Re: weather/gear late June?

Hi all,

we're planning a 6 day trip around TM 3rd wk of June (Vogelsang, Cathedral Peak, etc. ) and I was hoping to get some suggestions for gear/clothing. We are planning to stay/camp up high on some of the nights.

I know this is hard to predict, but a conversation about some of the conditions we are likely to encounter at that time of the year/elevation would help us pack.

So, to be safe/comfortable, how cold should we prepare for? (I know it can snow practically any day/night, but would you routinely bring a down jacket that time of year or is fleece likely enough?)

What about gaiters? I understand it is a relatively low snow year. Still, do most people typically pack gaiters for late June?

What am I not taking into account? Are there other ways I should be thinking about this?

Any input is welcome,

thanks

U

Forget the gaiters this year and stock up on bug repellant.

One of the best purchases w/r to backpacking was buying a nice and light down jacket.
I take it year round no matter where I'm going. It triples as a pillow and a wind jacket.
If you go a lot I highly recommend throwing down the cash and getting a sub 1lb jacket.
Down pants are a great "investment" too. Those almost always come along too.

What do you need? prob. best to take 20 degree bag. something to cover ur noggin...
and fleece pants and fleece jacket and you should be just fine.
Well.. and a tent to get away from the bugs and bug juice.

Have fun

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The weight that they have gotten jackets down to is pretty incredible. This only weighs 8 ounces:
http://m.backcountry.com/stoic-hadron-down-anorak-mens
And the version without a hood is 7 ounces.

Great. With you in mind... I went looking this morning... on GoLite... and then
what I have... Marmot... and found the same thing. 6 oz less than the Marmot Zeus
I currently carry. Marmot has another jacket that is 8 oz too.

I really hate this forum. I spend way too much money here.

Justification: Zeus doesn't have a hood... and I save > 6 oz.

Pink and Yellow go well together, no?

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I have no time right now... And I love this topic.

If you can afford it, Western Mountaineering makes delicious down jackets and pants. Used to all be made in San Jose, California, some items now in Canada.

I still use my original Flight jacket of 12+ years. 9 oz and most of it fluffy 850+ euro down (back then anyway)! Always check total weight and fill weight and sourcing of down...

I always have it and puffy pants (backpacking light's cocoon pants-no longer made). Always carry them, every season. Flight vest comes with me almost all the time now since its so light and I run cold. Handy for layerjng. Hope to get WM Flight pants someday, but cocoons still work

I do not use fleece jackets or pants backpacking except maybe in winter. Even in hail storms, my long sleeve shirt, wind jacket (which comes off during hard work) and my 5 oz O2 rainwear jacket is all I need.

Definitely carry various gloves to match conditions.

3-season Sleeping kit:
Skin out bottom: undies, super light silk long pants from Winter Silks, Silnylon pants which double as rain pants, cocoon pants.
Skin out top: super light silk crew long sleeve top from Winter Silks, <3 oz wind hoodie, Down vest, down jacket.
Head: 100-weight beanie, go lite synthetic puff hat.
Dry wool socks

Coldest winter weather for me: silks go to mid weight wool or 100 weight fleece. Legs go to fleece first.

I have a couple of WM bags.. and the Flash Pants.
Top of the line. Absolutely love the down pants. Super light too.
When nice and toasty in my sleepy bag... I push them off and down
at the footbed to keep my feet nice and warm.
Yeah, was a bit disappointed in seeing Made in USA on my pair...
then when wifie got a pair... Made in Canada...

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I have a GoLite down jacket that weighs an even 16 ounces that I use in winter time. It's worked quite well. On the same subject, I can't recommend the GoLite Jampack enough. I love that backpack.

You killed me on that one too man.
Got that pack for the wife... and after putting her hammock, underblanket, sleeping bag,
and all her clothes... sigh... I end up carrying about a 60lb pack!
Me tink I'm gonna make her carry a bigger pack on longer trips coming up...
Really can't complain though... she's pretty much game to go wherever I want...
and lookie... she was so nice to carry my solar charger.



Respect

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Daytime will be shorts and t-shirt weather, although I prefer hiking in thin nylon pants and long sleeves to protect from the sun. Speaking of sun, you definitely need sunglasses and a hat, it is bright up there.
Evenings are cool and night time is cold, might fall below freezing. 20 degree bag is perfect for me, 30 degree might work if you are not too sensitive to cold.
Long john set, warm beanie and dry socks is good sleep and camp wear. One insulation piece, doesn't really matter if its an expensive down jacket, an old fleece or a favorite wool sweater, it all works. Put your rain jacket over if the wind is blowing. Still cold? Time to get in your sleeping bag.

Thanks Katy,
that's the kind of information I was looking for. ( We have the gear, the question is what to bring.)

Several years ago we did a week around this time of year in the Wind River Range and were almost constantly cold, so I'm a bit nervous about being warm enough. Of course, the rational part of my mind tells me that was much farther north and at higher elevations, but the rest of me just remembers being cold.

Do you think we would be happy we brought gaiters, or is that unnecessary weight?

Ulrich

How cold did it get?

I bring pretty much the same kit year round. Hike in just long hiking pants and long shirt with undershirt... even in winter.
When you're hiking... you're warm... in winter... if you stop... you throw on poofies.

You're worry too much. It's gonna be gorgeous out. No doubt. Leave the gaiters at home.

Seriously... a few weekends ago there was cold front flying thru.... that was colder than many weekends
this entire year... 20 degree bag and u need not worry.

Colder than this:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,63796,63796#msg-63796

Have fun ... it's the Sierra... it's always nice.

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How cold did it get?

Snowed every afternoon. Lakes froze every night. (around July 4th @ 10,000-11,500 ft.)

Great trip. Magnificent wilderness. Walls of 12,000+ peaks off in the distance. Days and days above timberline.

Plus wind.

Still great trip. just cold.

-U

With the caveat that of course nobody can tell you exactly what the weather will be like later this month at around 10,000 feet in the high country around Tuolomne, but that said ...
Daytime average high sixties. Night time average high thirties. Easily swings ten degrees up or down from there. Much below 25 or above 80 is unusual, although theoretically possible.
Bring a sleeping bag that you are warm and comfortable in down to freezing without wearing extra clothes. Bundle up your insulation piece (fleece, down or wool sweater) and use as a pillow. If the temperature drops below freezing wear you insulation and sleep without a pillow.

I lucked out in buying a "used" (worn once) Eddie Bauer Whittaker down jacket with, I think, 850 fill for very cheap. Very light and very very warm. Two weeks ago in coldish weather I brought this jacket and a Western Mountaineering down vest that I've had forever. This duo is toasty and light! Hard to fit under a shell, though.

That Stoic Hadron jacket looks pretty great. I goes on sale periodically.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2013 10:57AM by hegel.