Late April Snow 2012

[Skyline]

Why would NOBOs ditch their winter gear in mid-April? It can and does often revert to winter with little notice through mid-May in the mountains of the AT.

[rocketsocks]

Why would NOBOs ditch their winter gear in mid-April? It can and does often revert to winter with little notice through mid-May in the mountains of the AT.

Honestly,3 reasons. 1.It's a game we play,send stuff home and make a note for statistical reasons that can be brought up later,saying "Oh yeah, well I sent my stuff home by gatlinburg". 2.Can't think for themselves,and listened to someone saying something about not carring to much weight,and they bought into it. 3.They didn't really have a good understanding of the potential for changing weather systems.

[Skyline]

Good points.

I'd "suffer" with the additional weight before I'd suffer through a mid-Spring cold snap made worse with precip of any type.

[Pedaling Fool]

...

http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/5835394554/

Seems to me I remember walking through similar conditions in SNP in the month of May...I'm thinking it was 2008, but I'd have to check to be sure.

[WingedMonkey]

ShenandoahNPS ‏ @ShenandoahNPS
The entire Skyline Drive is now open!! Wooohoo! Get out there and enjoy free entrance in celebration of #nationalparkweek

posted on tweeter at 11:15 am

[Patrickjd9]

Got an inch or so of snow/sleet at Lost Mountain shelter (3360') south of Mt. Rogers early Monday morning. Kept spitting snow through the morning as we walked down to Saunders Shelter.

[swjohnsey]

Stayed at the shelter on Roan Mountain the 22nd. It was starting to snow when I arrived and by morning about six inches had accumulated. I'm at Vango Hostel now about 3 days and change from Damascus averaging over 15 miles/day.

[Mfrenchy]

I can confirm snow in Virginia. This was taken yesterday between Partnership shelter and Chatfield shelter. Brrr



http://appalachianfrenchy.blogspot.com/

[Mike2012]

Hiked out of Hot Springs, NC in humid weather so I got soaked. Got up to the pond and a storm rolled in so I put up the tent and had a chill night under some rhododendrons. The following day read until about 11 am before deciding the weather was finally clearing up so headed up to Spring Mountain Shelter (I think that is the name). On the way rain and wind started and by the time I got to the shelter there were TWELVE people in it seeking shelter, of all things. 6 or 7 people slept on the shelter deck, 3 or four underneath and another 2 on or under the picnic table! I opted for my lovely NEMO Esprit 2P tent and Marmot down bag from twenty years ago and was snug as a bug. Woke up to snow on the ground and on the tent and it was VERY cold and windy till about noon after which the sun came out and everyone pulling a zero brought out clothes and gear to dry and a large fire was made for the new people coming in. All in all it was a very fun day with lots of great people. IT'S FRICKEN BEAUTIFUL OUT HERE!!!!!
LOVIN IT!!!!

[Old Hiker]

I camped about 11 miles south of Damascus. That night, I had a small tarp between my tent and the west wind. It started snowing about 2100 or so and continued all night. It wasn't too cold, just windy. I had a 30* Marmot syn bag and shorts on, plus a hat. The snow against the tarp sounded like a billion spiders trying to scratch their way into my tent.

It was pretty the next day, though. It looked as if everything had been covered in powdered sugar! I really felt sorry for the violets, spring beauties and trillium flowers that were covered! The snow lasted on the ground until I dropped a 1000 feet or so.