Lows to expect on a Northbound Through Hike

[Zippy Morocco]

I have been away from the forums for a while but the hiking bug has returned. It seems to do that most winters. So I have a question.

I am beginning to plan a CDT thru-hike. I am trying to find out what the temperatures might be like in Colorado in June so that I can prepare properly. Does anyone know a way to figure this out or a link to a someone that has figured this out. I imagine that I would be entering the San Juan's the first week of June or as soon as I feel that I can safely enter.

Thank you

[burger]

We hit the low to mid 20s a couple of nights in the San Juans and South San Juans. Once we got past the San Juans, I'm not sure we were below freezing again. That said, my partner and I were super careful about site selection, always camping under trees and avoiding valley bottoms and camping next to water if possible. I know that a lot of hiker will camp anywhere, though. If you are the sort that likes to throw down wherever, then I imagine you could get temperatures into the teens.

[bearcreek]

Temperatures are typically in the mid to upper 30's at night in early June and 60's in the day. It can freeze and, or, snow any day of the year in the San Juans. I use a 20 degree bag from June through September and that works great for me.

If you want to study this a bit take a look at SNOTEL sites Cumbres Trestle and Beartown. The trail goes right past both of them. Beartown is fairly typical for the elevations you will be camping at. This is also a good place to monitor the snow melt in the spring. Cumbres is a relatively low spot - if there is snow there you will likely encounter a lot of snow everywhere. The preferable time to do the San Juans is in July or August, not June, so if you are going early be prepared to cross really steep snowy and icy couloirs with big exposure.


http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/snow/index.html

[colorado_rob]

Agree with what has been said. Adding that June is usually a fantastic time of year, but there will be some high leftover snow in all likelihood in a few places, no biggie, and who knows this might be a low-snow year (in the San Juans) in which case no sweat at all.

Expect right around freezing at night, perhaps just below (high 20's), but as Burger says, as long as you choose camp spots wisely this helps a lot (amazing the difference being under a tree makes; reduces radiant heat loss on clear nights dramatically). Also pay attention to altitude, as you know, this makes a big difference in campsite selection as well.

If I were doing this myself, I would personally carry a very good (conservatively rated) 32 degree bag and "tough it out" on nights in the 20's, unless your starting forecast calls for a cold spell, in which case I'd schlep my heavier 20 degree bag and swap out later. This assumes you are using a regular tent. Tarp tents and other single wall tents run colder because they have to vent much more to minimize condensation. A double wall tent sleeps warmer.

[Zippy Morocco]

Great information. I will probably take my 20 degree zpacks quilt and a down balaclava. It worked well on the PCT in the Sierras late may this year. Sounds like the conditions are likely to be similar. Thank you all for the input and the link.

[burger]

A 20-degree quilt should be great. I had a 15 degree quilt and was warm every night. 20 should be fine.

[Spirit Walker]

We had 20 degree bags and were fine until mid-September. We switched to 5 deg. bags in Montana.

[handlebar]

I was fine thru NM and CO with 20 deg Western Mountaineering Ultralite so I think you'll be OK with the quilt and balaclava. Started April 25, '10 and was fairly slow thru NM. Heading N from Cumbres Pass June 7 in 2010. I don't know if that was more than a average snow year, but the trail was snow covered much of the way to Wolf Creek Pass. There was a section where I was only making just over a mile an hour for 11 hours. I'd been warned so carried 6 days food out of Chama. That slow pace discouraged me, but a lanky, 6'2" 30-something who caught up with me close to Wolf Creek Pass didn't make much better time than I. There was frozen snowmelt flowing in the trail several morning and there was a climb up over one 6ft high cornice that really gave a surge of adrenaline. I did use both my ice ax and micro spikes though not as often as I probably should have. Still that was a particularly georgeous section. I was hiking solo rand there weren't very many nobos in '10. Since there's been quite an increase in thruhiker traffic so you'll likely have a partner.