Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board The old whether or not weather questions

Hi Again last week we had the weather question and again I don't know but if one was not ready to deal with say a flash flood , hail, snow or ice on the trail the next few days I would rethink the trip.
Hoping someone will give you the Bluesky report is only leading you into the beast wearing those short pants and flashy shirts.

Check the image on the NOAA site and see we are in the void now but anyone of those system could move down or up and we will have weather. Recall last year when we were hit with a heavy down pour and again several years ago we lost the road.

30% may seem like a slight chance but when the system stalls over the area and starts to release the chance goes to 100% Don't plan on the 30
Thanks Doug

100% chance that you will get 30% wet.

And try not to run on the trail: I hear the cougar above Mirror Lake is hungry.

some weather quotes for you, Doug

Our storm had lasted only one day and then the weather was perfect for a week. We could have put the whole expedition on the summit. Unfortunately, in such matters it is easier to be a historian than a prophet.
Nicholas Clinch, A Walk in the Sky page 188


In the few days we were there the weather had been neither hot, cloudless, nor settled, and though we were assured by the residents - as one always is - that such conditions had never been known before, the fact remained that they existed then.
HW Tilman, Two Mountains and a River page 555

Experience had taught us to expect nothing of the weather.
Eric Shipton, Land of Tempest page 753

I'm much too old for a cougar to be interested in me...

With all the predictions of "slight chance" and a "chance" of precipitation and T storms, has there been much of that up there? I'm going Wednesday morning and it looks like I may have a short window of decent weather. Thanks

Randy, unfortunately, you have to read through some sarcastic remarks to get what you are looking for. However, there is some reality to what they are saying. I was up in the Whitney Zone, climbed Thor Peak July 12, and the chance of precip was 20%. I felt comfortable going on with my hike/climb. On July 11, the beginning of my hike, I was just above Lower Boy Scout Lake and it began to thunder quite a bit to the north and it began to rain pretty hard. I hunkered down in a cave for about 75 minutes below the slabs. The thunder was to the north, so I felt safe where I was. When the rain stopped I headed up to UBSL for the night. There was lightning, most of the night, east of the Inyo Mountains, so I changed plans from climbing the East Ridge of Russell and headed up Thor instead. The bottom line is you just need to be aware. 20% may not seem to be a big deal, but, as I found out, it was 100% where I was. Just watch the clouds, the direction they are heading, and make smart decisions! Good luck and have fun!

WOW, OK. So I guess as Doug was saying that you have to be prepared for anything! This will be my first time with a chance of inclement weather so I'll just watch the clouds and keep an open mind. Thanks for the info!

Randy, I was up on the MMWT last Friday and Saturday. There was a 40% chance of rain on Friday and a 60% chance on Saturday. We had a couple of sprinkles on Friday and general overcast conditions. The sprinkles felt great and the clouds in the sky provided nice shade.

Saturday, with the higher percentage chance of rain....the sky was clear.

Simple fact, during the summer on any given day there is a chance that there are going to be afternoon showers. Most of the time it's not a big deal. But the first week of August last year saw a downpour that washed out parts of the trail and put several hikers at pretty significant risk.

For me, I won't let the forecast dictate whether I head up to the portal or not. But I won't go up the hill without a rain pancho regardless of the forecast.

I think your plan of watching the clouds and keeping an open mind is perfect.

Hi,
Anyone going up the mountain when there is any suggestion of inclement weather, or even if there isn't, should always carry waterproofs. These days they weigh very little and that additional weight is well and truly justified compared to the instant cold you will feel if not properly prepared.
This may seem like common sense but I am amazed at the number of hikers that don't come properly equipped and who appear to not show the environment the respect it deserves.