I was just wondering if anyone knew of the general weather down in Georgia/NC area for the last few weeks. Several trailjournalists haven’t posted entries in a few weeks and i was wondering if they recieved major snow dumping or cold temps, or whether class of 2002 just has a little hold in their step…thanks
A-train
I am actually in the mid-Atlantic, so I don’t have firsthand information about what’s happening down south. However, after a entire winter of much above normal (and, for the most part, snowless) weather over the eastern half of the country, there appears to be a trend toward much, much colder (and potentially snowier) weather starting early next week. For those on the trail or preparing to hit the trail, you would be well advised to keep tabs on local weather reports in case this forecast actually verifies. The cold will likely feel a lot worse if, like me, you are used to these warm temps we’ve been experiencing.
Ken G
I live about 5 miles from the Southern Terminus and it has been a bit warmer than typical February weather. Nights are in the 20’s and days in the high forties and low fifties. Below average rain/snowfall this year so far.
I know of one thru-hiker who started in January and bailed at Hiawassee because he said he was cold every night (I think “froze my butt off” were his exact words) and had hiked in solitude for most of the 75 miles through Georgia. He intends to return to the trail around 29 March.
I have dropped off four thru-hikers so far; one(Ramblin John) on 28 Jan.(Not the one described previously), one (E-Z-DOES-IT) on 10 Feb., and two (Yin and Yang) on the 16th of Feb.
I have heard nothing from any of them to date.
Hacksaw
Hacksaw
Just a question for those of you who may live near the north end of the Smokies or thereabouts. I am planning a trip starting in mid-March beginning at Davenport Gap and am trying to decide if I should take my -5 degree bag or my 20 degree. I wouldn’t say that I am a cold sleeper but I do tend to cool off as the night progresses. I would love to be able to get away with taking my 20 degree just because it is SO much lighter and packs a heck of a lot better, but I also don’t want to freeze at night. Any suggestions or comments would be welcome. Take care…
Yoda
…is always expect the worst. In the Smokies, March weather can be real nice, but it can also be brutal. Moreover, sometimes it can change from one to the other within a few hours.
If your memory is short, do a web search on the “March 1993 Superstorm”. That storm hit in mid-March after a couple of beautiful sunny days. It left several feet of snow up and down the spine of the Appalachians with the Smokies getting the worst of it (Mt. Mitchell in NC got 50" and Mt. LeCont in TN got 54"!). In addition to several FEET of snow, the storm was followed by several days of extreme cold. The end result was that, even though the storm was well forecast, there were literally hundreds of hikers stranded in and around the Smokies who had to hunker down for at least a day or two (and sometimes a lot more) in very cold and windy weather. I suspect that any who were caught in that storm with a 20-degree bag were, at best, extremely uncomfortable… at worst, they risked their lives.
Obviously, that is an extreme case, but, if you really want to be safe, you should assume it could happen again.
Ken G.
I took my 15 degree bag and a silk liner. Even when it was snowing I was too hot. I switched out bag at NOC. Got my 20 degree bag with the silk liner, I was plenty warm and it was plenty cold. I sleep in a hammock and was nice and toasty. (Not sure about the 20 degree w/o the liner.) Hammock Hanger
hamockhngr
I live about 30 minutes from the Smokies. During the last few years, my son and I have hiked almost half of all of the trails in the park ( 900 miles total ). My son uses a 20 Deg bag and I use a 15 Deg. Last year during our Section hike of the Smokies, we left on March 22nd in up to 2 feet of snow and several inches of ice. Low temps were about 15 degs. If you are a warm sleeper, a 20 deg bag should be Ok with a good fleece layer of clothing as well. In the group we were with, the lowest temp bag was my 15 deg one. Take the 20 Deg bag and some thermal underwear and a good fleece jacket and maybe pants. You will be fine.
Here is a picture of that trip 
http://users.chartertn.net/jdeane/hq43.jpg
PS: I just ordered a New 15 Deg Feathered Friends Rock Wren II for my Heneessy Hammock. Try sleeping in that at 15 Degs sometime
Have fun on your trip,
Jim and James Deane, Rebels with a Cause !!
Jim Deane
I am starting a section hike on the 11th of March from Amicola to Damascus and anticipate hitting the Smokies during the third week of March. Anyway, I am going to be sending a heavy liner to the Hiker Inn in Fontana which will allow my 15 degree bag to act like a 0 degree bag through the Smokies. I will send it back in Hot Springs.
The nice thing about the AT is that the only place in the South that I can think of where weather would become a problem for the hiker ala the great blizzard of '93 is the Smokies.
The Great Smoky Mountains really don’t have a lot of easy to bail out points whereas, I can think of a buch almost anywhere else on the trail.
For example, I got hit with 3 inches of snow and bad weather at Over Mountain shelter. There is an old dirt road right next to it that will lead one into safety if the snow conditions are too severe. That is hardly the case at Mollies Ridge, Double Spring Shelter, etc. in the Smokies.
Mr. Boo