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Reply to late season ride?
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RDM from Middletown, Ohio on 4/19/2024 10:20:22 PM:
For those familiar with weather along the C&O/GAP trail: how late in the season is it reasonable to anticipate decent weather along the trails? Am retired and living/working in Glacier this summer and won't be home til Oct 15th, +/-. Is late October generally decent weather-wise?
Unrelated, but for anyone else interested, the two major concessionaires out there generally have open jobs through late May.

 
Rivnuts from Homestead, PA on 4/20/2024 10:36:18 AM:
Here are some objective data to consider. Of course, your decision may well be influenced by whether you plan to camp or stay indoors along the way.

Here are the monthly average high and low temperatures for September and October in towns along the GAP/C&O:

Pittsburgh: 75/55 and 64/44
Meyersdale: 73/47 and 50/29
Hancock: 78/53 and 67/40

Note the average monthly rainfalls in Pittsburgh in September and October are 3.02 and 2.17 respectively.

Comparing specific daily average high and low temperatures on and around October 15 are as follows:

Pittsburgh: 9/15 76/56, 10/1 69/49, 10/15 64/44, 11/1 59/39
Meyersdale: 9/15 73/48, 10/1 66/41, 10/15 61/36, 11/1 55/32

Subjectively and from my experiences, I believe that to have the highest probability of having an enjoyable trip is late September. Once into October, there is higher probability of having one or more days of extreme temperature range. October can be quite lovely fall travel but there is also greater chance of having some uncomfortable days. Some miserable cold days made worse by rain or even significant snowfall in the higher elevations are not unprecedented especially as October progresses.

Your decision may well rest on your preparedness and acceptance of the conditions you may encounter.

 
RDM from Middletown, Ohio on 4/25/2024 9:09:22 PM:
Thank you for that amount and level of information! Appears that a decision to ride mid to late October may best be made within a few days, based on weather prediction. Again, thank you for the time it took to compile that data!