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  1. #1
    Senior Member Vanhalo's Avatar
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    Synthetic or Down Layer for Mid-March on the AT(NOC to Fontana Dam)?

    Heading out Friday for a 3 day on the AT. Looks like it is going to be wet and cold.

    Cant make up my mind if I should bring a synthetic jacket or down.

    Leaning towards synthetic. I don't trust the forecast and have a suspicion that other party members are going to want to camp on Cheoah Bald @ 5000 feet which looks like there will be some trees up there to hang from but being a novice its hard for me to predict conditions.







    Cheoah Bald

    Last edited by Vanhalo; 03-13-2018 at 13:06.
    "...in Florida, she felt air conditioning for the first time, and it was cold and unnatural upon her skin."


  2. #2
    Senior Member kitsapcowboy's Avatar
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    Synthetic.
    Smart graphic design for all your needs by BGD

  3. #3
    Senior Member TrailSlug's Avatar
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    At those elevations make sure you take enough clothing to stay warm and dry as it's still really cold at elevation this time of year not to mention windy. Those are nice elevation profiles. Where did these come from?

  4. #4
    Senior Member Vanhalo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TrailSlug View Post
    At those elevations make sure you take enough clothing to stay warm and dry as it's still really cold at elevation this time of year not to mention windy. Those are nice elevation profiles. Where did these come from?
    I found it on the WB from the shelter section. Someone posted it.
    Last edited by Vanhalo; 03-13-2018 at 11:21.
    "...in Florida, she felt air conditioning for the first time, and it was cold and unnatural upon her skin."


  5. #5
    dakotaross's Avatar
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    Whatever will keep you warmer. Need to keep either dry, and it sounds like you'll need a shell for sure. If you were going to hike in one, it would be synthetic, though you can wear down in the a.m. until you warm up if dry. What you don't want to do is get the synthetic wet by hiking the whole day in it and not have it cozy dry for around camp.

    The forecast I'm seeing says 38 for Friday night low - I seem to get better results using Topton for that area. Then, if you're on Cheoah at 5000+, I'd say you need to plan on being close to freezing up there, if not a little below. Don't know how many members you have, but its not a large area to hang in. There are some decent trees up there, so I believe 3-4 could make it work. I think it might be better there than Locust Cove down below, just in case you get up there and decide to go to lower elevation. That site is sort of overused and cleared, but you likely can find spots if you spread out.
    "I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have, to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth, subtleties of major and minor chord that the wind strikes upon the tree branches. Have you ever heard the earth breathe... ?"
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  6. #6
    Senior Member Vanhalo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dakotaross View Post
    Whatever will keep you warmer. Need to keep either dry, and it sounds like you'll need a shell for sure. If you were going to hike in one, it would be synthetic, though you can wear down in the a.m. until you warm up if dry. What you don't want to do is get the synthetic wet by hiking the whole day in it and not have it cozy dry for around camp.

    The forecast I'm seeing says 38 for Friday night low - I seem to get better results using Topton for that area. Then, if you're on Cheoah at 5000+, I'd say you need to plan on being close to freezing up there, if not a little below. Don't know how many members you have, but its not a large area to hang in. There are some decent trees up there, so I believe 3-4 could make it work. I think it might be better there than Locust Cove down below, just in case you get up there and decide to go to lower elevation. That site is sort of overused and cleared, but you likely can find spots if you spread out.
    The insulation is just for camp. wearing merino 150 base, wind shirt, fleece parka for hiking.

    I am the only one in the 3 man party with a hammock but I suspect there will be some other folks there.
    "...in Florida, she felt air conditioning for the first time, and it was cold and unnatural upon her skin."


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