!

seriously, subtract at least ten degrees to account for elevation…

Big Dee

#3

here’s the monthly stats for franklin, nc, near standing india, for march. very informative…

http://www.weather.com/activities/other/other/weather/climo-dly.html?locid=USNC0246&climoMonth=3

big Dee

#4

The standard temperature lapse rate (atmospheric) is three degrees F. per 1,000 feet of elevation gain.
S0…
Subtract 3 degrees per one thousand feet of elevation above the town where the temp was measured.

Tyger

#5

http://www.appalachiantrail.org/hike/plan/weather.html

this is part of the ATC page. It will give you projections for weather in different months on different sections of the trail. It will also adjust for elevation.

TheGreatWhazoo

#6

There is a way to add efficiency to a sleeping bag. Use a tarp cover, put on clothing, wear a hat, gloves, extra socks, as well as longjohns,as well as a sweater.

A tent will also add degree protection. The Shelter is the coldest place to sleep unless it is very crowded and then the warmth of other bodies will create comfort temperature wise while decrease comfort from snoring, people getting up in the middle of the night, and so on.

Sleeping in a Hammock will be colder because of the air circulating beneath the hammock. Check out the Speer site for hints on how to extend the warmth appreciation of that type of camp.

Skylander

#7

Thanks guys. Excellent help.

I will be using a SD Lightyear tent up until Mt. Rogers, then switch to my hammock or my Tarptent (still haven’t decided), and a WM Highlight (40F).

Jeff T

#8

Good advice on all, except I beg to differ on Skylanders post…

Wearing additional or more specifically excessive clothing in your sleeping bag may not help at all, and can actaully DECREASE the effectiveness of the bag… A sleeping bag traps a small amount of warm air around your body, that you in turn warm up, and the insulation prevents the outside temps from lowering… By wearing an excessive amount of clothing, you may decrease the amount of trapped air, or eliminate ot altogether, making the bag a very inefficient warmth maintainer…

I use a 20F synthetic bag (TNF Cat’s Meow) for fall/winter/spring…if too warm, I sleep on top or use it like a blanket on top of my pad… if cold, I will wear a hat, and my lightweight longjohns, one layer of heavy socks, and maybe, glove liners… On a few rare occasions, my feet got a little cold when in shelters or in my tarptent due to the breeze flowing through, in which case I used my heavy duty garbage bag I wrap my sleeping bag up in for waterproofing while hiking, and used it like a wind/vapor barrier over the toebox of the bag… works well, sometimes too well… or, if you prefer to sleep nekkid, use a thin silk liner, work s really well in the bag…

IN context, during both US Army and AIr Force cold weather and extreme cold weather survival training, you HAVE to sleep nekkid or near so in your bag, AND they check you… if you are caught with extra gear on, you fail the course… it is a way to prove to the students that the bag needs the air space to function effectively, and show them how warm they can get in them… that military bag weighed an obnoxious amount, but I have slept in it down to the minus 30’s… outside of a little brain damage, I am ok… :tongue

Anyways, hammocking can be fun too, I sorta prefer it… my Hennessee Hammock A-Sym works well, recommend a larger tarp then the one you get, to work as both a rain and wind barrier especially in winter on the latter, and hang the hammack as low as possible… in winter I carry a larger sized open foam pad, bigger then the sleeping bag’s width… takes a bit of skill getting into the Hennessee from the bottom, then getting on top of the pad and into your bag, but once there, works really well for me… a low slung tarp over the bag, with sides almost touching the ground, allows ventilation and air circulation, but not so much you have to be cold, adjust to liking…

Try it out on a weekender sometime, maybe near a shelter were you can ditch and go there if it doesn’t work for you, otherwise enjoy…

-xtn :cheers

airferret

#9

The ferret is right. I carried an Army bag back in 73 and it was very warm. (and Heavy!) Eventually I switched to a North Face superlight that I still use today, thirty years later. The Army bag went to that great camping ground in the sky. A set of poly longjohns and/or my silk liner keep the temps at bay on chilly nights. Most thru’s seem to switch to lighter systems as they go. A 15 degree bag will “cut it” if you know how to reduce heat loss. Use a tent, keep out of the wind… and bring a friend!

CitySlicker73

#10

Yeah, I should have added that one…

A cute redhead and a set of mate-able sleeping bags should keep you warm no matter what the temperature is outside !!! :tongue

OK, she left the room…brunettes and blonds work well too :smiley:

Keepin’ it real

-xtn :cheers

airferret

#11

don’t know where ya live jeff, but i field tested my gear in my back yard in the coldest temps for several nights to rest my mind that my survival skills and gear were correct for me.

That is the real question. and you are asking it. does my gear work for me. the only way to know before you go is to get out in the worst case senerio situations in your area and see if you can do it at home.

burn

#12

http://www.thru-hiker.com/temporal.asp You can see the extremes as well as the averages. As has been mentioned, subtract for higher elevations.

Groucho

#13

Well, I live in Canada, so I have no problem finding cold temperature. But it’s kinda hard to test out my set-up in my apartment. :slight_smile:

I will be getting a silk liner soon. Hopefully it will come in before I go to Mt. Mansfield in VT next week.

Otherwise, I’m out of luck. I don’t think I can fit a cute redhead, or blond, brunette for that matter into a SD Lightyear with me.

The one caveat that I noticed with my very light Marmot Helium is that it is missing a collar, and therefore much of the heat was probally escaping.

Jeff T