Hi All, Francy, Susan and I are up at Clair Tappaan Lodge now and found a nice camping spot for our two day stay, where you'll have the option of hiking to a mountain lake or climbing an old volcano on the lay over day. Here's some more last minute tips. Weather: Weather forcast for Norden next week is for highs 76-82 deg, lows 34-37 deg Chance of rain Friday or Saturday 10-40% We will be be camped about 700 ft. higher so it will be a few degres cooler. I've removed the down parka from the equipment list. It was left over from the last two years when we went earlier and there was still snow on the ground. The record low for July is 24 deg. so you need to have layers (fleece, down sweater, ...) for cool mornings. A warm hat also keeps me from getting cold feet at night. Weather forecasts don't necessarily agree. The Weather Channel seems to be the best. For next week: The Weather Channel says the high is 76 low is 47 http://www.weather.com/weather/5-day/Norden+CA+USCA0773:1:US AccuWeather says the high is 79 low is 44 http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/norden-ca/95724/daily-weather-forecast/2167268 The Weather Underground says the high is 82 low is 34 http://www.wunderground.com/ Note:In my dangers list at FAQ page I listed Sunburn and Dehydration at the top of my list. Here are some notes relative to that. Some notes about sun protection. The solar radiation at 8,000 ft elevation is almost 50% higher than at sea level. (The air is 25% thinner and the sun is passing thru less of it). Reflection off of snow and water will intensify it even more. That plus the dry air makes you more prone to sunburn. The forest is not as dense as in other parts of the country, so you will be in the sun more. Sun hat with a full brim - ie. not a baseball hat. You need protection for your ears and neck. Sunglasses - A Light Transmission Factor (LTF) of 9-15% with 99.5-100% UV blocking is best. We will be hiking under tree cover for the most part, so you don't have to run out and get new sunglasses. Most stores like, Sunglass Hut, LensCrafters, and Optical World don't even know what LTF is. The oakley store was the only exception. My web site also has some examples of lenses with different LTF's you can use as a guide. REI lists LTF under Specs for their sunglasses. Photochromic or Transition lenses which lighten or darken in response to the sunlight intensity are popular with hikers. Unfortunately they do not get dark enough in warm weather and they are slow to change. See https://donsnotes.com/products/sunglasses.html#hiking Sunscreen - Broad spectrum (UVA & UVB) SPF 30 - 50. SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays SPF 30 blocks 97% of the UVB rays SPF 50 blocks 98% of the UVB rays Anything higher doesn't do much but cost you more. (SPF only measures UVB) See: https://donsnotes.com/health/sun_protection.htmlOther Links: Dangers Page. Our web site with previous bulletins: https://donsnotes.com/ctl/introtobackpacking/index.html Don Mobile 848 203-4814, Clair Tappaan Lodge (800) 679-6775 |
