Hey yall, just got back from Mt Rogers Va, and it was a great trip. We left Christmas night about midnight and drove straight there. It was me and my buddy mac and his nephew.
Monday the weather was great! We hiked in to 45 degree temps and sunny skies. we had spoke to te ranger and he said they really had't had but an inch of snow this year (years past I hae hiked in 3 feet on top). They were expecting rain tuesday, but that was it.
So I hiked up to around the thomas knob shelter, only to not find my buddies who started a bit behind me, so i went to where they said they would be and the site was not a good one. Maybe for one person, tight for two, but certainy not a hang site for three. So i went a hundred yards down the trail and found a great site nestled in some pines, ncely sheltered from the nasty winds that mt rogers is famous for.
Got to set up my kelty noahs tarp 12 in winter configuration (with the corners folded inward to make almost an a frame tent) and it was great! It kept out most of the weather.
For you other gear heads, I was using an ENO DN, and my 0 degree custom made hammock quilts from www.hammockgear.com.
That night the weather turned foul, first came the ice, then back to a soaking rain. This kept us hanging in the trees longer than we wanted. eventually we got up, took some cooking gear and headed to the thomas knob shelter to cook somegrub. around 5, the wind brought in some snow and some hikers we met said they were expecting 3 inches of snow that night and howling winds. Well, the snows came, the winds were rediculous, steady 30mph+, and if i was a betting man, i would say we had a few 50mph+ come roaring through, pushing us sideways.
Came off the mountain yesterday, went down to the diner at route 58 and the road in from Marion, had a mess of food, and my buddy mac went back up the mountain, and I came back home. I have to feed the drunk OSU kids tonight.
Although I won't be able to attend this next mt rogers hang (as my business mandates i work weekends) I want to report that the mountain is still there ad she is waiting on yall to arrive next month. I suspect by then she will whip up some good cold mountain weather for ya.
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