Winter camping in the backcountry is the best . Less people and more firewood from blowdowns. I am like you I don't hike at night if I can help it, did enough of that when I was young . Thank you for the great video!!
Couldn't agree with you more about the total swing and a miss by the weather forecasters late December/early January. I'm just up I-81 in SW Virginia, (just off the BR Parkway) so pretty much the same weather as you guys. Funny thing, when I got up Monday morning and it was snowing, I said to the wife what a great time to be out winter camping (as long as you're prepared, it's freakin' awesome). So glad you were there and documented what we missed. That same day, Travis posted that he was out scouting for some winter camping locations as well. The synchronicity of all this was not lost on me.
The weather forecast was totally wrong the last week of December and the first few days in January. You guys probably got more snow than we did. It was very beautiful and actually I was glad to get in a snow trip.
That was a nice surprise and you instantly had a Winter Wonderland. Always wondered how your tarp would hold up under a snow load, that was a nice service that Nathan provided to remove some of the snow. I noticed he didn’t have his normal tarp setup on this trip. I bet that fire y’all had going hit the spot just right. I’ve never had good luck with NOAA especially in the mountains that seem to create their own micro-climate. I’ve always enjoyed waking up with snow even though it’s been rare for me while backpacking. Hopefully for Nathan he enjoyed being the first footprints on the way out as he can really move quickly on any trail. Thank for taking the extra time to setup and shoot when your camera and hands feel the chill, the results were spectacular. Greetings from Kentucky!
Glad you enjoyed the video Mark! The silnylon version of the Trail Star tarp that I used for about six years was much better with snow loads. The silnylon fabric stretches some which allows steeper walls and still achieve a taunt pitch along the edges. However the DCF fabric is lighter, stronger and dries faster, so their are trade-offs.
I always enjoy winter camping. You were ready for it and that made the difference. I tend to change out my stove but you seem to stay with the alcohol stove.
You know better than anyone that its hard to predict weather in the Smokies. Really pretty video. Two nights in one place ain't bad sometimes. I especially liked your take on NOAA. Thanks and I'll be looking for next one.
Thanks Johnny! Yes, forecasting weather for the mountains can be a challenge, especially the higher elevations. The forecast we were using for this trip was for Townsend, a little less than 5 miles from CS #18, as the crow flies. And even Townsend got about 4 inches of snow.
Great video Bryan. You're gonna have to say hello to me someday. I think we keep passing each other out there in the backcountry. glad that you had all the correct gear. -johnny
Greetings! Wonderful upload, so much positivity and energy. Beautiful scenery and beautiful walk. New friend here, just subscribed to you, Have a good weekend! ❤️
What a beautiful hike! Reminds me some winter camping I did in the Boundary Waters in Northern Minnesota, early ‘80s. Used the portages with cross-country skiing. So wonderfully memorable!!
Thank you Vonnie! Glad to bring back some great memories, although the snow and temperatures on our trip had to be minor compared to what you experienced in Boundary Waters area.
Amazing trip! Not what you expected, but since you were prepared, you could take advantage of being out there! Great to have Nathan there too, to share it with. The views of the snow day were magical, streams flowing and trees heavy with snow. Then the sun came out! Wow! Hard to beat the snowy atmosphere - good that you had plenty to keep warm and stay safe. Awesome! 😄👍❄❄❄
Thanks very much Jennifer! We had plenty of warm clothes and 10 degree quilts so we never really got cold, although we both got a little chilled when we stopped for lunch on day 3 and I got a little chilled waiting for Nathan to pack up on day 4. Great description; the snow was magical.
I probably missed you by one day. I did a day hike from Tremont to CS18 on January 1st just to eat lunch and hang out by the river. It was 75 degrees that day and high winds and damaging storms were expected that night when a cold front moved in, that's why I didn't stay over night. Then we got snow on January 2nd so I assume that was your first night. It was great watching your video to see just how much the landscape changed in such a short time (assuming I am correct on your trip dates)
Wow. Waking up to all that snow, so very gorgeous! Not so good the roads were closed and you were trapped in a bit perhaps. But I guess you made it out all right. Beautiful trip.
Love winter camping, do more car camping then backpacking in winter, but me and my friends do alot of trail work on the Allegheny Trail in winter. We get out all we can.
That was so beautiful! Wow, what a difference the snow makes. I was just at 18 on the 30th of December... it is indeed a great campsite, I stayed in C. It looked totally different in the snow and then when you went up to the next one, that was high. Yes, the firewood would be hard to find for sure underneath 10 inches. I am glad you got out too.
Thanks Nicole! Campsite #18 is very beautiful, but it's heavily used since it's a short hike in and firewood can be very difficult to find. We really got lucky with the new limbs that fell from the snow, but it was kind of freaky listening to the limbs fall on Sunday night. I'll check out your video of your trip to #18.
Always a pleasure watching your videos! We went to 34 and davenport gap shelter and got home earlier! Already booked 33 next Saturday with our 6 year old! Hoping for more snow and a backcountry snowman
Great Video Bryan, Sure looks a lot different in snow than without it! Glad we didn't have that problem last March. What was that Orange Jacket you wore that first night?
Hey Bryan great video and loved the music you hose for it! I’m a big fan of #18 and hope to take my wife there for her inaugural backpacking trip. Just wondering what are your “go to” boots for winter since I’m sure you’re not rocking the Topos or Altras in the cold slush!
CS #18 is a great campsite for her first trip. Actually I was wearing Topo Athletic Trailventure WP Hiking Boots. However, since I was not expecting snow I only wore Dirty Girl gaitors and not GoreTex gaitors. Fortunately I did have some Sealskinz waterproof socks, so my feet stayed warm and dry.
The snow is beautiful!! Glad you were prepared! That’s my problem w so many people trying to prove how minimal/ultralight they can go. They gamble too much and are only one bad weather report from getting into trouble . Wish I had left the house and had been there. Love the smokies in the snow !!! 👍
You are so right Michael. I've camped with ultralighters who didn't bring enough clothes and watched them shiver at camp. Had I known it was going to snow that much I would have brought some GoreTex gaiters. However my boots were waterproof and I had some Sealskinz water proof socks so my feet never got wet.
@@BryanDeLay This video is probably my favorite of all your videos! You may not have planned to be caught in literally a blanket of snow, but it certainly made a spectacular video to watch. I've already watched it three times! Were the boar tracks all the animal signs you saw? No bears? What are the waterproof boots you were wearing? I was thinking about ordering SealSkinz socks, now I'm definitely buying some. Forgive me, I've asked before, is there a link for the map you use? Thanks for sharing this unique backpacking video!!!
What a wintry wonderland that was! But it looks like you were prepared except for the busted forecast. Assuming you weren't really concerrned about park campsite reservations/permits in those conditions. Hope you could get by a nice fire when you arrived back home.
It was very beautiful John. The only gear I would have brought had I know it was going to snow that much would be some GoreTex gaiters. However my boots were water proof and I had some Sealskinz water proof socks. So my feet never got wet. Wasn't concerned at all about not following the plan per the permit. Actually I've never had a backcountry ranger even ask to see my permit. Once a ranger actually radioed in and changed my permit at my request.
You're a brave man, Bryan. I can't stand anything colder than the 40s, unless I'm in the Rockies and it's only going to be in the 30s for a short time. Below freezing? Nope! I would die. 🤣
Thanks Derek! We had more than enough warm technical clothes and we each had 10 degree quilts. We never got very cold, but did get a little chilled on Wednesday when we stopped for lunch and I was getting a little chilled waiting for my son to pack up on Wednesday morning.
Nice! Did you happen to hear that upset Pterodactyl at CS 19?! :) LOL! I was there a few weeks back (low temp was 17) and, all I can figure, heard a VERY upset and nearby Barred Owl.?!!? LOUD!!!!!!! --had cell signal at CS19, too. Unexpected, but welcome. If you get time, please update us on your cold weather gear. I've been cooler than I want the last two trips (weather app stated "feels like 12 degrees) last Sat A:M. --have been sleeping bag shopping ever since!
Thanks Lt. JAS 1953! No owls hooting at #19 on our trip. I just can't get excited about doing gear review videos. So here are some of the items I carried for this trip to stay warm. Modified Ridge Rest closed cell pad (R =2), Sea-to-Summit Ultralight Insulated pad (R=3.1), Enlightened Equipment Enigma 10 degree quilt, EE Torrid jacket, EE Torrid hood, EE booties, EE mittens, Montbell down parka, Merino wool finger-less gloves, Topo Athletic waterproof mid height boots and Sealskinz waterproof socks. If I had know it was going to snow I would have brought some GoreTex gaiters. I slept warm and toasty all 3 nights and never really got cold, although I did get a little chilled when we stopped for lunch on day 3 and a little chilled waiting for Nathan to pack up the morning of day 4.
@@BryanDeLay Thank-you! I was looking to see if you were wearing gaiters or not and, not seeing them, became very curious on what was what with keeping your feet and lower pants dry. ...time to dig out my antique Sealskinz and see if they are still viable. THANKS!!!
Love your channel I’m about to buy a new lighter weight tent but I can’t get the tarps off of my mind especially every time i see one of your videos. Would I actually need a bug bivy in east tn if i go that route?
Thanks Michael! Rarely do I use a bug net in the southern Appalachians. I do have a Sea-to=Summit bug net that weighs 3.72 ounces that I use sometimes, especially in the west where mosquitoes can be really bad at times.
Hey Bryan I have a question about the gravity system you use for filtering water. I purchased two CNOC bags and an adapter to use for my Sawyer squeeze filter. Despite numerous attempts at home, and on the trail, as well as thoroughly backwashing the filter, the system runs painfully slow to the point where I’ve abandoned that method and just gone back to the ol’ squeeze method, pumping by hand from the sawyer bags into my water bottle. I’ve noticed in your videos you have a long hose that runs from the dirty bag to the clean bag. Does that seem to work better than the way I’m doing it by just connecting the two bags together via the coupler. Sure would be nice to be able to set up camp while the water is filtering into the clean bag on its own...maybe I’m getting lazy in my older years!
Dony, I'm using a 3L CNOC bag for my dirty water and a 3L Platypus Hoser for my clean water. I cut the hose to make it shorter and added a hose clamp for when I hang the clean water bag. I don't know why your system would work just as well as a gravity system. I try to be disciplined about filtering so rarely do I need to rush. For example as soon as I get to camp I filter water first so the filtering is complete by the time I get camp set up. For lunch I try to find a place with a water source and start filtering about 2 L of water first so that by the time I finish lunch the filtering is complete. Also with my system the water cannot spill out so I don't have to pay attention as it filters. Hope this helps!
I'm sure you're aware of this, but for me, sometimes I forget to remember. I had a similar issue filtering from a CNOC 3liter into a Sawyer Squeeze adapted to a clean bottle; all had worked fine before. It was freezing temps and I was concerned I had allowed the Sawyer to freeze, but I had not. Turns out, after hours of hiking and maybe low blood sugar I had unintentionally over-tightened the clean bottle to the Sawyer and adapter leaving no way for air to displace from the clean bottle. -once loosened flow returned to an acceptable rate.
It wouldn’t hurt to backflush the Squeeze with the included hypodermic too. Sometimes mine dries out when it hasn’t been used and needs to be saturated to return to normal flow. I use mine in gravity mode with 2 liter Evernew bladders. Need a little air in the dirty bladder
I was in cades cove campground and the rangers came to us and tell us the road was close, well on the end a was able to get out from cades code on Monday about 5 pm
Thanks Wes! CS 18 is very beautiful, but it's heavily used since it's such a short hike in. Normally fire wood is very difficult to find there. We really got lucky with all the new fallen limbs. Although it was a little freaky listen to them fall Sunday night.
It didn’t turn out as planned, but man what an awesome trip. You got some really good video footage of the snow. It’s beautiful. The weather has been crazy around here lately.
I have been on all those trails. Love CS18! Beautiful videos of the snow. 2 questions: First, why would you opt for a tarp instead of a tent with the cold, wind and snow? Seems a tent would provide better protection from all three. Second, what degree quilt did you use? Thanks…enjoy your channel.
Don, I've been using a tarp since 1998, over 1,500 nights in all types of weather. I like having the space a tarp provides and I like being able to see out during long periods of rain. The Mountain Laurel Designs Trail Star tarp I'm using has 5 sides and each side is 7 feet long. We didn't have much wind on this trip, but when it's windy I can put all 5 corners down and one side up about 3 feet and at a quick glance you would think it was a tent. My son and I were both using an Enlightened Equipment 10 degree quilt, along with EE booties, hood and mittens. We both stayed very warm while sleeping. In fact the only time I even got chilled was when we stopped for lunch on the 3rd day and waiting for my son to finish packing up on the 4th morning.
Awesome video, as always. In regards to the tarp, your videos show you also use it in the summertime. Ever any issues with snakes or insects, not having a “bathtub” tray and walls that a tent provides? Clearly you know what you’re doing, I may have an irrational fear?
Bryan would you be interested in joining my wife and I for a few days in the park, I recently asked about a big loop in the cosby big creek area but because my job is very manual labor I'm taking the week to relax we plan on a few short trips to backcountry sites and a 3 day trip in there as well! If so would love you to have you along for a few days you are my favorite backpacker!
