Humphrey Summit

[tvl76]

When is the best time to hike Humphreys summit trail ?
I assume it's a little chilly up there now and would not be advised during monsoons

[Al_HikesAZ]

When is the best time to hike Humphreys summit trail ?
I assume it's a little chilly up there now and would not be advised during monsoons

It all depends on the weather.

Right now the high is in the low 50's and the low is in the mid-20s. (see weather forecast info below). If you layer properly, it can be very enjoyable. What little snow we had this winter is melting then freezing at night so you'll have ice under the trees. In-step crampons are helpful, but get to be bothersome putting on then taking off repeatedly. The ridgeline should be fine, it's the trail to & from the ridgeline that will be icy & slushy.

Last year there was almost this amount of snow until late June.

Later this month, June & early July this year should be excellent. In late July the monsoons start. They fire up almost every afternoon. But if you get a real early start (sunrise or earlier), you should be able to summit and be back down before the lightning starts. The rain & hail I can handle, but lightning really scares me. Monsoons continue into August. Late August after the monsoons, September and even early October should also be great.

I advise anyone that hasn't hiked altitudes before to acclimate at least the night before at elevation. Stay overnight in Flagstaff the night before. Altitude sickness is a sneaky bugger and can be extremely dangerous. Make sure you know the symptoms & appropriate responses before you try this hike.

If you have questions about this hike, call the Ranger Office. Don't overburden them, but they would prefer to talk with you for a few minutes on the phone rather than sending Search & Rescue out for you at nightfall.


WEATHER FORECASTS
OLDEN DAYS
In the old days, I would look at the Flagstaff weather report and knock 15-20 degrees from the high and knock 10-15 degrees from the Flagstaff low. Double the chance of rain and double the wind.

MODERN
Now I go to the National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website http://ifps.wrh.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/dwf?siteID=FGZ and check out the forecast at N 35.3333 W 111.67. This gives the forecast for the nearest weather reporting station for Humphreys. (10 miles north of Flag at 11,463 feet) I look at the hour by hour for 3 days.

Enjoy.

[Hoffmaster]

The only time I would avoid Humphrey's summit is during the monsoon season. A few summers ago, my girlfriend and I were going to do Humphrey's and then we decided to do Kendrick's Peak at the last second. We were hanging out in the fire tower on the peak when we witnessed a storm pummel the heck out of Humphey's. The storm passed to our north, sparing us. Humphrey's Peak was covered in hail...it looked like snow! That would have hurt!

The lightning scares me more than anything though. Last summer, we got caught in a monsoon storm on the edge of the Mogollon Rim. We could feel the electricity! That was really scary.

This time of year and later in the summer/fall is really crowded. Winter, in the snow is my favorite. It feels like a real mountain in the winter.