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Most visitors take on Mt. Whitney from mid-July through
the early party October so that their trail will be mostly free of snow.
Summer days are warm at lower elevations, but at higher elevations it
will cool down quickly, so visitors might still want to bring a warm
jacket, even in July when can reach 90 degrees F at the trailhead on
mild days. Mt. Whitney makes its own weather, so rain, wind, snow, ice
and sub-zero temperatures can occur even in the summer. Startlingly
sudden afternoon thunderstorms are common, and lightening poses a special
danger to climbers exposed on the mountain’s granite cliffs. Climbers
should immediately assess their situation at the first sign of lightning,
and decide whether or not to turn back.
One rarely thinks of altitude in terms of weather because it is constant,
but it remains a central component of the environment, especially on
mountains. Climbers and hikers should always be on guard against Altitude
Sickness. The symptoms include dizziness, headaches, nausea and impaired
judgment. When any of these symptoms appear the afflicted person should
descend to a lower altitude at once. |
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