I'll be heading up out of the portal on June 28 for 2 nights. It's my first time up and I'm taking my 17 year old daughter and her friend who are both in athletic condition. I'm starting to wonder about the weather. I want to make sure they have the proper weather equipment so they will love the experience and want to backpack with me in the future. What kind of weather highs and lows should we expect. I would hate to be the dumb mom on the mountain!
There are two things that will make things miserable for them: wet and cold.
You want to all have waterproof (which generally translates into gore-tex type jackets. The regular kinds of coats one wears around town are NOT the type, as they will be FAR too heavy. Most people do not need rainpants, and I've never carried them. Here is an inexpensive type that I've used, and are cheap ($25):
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/driducks_rain_gear.htmlOr even a cheap vinyl raincoat will work, <$10, I'd think.
They will need a lightweight warmth layer. There is no substitute for down, but that is very pricey, if one doesn't already own such. Fleece is an option, but should be designed for the outdoors, not Old Navy. They really should try to avoid cotton. One does not need heavyweight jackets, as one is not going to be "sitting around" a campfire into the night. It's pretty much to bed when it gets dark, up when it gets light. Morning is probably when it is needed the most. You don't need the warmth layer while hiking, you are generating the heat!
I don't mean to be demeaning, but I see many novice young women who carry fashion sense into the backcounty. One of the more miserable is dressing such that abdominal skin shows. Not only is it a huge sunburn risk, but one almost certainly ends up with a "belt" of mosquito bites that is quite entertaining for weeks.