Feb 1st start date

[kayak karl]

i hiked north Jan and Feb '09. The south is the coldest , wettest place i have ever been. 10 degrees in morning, rises to 40 by lunch, then rain till 3, snow and 30 degrees and finally dropping back into the teens. the next morning putting on frozen boots and clothes and doing it all again. you gotta love it PS i did it with a hammock.

[Just Bill]

Anyone else out there thinking of a beginning of February start date? Have to start early because of work. Have lots of winter backpacking/ camping experience so outside of the pack weight and possible zero days and not getting the high miles at the start, things will be fine so please no one try to tell me their reasons why I shouldn't lol
see you all out there
gottab

Enjoy your hike.

[je1230]

I'm starting mid February (somewhere between Feb 8 and Feb 22).

[CoconutTree]

I'm not sure about this. This last mid February saw -17 in some parts. I think once you're past February you'll be fine, but I wouldn't want to chance it that early on.

You guys started in January so were up in the NC highlands in mid February. For those starting in mid Feb, they won't get to the Smokies until early March, but that's when the big, wet snow storms hit there. If the El Nino predictions pan out, it shouldn't be nearly as cold down south as it was last year, but it could be wetter and with more snow.

Just to add some more data, if you look at hightlands, nc, elevation 4100', not too far from georgia, geographically or elevation wise, on Feb 20 the high was +7 and the low was -6.

Source: click on history tab and select february:
http://www.usclimatedata.com/climate...snc0317/2015/2

[CarlZ993]

The coldest part will be there when it gets there. Maybe more than once.
"It's never over 'till it's over."
The point being: You won't know until it happens.
Case in point: Big snow storm and cold weather the last week of March, first week of April, 2013. Chased a lot of people off the Trail and into towns. Every year folks starting in March say that they catch up to people who started in February.
It's all on the Internet if you look.
Have a great hike. Be safe.

Wayne


Sent from somewhere around here.

I remember that experience. Brrr!! Wish I had my Microspikes, too.

[HikingLane]

Me and my college buddy are starting on February 1st this year going NOBO from the approach trail. We will probably see you out there!