High Sierra Topix

Conditions havent changed much from the last Big Pine Creek report that was posted, although this last week was unusually warm up there....snow is melting fast.
With the snow melting off so fast......be careful folks.....Heard / witnessed a couple of descent rock slides, stuff coming lose as the snow melts off.

Mother nature was very gracious in her gifts that occupy the lakes

Prepare accordingly for mosquitos.....early sunrise and sunset......they are out!!

The trail was in great shape, you hit snow at fourth lake....creek is cranking....only one minor wet crossing.

Talked to some great people on the trail....epic conditions...great trip

Put the home repair projects on hold.....GET OUT AND HIKE!!

I'll wait until everyone else goes home, thanks. And until the roads are repaired and the streams are lower. Too much walking on roads closed by washouts, not enough trail time.

Some of us are a tad more limited by drive time...

Are the roads open all the way to the trailhead? Are any of the stream crossings unsafe? And any good advice on navigating the mosquitoes?

You should contact the Inyo NF for that information, anything more than a week old should be considered suspect. The incredible amount of snowmelt has closed more roads in the past three weeks than were closed due to the snow itself.

There's a section of 395 that washed out, down to one lane only.

Bob12345 wrote:Are the roads open all the way to the trailhead? Are any of the stream crossings unsafe? And any good advice on navigating the mosquitoes?

I hiked the North Fork of Big Pine Creek this past Friday (June 23rd). There are no road closures, no snow on the trail for First, Second and Third Lakes. Snow starts at the trail junction for "Glacier trail" (leading to Sam Mack Meadow/Palisade Glacier) and Lakes 5-6-7. I turned around at Fourth Lake, at that point the trail was under snow. Anything above 10,500 feet was covered in snow. That being said, it is melting fast so conditions could improve quickly. Both creek crossings early on the North Fork trail have bridges. You will not get your feet wet anywhere. I didn't have any troubles with mosquitoes along the trail, but then again I didn't walk down to lakes 1-2-3.

That being said, it is melting fast so conditions could improve quickly.

Fast is okay but not at these rates, things could be swampy for a while, and the mosquito activity will be going into overdrive