process for avoiding snow

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!
Post Reply
User avatar
SSSdave
Topix Addict
Posts: 3523
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2005 11:18 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Silicon Valley
Contact:

process for avoiding snow

Post by SSSdave »

Am posting this thread here in order to encourage others to first use both the considerable online links available on this forum as well as other informational websites easily searched for. In any case one will get plenty of responses to questions here and members are happy to provide such.

There seems to be numbers of urban backpackers that faced with a choice during heavy snow years of either visiting popular high country lake destinations with craggy peaks mostly covered in snow or any of the limited lower elevation, snow free less spectacular destinations, they choose to still visit the high country. Most will tough it out making the most of their trip, enjoying it as they can, and wiser for the experience, then avoid repeating such trips in the future. From numbers of requests for advice over the years it is also rather evident that there are significant numbers that don't seem to understand where snow is and where it is not as though they don't yet adequately understand how snow relates to seasonal dates, elevation, and sun exposure.

And it isn't for lack of adequate information regularly being provided by the more experienced on this board. Eric has structured the sub-forums so getting at that info is straightforward. And in this era there is immensely more weather and conditions information online. Thus I suspect that much like some other backpackers I meet on trails asking for information, when I ask they pull out their maps, they wonder where it is down inside their packs and when they do pull it out, look at the map upside down and then stare at it like it is all in hieroglyphics. So what I am saying is I suspect there are significant numbers that cannot look at say the daily updated EOSDIS WorldView satellite image and correlate that to topographic maps and for that matter don't even try. If one can, it will be immediately obvious that now in mid June there are now significantly more worthwhile destinations out of the snow than there were 3 weeks ago on Memorial Day weekend. And likewise in another 3 weeks on July 4 there will be much more good lakes open though all those most popular high areas are still going to be too early. One does not need to ask whether Lunker Lake has melted out and if trail areas are mostly snow free because the satellite imagery can show such clearly.

Instead of first asking we experienced forum members where to go, a better more long term useful strategy is to learn to use online resources. And as noted the board has plenty of links to such sites. None of this is rocket science and just takes a little effort like when you bought a new smartphone and could not figure out how to perform some of the simplest operations. Did you first download the online pdf manual or instead go to some website and ask people, "How do I change the audio volume?"
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Harlen, Snowtrout and 135 guests