What are people wearing for boots right now?

I'm heading up to celebrate T-day in Crawford Notch. I haven't had a chance to get to NH since Columbus Day. I'm thinking of the Kinsman Ridge one day, Tom-Field-Wiley the other. Trips reports are saying Microspikes have been helpful/mandatory. Ground-level highs are forecast for the mid-30s.

Out of curiosity, what are people wearing on their feet. I have the option of heavy leather boots, or red Koflachs. I suspect I will be happier in leather boots, but welcome feedback from folks who have been out recently.

Thanks!


Brian

As one blessed/cursed with chronically hot feet, I wore trail runners with wool socks on Cherry Mountain on Friday with 2"-5" of snow & temps in the teens. Every year it's the same thing for me - I search for a lightweight & comfortable boot, fail to find one & next thing you know it's plastic boot season

I'd keep an eye on the weather. Looks like conditions are going to change dramatically this week. I just saw one report forecasting nor'easter for Wed with 6-12" thru west and central Mass up thru Concord the Whites and into Maine, probably more at elevation.

Maineman said:

As one blessed/cursed with chronically hot feet, I wore trail runners with wool socks on Cherry Mountain on Friday with 2"-5" of snow & temps in the teens. Every year it's the same thing for me - I search for a lightweight & comfortable boot, fail to find one & next thing you know it's plastic boot season

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Ditto for me in all regards, except I was on Mt. Hibbard.

I'm wearing my slippers right now.

However, I wore my winter boots on Cabot today and was comfortable - there is 4-6" there, wet and muddy towards the bottom and fluffier towards the top.

Tim

I'm trying to make sense of what we're going to encounter for snow. It's going to be in the 50s tomorrow, with "heavy rain" in the forecast, and it might not get below freezing Monday night or Tuesday day for much of the terrain. Then there may be an inch or two of new snow Wednesday night.

Currently, there are traces on the sides of the roads on route 3 through Twin Mountain. Madison looks pretty white, most everything else in the Presis was in the clouds. Milan had traces+ along the roads. York Pond Road was a skating rink, with 1-2" along the sides. Very wet / slushy until about Bunnell Rock, after which is clearly had snowed, instead of rained, the last time moisture fell from the sky. Tops of 6-8", no drifts or anything. Key will be waterproof footwear, I think.


Down Low


Cabot, Summit

HTH,
Tim

As far as Tom, Field and Willey go, I hiked Saturday in my leather LL Bean Crestas with gaiters and had no issues. Saw the weather report tonight that says there may be more snow. All trails from Crawford Notch were snow covered. My wife and others were in winter boots (but much lighter than the Koflach's).

Conditions are so changeable this time of the year, really need to make a game day (or at least night before) decision. I was on Osseo to Flume on Sat--quite cold up there (teens). I was wearing all purpose hiking shoes (Asolos, Goretex and suede) and was fine. But only fine because it was cold enough for snow NOT to melt and soak my feet. I would have been in a bit of trouble if it were 10 degrees warmer. As it was, it would have been total overkill for plastic boots, as there were only a few inches on the ground.

In other words: it depends.... ; )

This is a great question for the time of year, I'm glad I'm not the only one staring at two pairs of boots. I've made the switch to my winter boots. In the event of a melt and warm up, I'll grab my summer boots, but that is unlikely high up. FYI, I use Lasprotive lhotese's and they are pretty comfortable for winter boots, so I'm good if either way. Personally, I err on the side side of caution with my footwear, being warm and dry is never a bad thing.

sierra said:

This is a great question for the time of year, I'm glad I'm not the only one staring at two pairs of boots. I've made the switch to my winter boots. In the event of a melt and warm up, I'll grab my summer boots, but that is unlikely high up. FYI, I use Lasprotive lhotese's and they are pretty comfortable for winter boots, so I'm good if either way. Personally, I err on the side side of caution with my footwear, being warm and dry is never a bad thing.

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I was on Cabot on the same route as Tim but a week prior and encountered the same mix of snow, ice, mud and water (though York Pond was not iced) - was glad to be wearing my momentums. I'm expecting lots of wet on my Galehead/Twins/Zealand/Bonds trip tomorrow in light of what's going on there right now as well as moderate cold, so Momentums again, with spikes in the quiver.

Alex

La Sportiva Omegas' for as long as I can handle the cold with Smart Wool lightweight socks. First week December I will be heading to Cabot and in that no-mans land! I'll probably have my heavier Malaku' in the car just in case.

Picked up a pair of these http://www.vasque.com/USD/product/mens-footwear/winter-hiking/snowburban-udry-400g-bel-gold-07804 on sale last winter. They worked marvelously on the Grafton Loop (Maine) this past Saturday and Great Brook-Red Rock-Miles Notch loop (Speckled Mtn. area of Maine) on Sunday.

Agree with others that plastics would be way overkill.

FWIW, it has been well above freezing and raining up here in the North Country all morning, but of course that will change!

Used my summer Asolos for Moriah on Saturday. Put on micro spikes about half way up. Should have put them on sooner. Don't usually switch to my winter boots until I bring the snowshoes.

Tuck

I'm wearing heavy leathers for NH and ADK trips this time of year, depending on where I'd go, either micro's or also the full crampons. In CT, lighter leather or trail shoes and watching the weather if I'm heading to Mass, trail shoes for Wachusett, probably the leather boots for Greylock. Leathers in Catskills too.

Tuck said:

Used my summer Asolos for Moriah on Saturday. Put on micro spikes about half way up. Should have put them on sooner. Don't usually switch to my winter boots until I bring the snowshoes.

Tuck

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I believe the rule for traction is that you don't put them on until someone falls. Same rule for headlamps IIRC. Perhaps my group is a little more into the mind games though.

Hiked up the Kinsmans on Wednesday in my leather L.L. Bean Crestas. Trail was bone dry with not a flake of snow to be seen on the hike up, but a LOT of slab ice and black ice between the hut and the shelter. It came down very heavily once I head back down, and I was able to put my microspikes on. Be very careful if you take that trail this weekend. There's a lot of ice hidden under a thin layer of snow.

On Thursday, went over Tom and Field, again in leather boots and microspikes. 4-6 inches of light, fluffy powder, on average.


Brian

TJsName said:

I believe the rule for traction is that you don't put them on until someone falls. Same rule for headlamps IIRC. Perhaps my group is a little more into the mind games though.

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I'm sure you were only kidding, but traction should be put on " Before" you fall. That one fall could ruin your day.

sierra said:

I'm sure you were only kidding, but traction should be put on " Before" you fall. That one fall could ruin your day.

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Haha, about 70% kidding. Depends who is on the hike.

I carry both summer and winter boots in my car, and decide which to wear by the air temperature. Down to 20F, summer with Swiss Army surplus gaiters from www.sportsmansguide.com. These gaiters are wool with rubberized outside. Colder than 20F, winter pac boots with removable felt liners. In either case. woo;l socks over liner socks.

In deep enough snow, snowshoes. Lacking enough snow, always carry Hillsound trail crampons. They seem to last about two seasons before the points become so roundy they don't bite well enough. I wear them on summer boots only because the stamped carbon steel plates on the Hillsounds chew up the soft rubber tread on pac boots so thoroughly. If it is colder than 20F, I still go with the summer boots for the crampons, figuring to dress well, eat plenty, and keep moving.

Hiking is indeed a sport of self-reliance, and conditions on the hill have little tolerance and no pity for the unready and the unobserving. We adapt or we suffer. Pay attention and live well.