Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board What happened to the weather?!?!?!

For the past 7 days I've been checking the weather links and things looked great. All of a sudden a few hours ago, it looks horrible now. What in the world is a Dry Thunderstorm?

I'm planning on camping at Trail Camp Friday night, possibly Saturday too, should I be concerned about lighting? I understand there are no trees or any shelter of that kind up there.

You can look at several links under Lightning. Lightning and hail are fairly common this time of the year and storms can brew quickly in the afternoon. That is why people are recommended to summit before noon. Here is a link to a trip report on the subject: Fear on the Top.

Ok, what's up with Trail Camp. Does anyone know if this is a safe spot if there is lighting on the mountain?

it is a RELATIVELY safe spot. There are a lot of much higher points all around, and it would be unusal for lightning to strike in such a depression. Dramatic sound, though.

However, lightning is unpredicatable. Several were killed by a lightning strike on the other side of the crest in Crabtree Meadows. However, high areas were not so close, and there are trees there (which becomes the local high spot....not a good place to be! Dense forest is probably protective, but isolated trees, much more the Crabtree situation, not so good.)

Any other opinions about Trail Camp during thunderstorms or lightning?

You should also be aware the Clover fire, located north of Kennedy Meadows and south of Olancha in the Sequoia National Forest, is causing severe visibility issues, as well as respiratory problems for many. Until Sunday, it has burned about 3,000 acres, and then flared, burning an additional 10,000 Sunday nite/Monday morning. We live approx 35 miles south in Indian Wells Valley, and the smoke set off our smoke alarms several times Sunday nite. Visibility today is about the same as it's been all week - somewhere between 3-8 miles. Some report ash accumulating on their vehicles.

Perhaps if Doug Sr. reads this he will comment on smoke conditions at the Portal itself.

It's difficult to ascertain the status of the fire, especially since Inciweb is only occasionally updated. A local R/C paper reports it 15% contained.

Don't stress about it. Just go and have fun.

So says the deathmarcher.

carpe diem

Back in August 2002, my buddy and I hiked the Kern Canyon Trench in Sequoia National Park. We began our trip at Horseshoe Meadows (heading southwest) and made our exit over Shepherd Pass (seven days).

The Trench was very smoky at times (the McNally fire I think) and we were always aware of our escape route if fire blew up the canyon (middle of the river).

The night we came out, Galen Rowell and his wife crashed their plane near Bishop.

Aside from that sad end, this was the BEST backpack I have ever experienced. Wild, somewhat scary (due to the lack of knowledge on the progress of the big fire south of the park), and hardly a human anywhere to be seen (oh and a seven foot rattler came into our camp for a visit - just north of the Hot Springs).

I think about that one trip more than any other. Bring it on, but be careful.