Mountain Wind

Climbing a mountain in the wind is a common concern because most mountains have wind of varying degrees. The real question deals with what level of wind risk you are willing to take.

I have observed three dangers from mountain wind: 1st the threat of being cast off the mountain by the wind gusts, 2nd being chilled to the bone, and 3rd, having your sight impeded by blowing snow. I consider wind conditions very seriously because high up on the mountain, high winds can hurt and kill.

One year on Mount Shasta we climbed from Horse Camp to Helen Lake where we setup our 10,400 camp. By 11:30 AM we had our camp organized and we felt rested so we decided to head for the summit. (Leaving from Helen Lake for the summit at 11:30 AM is not a good idea because it increases your risks.) It was a warm, calm clear day and my hiking companions decided to leave all their protective clothing at camp to cut down on the weight of their packs. However, when I saw climbers returning to camp from the summit fully dressed in their waterproof shells, I quickly placed these items back in my pack. The first couple of hours of afternoon climbing were hot and we just had our shirts on.

Then, at about 12,000 feet we entered the wind zone and the temperature dropped in minutes. We huddled out of the wind and dressed in everything we had. My friends only had a light fleece jackets and gloves. These items may have been o.k. for the cold but they offered little protection from the wind. I was the only person with a windproof jacket, which effectively stopped all wind from reaching my core. With only a fleece coat I would not have made the summit. As we continued the climb, my friends suffered from the cold wind and as they reached the top they were shaking (which I understand is one of the main clues that you have hypothermia). Luckily we had an event-free decent to our high camp and warm sleeping bags waiting for us there.

Never underestimate the danger of mountain wind.

Mount Shasta

Misery Hill on Shasta

Red Banks on Shasta

Ridge Lake