Reminder to Listen to Two Podcasts
I hope you can make the time to listen to
two podcasts I did with Backpackinglight.com and tell me what you
think!
The Truth Behind Colorado’s Weather
I’ve been enjoying the endless sunny days in New Mexico and that made me
think of Colorado’s weather.
Many Coloradans are deluded about their weather. The vast conspiracy
starts with the Colorado Chamber of Commerce which wants to attract
businesses to their state. They declare that Colorado experiences over
300 sunny days per year. That’s true, as long as you subscribe to
Colorado’s definition of a “sunny day.”
Since I’ve never experienced a sunny day in Colorado , I’ve concluded
that their definition of a “sunny day” is when the sun shines for at
least 17 seconds.
It might rain, snow, or hail for the rest of the day, but if that sun
peeks out for just 17 seconds, then they chalk the day up into the
“sunny” category. Hence, they arrive at the 300+ sunny days statistic.
Here is some evidence of their folly:
http://www.metrodenver.org/dataCenter/QualityOfLife/Climate.icm
http://admissions.colostate.edu/index.asp?url=location (see
“Outdoor Life” section)
http://ccc.atmos.colostate.edu/questions.php
http://www.city-data.com/forum/colorado-springs/155706-where-300-days-sunshine-yearly.html
Is It Possible to Have a Cloudless Day in Colorado?
About a week ago I met a couple day hiking. I asked the lady, “Do you
know the forecast?”
“Yes,” she said confidently. “For the next three days, there won’t be a
cloud in the sky.”
“Really?” I said incredulously.
“Not one cloud,” she repeated.
“Wow. That would be amazing to have three days without a cloud. I’ve
never experienced any 24 hour period in Colorado where there wasn’t a
cloud in the sky.”
“It happens,” she assured me.
When I woke up the next morning, it was nearly impossible to see a patch
of blue sky - the heavens were completely covered in clouds. Over the
next few weeks, the clouds never went away. After over two months in
Colorado, I have yet to see a cloudless 24 hour period. In fact, it's
rare a day in Colorado where I don't get some rain, hail, sleet, or
snowfall.
Is Colorado Arid?
When I was hitchhiking back to the trail in Colorado, my driver ranted
against Coloradans who insist on having lawns and taking long showers.
“They think we have a lot of water,” he spat, “They don’t understand
that we live in an arid state. It’s very dry here.”
I bit my tongue and nodded quietly. It was funny that my driver didn’t
detect the irony that he was heading to the mountains to go skiing in
the end of May.
If Colorado is as dry as he was implying, it would hardly have several
meters of snow left in late May. Indeed, I marvel at all the water that
flows along the Continental Divide in late September, the driest time in
the mountains. If Colorado were super dry, how is it possible that the
Colorado River is able to supply the water needs of Colorado , New
Mexico, Arizona, and California? Indeed, that same mighty river carved
out the Grand Canyon.
(Although nowadays the Colorado River is arguably being “overused,” it’s
still remarkable how much volume pours through its channel.)
There’s also the Coloradans who brag about their “dry snow.” Although
Colorado does have some of the best skiing in America, if I were to
stick some of that “dry snow” down your pants, after a few minutes it
wouldn't feel quite so dry.
Colorado is not an arid state. If you think so, visit the neighboring
state, New Mexico. Better yet, go to the Atacama Desert in Chile, where
it hasn’t rained in over 400 years.
For Coloradans: Learning a New Vocabulary
If you’re from Colorado, try saying these words. It will be hard at
first, but try. Take a deep breath and say: “Partly Sunny” and “Partly
Cloudy” and “Mostly Cloudy” and, here's a toughie, “Rainy.”
Whew! I know that was hard, but it’s the first step to overcoming
denial.
Next step, learn to describe your weather accurately. You can go to the
National Weather Service to look up the
definitions,
but I’ve copied the key ones here:
Sunny: When there are no opaque (not transparent) clouds. Same as
Clear.
Mostly Sunny: Same as Mostly Clear, except only applicable during
daylight hours; when the predominant/average sky condition is covered
1/8 to 2/8 with opaque (not transparent) clouds.
Partly Sunny: When the predominant/average sky condition is
covered 3/8 to 4/8 with opaque (not transparent) clouds. Same as Partly
Cloudy.
Partly Cloudy: When the predominant/average sky condition is
covered 3/8 to 4/8 with opaque (not transparent) clouds. Same as Partly
Sunny.
Mostly Cloudy: When the predominant/average sky condition is
covered by more than half, but not completely covered by opaque (not
transparent) clouds. In other words, 5/8 to 7/8 of the sky is covered by
opaque clouds. Same as Considerable Cloudiness.
There, see that's not too hard. To make room in your brain for these
complex concepts, I suggest eliminating the word "sunny" from your
vocabulary, at least when describing your weather.
Coloradans need to stop bragging that they have 300 sunny days a year.
Admit that the Colorado weather is capricious and volatile. For those
who have learned the above weather definitions, it’s time for the final
lesson:
Look at a mirror and say, “Hi, I’m from Colorado, and our weather
sucks.”
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: GOLITE
GoLite, one of my best sponsors, is based in Boulder, Colorado. All my
clothes are from GoLite because their clothes are tested in their
backyard. And if they can survive Colorado’s temperamental and insane
weather, then it can survive anywhere.
Lately I’ve been using GoLite’s balaclava and cap. I also used their
Reed rain pants in Colorado during their vicious rainstorms. I love what
they make and I recommend them highly!
Please visit: www.GoLite.com
Buy Hike Your Own Hike!
Get a real treat this Halloween, and buy my book,
Hike Your Own Hike: 7
Life Lessons from Backpacking Across America. As a thank you, I donate
half of my royalty to the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail,
and the Continental Divide Trail. So even if you have only moderate
interest in my book, buy it for a friend and think of it as a donation
to our national scenic trails!
I hope to finish my CDT Yo-Yo on Halloween, and you can have your
autographed copy before then! |
Colorado always had clouds, which made for pretty photos.
Mt. Huron, 14,003 feet, is behind me. I would put on all my layers in
Colorado after sunset because it was always cold at night.
The San Juans don't have as much water sources as the Sierra Nevada.
A rare moment chilling out in the San Juans.
The tallest point in the San Juan section of the CDT is near the center
of this photo. I took this in late September.
This is the same place you see above, but when I was there in early May.
At times I felt more cold in late September than I felt in early May.
This photo shows a minor snow storm in September. |
