Tropical Storm/Hurrican Hilary - Is it impacting your plans?

[Lenier]

If you don't know already, a major tropical storm/hurricane may land in California for the first time since 1939. I would love to see what the experienced members of the board think about this, and see how it is impacting other's plans.

https://www.latimes.com/california/stor ... ornia-baja

[cgundersen]

Lenier,

If I'd gotten a WP for early next week, I'd be looking for a planB. Winds, rain, wet rock and lightning (snow?) are exactly the conditions Mav looks for, but I'm a wimp. And windknot's recent post reminds me why. Sure, there are hardy folk from WA and OR who are used to rain, but I'd rather see a bit of sunshine. Cameron

[scottmiller]

I've been out in the fallout from Baja hurricanes twice. Last year was intense. As I huddled in the tent next to Desolation Lake for several hours, I pondered whether I would do this on purpose. Not sure. I think I would wait a few days if possible. That might lose a permit, but there's always Emigrant as a substitute. We bailed out a day early, and met people coming in who had waited a few days.

[SSSdave]

I recall during early September 1979, two people died of hypothermia crossing Lamarck Col (12.8k) during a monsoon event. During a July 4 week in 2015 backpack, 3 of us were snowed on during wee hours accumulating a few inches near Hortense Lake at 10.3k. I've been snowed on every month of the year above 10k that is rare but does happen occasionally when the summer northern hemisphere jet stream pushes colder air down to our latitude. Of course, I ski Tahoe every winter and used to often storm ski because that is when fresh powder conditions are often best. Very easy to die during snow storms if one is not properly clothed. And at 10k elevations have been buried in hail several inches deep by thunderstorms that dump for hours building continuously stationary over peaks. If in such situations refrain from going east over Sierra Crest passes and instead move down into less windy canyon bottoms with deep forest regardless of one's need to get home by some date.

http://publications.americanalpineclub. ... 197903100/

[scottmiller]

If in such situations refrain from going east over Sierra Crest passes and instead move down into less windy canyon bottoms with deep forest regardless of one's need to get home by some date.

http://publications.americanalpineclub. ... 197903100/

Two days before hunkering down at Desolation Lake, we got caught early in the morning hiking across Darwin Bench in a hellacious Thunder/lightening/hail/wind storm. We probably should have dropped packs and assumed the position, but instead we just made a run for lower elevations. Later that day we met people who had been in Evolution Valley for the fireworks and they were still amazed at the intensity. We just thought "You have no idea." We had come over Lamarck Col the previous day and were fairly well knackered, but we knew the weather was going to get bad so in retrospect we should have gone the extra few miles down to the valley instead of spending the night at Darwin Lakes.

[Love the Sierra]

I was going to go in on Monday, but changing to Wed instead. This is my vacation after all and hunkering down in a tent for hours or days is not my idea of a great time.

[jshannon]

I was originally planning to go in via Taboose on Saturday; however, I was able to rearrange to enter on Monday via Bishop. Monday still doesn't look good, but I plan to take it easy on the first day so that I am relatively close to the trailhead in case a quick exit is needed.

My original intent was to swing through Dusy Basin, Palisade Basin, over Pinchot into Upper Basin, Upper Basin Cross to Amphitheatre, over to Dumbbell Lakes and head north to hit the JMT and back over Bishop.

Now that seems overly ambitious. If I weather Monday, then I will continue the trip through Dusy and just take it day by day, and maybe spend more time on the trail. My pack will be a little bit heavier with some extra gear and a book to pass the extra time in tent. It will be interesting.

[thegib]

We've a permit for Monday - but I'm leaning towards a Tuesday start now. A true Monsoon dump is serious. An inch of rain on top of how saturated everything is up there would be a sight to see - John Muir wouldn't miss the opportunity - but he was crazy pants.

[JayOtheMountains]

We've a permit for Monday - but I'm leaning towards a Tuesday start now. A true Monsoon dump is serious. An inch of rain on top of how saturated everything is up there would be a sight to see - John Muir wouldn't miss the opportunity - but he was crazy pants.

If you think that postponing by a day will help, this one is probably not that one. I'd push by 2 at the least; 3 for a better margin of safety and a higher probability of lower creeks. The amount of precipitation foretasted to be dropped is impressive. Streams, creeks, and rivers will be swollen for a few days. There's still all that snow parked up high that, until the temps drop and snow starts to fall, will become super-saturated with moisture before melting. The rains are going to accelerate the melt further and the waterways will be treacherous.

Haven't even touched on the reality of trail washouts...

[levi]

I was going to do a short romp in Emigrant starting today and decided against it. It won't be deadly in Emigrant, just occasionally uncomfortable, but every day and night on the 7 day NWS forecast for the region has 50%+ chance of rain and thunderstorms, the cumulative forecast turned me off. Dehydrated a bunch of food and got all packed, hopefully can use it for a fall trip.