Warm weather Christmas bikepacking suggestions

[Kevinscamps]

Looking for a 2 week bikepacking trip at Christmas.  Azt 300?

[Eszter]

AZT 300 is relatively warm that time of year. Warmer than anywhere else you'll find in the States. There are a lot of trails/dirt roads to toodle around on the Gila area (the last 50 or so miles of the route), so you could definitely spend two weeks out there if you wanted.

[dgjessee]

Knowing how cold the desert can get at night, you oughta check out the Huracan 300 or CFITT routes, both in Florida.

[ScottM]

Florida is warmer.  AZ more rocky technical.  Nights are cold (and long!), indeed, but nothing a ~30-40 degree bag can't handle.

Well, I suppose if you were touring the whole 300, you might need a warmer bag -- 20* or so.  Down by the Gila is great, but much of the rest of the route is higher and colder.

[Kevinscamps]

Thanks all for the suggestions. The 300 turned out to be an awesome choice. One freezing night on mount Lemmon, a slog through the snow on Oracle ridge, and a final day of snow, rain, mud, and a broken bike. Otherwise it was 11 days of amazing bike touring, with miles and miles of fun single track.  Oh and I can't forget the 8 flat tires despite new tires tire liners ultra thick tubes and slime.  Gila was a good suggestion. That section was really warm day and night (until the snow storm on my last day).

[ScottM]

Nice, way to get it done in the depths of AZ winter!  Not a whole lot of daylight to work with, and some of the storms have been pretty serious -- so, congrats!