by doub1jack » Sat Oct 07, 2017 4:52 pm
Good to hear. That's about what I was expecting.
My understanding is that "normal" for this time of year is low of 20s at night, high of ~55 for the day, with snow not being common until later in the season. Naturally, I'll also prepare for non-normal weather too. I'm planning on bringing a ~10 deg sleeping bag, a light backpacking tent. After 6-8pm I'm expecting the temperature to start to drop to temperatures that will be more comfortable in a sleeping bag than outside one, and probably stay chilly until ~9-10am.
For ideal conditions during the day I'm expecting to be hiking in a t-shirt or light longsleeve shirt and thin nylon long pants, without need of insulating or windproof layers. I'll bring a rain jacket & pants more for wind proofing than for rain (which I don't expect much of), and plenty of warm layers, a warm hat and gloves. I'm not really expecting snow, but am prepared to cross up to 6-12 inches of snow over Red Peak Pass. Your point about a map & compass is a good one since there's always a possibility of snow concealing the established trail. And of course, if for some reason I can't cross the pass, then I'll just double back and enjoy a return trip down the valley again.
I'm not really worrying about any wildlife problems (beyond typical food protection measures), or any environmental issues other than chilly late-summer weather. Sound about right?