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Joined: Aug 2015
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in May Mt. Whitney was gone from view due to clouds, now this week from 190 i could not see anything behind the Alabama Hills but smoke, very weird scene... I've seen it thick before, but not like that.. i assume you all have had it like this and worse, curious how the climb has been under this smoke? Any impact and are the views ok or not? also realizing maybe the smoke conditions change daily with the winds.. since the fires started, has it been covered continuously or is it different day to day? Hoping the heavy smoke is only hitting the mountain occasionally... see you soon, ill be up there sept 22/23...
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Joined: Jan 2003
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I was on Mt. Whitney on 6 August, and it was a typical beautifully clear Sierra day, thousands of feet above the smoke. Likewise on Wotans Throne on 3 August.
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Joined: Aug 2015
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ok that's great it must come and go.. we passed thru Whitney Area aug 5th... So Much Smoke wow... glad to hear it blows away... CA border all the way till we crossed Sierra was Covered to the point of dangerous breathing, glad it doesn't lay around like that for weeks.
Last edited by thorn; 08/09/18 10:19 AM.
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Joined: Jan 2003
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Surely you didn't hike MOUNT WHITNEY again. There are other mountains you know.
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Joined: Jan 2003
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I had to gain the ridge to climb Keeler Needle, Crooks Peak and Discovery Pinnacle anyway, so I thought I might as well. It was an afterthought.
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,059 Likes: 3
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Oh, you crazy kids. Don't you know that you only have to go up the mountain twice to be an expert? I've talked to several people lately that knew everything there is to know about the mountain because they "climbed" the main trail twice--and one of them even talked to that Doug guy once... (Hey, did the bees come back?)
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Joined: Jan 2003
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The bees produce beer-flavored honey, which is a top seller at the Portal Store.
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Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 66
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Surely you didn't hike MOUNT WHITNEY again. There are other mountains you know. i know, 4 years in a row what am i thinking... when i first came off the Mountain some Crazy guy told me about having done it 135 times, all of them after he was over 50 years old... that may have had an impact (hahah) i gave up on the summit after one time up there, but something about being on that particular mountain... i can understand why it made you Crazy for the hike... I love being on that Trail.
Last edited by thorn; 08/10/18 11:07 AM.
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Joined: Dec 2002
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Thorn,
Just returned from a couple of days (August 8,9) spent in the Evolution Basin (approached by Lamarck Col and Darwin Canyon). Very clear. Superb conditions. Down below in Bishop the air quality was so-so.
Bottom line: What is seen down below through the smoke does not necessarily predict conditions higher up.
Good luck on your hike (September 22,23).
Jim
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Joined: Aug 2015
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"Bottom line: What is seen down below through the smoke does not necessarily predict conditions higher up." THANKS!! that is excellent information, i was hoping that might be the case
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Joined: Aug 2015
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got to ride along the sierras over the last few days, was so nice to see that although there is still smoke it is far far less than it was a few weeks ago. View of Whitney from 190 was pretty good in the morning
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