Fall/Winter hiking
Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 11:00 am
Campers:
Maybe anecdotal, but it seems like the number of Fall hikers is going up and the overall experience/preparedness level is dropping. So maybe it's worth mentioning that, over about 8,000 feet, it can rapidly turn into full winter conditions (as a few of you out in that storm 10 days ago found out).
For whatever it's worth, here's some thoughts on hiking after about mid-September in the Sierra:
- Definitely be prepared to spend as long as 3 days hunkered down waiting either for a storm to clear or for the snow to melt enough to travel in.
- If it's self registration permit at the trailhead, fill it out! Leave your car license number and a phone contact number of someone who knows where you're going. Leave a written and detailed trip plan with that person which includes contingencies for bad weather E.G.: if it snows when I get here, this is where I'll try to go; or I'll stay here until it's good to travel again. Also leave that person a list of the gear you're taking.
- Carry a good tent (NOT one of those tarp things that's going to blow around) and fairly good cold weather gear (balaclava; good gloves, good rain jacket & pants, extra fuel & maybe 2 days extra food). The first week of October this year, it was 0 to 10 degrees at night for several days at 10,000 feet.
- After about 8 inches of snow, it can be really hard to find the trail.
- check the long range (5 day forecast) before you leave -- the very morning you leave if at all possible. Don't trust it for more than 3 days of your trip. Replan your trip accordingly if there's even a chance of weather moving in.That last storm was predicted at least 5 days out and stayed accurate in all forecasts, yet a number of hikers claimed they were surprised.
- After about the first week of October, I wouldn't be happy doing a long trip (over 5 days) and especially one where you'd have to exit over a high pass (e.g. being in the Kern or going from, say, McClure to Kearsarge -- nothing in between where you can easily get out except Woods Creek).
- Check the maps and have exit points planned if the weather is closing in or you get stuck. Best exits, of course, are downhill to lower elevation not up and over high passes.
- This is a really good time to have a SPOT or PLB. Just remember to only hit the "mommy" button if you REALLY need help. If you hit the "help" button that goes to friends, have a definite agreement on what that means -- do they come to try to find you? Meet you at a different trailhead? If they just call the NPS or USFS, it's essentially like the 911 button, but more ambiguous... .
It's true, the odds are with you. That is, most people hiking this time of year have everything go fine. But even one search/rescue costs around $10,000+; puts a lot of people in danger; and yanks a lot of people from their regular jobs.
I think about 3 years out of 5, it snows in September -- anywhere from a few inches to 2 feet and that can come even the first week of September. Maybe 1 year out of five you get a really serious storm in early October -- enough snow where you can't move for a couple of days.
It's definitely a nice time to hike, but I think I'd just look at it as "early winter" hiking and not the more bucolic "fall hiking."
g.
Maybe anecdotal, but it seems like the number of Fall hikers is going up and the overall experience/preparedness level is dropping. So maybe it's worth mentioning that, over about 8,000 feet, it can rapidly turn into full winter conditions (as a few of you out in that storm 10 days ago found out).
For whatever it's worth, here's some thoughts on hiking after about mid-September in the Sierra:
- Definitely be prepared to spend as long as 3 days hunkered down waiting either for a storm to clear or for the snow to melt enough to travel in.
- If it's self registration permit at the trailhead, fill it out! Leave your car license number and a phone contact number of someone who knows where you're going. Leave a written and detailed trip plan with that person which includes contingencies for bad weather E.G.: if it snows when I get here, this is where I'll try to go; or I'll stay here until it's good to travel again. Also leave that person a list of the gear you're taking.
- Carry a good tent (NOT one of those tarp things that's going to blow around) and fairly good cold weather gear (balaclava; good gloves, good rain jacket & pants, extra fuel & maybe 2 days extra food). The first week of October this year, it was 0 to 10 degrees at night for several days at 10,000 feet.
- After about 8 inches of snow, it can be really hard to find the trail.
- check the long range (5 day forecast) before you leave -- the very morning you leave if at all possible. Don't trust it for more than 3 days of your trip. Replan your trip accordingly if there's even a chance of weather moving in.That last storm was predicted at least 5 days out and stayed accurate in all forecasts, yet a number of hikers claimed they were surprised.
- After about the first week of October, I wouldn't be happy doing a long trip (over 5 days) and especially one where you'd have to exit over a high pass (e.g. being in the Kern or going from, say, McClure to Kearsarge -- nothing in between where you can easily get out except Woods Creek).
- Check the maps and have exit points planned if the weather is closing in or you get stuck. Best exits, of course, are downhill to lower elevation not up and over high passes.
- This is a really good time to have a SPOT or PLB. Just remember to only hit the "mommy" button if you REALLY need help. If you hit the "help" button that goes to friends, have a definite agreement on what that means -- do they come to try to find you? Meet you at a different trailhead? If they just call the NPS or USFS, it's essentially like the 911 button, but more ambiguous... .
It's true, the odds are with you. That is, most people hiking this time of year have everything go fine. But even one search/rescue costs around $10,000+; puts a lot of people in danger; and yanks a lot of people from their regular jobs.
I think about 3 years out of 5, it snows in September -- anywhere from a few inches to 2 feet and that can come even the first week of September. Maybe 1 year out of five you get a really serious storm in early October -- enough snow where you can't move for a couple of days.
It's definitely a nice time to hike, but I think I'd just look at it as "early winter" hiking and not the more bucolic "fall hiking."
g.