Traveling Light: Winter Packing List for Boone and Blowing Rock, North Carolina

If you’re new around here, I like to share my packing list for just about every destination I visit. I know that before I started traveling regularly, I found the whole packing thing to be quite a mystery. I found my way through trial and error, but I like to think of this series as the guide I wished I had. It is my hope that even if you don’t have the chance to visit that particular destination (though I hope you do!), you’ll be able to find some inspiration in these lists for a trip to a similar climate.

So I’m here today to share my packing list for a winter visit to Western North Carolina!

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To be honest, I sometimes hesitate to title my winter packing lists “Traveling Light” because traveling with winter gear is inevitably not light. But as I managed to get everything except my coats stuffed into my Daily Carry-On from Away (or what I like to call my “Baby Away” – review to come), I feel like this still kind of leans toward a light packing list, all things considered.

For this trip, I needed to pack for three separate styles of activity: snow-ready gear for snow tubing, warm and comfortable clothes for city exploring, and something a little more elevated for a dinner out.

Miraculously, this trip was scheduled for the day after the temps dropped to 8°F, but for much of the time I was in the mountains, the weather was below freezing.

Over the years, my winter wardrobe has grown (thanks, in part, to a trip to Montreal one winter – the coldest I’ve ever been in my life – please enjoy this not-so-great early blog post as evidence), and I now feel a bit more confident in how to dress for varying temperature ranges and rarely need to buy clothing for specific trips.

But, as this was my first foray into snow activities since moving to NC (how?), and the snow tubing park is not renting bibs due to COVID-19, I decided to add a pair of ski pants to my wardrobe.

Looking for more packing list inspiration? Discover what's in my suitcase each season: Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter

Not wanting to spend a lot of money on something I’d use just a couple of times a year, I first checked out my usual thrift shops here in town. I tried on a few different options from the clearance racks, but nothing was quite right – so I turned to eBay, filtering my search to only show sellers who allowed returns to make it a risk-free purchase.

On a whim, I ordered a vintage pair with fairly low expectations. But when they arrived, they fit like a dream. Well, almost. The stirrups are a bit stretched out, and the snap isn’t terribly secure, but I’m willing to accept some compromises in my wardrobe when they don’t impact function and when the price is as good as this was (as a general rule, I’m not too fussy about my athletic wear because it’s just going to get sweaty/dirty!).

With my ski pants secured, all I needed to focus on was choosing the right amount of layers for each part of the trip, and here’s what I landed on:

WINTER PACKING LIST FOR BOONE AND BLOWING ROCK

Collage of garments packed for Western North Carolina — *Top Row* || Cashmere Turtleneck* | Alpaca Sweater | Wool Mockneck* | Puff Sleeve Sweater | Jumpsuit* || *Middle Row* || Ski Pants* | Ponte Pant℅ (save 20% on your first purchase with code WAYWARD) | Black Denim℅ (save 10% with code WAYWARD) | Wool Coat* | Waterproof Coat | Puffer || *Bottom Row* || Wool Tee* | Wool Long Sleeve Tee* | Leggings | Scarf* | Gloves* | Belt | Beret* | Beanie | Top Sunglasses | Bottom Sunglasses℅ | Leather Boots* | Hiking Boots | Face Masks

WINTER OUTFITS

Our first stop was snow tubing, so it made sense to dress for the activity before leaving home. Layers were my friend here as I warmed up significantly hustling up the hills, and I ended up peeling off my hat, scarf, and gloves at some point. Non-slip boots were non-negotiable for tackling the ice and snow, and my waterproof hiking boots fit the bill nicely. I discovered that my ski pants are indeed waterproof, and the wool-blend lining did the job of keeping me toasty.

Alyssa holding a snow tube and Alyssa and Michael in front of the tubing runs. They are dressed for snow activities — Coat | Hat* | Sunglasses | Wool Mockneck* | Ski Pants* | Hiking Boots | Scarf*

After arriving at our hotel in Blowing Rock, we took a stroll through the quaint town. The sun started setting, and the wind whipped through the city. I intended to wear my ponte pants and leather boots while exploring the mountain town but decided to stay in my ski pants and hiking boots in case of black ice.

For dinner that evening, I dressed up for the super-short walk from our hotel to the restaurant and felt confident wearing my leather boots after walking around earlier in the day. While I wouldn’t have felt comfortable outside for terribly long in my jumpsuit, layering leggings and a wool top under my outfit kept me toasty enough. And I sneakily managed to add a little warmth to my wool coat by wearing a small down puffer underneath.

The weather warmed considerably on our final day in the mountains, yet I still needed to layer. Underneath my sweater and jeans, I wore a wool tee and leggings. It’s easy to feel a bit sausagey in your clothes in the winter, but wearing ultra-thin layers and tucking things in can be a huge help.

Collage of Alyssa in three outfits — *Left* || Cashmere Turtleneck* | Ski Pants* || *Middle* || Beret* | Wool Mockneck* | Jumpsuit* | Leather Boots* | Necklace℅ || *Right* || Puff Sleeve Sweater | Jeans℅ | Leather Boots* | Wool Coat*

FINAL THOUGHTS ON PACKING FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA IN THE WINTER

While I wore everything that I packed for this trip, I probably could have managed with just my cashmere and puff-sleeve sweaters. I was worried I’d get too soaked and/or sweaty snow tubing to continue wearing that same sweater, but that wasn’t the case (although I could totally see that happening if it was a warmer day or if I completely wiped out on the tube, and I’m glad I was prepared). And I suppose I could have also only worn my Columbia parka rather than my wool coat/puffer combo. But as is the nature of those kinds of coats, I feel frumpy in it – and I don’t mind bringing another coat on a road trip if it means I feel more comfortable and confident in my outfits. All-in-all, I’m feeling ready for some more winter adventures!

*Many items in my wardrobe are thrifted or are several years old and I've linked a similar product

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What are your biggest challenges when packing for a winter getaway?