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Post by GaliWalker on Feb 23, 2015 22:41:58 GMT -5
Does anyone happen to know what the current snow conditions on North Fork Mountain are like (I know that it gets a lot less snow than Dolly Sods, but West Virginia's been hit with a lot of snow recently)...? Specifically, are snowshoes needed, or can you boot it?
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Post by arfcomhkr on Feb 24, 2015 8:10:03 GMT -5
Wish I could give you a first hand report, but I'm back in Ohio right now. I haven't been there for two weeks and there wasn't anything but patchy snow up top. I check the weather there daily since I have a place close by and they may have had a 3-6 inch snow since I was last there. I'd take the snowshoes just in case though, you can always leave them in the vehicle if not needed.
BTW, it's calling for rain on the 1st then turning into 3-5 inches of snow.
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Post by GaliWalker on Feb 24, 2015 8:33:46 GMT -5
Thanks, that's good info!
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Post by arfcomhkr on Feb 24, 2015 8:47:12 GMT -5
Thanks, that's good info! More of a guess. There's snow in the Shenandoah, so there's snow up there too. That's pretty much how it works. That area gets affected more from the coastal systems. The stuff coming from the west usually dumps it's snow on the other mountains towards Elkins before it gets there. If I can ever get decent internet up there, I'll install a webcam. There aren't any close by that I have been able to find. The one at Seneca Rocks doesn't seem to work. |
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Post by GaliWalker on Feb 24, 2015 10:44:41 GMT -5
Yup, I understood that. (The bit about patchy snow 2 weeks ago is what I was referring to, by the way.) Don't worry, if I decide to go this weekend and have to wade through waist deep snow I won't blame you!  |
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vdeal
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Post by vdeal on Feb 24, 2015 11:08:41 GMT -5
Closest webcams would be Dolly Sods and Whitegrass and that doesn't really help since as has been said, the Allegheny Front rings out moisture before it hits North Fork Mt. I've also noticed that the Seneca Rocks cam is sporadic at best.
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Post by arfcomhkr on Feb 24, 2015 11:28:57 GMT -5
Yup, I understood that. (The bit about patchy snow 2 weeks ago is what I was referring to, by the way.) Don't worry, if I decide to go this weekend and have to wade through waist deep snow I won't blame you! Well, look at my thread on the spring on NFM. There's a pic in there showing a few little patches of snow. It was in the 50's and that's why I was there. So the only snow up there has fallen since then, there was no real lingering snow pack for it to have added to. At least not up at the top of FR79. |
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vdeal
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Post by vdeal on Feb 24, 2015 12:02:30 GMT -5
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Post by arfcomhkr on Feb 24, 2015 12:15:16 GMT -5
Yeah, those are the closest ones I can find and use.  That's a good ways away, but I've found them to usually be a fairly good gauge as to the snow along 220 from there to Franklin. |
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Post by jnk556 on Feb 26, 2015 12:19:48 GMT -5
We got close to a foot last Saturday here in Elkins, on topp of 4" or so we already had. How much is over there I don't know, but I do know it's been slow melting here, and still have about 8" on the ground in Elkins now. I know if your going anywhere on this side of the Allegheny, I'd expect to need snowshoes, and expect not to get up any FS roads. Now normally over there there is less snow, but anything from me would be a guess as to what is over there. I have a friend that works at the rock Quarry in Riverton, if i see him, I'll ask him. BTW arf, you need to get a webcam set up over at your place, then you could sit at home and see what was going on once a day!  |
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Post by GaliWalker on Feb 28, 2015 22:13:26 GMT -5
North Fork Mountain conditions today: 3-5in on the flanks of the mountain to start the day, which was down to a couple after a slew of hikers tamped it down.  5-8in for me, breaking trail, on the ridge crest. Probably packed down by the end of the day by the other hikers who came after me. No snowshoes needed, though a wee bit of postholing. I had but did not use spikes - not icy at all.
Great day, great hike! |
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Post by arfcomhkr on Mar 1, 2015 7:20:39 GMT -5
North Fork Mountain conditions today: 3-5in on the flanks of the mountain to start the day, which was down to a couple after a slew of hikers tamped it down. 5-8in for me, breaking trail, on the ridge crest. Probably packed down by the end of the day by the other hikers who came after me. No snowshoes needed, though a wee bit of postholing. I had but did not use spikes - not icy at all.
Great day, great hike! Nice. I'm probably heading back next weekend if the warm spell they are forecasting happens. |
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Post by arfcomhkr on Mar 9, 2015 14:27:11 GMT -5
Well, I'm on Cave Mountain today and the snow on the Eastern slope is melted. I'd say the snow should be off the higher Eastern slope of NFM in another day or two.
I'll be here for about a week or so.
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That's a good ways away, but I've found them to usually be a fairly good gauge as to the snow along 220 from there to Franklin. 
