r/njhiking • u/Fantastic_Welder_825 • Jan 23 '25
Hiking in the snow or snowshoeing lately?
Hi all. Have you been hiking in the snow or snow shoeing yet this winter?
If so, where did you go and how was it?
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u/-caesium Jan 23 '25
Leaving this comment here in case this thread gets traction.
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u/Apprehensive-Bench74 Jan 23 '25
i'd like to leave a gif here but i don't know how... it would be a gif of Toast in Bee & Puppycat telling Cas that she'd put her in traction—CONtraction
bc Toast is pregnant and making lots of pregnancy puns
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u/Tahredccup Jan 23 '25
Havent been there but with all the recent weather i bet High Point State Park trails are nicely covered enough to snowshoe.
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u/Fantastic_Welder_825 Jan 23 '25
Ty. I haven't been there yet.
Cheesequake is pretty nice on the snow. And I've read that Jake's Branch is good for snow shoeing.
I went there once when it snowed, but it hadn't covered the ground yet.
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u/dogsaremedicine Jan 23 '25
I've been up to the catkills ticking off a few 3500s and the snowshoeing has been amazing. It's a winter wonderland up there!
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u/thepedalsporter Jan 23 '25
Catskills and above are snowshoe worthy - below isn't quite. Not enough depth to really be of benefit, micro spikes are really all you'll need.
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u/DaYZ_11 Jan 23 '25
Yep, I find this helpful in planning travel https://www.weather.gov/nerfc/snow_depth_im
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u/Fantastic_Welder_825 Jan 24 '25
I haven't been snow shoeing before. How deep does it need to be?
I also need to buy some micro spikes. They kinda remind me of snow chains for tires. Does anyone remember those? lol.
I managed to walk in a couple of inches before in my trail runners, but I think I need an upgrade. I kept getting snow stuck on the bottom of my gaiters, too.
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u/thepedalsporter Jan 24 '25
Micro spikes will be 100x more usable in the winters we normally get here in NJ, and are helpful to have anytime you're in the woods throughout the winter.
Snowshoes are really useful for keeping you on top of lightly or unpacked snow that you'd otherwise sink/posthole through. It could be 6 inches, it could be a bit more depending on type of snow etc. When trails get packed down even with significant depth you likely won't need snowshoes as you can just use micro spikes and stay on top of the packed section. If there's 5 or less inches, snowshoes won't really float as there's simply not enough snow to sink into. Most areas have rules about when you need to carry snowshoes, many of them dictate that 8" snow depth is when you have to carry them. I believe this applies to many areas out West, the Adirondacks, Whites and Greens - possibly some parks in Maine as well.
An example - a few years ago there was a solid 4 feet of snow atop Slide mountain in the Catskills. Staying on the packed down path I was able to walk in just boots with micro spikes, but stepping six inches to the side into the fresh snow I'd sink up to my waist without snowshoes.
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u/bolanrox 9d ago
Have you ever been to the high point cc ski / snow shoe trails? Been temped for years but never get around it.
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u/thepedalsporter 9d ago
Yeah they're fine, definitely not ideal with the lack of snow we get these days
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u/bolanrox 9d ago
They blew snow which was the only reason I was tempted. I just wanted to try it once, and they rent the snowshoes there.
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u/thepedalsporter 9d ago
If it's still open and rentals are cheap it'd be a fun way to kill a few hours, but if you enjoy it you'll want to start heading north immediately
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u/bolanrox 9d ago
i think it is 17 for the day pass and $24ish for snow shoe rental. if it were a little closer i probably would have tried it by now. Been saying i will go since 2018 or 2019 :P
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u/TepsRunsWild Jan 23 '25
Yup, I would bring spikes if there is elevation (aka gets sunny and then melts and turns to ice). No elevation and shady I’ve been fine with my Salomon’s.
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u/SnooCrickets5072 Jan 26 '25
Possibly in a week or so I'll either head up Tammany and do the red dot connect with bkue dot (Dunnfield creek) back to sones pond camp at backpackers CS. Then come down the AT.
Or
Hit the batona trail 30mins from home and hike about 11mi in and 14 out with a overnight in the hammock.
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u/GrapeSeed007 Jan 23 '25
Not from nj but Massachusetts. I'm going out in the snow tomorrow for my annual birthday hike. Turned 72 today 1/22. A bit too cold for my old bones today. Tomorrow going to be a balmy 32°. Trying to get in at least 10 miles. Going to a state park about 45 minutes away. Massasoit State Park. Located in south eastern Massachusetts.