High Sierra Topix

So I am planning to do a hike from agnew meadows to thousand island to Ediza to iceberg to Cecil lake and finally ending at devils postpile. I did this hike last year during July and was wondering what the weather and terrain conditions would be during june. Also how would the hike from ediza through Cecil and iceberg be at this Time? Would crempons be necessary?

Imnold

It all depends on the year. Some late june conditions are like last year's July conditions. Last year in late June there was lots of snow. This year is starting like another good snow year but it is too early to tell. If late spring is hot, it melts fast.



This is a photo looking south towards the Minarets in June this last year. Snowshoes would have been more help than crampons.

Thanks. Well I'm hoping that there won't be too much snow but based on what u said there will probably be quite a bit. Now do u know if the bus runs during this time?

Hi Imnold

You mentioned in an earlier post that you, and your group had minimal backpacking
experience, and the conditions, if like last year, would make June still very snowy with
the higher lakes still frozen, and the Cecile/Iceberg section pretty dangerous without
ice axe/hiking poles and/or crampons.
There is a steep section that angles into the lake, and if you slip, you could find yourself
in some freezing water, or on top of thin ice which will break under the weight of you
and your backpack, and neither would be pleasant.

I am aware of the danger of that part as I have already experienced it without any equipment. I was just asking if the conditions would be similiar. I do appreciate the concern.

You definately should carry an ice axe. But more important, you need to know how to use the ice axe to arrest a slide. Crampons are probably not needed. Wait to do the steeper ascents until the sun (if there is any) softens the snow a little and avoid areas that don't get any sun, or get shaded early.

Thanks for that. I will keep the info about the ice in mind I didn't know that.

I wonder if I bumped into you last summer. I was at Iceberg looking at the route to Cecile in the last week of July and turned around due to snow. I did encounter folks who headed over, and I've been over in August. But June? Even getting from Ediza to Iceberg will likely be a snowy slog.

It looked like this is mid July 2010. Crossing mid day was not bad.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1 ... 1193403725" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cecile looked like this:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1 ... 1193403725" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ediza, one of my favorite shots:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1 ... 1193403725" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;