New England-area GTG #2: Winter Wonderland

[Steven Adeff]

Another call out to all the New England-ish area folks for a second GTG!

I've spoken with a few of those that made it to the first GTG and there is both interest in having a second GTG and having a "deep winter" hike where the winter veterans can share their knowledge and skills with the rest of us.

I (we) am(are) proposing an initial hike where us newbies can get our winter-overnight feet "wet" (cold? ehh, my analogies fail me…) on a hike where the overnight temperatures will not drop too cold.

I think the holidays are a tough time so perhaps we can find a date in January, and a location, where we can put together an overnighter + a decent mileage hike (say 15miles?).

Enter yourself on the BPL member map, it's a useful tool for members and for us to figure out a good spot: Member Map
1) zoom in to your general location
2) click edit in the left hand column, three new buttons will appear on the map, one is the google maps "dropper"
3) drag the dropper to a location reasonably close to where you live.
4) fill out the form with your name/BPL name and any other info you would like to include (link to forum profile, etc).

Bryce has set up a survey to try and find a date that is most agreeable to the majority of us,
For Dates, shelter preferences and mileage…
Survey
Results

– UPDATE 2011Dec19 –
for some reason the "Watch This Thread" wasn't sending me emails, but I'm back to writeup the latest:
Weekend of 13Jan2011 – 15Jan2011
Glastenberry Mountain, VT

The south trail head is about 5 miles east of Bennington on rt. 9 on the North side of the highway.

From a topo map and trip reports it is a long mellow hike. apx 10 miles one way to the summit. It also crosses little pond mountain summit (3331') about 6.5 miles one way. The trail to the summit is the long trail/AT so it should be easy to find out way, however I do think this will be a winter hike that will require lots of trail braking because of its remote location.

Start elevation is around 1400', a quick steep climb to 2000' and then a easy mile to the shelter at around 2400' little pond mountains summit is 3331', the trial drops to a col at about 2900' and then a climb back up to 3748' for Glastenbury mountain summit.

I think this will be a LONG easy hike which will make it a bit harder in the low light of winter. Headlamps will be used to hike on this mountain.

It also looks like there might not be any views from the summit because they closed the fire tower down a few years ago. – Jeremy Osburn

From Walter Carrington:
Glastenbury mt. section of 100 classic hikes in New England on google books

A neat map link, shows AT overlaid on Google maps, click on trail segment box under the map

From Bryce:
Plan for 0F nights, average lows for nearby Shaftsbury in January

More Weather links:
Point Forecast
NOAA snow conditions
Prospect Mountain Ski Conditions
Stratton snow report
Mount Snow snow report

Friday night is a 2mi hike in to Melville-Nauheim Shelter
Saturday is an 8 mile hike to the Goddard Shelter
Sunday is a 10mi hike out to the trailhead

[Bryce]

….I'm in.

I'm more than happy to setup a poll and SPAM BPL members on the BPL Member Map. :p

Don't have any current spots in mind, but perhaps somewhere around the 15F mark during January would be a decent place to start.

[Ryan Linn]

Absolutely! I'm going to be out of commission until mid-January at least, but I definitely want to get into some more winter backpacking. Easing into it is the right idea.

I don't know how winter is in the Berkshires, but western Mass does seem like a good place for us all to meet. If we can get more than one trip this winter, easing into the winter backpacking could well go like… Western Mass, then Southern Vermont, then the Whites, and… if we're really crazy and like long drives, northern Maine. Oh yeah!

I can't speak for everyone in this regard, but I don't have a full winter gear set-up. I'm working on building one, but would anybody be interested in group cooking, camping at a lean-to, or other such sharing of group equipment?

[Bryce]

Steve brought up sharing equipment, and that'd definitely be a decent idea. Heck, even the cabin on our last trip would work, but I bet everyone wants to try something different. The AT that runs through there might have decent shelters?

You sell your sleeping bag? ;p

[Steven Adeff]

Indeed, I think sharing gear where possible is important for the new guys, since winter gear is expensive and what to buy is also a concern.

I know places like REI rent gear and that may be the way to go. Rent a 4 person 4 season tent as a group (or, for instance, I have my Nemo Losi 3p which can sleep 4 though isn't storm "proof" so would work well for a calmer weather weekend), etc. It's something I'm hoping the experienced folk can help with, what can/should we share, what can be rented, etc.

[Clint Hewitt]

I am in for a winter excursion.

Im a newbie as well, I have only one winter overnighter to my name, near sages ravine in wmass. Post holed the entire trip, I recommend slowshoes if there is any decent amount of snow.

That cabin looks pretty inviting with its wood burning stove and four walls! A lean to would be colder the wind would come right in and also the convection underneath would steal alot of our warmth. A tarp could be put across the front to mitigate it some.

Im up for sharing gear as well.

I do not have much winter gear. But I do have a -15* cabellas synthetic rectangular sleeping bag… it only weighs 7lbs! Maybe some MYOG is in order to tapper it and cut some weight.

[Bryce]

I'd be up for that cabin, if everyone didn't mind similar scenery. Of course any other cabin would be fine. This way people could sleep outside and try shelters and if that doesn't work, grab a bunk in the cabin.

Is 5 lbs 15oz 1light for a 3 person shelter? I have no idea.
http://www.nemoequipment.com/nemo2011-losi3p-tent

That shelter would hold up fine to all but a 100 year storm.

@Clint – da_n you and your MYOG skills! :p

[Steven Adeff]

I've slept 4 people in that tent a few times. you just can't be too tall… it's cozy, but that may be an advantage in winter?

[Ryan Linn]

Hmm. Yeah, I had thought of staying in lean-tos, but Clint you're right that it could get drafty under them. I wonder if that cabin on Alander is a popular place… we wouldn't want to show up needing it and find that there are a lot of people already there.

As for group gear, all I've got for extra stuff is a pair of Lightning Ascent snowshoes and I might have a Whisperlite. I haven't used the latter in five years, but it should still work.

Bryce… yes. That's a long story, though :)

[Steven Adeff]

we'll have something to talk about as we all freeze our bums off!

[Barry Starrfield]

Hi,
I just moved to Cambridge last summer. I'm fairly well equipped for winter – I've got a Bibler Bombshelter, MSR XGK, etc. that I'd be glad to share.
– Barry

[Bryce]

Steve, could you drop a reminder to fill out the Member map in your first post? It may help in deciding on a location, though we were happy with the general area for the last meetup.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=217710768001213283190.0004ac9ffae6ae244e691

Thanks.

[Jim Colten]

I'm not a New Englander …. but I can emphatically concur that winter sleeping in a 3 sided shelter or on any sort of raised platform will be colder (bleeping colder!) than on the snow.

[Bryce]

For Dates, shelter preferences and mileage…

Survey:
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22DVXMGPV4T

Results:
http://www.zoomerang.com/Shared/SharedResultsPasswordPage.aspx?ID=L2BBVZGQLQV2

[Bryce]

http://sectionhiker.com/winter-backpacking-gear-list/

Phil is a machine. I'm more thinking of something with a low between 0-15F and not necessarily peak bagging a 6K foot summit. :p Perhaps some snowshoeing (I have an extra set, but for a lighter guy. I bought them first, and then were undersized for my 195# self) and bring some microspikes.

Is that what other had in mind?

[Ryan Linn]

Heck yeah. Western Mass and Southern Vermont are great in this regard– no alpine stuff, so snowshoes should be enough without any need for crampons and self-arrest training.

As for temps, we'll plan the date and play it by ear from there. It's entirely possible it will get colder, but we'll discuss that when the time comes.

[Clint Hewitt]

Any time after the first of the year is good for me. Western MA or Southern Vt sound like good spots. I would love to work up the knowledge, skill, gear and courage to attempt something in the Whites at some point as well.

Gobble Gobble

[Seth Reichman]

I won't be able to make it until after the 18th, but definitely interested.

[Peter Rodrigues]

First off Bryce thanks for the invite!

I don't have a lot of experience (winter or otherwise) but would love to come along. Unfortunately, January is the crazy time (birthdays, baby shower, baby due) so I'll have to be a late addition, if at all. It makes more sense that I'll have to wait for the next one. If you all aren't too far from the lower hudson valley, I'll join for a day with some scrumptious treats.

Pete

[Curtis B.]

I'd be interested. I have a North Face VE25 tent that supposedly sleeps four, but weighs 9 lbs. I might have another couple of pair of snowshoes if people need them, as well as an XGK stove, extra XL down coats, etc. Too much gear that I've never gotten around to selling might just come in handy!

[Tom Eickenberg]

Thanks for the invite; I am sorry I cannot make it. Please keep me in the loop for future NE GTG’s.

[Pete Anderson]

Ugh, gonna have to practice using a pee bottle….

I don't have any winter gear whatsoever. I apparently sleep warm and do have a 20F WM Alpinlite which is crazy warm despite being way too roomy. If I filled all that extra room inside up with jackets, long johns etc, I bet I could extend the rating pretty far. Can always bring a couple hand warmers too.

I don't think I'm ready to spend a whole bunch of money on winter gear, but if we did an easy overnight I'd probably be game.

[tommy d]

Well, I'm excited to hear that there's already another BPL trip in the planning stages. I hope I can join this time. I have plenty of winter gear. I have a winter tent, -20 bag, etc. So, I don't have any limits. Also, I'm fine with whatever distance you guys want to cover. I'll do 200 feet from the trail-head or anywhere under 20 miles.

I'm free the weekend of January 21st or 28th. Also, I could do something in Feb. Southern Vermont would work best for me, but western Massachusetts would be fine too. Also, if people want to hike in the Whites, I'd be more than happy to go there with you guys. We wouldn't need to do any alpine stuff.

We could to a piece of the Catamount Trail in southern VT, which is pretty much the winter alternative to the Long Trail and AT in Vermont.

http://www.catamounttrail.org

Keep me posted.

[BlackHatGuy]

I'm interested. I've got my gear (might use someone's stove if my esbit won't work, but I haven't had it fail me yet). Since I generally don't plan too far ahead, I'll just wait and see what weekend in January y'all decide on. The only weekend, right now, I couldn't do is mid-Feb, as I'm going out to the west coast gathering then.

I'd be happy to share a cabin, but when it comes to tents – I'm not much of a sharer! I've got my own shelter I'll bring – either the Brooks-Range Rocket or the Scarp 1 with fabric inner. If I attend, I could also lend one if someone needed it. And I have a Scarp 2 with fabric inner I could lend as well. Both Scarps are new/unused, so if you 'break' it, you bought it! Also have a Golite 0 degree Adrenaline bag converted into a quilt I could lend someone (as long as you're sleeping in clothes and not naked). Guess that's about it.

[Bryce]

Hey Doug,

Jealous of your West coast trip….I had planned on attending, but I wanted more of a hike than a gathering out there if I was going to make the effort. Keep me posted if you catch a trip out West like that. I know it's on my list for next year. I'll be hiking in AZ already off a work trip, ope to have more (anyone want to come?!).

I might need that 0 degree bag if you come up… stinking JRB won't put their High Sierra Sniveller quilt on sale, haha. I have a 15F Marmot Helium that I will use if the temps are right though.

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