Timing my East Sierra family hike

Bugs are mostly gone now, will be completely gone by the end of August. Usually the weather starts to become less stable and it gets colder around the end of September. October is a great time to go, but it will often get into the 20's at night and I watch the forecast much more closely.

Since I am an enginerd, here's a plot of overnight low temps for four locations in the Sierra from the past 15 or so years:

VLC = Volcanic Knob, near VVR
ERY = Ellery Lake, near Tioga Pass
BSH = Bishop Pass
STL = State Lakes

All of these are around 10,000 ft, so add 5-10 degrees if you're camping lower.

1) The bugs are gone already.
2) Any given night in the High Sierra can get down to 30F… even July and August… possible mid 20 lows in September…
3) The first snows are unpredictable. I have seen 2 feet of snow around Sept 20th or so, and I have seen it completely dry into January. But generally the first half of September is not going to have any significant snow… that's about all you can count on as being a reasonably sure thing.

Billy

I'd say the last 2 weeks of September are your best bet, based on my experience down thru the years. It can start to go down hill in late September, but usually you'll be OK. October is another story. When it's nice, it's really nice, but I've had mixed success the last few years with the weather during the first half of October. Your idea of booking 2 weekends is a good one, IMO.

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

Tom!! Whats up buddy? I'll email you, I gotta know how your hikes went.

So as for the bugs being gone already, I was up at 60 Lakes a month ago and got et up. So very glad to hear to it's already tapering down. I gotta get crackin!!

I knew somebody was going to have a chart for this! Thanks Andrew!

"Any given night in the High Sierra can get down to 30F"

I realize that, that's why I check forecasts, have a second date in my pocket. Sounds like picking a date mid-September, and then a backup date shortly after that, should give me the best chance. I'm thinking Little Lakes. I'm hoping this hike is half as good as our last one in Yosemite, just thinking about that one gets me choked up. …http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=55545

"Any given night in the High Sierra can get down to 30F"

"I realize that, that's why I check forecasts, have a second date in my pocket."

Yes indeed. However, one should always be prepared for colder and more stormy weather than forecast (especially after August). Sometimes the forecasts are correct. Often they are not. For instance, last year I checked the forecast the morning I started for a week long backpack in the High Sierra. Forecast was for a week of clear, sunny weather… nights in mid 40's.
Well… the first day was like that. The rest of the days were cold and rainy every day. Even hail one afternoon… nights well into the mid 30's.

Another time had similar forecast and then had nights in mid 20's.

Billy

You should go now. You aren't going to find any bugs. Weather will be as good as it gets.

"I'm thinking Little Lakes"

The other thing to think about is smoke.
A week ago when I checked with Bishop ranger station they said that the French Fire was wafting smoke into Little Lakes.

While August and the first two weeks of September can be great weather, they are also the worst times for fires and smoke :(

Smoke is unpredictable and there is typically little to no forecast for it, but you can call the closest ranger station before leaving… and change plans as necessary…

Billy

Just got back from doing the Rae Lakes loop this week. Didn't pull my mosquito net out once. However, we were rained on all day Sunday.

Same old, Adan. You can't teach an old dog new tricks, so it's been 2 trips into the Sierra so far, and a road trip with a bud in Oregon that yielded 2 overnighters in a whole different kind of terrain. Drop me a line when you get time and we'll do some catching up.