GetBackpacking! on the AT: Max Patch to Hot Springs (Intermediate Skills)

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

Have you ever wondered why you hang up your pack come November and don’t get it out of storage until mid-March? One reason likely tops your list: the Cold. Undoubtedly, the winter can be cold in the mountains, especially at night. And there’s always the possibility of snow. But those 40-degree days under sunny skies, the days that 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 Tuesday before the hike, we’ll go over how to dress for the winter 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 near/at 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 $135, including shuttle from Hot Springs to Max Patch.

Note: We will have a Winter Camping seminar for this trip on Tuesday, Jan. 15, at 7 p.m., at the Great Outdoor Provision Co. in Chapel Hill.