How long will snow linger this year?

[OHOD]

Last year, I was hiking up in Stanislaus as early as May with plenty of snow still on the ground.

Considering all the snow this season, when do you think trails will be navigable this spring?
Late May early June?
Late June early July?

[ElvenSoul]

Some people like the trails like this

[OHOD]

Some people like the trails like this

I do too, but I'm thinking spring time camping.

Drive out early in the a.m., hike to Bull Run Lake, hike back the next day and drive home.

[hntnnut]

The guy from dwp up this way say this looks like thie winter will place either #1 or#2 for the most snow since they started keeping records. Most of the reporting areas are hovering around 150%-200% of normal.
Heres a graph of current conditions.

http://www.ladwp.com/ladwp/cms/ladwp013390.pdf

Richard

[ElvenSoul]

It's the start of a 1000 year Ice Age OHOD...learn to walk in Snow Shoes.

[GrizzlyGuy]

I live at 7100', we have a massive snow pack and we've never received our peak snow depth this late in the season (as in today, it just stopped snowing). We usually get the peak depth in mid-February so we're about 4-5 weeks "late". For example, this is my driveway about a week ago before this last major series of storms hit:



Now there is even more snow. Last year at the same time the depth was about 1/3 - 1/2 as much as you see in that picture.

In the Royal Gorge area last year on July 4th, we were hitting 6' deep drifts at around 7000'. If you extend that by one month based on our later peak depth time, you'd have that situation on Aug 4th this year. That assumes that the spring melting can somehow melt even more snow to overcome our much greater depth at this point in the season.

So there you have it. For backpacking up here in the Tahoe sierra area I wouldn't be planning any trips until August. Further down south where they don't get nearly as much snow... I can't say.

[PatriotnMore]

I do too, but I'm thinking spring time camping.

Drive out early in the a.m., hike to Bull Run Lake, hike back the next day and drive home.

I am thinking the snow will still be in the high sierras until August.


If your going camping, why not invite Calgunners?

[echo1]

OHOD, you might want to give Hell Hole on the Rubicon, or the Blue Hole on the Mokolumne a try if you're going in early. The trail heads for both are around 3500' with a gain of only 200' in 7 miles. In May you'll be surrounded by snow capped peaks, and with this years snow pack, the run off will be spectacular. Later in the season, give Devils Lake above Bear River Reservoir, and Sword Lake off Clarks Fork a shot. Money back garruntee. PAX

[woodsman]

I was up on 1N04 heading towards Cherry Lake last sunday. Snow was falling at 2,500ft.

At 3,500ft we were in about 6 feet of snow.

[glockman19]

There should be some spectacular waterfalls this year with the amount of snow melt we will experience.







And as far as melting...I there could be year round snow at higher elevations around Lake Ellery and Saddleback Lake...but I think most trails at lower elevations will be clear sometime by June and higher elevations late June maybe early July.

[SickofSoCal]

8,000 feet + north face + shade = August

[echo1]

glockman
Went snow shoeing in Yosemite Valley January 17th (free day) and the waterfalls already looked like spring. Taking my sister this weekend (she's never been), should be spectacular. It's gonna be a great season this year but the mosquitos will be SAVAGE. There's already a bunch of ticks. The good thing about Hell Hole & The Blue Hole is that they are relatively escapeable should have to abort. You'd have to try hard to get lost, as you parallel the shoreline at both locations. Hiked into them at night before, been there with snow on the ground and been snowed on (not severe enough to bounce). PAX

[xrMike]

Who knows how far under it is, but here's the Bear Valley 10-foot "snow pole", visible via their webcam. (It's been years since it was buried like this):



There's a minimum of 4 feet on the ground even down in Arnold, which is only 4K feet.



Wifey wanted to drive up this past weekend and stay overnight, but I nixed that idea because I didn't want to spend all of freaking Saturday digging out the driveway.

[OHOD]

Great pictures!

Me thinks June July, but maybe not after looking at some of the pictures.
@Echo1, your advice on Bull Run was great, so I think I might try were you suggested.
@Patrionmore, okay, when I go I'll post and see. Sound good?

[CSACANNONEER]

In "dry" years, I've had snowball fights on the 4th of July on the side of the road, at the top of Mt. Rose Pass. This year, I bet there will be snow there until next winter.