yang wrote:Hi everyone,
I am going to hike to Mount Langley at this coming weekend. As a photographer, I want to take some sunrise and sunset photos on top of New Army Pass. I am thinking to camp on top of New Army Pass and summit on second day. As this will be my first time there, I am wondering what condition I would encounter.
I know there is no water up there. So I am going to take water from the lake under the pass. I assume it would be flat enough there to pitch the tent. Will it be very windy? Cold? What about marmot? Is it possible it chew up my tent?
Thanks,
Yang
Hi Yang! I'm curious if you've hiked/camped/slept above 10,000 feet before? 11,000? 12,000? 13,000? 14,000? Do you have knowledge/experience regarding AMS/HACE/HAPE? Maybe you have this in mind, but I'd suggest spending your first night in the campground at Horseshoe Meadow/Cottonwood TH(s) for acclimitization purposes. If well rested, get up before dawn and head out on a photo shoot. Camp at the lakes below New Army Pass and/or below Old Army Pass taking photos under various conditions with easy access to plentiful water to ward off dehydration. Plus then you will have easier access to shelter from wind, lightning, and rain that may be significant this weekend. Sure, you can pitch a tent up on the ridge somewhere and find/build some shelter from the forecasted south winds, but if lightning strikes, the ridge is not an ideal location to camp and is far to retreat to forest, campground, car, or home. I've never been on New Army, but have been up Old Army nearby twice, and another trip visited lakes near New Army as well as the highest Cottonwood Lakes northeast of Old Army. You can find good subjects at the lakes and it is not a long walk up to the tops of the passes if acclimated, in fair shape, and up at dawn. Getting to the actual summit from the passes may take some time (2-4 hours), but acclimitization from camping should help.
Although conditions may make for interesting photography, forecasted thunderstorms would be scaring me off from this weekend barring significant improvement in % chance at a given point of storms down to about 10%-maybe 20% if feeling brave. Still, I would want quick access to forest or car without 0% chance of lightning and strong winds. Keep an eye on these forecasts for changes:
Summit area:
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=36.5232685740005&lon=-118.23897742099967&site=all&smap=1#.U9fK2inn_qAPasses and lakes area:
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-118.24533&lat=36.49388#.U9fLtSnn-BYDetails from a guy farther north:
http://mammothweather.com/2014/07/26/monsoon-iii-to-make-appearence-by-tonight-with-lots-of-mid-level-cloudiness-moistening-to-continue-through-monday-with-best-chance-of-thunderstorms-during-monday-pm-upper-flow-to-become-sou/Do you know how to most likely survive a lightning storm?
I was up there last week. Thunderstorms happened to be worse farther north at the time. Sunny for me! I think the marmots were more plentiful and aggressive up high on the ridge, passes, and peak than down at the lakes. They like food and salt. Do you sweat much on your gear? I did see a bighorn sheep standing atop Old Army as I ascended from Cottonwood Lakes, but was using a smartphone camera with no zoom. Looks like a dot in my photos.