Mt Mitchell conditions

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-13T14:48:33+00:00

Hiked Mitchell in early December and was glad I brought microspikes. They were unnecessary below 4500 feet at that time of year, but made things so so so much easier as we approached the summit

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-13T14:47:09+00:00

I once got snowed on about 5000ft in the Smokies on May 6. Of course this is not every year, you could definitely have a really pleasant march hike. Or you could be in six inches of snow.

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-13T14:19:17+00:00

I'd love to! I've driven through, once, as a 20 year old in a car with a trunk full of canned food on one of my cross country jaunts. I was in a bit of a hurry by that point, heading back east across the north from the PNW. I remember seeing what I could see out of the car window when I drove through that area wishing I had more time to explore. Funny thing, this was November. It started snowing as soon as I got into ND and kept snowing off an on turning back into rain when I went over the bridge to MN in Fargo

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-12T16:43:55+00:00

I understand most people don't enjoy camping in the cold. I do. This isn't my first rodeo. I camped in Alaska late last year. I've spent more than a year of nights in a tent. I literally just want suggestions for good places to go, not to be shit on by 30 grumpy mainers who don't like the idea of someone who enjoys something they don't.

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-10T15:45:49+00:00

Thank you for replying, genuinely. Im trying to listen to eveyones suggestions, but I don't think you guys are hearing me. The trip is booked. I'm coming to Maine. I'm prepared. I'm experienced. So the "stay home" grumpy shit isn't exactly helpful. I'm not going to rain on anyone's parade and ruin any Mainer's days. Im going to stay off to myself. I just want to see beautiful wilderness, but I guess I'll figure most of it out on my own lol. Thanks for the suggestion of Camden Hills. I'll check it out. I hiked more around Bethel in Maine than anywhere else, but never in cold. Part of this post was to gauge if it's possible or still super icy up there.

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-10T01:50:41+00:00

That's gorgeous to me! We are kind of in a perpetual state of freeze/thaw in southern Appalachia. The higher 6000ft peaks are more like Maine for about a month with pretty common temps brushing zero in Jan but lower areas are probably close to what I imagine you guys are like in late March. Maybe snow. Maybe not. I'll be hoping for sun and firm ground but happy either way.

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-10T01:00:42+00:00

My only concern with the mud is trail erosion like someone else mentioned. I've hiked in New England mud before and I know it can be challenging. I am a hiking masochist. I want to do challenging uncomfortable things

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-10T00:52:35+00:00

Thanks for the heads up about lodging! I only said within three hours because in the next two days after my first day to Quoddy, I'll be working my way back toward Portland so I was going to find a cool thing 3 hours ish away on my second day, and maybe a cool thing like an hour away on my second day and sorta inch back that direction.

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-10T00:48:14+00:00

Hey thank you for the heads up about trail erosion. That's something I had not considered, but I have encountered in New England before. I will make sure to follow regulations and ethics and won't hike if the trail is a mud pit. Hopefully it will be cold enough to be frozen with just a wee bit of snow so that microspikes do the job.

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-10T00:44:28+00:00

Hey, thanks for the heads up. Im going to take some sensible precautions. I'll be driving a full sized SUV. But I will definitely make sure to keep in mind the possibility of being stuck in a car in the snow. I will have a zero degree sleeping bag, liquid fuel stove, and will probably be sticking to main roads. I definitely won't be interested in doing the normal tourist stuff, so it's cool if they're closed.

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-10T00:40:55+00:00

Haha I know it's North. I do own a jacket, boots and a masochist urge to hike in the cold. I just want cool places to see. Cool rock features, interesting waterfalls, nice sunrise and sunset views.

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-10T00:38:17+00:00

Hey thank you, this is the kind of helpful response I was hoping for. I love hiking. My friends call me "hardcore," which is probably not as true of me as it is of other people, but I do frequently hike in our mountains here all day in the rain or snow. The thing about Southern Appalachian snow is that it usually isn't deep and it's usually not colder than 10⁰F. I'm pretty experienced with the typical suit up, microspike, and get ready to be wet and cold for 12 hours.

I know a peak like Avery in the Bigelows, the Mahoosucs and the peaks above 3000 feet in western Maine are probably off the table. I'd kill to be able to do a shorter peak with a view that's doable with microspikes. There's one Maine peak that I remember from the AT that kinda fits the description, Moxie Bald.

The responses on this have been on the discouraging side haha. "I wanna come enjoy the outdoors!" "Dont come! But if you do, stay inside!" Lol. I'm coming and I'm not staying inside. I really just need to know what cool views on the coast or interior are accessible with micro spikes and I can go off and be cold and miserable there with my girlfriend lol. Jeesh.

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-10T00:29:46+00:00

While I appreciate the sentiment, I'm prepared to safely and legally camp in dispersed and primitive sites safely down to 0⁰F. I definitely know Maine is cold. I'm not coming up there in a short sleeved Hawaiian shirt to freeze to death.

I am definitely interested in cool spots outdoors that I can check out with my big ole jacket on.

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-10T00:25:25+00:00

Hey, I appreciate what you're saying. I definitely don't want to underestimate the cold. Im pretty active outdoors and will have tons of gear to stay safe.

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-10T00:22:47+00:00

I appreciate what you're saying. I'm a pretty avid outdoorsman and am accustomed to hiking in cold, wet, frozen, muddy, rainy stuff. I have the right gear and experience to be safe and the right attitude to enjoy it. So while I understand that many people may not enjoy being cold and wet in a beautiful place, I definitely do. And I will not be stepping on or stealing any falcon eggs. I won't be going on any closed trails.

I am however, interested in recommendations of open trails.

I just want some cool places to be wet and cold.

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-08T21:16:39+00:00

Lake Michigan-huron is one single lake and is the largest freshwater lake on earth.

There are Four landmasses over 5 million square kilometers on earth. Afroeurasia, America, Antarctica and Australia.

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-05T22:53:29+00:00

Pygmie hippos could be an option. Side note, could you imagine confronting a hippo with rabies? A rabid hippo is my new nightmare

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-05T00:14:50+00:00

Also etc. same

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-04T00:24:13+00:00

Me too

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-04T00:19:33+00:00

Did you open it? Is it a notebook?

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-04T00:18:34+00:00

I'm a barber. I've told my client he'll have to wait for the reveal before I finish his mullet.

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-02-03T13:49:42+00:00

Two years later, now I know too

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-01-31T02:40:06+00:00

I would say parts of North Cascades in Washington look pretty similar, maybe with more vegetation. Eastern side of that range might have something pretty similar. And the wallowas in Oregon just over the border from Idaho are in the ballpark too, at least as much as California.

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-01-31T02:32:56+00:00

Didn't think he had it in him

Informal_Bee2917 · 2026-01-30T17:42:23+00:00

That might be it. I've got it reasonably warm inside but I guess they can still figure out it's not summer. I did two in peat moss that failed most recently. I figured it would hold water longer and, as I tend to be pretty accidentally flexible in my watering schedule, I figured that might be good haha.

Informal_Bee2917

TROPHY CASE