[pct-l] 20 degree vs 30 degree bag for Oregon

[Suzi Swinehart]

I have to laugh at those who say Oregon "shouldn't" be cold in August. Says who? The weather will do what it damn well wants to.

Some years you can hit it in a heat wave, but I've known hikers who got snowed on in the 3 Sisters area in August. There will be nights where it's too warm to sleep well; other times you may wake up to find your laundry frozen stiff on the clothesline and you'll have to beat it into submission to fit it into your backpack. This knowledge comes to you from 4 years of section hiking Oregon, all in August. Those extremes happened on the same 10-day trip, actually. 

To me, what it mostly comes down to is knowing yourself and how warm or cold you sleep. I sleep cold - I'd rather carry that little extra bit of weight for a LOT better rest. It's pretty easy to sleep on top of your bag if you're a little too warm, but the opposite problem is harder to fix mid-hike. 

Above all, don't count on it being toasty on the Crest just because it's summer...

-Chipmunk, who is finally done with OR and is now attacking WA!!