Environment Research from Purdue: Too hot to backpack?

This research from Purdue explores the outer limits of the reach of global warming. This is a bit refreshing, as the scientists studying short and long term global weather changes have consistently misjudged the nature of the problem, while simultanously underestimating the problem itself.

During the last twenty years, as the scientists were looking about for temperature changes, and making pompous predictions about what the temperatures would be in 2050, the weather patterns of the world changed right before their blind eyes, and the temperature increases broke all of their models.

It seems as if the scientists live on a different planet than the average citizen.

For the average HIgh Sierra backpacker, this news is grim. This report indicates that the decline of all natural assets and resources in the Sierras will continue to be accelerated by unyielding changes in the seasonal weather patterns driven forward by unrelenting increases in temperatures.

Researchers find future temperatures could exceed livable limits, Purdue, May 4, 2010

My advice is that if you want to see the High Sierras and the John Muir Trail, you should see it now, while it still has some elements of its ancient ecosystems and climate intact.