VIDEO: Smoky Mountains Winter Trip - High Winds, Snow & Rain

**Sintax77** · 02-04-2019, 17:43

3 days of Winter Hammock Camping, Backpacking & Hiking in the Smoky Mountains.

This was essentially a Gregory Bald loop Hike, incorporating campsite 13 Sheep Pen Gap, campsite 113 Birch Spring Gap, and a hike to the Shuckstack Fire Tower. This was my second backpacking trip to the Smokies, but due to the shorter winter days, ice, and snow, I slowed the pace down a bit compared to my previous hammock camping trip there in the summer. The weather was a bit erratic, but overall it made for a pretty fun trip with my new Hammock Gear Zippered bug net hammock and HG zero quilts to keep things toasty.

**Dirtbaghiker** · 02-04-2019, 20:07

Love all that wind!! Looks like a fun trip.

**TrailSlug** · 02-04-2019, 22:15

Great video as usual. I'm putting this one on my to do list. I only wish you had gone out to campsite #95 so we could see how this one looks. It would be a nice stop along the way and split up that big climb on the first day. Thanks for taking us along.

**Pennsy Camp and Canoe** · 02-05-2019, 02:19

just in time to inspire our winter hang this weekend, thank you!

**Sintax77** · 02-05-2019, 14:47

Originally Posted by TrailSlug

Great video as usual. I'm putting this one on my to do list. I only wish you had gone out to campsite #95 so we could see how this one looks. It would be a nice stop along the way and split up that big climb on the first day. Thanks for taking us along.

Yeah, I kind of wish I had given it a quick look as well, but I already felt like I was meandering a bit to the extremes of my time limits that day, haha. Seems like cs 95, as well as cs 93 in the opposite direction on the loop, are both pretty good options for quick first night options for a later day start. Both are within 2 miles or less of the Twenty Mile Trailhead.

**alifeoutdoors** · 02-05-2019, 15:13

Winter........

I'm just giving you a hard time, I know you've been out in hairy stuff. Great video.

**bloomgorge** · 02-05-2019, 20:29

Always enjoy your videos. I've used several of your gpx files so those are greatly appreciated when posted. Definitely enjoy the commentary. Would recommend a winter tarp like a superfly or mountain fly by Warbonnet

**Sintax77** · 02-08-2019, 15:48

Originally Posted by bloomgorge

Always enjoy your videos. I've used several of your gpx files so those are greatly appreciated when posted. Definitely enjoy the commentary. Would recommend a winter tarp like a superfly or mountain fly by Warbonnet

Yeah, I should probably invest in the Winter Palace version of my HG tarp one of these years. I've already got synthetic options in those dimensions, but it's always so hard to swap out my 5 oz cuben tarp for one of those, even when the weather's not so great, haha (for solo trips, at least). Although to be honest, if I were going to spend more money on cuben / dyneema this year, I'd probably go the complete opposite way and invest in one of Dutchware's lil 3 oz asym postage stamps for 3-season and get my pack size down even smaller. I've been drooling over one of those for a while. Maybe this year.

**Grey Mouse** · 02-09-2019, 07:26

Great video. I would have loved to of been camping with the snow and wind. The Winterdream by UGQ with end pole mods would also be a good option for that climate.