Yes 2019 is now a BIG winter

If you've been searching for the best source of information and stimulating discussion related to Spring/Summer/Fall backpacking, hiking and camping in the Sierra Nevada...look no further!
User avatar
TahoeJeff
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1223
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 11:03 am
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
Location: South Lake Tahoe, NV

Re: Yes 2019 is now a BIG winter

Post by TahoeJeff »

Another 1"-2" here at lake level and it's still coming down...
"A society that puts equality before freedom will get neither. A society that puts freedom before equality will get a high degree of both."

Milton Friedman
User avatar
Wandering Daisy
Topix Docent
Posts: 6635
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:19 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Fair Oaks CA (Sacramento area)
Contact:

Re: Yes 2019 is now a BIG winter

Post by Wandering Daisy »

https://www.pcta.org/community/journalist/

Good read here on one of the early PCT groups going through the Sierra. Journal entries are being posted right now. Current entry shows that they just got over Forrester Pass a few days ago! Pretty incredible. Great photos.
User avatar
SSSdave
Topix Addict
Posts: 3523
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2005 11:18 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Silicon Valley
Contact:

Re: Yes 2019 is now a BIG winter

Post by SSSdave »

Thanks WD, indeed well written with plenty of pictures. Began at his day 51 at Kennedy Meadows till he went over Kearsarge into Independence where he probably still is until all the storms end. They lucked out that there was not as much snow over the first storm south of Forester and the day they went over that 13.k pass it was sunny. Am sure he will be adding some gear on his return.
User avatar
Wandering Daisy
Topix Docent
Posts: 6635
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:19 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Fair Oaks CA (Sacramento area)
Contact:

Re: Yes 2019 is now a BIG winter

Post by Wandering Daisy »

I think they were a group of 5-6, which really helps in fresh snow- taking turns breaking trail. Plus added safety. Seems like they all were fairly experienced. And they did luck out with weather.The farther north they go, the more snow, both old snow and new snow. The forecast from now until next Monday shows this storm is mostly centered around the mid-north Sierra.

The is a "school or thought" that advocates (for those with snow experience) starting the PCT in March and going through the Sierra when snow covered to take advantage of the snow bridges over creeks (and avoiding the peak melt), before the melt begins to avoid post-holing. The surprise this year is the long duration late May storm.

I cannot imagine backpacking in those conditions with what seems to me to be very sparse winter clothing that most PCT hikers carry. I also was quite amazed that they were able to travel distances up to 16 miles in a day under those conditions.

The group went out Onion Valley and now are up in Bishop. They are supposedly going back in tomorrow.
User avatar
Wandering Daisy
Topix Docent
Posts: 6635
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:19 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Fair Oaks CA (Sacramento area)
Contact:

Re: Yes 2019 is now a BIG winter

Post by Wandering Daisy »

Also be sure to view the videos. (SSS Dave, the hiker is a she not he). Her videos are very inspirational as well as informative. She has such a positive attitude and is obviously having a lot of fun and obviously likes traveling through mountains in snow. Also realize that this is a person from New Zealand (land of horrible hiking weather and accustomed to cold weather) who also has done mountaineering in the past (lots of steep snow in New Zealand mountains so Forrester Pass under snow was not difficult for her).
User avatar
SSSdave
Topix Addict
Posts: 3523
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2005 11:18 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Silicon Valley
Contact:

Re: Yes 2019 is now a BIG winter

Post by SSSdave »

Wandering Daisy wrote: Wed May 22, 2019 8:00 am Also be sure to view the videos. (SSS Dave, the hiker is a she not he). Her videos are very inspirational as well as informative. She has such a positive attitude and is obviously having a lot of fun and obviously likes traveling through mountains in snow. Also realize that this is a person from New Zealand (land of horrible hiking weather and accustomed to cold weather) who also has done mountaineering in the past (lots of steep snow in New Zealand mountains so Forrester Pass under snow was not difficult for her).

Appreciate the correction WD. Should have gone to her homepage instead of just looking at those tiny blog images of her with short hair or bundled up with head gear. Blog makes more sense now, thanks. I'll read some more blogs after these storms end. If new snow depths reach over 2 feet as has already fallen in some areas, it will be much more strenuous in some steep areas moving in just boots until a few days of thaw freeze cycles firms up surfaces.
User avatar
TahoeJeff
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1223
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 11:03 am
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
Location: South Lake Tahoe, NV

Re: Yes 2019 is now a BIG winter

Post by TahoeJeff »

Image

My backyard this AM. I guess it was a bit early to put the picnic table out? Winter just won't end...
"A society that puts equality before freedom will get neither. A society that puts freedom before equality will get a high degree of both."

Milton Friedman
User avatar
c9h13no3
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1320
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2018 1:19 pm
Experience: Level 1 Hiker
Location: San Mateo, CA

Re: Yes 2019 is now a BIG winter

Post by c9h13no3 »

Looks pretty wet & heavy, but I guess I can't complain about the quality of May snow :P
"Adventure is just bad planning." - Roald Amundsen
Also, I have a blog no one reads. Please do not click here.
User avatar
kpeter
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1449
Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2010 1:11 pm
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker

Re: Yes 2019 is now a BIG winter

Post by kpeter »

Wandering Daisy wrote: Tue May 21, 2019 8:53 am https://www.pcta.org/community/journalist/

Good read here on one of the early PCT groups going through the Sierra. Journal entries are being posted right now. Current entry shows that they just got over Forrester Pass a few days ago! Pretty incredible. Great photos.
That was impressive. The video of going over Forrester Pass was awesome--I know how I felt just last August doing that, and heading over it with a couple of feet of fresh snow on the trail would take nerves that I don't have.
User avatar
SSSdave
Topix Addict
Posts: 3523
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2005 11:18 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Silicon Valley
Contact:

Re: Yes 2019 is now a BIG winter

Post by SSSdave »

The Sierra Nevada EOSDIS WV satellite image had been obscured by clouds since May 9 but the Eastern Sierra cleared a bit on Monday May 21, 2019 for the below. This shows South Fork of the San Joaquin River landscapes above 6.5k are now covered again by snow after some areas at 8k had previously melted out. This is where I was expected to backpack into over 6 days in late June given Kaiser Pass opening that is now questionable. The latest snow will melt quickly where it had been snow free with ground warmed and kill any mosquitoes that had moved up in those areas. Notice all the snow on Mount Tom.
SFSJ_WV52119.jpg
Here is the Mono Lake zone. Lot of snow above 9k.
Mono_WV52119.jpg
For those at a loss for what to do over Memorial Day weekend in a few days, consider dispersed car base camping in the Mono Basin and cross country hiking along the lake shores that can be done per below as I did last May or on the north shores near Black Point. It is the greenest time of year with much fascinating bird and animal life along the shores and early wildflowers rising. For photographers there can be fine reflection subjects of the snowy Sierra peaks across Mono Lake or in the many seasonal shore pools and marshes. Also tufa formations. There are outstanding places to camp on soft volcanic sands among tall rabbitbush and jeffrey pines along dirt roads with seclusion if one understands what is legal that requires maps. And note there are very few other people about the Mono Craters dirt roads, some of which have outstanding views of Mono Lake and snowy Sierra peaks.

http://www.davidsenesac.com/2018_Trip_C ... 018-4.html

On the below link I've enabled land management colors.

https://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=37.9268 ... f16a&a=sma

Although most are clueless about where dispersed camping is legal, all those green national forest areas and orange BLM lands east of US395 including Mono Craters and south of Mono Lake are legal. In any case one ought to buy a current Inyo National Forest map that will show where such is allowed as well as know policies. Although some of the green areas are rather close to Mono Lake shores, the legal dirt roads in many of those green areas are sandy thus not a place for 2WD and even 4wd may get stuck if not careful. But if one can drive in there that keeps out most others.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/inyo/r ... 8&actid=34
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 26 guests