Has it rained yet in California?

Only thing will stop me this year are forest fires!

There is a very good chance of that in August and September… That's fire season even in a wet year.

No, we have not had and will not have enough precip to make a difference.

Billy

I guess you know that your proposed route is up fairly high, so it is mostly out of the way of where the forest fires might happen. OTOH, if there is a forest fire upwind someplace, it can certainly disturb your enjoyment of the trail. Worse yet, it screws up your scenic photography.

–B.G.–

"I guess you know that your proposed route is up fairly high, so it is mostly out of the way of where the forest fires might happen. OTOH, if there is a forest fire upwind someplace, it can certainly disturb your enjoyment of the trail. Worse yet, it screws up your scenic photography."

Worse yet, the smoke can be so bad that it is hazardous to your health… not to mention make most of the surrounding areas invisible behind the smokey haze.
It's not going to be the flames that will impede your hiking down a trail; it is the smoke.

July is a better bet this year…

billy

My goodness, congratulations on getting your permit. Go and have a wonderful time!

Jon, a word of warning…

The ranger station at Roads End can be a real zoo when it opens early some morning. There will be backpackers lined up to get a permit, and some get within the quota. One way or the other, a lot of time can be lost.

It is far better if you can get there the day before and pick up a reserved permit with no crowd. As I recall, the station has rather intermittent hours.

–B.G.–

Thanks for the insight everyone. I'll just keep monitoring the situation as the summer progresses. Crossing my fingers for decent conditions!

Bob, I'll definitely try to get my permit on the 8th and get it early on the ninth. Thanks for the tip.

I can't believe it but my trip is right around the corner! My first experience of the Sierra is almost here!!! Can some locals give me an update on the conditions?

It's still raining here in SW Colorado! Craziest spring/summer is a long time!!

We had some crazy weather recently with rain and snow at 8,000 feet.

NWS forecasts for specific points along the JMT here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Fz_vc-zml_amtzZGlCYzlvUjg/view

The forecasts are blocked into small areas, so you will just get whatever altitude the block happens to use.
E.g. the forecast for the block that includes Whitney is for 12,200'.
So adjust temperature expectations accordingly.

Hi everybody,

A friend and I will attempt the Big SEKI Loop clockwise and we'll be starting at Road's End on Monday, Aug 3rd.
Despite the fact that I've monitored the weather report and especially since I'm an inexperienced Sierra Hiker, I'm still a little unsure as to what stuff to bring and I'd really appreciate your input on that. I can choose between a MLD Spirit 28 or a Brooks Range Alpini 15 Down Bag (rated 15F). Plus, I'm unsure whether to bring the dedicated MLD Balaclava (vs just a beanie) and gloves.
The weather report linked in the previous post showed nighttime lows of ~40F for the past week or so (that is, I only looked at the Whitney entry). Just depending on that, I would go for the Spirit 28, the beanie and no gloves.
What do you think about that?

For daytime hiking, I planned to bring a shortsleeved shirt and sun protective arm warmers but no longsleeve shirt or bottoms. For sleeping I have longsleeved silk underwear and a nanopuff pullover if needed.
Our shelter is a Gossamer Gear C-Twinn with a non-wp bivy for me and a waterproof one for my friend.

Your input is highly appreciated!

Thanks,
Theo

Most of this is personal opinion, but this is my $0.02:

I would take the Spirit 28, but acknowledge that you might get a little chilly, and might want to sleep lower, and pick sheltered campsites if that is the case. You'll be in a bivy (which will limit drafts), and (can be) underneath a tarp, which will limit condensation on the quilt/bivy via radiative cooling. Note that if you sleep in any of the popular lake basins, it can get much colder than the forecast, particularly if it is a still night. Cold air really does sink. But I'd react to this dynamically, and if you find yourself getting chilly at night, use site selection as a tool to mitigate it. For what it's worth, I've used an Enlightened Equipment 30 degree quilt for the last few years in the Sierra in summer and fall, and been sufficiently warm.

I would bring the gloves. I don't mind chilly hands, but once they get too cold to function, things can quickly get interesting. I don't think I've ever not brought gloves on my Sierra trips, and I think I've used them every time.

I don't know much about the MLD balaclava. I usually bring a fleece beanie, but I also usually have a hooded down jacket, which I don't always use this time of year. I did google the balaclava, and it seems like it might not be a pleasure to hike in, because it looks like it might obstruct vision. At least, it looks like it did for the giddy girl with the orthodontics in the photo that I found.

For daytime hiking, your garb sounds fine, assuming you have a rain shell to cover those arms in inclement weather.

Long sleeved silk underwear is perfect for sleeping in. I've started leaving mine at home if I know I have a good forecast, but you're going to be out long enough that the forecast won't be reliable. I'd bring it.

If you post a full gear list, I (and many others on here) would be happy to advise further–some of us have plenty of experience in the Sierra (but perhaps none elsewhere!).

Thanks for the detailed answer, Adam! I followed your advice and posted my gearlist here:
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=105516