GetBackpacking! Winter Series: AT from Max Patch to Hot Springs

https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/3/e/5/c/600_466695964.jpeg

Have you ever wondered why you hang up your pack in November and don’t load it up again until mid-March? One factor likely tops your list: The Cold. Undoubtedly, the winter can get cold in the mountains, especially at night. And there’s always the possibility of snow. But those 40-degree days under sunny skies, which dominate the winter months, are some of the best days to be on the trail. In fact, your biggest problem on the trail isn’t staying warm, it’s overheating.

In an hour-and-a-half prep class the week before the hike, we’ll go over how to dress for the trail and, more importantly, how to cope with the cold once you’re in camp. We’ll go over staying warm at night, both in camp and in your sleeping bag; about nutrition; and about some of the more intangible aspects of winter camping, such as coping with 12 hours of darkness and what to do when the sun sets at 5 (to quote Tonto, Tarzan and Frankenstein, “fire good”). Our prep meeting includes handouts, which you will receive upon signing up.

The bulk of this class consists of a weekend trip to the Southern Appalachians, where we’ll test your newfound skills on a 20-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail, from Max Patch to the town of Hot Springs. We will leave early Friday and return Sunday afternoon. Here's the itinerary:

Friday

9 a.m. — Leave Triangle, carpooling from a spot tbd, convenient to the group. 1 p.m. Meet at Bluff Mountain Outfitters in Hot Springs for shuttle. 2 p.m. On the trail at Max Patch, hiking 2.7 miles to the Roaring Fork Shelter, arriving between 3:30 - 4 p.m.

Saturday

We will hike about 11 miles, camping for the night just above Garenflo Gap (it’s lower, about 2,500 feet, and will be warmer).

Sunday

Hike out to Hot Springs, about 7 miles

Fee for this trip is $145 — unless you participated in a minimum of three of our trips or classes in 2019, in which case you pay the 2019 price of $125 (a savings of nearly 15 percent) and includes:

• Shuttle from Hot Springs to Max Patch.
• Winter Camping Seminar with handouts (handouts are supplied upon signing up).
• Detailed eguide for the trip, including custom maps and route descriptions of each day's hiking.
• High-energy gorp mix, designed specifically with winter in mind.

Note: The Winter Camping seminar for this trip will be on Monday, January 13, at 6:30 p.m., at the Great Outdoor Provision Co. in Chapel Hill.

A Second Note: Starting in 2020, all of our trips will be non-smoking. This is in part due to growing concern about wildfires, but largely out of concern for the heath and wellbeing off all of our hikers. Thanks!