[pct-l] adiabatic/katabatic air

[Steven.Setzer at Colorado.EDU (Steve Setzer)]

Oh yeah, this reminds me, your campsite location has a BIG impact on
warmth and wetness.  If you camp low in a valley, near a stream or lake,
it will be much colder and wetter.  Camp a little ways up from the valley
floor, sometimes even 30 or 40 vertical feet is enough, and you'll be
warmer and dryer.

This summer I spent a few days in the Colorodo mountains climing 14ers.  I
camped in the same area every night and did day hikes from camp.  Every
night my buddy slept down by a creek and I camped about 100 yard away and
maybe 50 feet higher.  In the morning, I'd wake up warm and dry.  As I
walked downhill to wake my friend up, I'd feel the air get suddenly
colder.  His tent would always be soaking wet (I used a tarp).  When we'd
start hiking early in the morning, we'd always feel a sudden transition
back into the warm air as we ascended.  This happened every morning for
three mornings.  That was enough to convince me.

Ray Jardine talks about this too.  Read the section on Kadabatic and
Adiabatic air.  For some reason I had read all this before but it didn't
really sink in until I experienced it first hand.  The first night I
wasn't so smart, I camped low and woke up cold and wet until I remembered
this stuff and moved up higher.

Steve


On Mon, 5 Jan 2004 Slyatpct@aol.com wrote:

>
>
> > >This was okay for one night. But I'm concerned about Washington. The idea
> > of
> > >putting that bag away wet and getting back into it without its being dried
> > >has me very concerned. I'm looking for ideas.