[pct-l] JMT in late August with poncho rainfly

[Stephen Clark]

Last summer in late July early August we had a serious rain in the Eastern Sierra (JMT in Yosemite) every afternoon for an entire week. About 3:30 or 4:00 the building thunder heads cut loose and let us have it. One day, I recall in particular, it started hailing and hailed heavily for 20 minutes then rained as if the heavens had been unzipped for another hour... I was on a zero day and by the end of the storm nearly everyone in the Tuolumne Meadows camp ground, even the car campers with the big tents, had been washed out. I heard later we had recieved over 2" of rain in that hour.  I've also seen it snow several inches above 9500' in August along the JMT. 

Moral: One just never knows...  Don't count on good weather and be prepared. 

Oregon Bound



> Date: Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:03:49 +0000
> From: gwschenk at socal.rr.com
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] JMT in late August with poncho rainfly
> 
> These are pretty rare instances, but I had a friend who once almost perished in August crossing Lamarck Col in a snow storm, and she was over equipped by thru-hiker standards. I was caught in a two day storm at Virginia Lake, just above Tully Hole one August long ago. My partner and I spent two days in a Eureka Bike-n-hike tent and the only problem was crowding. I wouldn't want to sit through a storm like that under a tarp.
> 
> Of course, 90 percent of the time, a tarp will be fine. So.."you've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk? " :-)
> 
> Gary
> 
> ---- mattjolley at comcast.net wrote: 
> > 
> 
>   I have heard from people who have experienced it  that you can get snowed in any month of the year in the Sierras. 
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Bill Thoms" < wthomsjr at comcast.net > 
> To: < pct-l at backcountry.net > 
> Sent: Thursday, June 11, 2009 1:05 PM 
> Subject: [pct-l] JMT in late August with poncho rainfly 
> 
> 
> > To offset the weight of a bear canister and extra food I am thinking of 
> > doing the JMT southbound beginning in late summer without my 4 lb Clip 
> > Flashlight tent.  My backpackers poncho can be rigged with my trekking 
> > poles, two stakes and two guy lines with two more stakes into a long slim 
> > rainfly.  I have a headnet and will obtain a piece of plastic for a 
> > groundcloth.  I imagine I'd be all right but not if I encounter frequent 
> > or 
> > heavy rain and wind.  Comments? 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Also, I've gone a week with no stove and only cold food/drink.  Will two 
> > plus weeks be different? 
> > 
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