Springer-to-Neel-Gap

[Monkeyjaz]

Thinking about doing this in the next few weeks.

Springer Mountain to Hawk Mountain Shelter
Hawk Mountain Shelter to Gooch Gap Shelter
Gootch Cap Shelter to Woody Gap
Woody Gap to Neels Gap

is there still a problem with mice at Hawk Mountain Shelter?
is there a lot of ice in jan/feb?
anything else I should know this time a year?


best regards

[daddytwosticks]

I would push on past Woody Gap the third night. Makes the last day not so long plus you won't be camping near a road crossing.

[jburgasser]

is there still a problem with mice at Hawk Mountain Shelter?
best regards

Hawk Mountain Shelter had a real nice mouse family when I was there 2 years ago. Tiny little dudes; about the size of 2 big cockroaches stacked on top of each other. But Hawk Shelter is really cool because of it's proximity to the Army Rangers Mountain Training site. When I was there a black Hawk circled right overhead a couple hundred feet off the ground late afternoon, plus you can hear war games going on in the distance.

Icybod

[Monkeyjaz]

Thanks daddytwosticks I will keep that in mind.
Jburgasser thanks for the hands up.
is the shelters busy this time of year?
also should I need mircospikes for ice and snow?

[ShadeeLane]

Monkey, if you're from Milledgeville then you know as well as anyone what GA weather is like in the winter (If you don't like it, wait 15 mins...etc.). I live in Atlanta and my general rule of thumb for the mountains is just knock about 10* off of the local weather. You'll only be out for a few days, so you can just check the weather for the area the day before you leave and pack accordingly. I seriously doubt you're going to need ice gear. And daddy is right, I'd shoot for Jarrard Gap, Bird Gap, or the Woods Hole shelter (if you're shelter dependent) that third day. The up and down over Blood Mountain is a good morning and you'll have time to hang for a bit at Mountain Crossings before heading home. Thirty miles in four days should be a cakewalk, so have fun sleeping late!

[Malto]

The weather could be anything. I have had perfect weather, snow, ice, cold, warm and everything in between. You will have to check immediately before the trip. Make sure to do the short side trip to Long Creek Falls near three forks, it's one of favorite little spots in Ga.

[Praha4]

I agree with the other recommendations and advice. I've done that section 4 times over the last 2.5 years, know it pretty well. Your first day will be the easiest. Day 2 you will get to do Sassafrass and Justis Mtns, nice workouts. Day 3 think of going further. Gooch Gap to Woody Gap is only ~ 5 miles, and camping at Woody Gap invites some problems being at a road crossing. Try to go a bit further on day 3. There's a nice campsite at the top of Big Cedar Mtn, just past Woody Gap, there's some nice views there... or you could go on to the campsites at Lance Creek, where there is good water, and you will see many small campsites along the trail too. Jarrad Gap is a decent camp site too a bit further. Any of those would leave you a more relaxing day on day 4, when you would want to hangout on top of Blood Mtn for the views, and some time down at Walasi-Yi Mountain Crossings store at Neels Gap, which is a cool place to end a section hike.

mice are a problem at Hawk Mtn shelter due to the high traffic and so much trash/food there from hikers... but you will be ahead of the main wave of NOBO thru hikers if you go in the next couple weeks. If the nights are very cold, I'd bet the mice will not be as big a problem. I don't sleep in that shelter, I always tent there instead. Ice in Jan/Feb all depends on the weather of course. It sould be a nice hike, too bad u can't do start at Amicalola Falls SP and do the approach trail too, it's a great hike too!

[max patch]

I'm assuming that you will be finished by Feb 28; if not, the bear vault camping restrictions apply.

[Monkeyjaz]

Thanks everyone for the help. This will be my first section hike for the AT. Yes before feb 28
Lance Creek site will be the destination then for the 3rd day due to water, no road crossing, and making day 4 a shorter hike.

[Omaha_Ace]

I'm assuming that you will be finished by Feb 28; if not, the bear vault camping restrictions apply.

Can you expand on this - is there a canister requirement for the GA section? I'm planning on flying down to do it in September.

[max patch]

Not an issue in September.

March-May no camping in the 5 mile section from Jarrad to Neels Gap unless you have a bear cannister.

[Monkeyjaz]

Mice away from food while hanging up
http://youtu.be/k1K2TrAhwTU

[Monkeyjaz]

Update

i did the approach trail from the bottom of the falls to woody gap.
Feb 27 i did the falls to black gap shelter because everyone said the wind on springer was bad and a lot of hikers.
Feb 28 black gap to hawk shelter 100 hikers started today
March 1 hawk shelter to gooch gap
March 2 Gooch gap to woody

had a blast snow each day last night we had 1 inch still snowing at woody when I got off at 12:00 noon

It was a good shake down.
i tent camped each night it was cool with wind child about 9 degrees

[Monkeyjaz]

in 2014 I did March 20-23 4 days
20 Woody to Lance Creek
21 Lance Creek to Bull Gap With a stop at Neels for Lunch (Pizza) Also I did not go to the top of Blood mountain I went to the right and the bottom of the mountain. It was a nice crazy sketchy hike.
22 Bull Gap to Low Gap Shelter
23 Low Gap Shelter to Unicoi Gap

Ive been very Busy with family and work and havent gone back since.
Im looking at finishing GA in Jan/Feb 2019 Wish me luck

[scope]

...Im looking at finishing GA in Jan/Feb 2019 Wish me luck

You gonna tag the NC/GA sign and come back to Dicks Creek Gap? That's a challenging time of year to get to Blue Ridge gap if you were going to get picked up or even to Deep Gap if you wanted to hike south. Best of luck to you!