On 12/9/2005 I wad literally blown off North Star Mountain. It could have been much worse, but I got away with only minor injuries. Peak 8 supposedly clocked a 130 mph gust that day and the ski resorts were shut down due to the winds.
I don't know what my wind tolerance is, but it's far below 130 mph as I wouldn't do that again.
What’s your wind threshold?
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Re: What’s your wind threshold?
I'm old, slow and fat. Unfortunately, those are my good qualities.
Re: What’s your wind threshold?
My worst is tied between having to turn around on DeCaLiBron from 60mph+ gusts and a wintry day on the summit of Quandary at ~60mph (coincidence? I think not). I would reasonably let myself continue at that 60mph threshold, but any more and I'm usually getting blown into the air.
Sometimes you don't think it be like it is, but it do.
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HikerGuy
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Codyhill1991
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Re: What’s your wind threshold?
This thread has been interesting to read. I hate the wind and my threshold is low, but I'm extremely bad at guessing what the actual mph is. Looking at the Handies area for Tuesday and it looks like 30 MPH and I have no sense of if that's chill, or just annoying, or uncomfortable enough to send me elsewhere. Based on everyone else's threshold though, and days I've experienced in the mountains before, I am getting the impression that 30 with reasonable temps will be fine.
Re: What’s your wind threshold?
I'll echo the thoughts several other have said about the exact threshold varying based on the goal.
- Going on a class 1 or 2 stroll up something comparatively tame like Quandary? I'm willing to put up with a forecast of 50mph.
- Doing class 2 along a 6 foot wide ridge with a major drop on either side? Not doing that again at 50+ mph...
- Hitting something class 5? I might consider changing plans for a 30mph wind.
- Hiking on dry ground? Threshold goes up
- Hiking over wet rock right after a rainstorm? Threshold goes down.
- Hiking in winter in 50mph winds? Doable with the right layers but you need to be really sure you have a good layering system and know how to add/remove layers in adverse conditions without losing them (plus all the above issues).
So while 50mph is a good ballpark number at which to say most people no longer really enjoy hiking in that kind of wind, it varies a lot based on what exactly you're doing and on your own risk tolerance (yes, under the right conditions, strong wind *can* be fun).
Also, I'm often reluctant to flat out cancel based only on a forecast. Case in point: today. Most every mountain we looked at called for winds somewhere around 45mph to 55mph (or more if you look at OpenSummit). My friend Geo and I scratched our earlier plans due to those numbers. After much discussion we finally settled on Golden Bear as a target - an easy 13er we had both done already and for which the forecast showed gusts of about 45mph. The 2 of us went up to the summit and, as agreed beforehand, since the wind was annoying but not enough to knock me over, I decided to continue along the ridge to Hagar while Geo turned back. The wind did pick up some during a class 3 scramble up rocks covered with snow/ice, which was a little sketchy but not horrible and it was very annoying on the hike back along the roller coaster ridge, but at no point did I feel like I was in danger of being knocked over. Had the wind been stronger I wouldn't have gone on to Hagar, but since it was tolerable I continued and am glad I did (but do note there are various people who've gotten seriously injured by rolling the dice on a windy day - I got away with it today but my risk tolerance is higher than some).
- Going on a class 1 or 2 stroll up something comparatively tame like Quandary? I'm willing to put up with a forecast of 50mph.
- Doing class 2 along a 6 foot wide ridge with a major drop on either side? Not doing that again at 50+ mph...
- Hitting something class 5? I might consider changing plans for a 30mph wind.
- Hiking on dry ground? Threshold goes up
- Hiking over wet rock right after a rainstorm? Threshold goes down.
- Hiking in winter in 50mph winds? Doable with the right layers but you need to be really sure you have a good layering system and know how to add/remove layers in adverse conditions without losing them (plus all the above issues).
So while 50mph is a good ballpark number at which to say most people no longer really enjoy hiking in that kind of wind, it varies a lot based on what exactly you're doing and on your own risk tolerance (yes, under the right conditions, strong wind *can* be fun).
Also, I'm often reluctant to flat out cancel based only on a forecast. Case in point: today. Most every mountain we looked at called for winds somewhere around 45mph to 55mph (or more if you look at OpenSummit). My friend Geo and I scratched our earlier plans due to those numbers. After much discussion we finally settled on Golden Bear as a target - an easy 13er we had both done already and for which the forecast showed gusts of about 45mph. The 2 of us went up to the summit and, as agreed beforehand, since the wind was annoying but not enough to knock me over, I decided to continue along the ridge to Hagar while Geo turned back. The wind did pick up some during a class 3 scramble up rocks covered with snow/ice, which was a little sketchy but not horrible and it was very annoying on the hike back along the roller coaster ridge, but at no point did I feel like I was in danger of being knocked over. Had the wind been stronger I wouldn't have gone on to Hagar, but since it was tolerable I continued and am glad I did (but do note there are various people who've gotten seriously injured by rolling the dice on a windy day - I got away with it today but my risk tolerance is higher than some).
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Bale
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Re: What’s your wind threshold?
Interesting. 6 is “strong breeze”, 25-31 mph.
Doesn’t seem too bad on land, but those 9-13 foot waves in the ocean would scare me to death!
The earth, like the sun, like the air, belongs to everyone - and to no one. - Edward Abbey
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randalmartin
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Re: What’s your wind threshold?
I would agree that most people don't have an accurate estimation of the wind they feel. Based on cases where I have had actual numbers to corroborate what I am feeling I can say 50mph is my limit for Summer. Winter I would say below 30mph but 30mph would only be a go if everything else (Sunshine, Temps, mostly below treeline) were in my favor.
It has only taken a handful of times in winter for me experiencing the utter misery that it often entails that I have really dialed in my tolerance. As already said there are so many factors that already make Winter a much more difficult endeavor.
One other factor I would add that I haven't heard mentioned is impact on navigation. In Winter, high winds do two critical things 1] Limit visibility from blowing snow, 2] Cover your tracks quickly. Don't expect to navigate back just on the basis of your tracks.
It has only taken a handful of times in winter for me experiencing the utter misery that it often entails that I have really dialed in my tolerance. As already said there are so many factors that already make Winter a much more difficult endeavor.
One other factor I would add that I haven't heard mentioned is impact on navigation. In Winter, high winds do two critical things 1] Limit visibility from blowing snow, 2] Cover your tracks quickly. Don't expect to navigate back just on the basis of your tracks.
Re: What’s your wind threshold?
There have been 3 times that wind ended an outdoor adventure for me.
First time was on Argentine as winds forced a flight for life helicopter to head north and seek safer passage. 5 minutes later the wind tossed the cmc leader of the hike to the ground. it was late October, and for several minutes most of us were laying close to the ground as we could not stand. We turned around after this.
Second time was waking up to about 70 mph winds in the boulder field after a very windy and snowy night. it was later March, and we had planned to go up the cable route.
my friend and i had to yell at each other in order to hear ourselves, and could barely see the route which was just above us. We packed up camp, and turned back.
Third time was during an October hike of Shavano. From treeline towards the upper saddle, the wind was 40 to 50mph.
At the saddle, the wind picked up to 65-70 mph.
That is where i turned back.
First time was on Argentine as winds forced a flight for life helicopter to head north and seek safer passage. 5 minutes later the wind tossed the cmc leader of the hike to the ground. it was late October, and for several minutes most of us were laying close to the ground as we could not stand. We turned around after this.
Second time was waking up to about 70 mph winds in the boulder field after a very windy and snowy night. it was later March, and we had planned to go up the cable route.
my friend and i had to yell at each other in order to hear ourselves, and could barely see the route which was just above us. We packed up camp, and turned back.
Third time was during an October hike of Shavano. From treeline towards the upper saddle, the wind was 40 to 50mph.
At the saddle, the wind picked up to 65-70 mph.
That is where i turned back.
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greenonion
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Re: What’s your wind threshold?
A long time ago when I was heavier, 180ish, my wife and I were in a 2 person tent near the edge of Muley Point in far SE Utah and the wind was so strong it scooted the tent 2, maybe 3 inches. We left the next morning before sunrise.
Hoping Dave B can calculate that wind velocity given my weight and my wife around 112 then. North Face Lunarfire tent. Can’t give ya pitch and yaw though, if that’s even the right thingys
Hoping Dave B can calculate that wind velocity given my weight and my wife around 112 then. North Face Lunarfire tent. Can’t give ya pitch and yaw though, if that’s even the right thingys
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cedica
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JROSKA
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Re: What’s your wind threshold?
Like others have referenced, I’m not great at estimating wind speed. All I know is that in 2012 I was just below the Democrat / Cameron saddle on a windy day, just standing there having a snack and I got picked up a few inches and landed flat on my back on the tundra. I think the wind speeds in Alma that day were 30-40 mph so that gust was probably 55-60, not sure. Regardless that’s my threshold. If I can’t trust the conditions to stay upright I’m turning back immediately.
“Is there a thing of which it is said, ‘See, this is new’? It has been already in the ages before us. There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be among those who come after.” - Ecclesiastes 1:10-11
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greenonion
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Re: What’s your wind threshold?
I sold my bike to Satan.
