High Sierra Topix

Inyo NF:

Looking to get into the backcountry? Check out these photos from the Bishop Pass Trail yesterday. Our wilderness ranger reports that there were 3-4 inches of snow on the ground starting at approximately 10,600 ft. in elevation and that snow drifted much deeper in leeward pockets. Hikers described shin deep conditions in Dusy Basin in.

I just got out today. Snow started about 4AM when I was camped at Big Brewer Lake. I bailed out, in a 4-hour white-out, x-c to the Avalanche Pass trail- hit it at Moraine Meadows. After an hour of a little clearing, on Avalanche Pass, it was "gropeling". Never got above freezing all day. I reached Sphinx Creek at 3:30 and spent the next hours just trying to get warm. This morning at Sphinx Creek, my shoes were frozen solid (even inside the tent) and Platypus water container half ice. Met someone on the way down who said it was 12-degrees at 10,000 feet. I can verify that it was COLD! and quite windy. A real blizzard at Big Brewer Lake, although light snow, not heavy snowfall. I hiked in fleece, rain jacket, rain pants and tall gaiters, fleece hat, and still had to keep moving fast to stay warm. Luckily, I was prepared with a 10-degree sleeping bag, two down jackets, fleece hat plus a balaclava, plenty of fuel to heat water (to melt the frozen Platypus bottles) and an extra sleeping pad that I add in shoulder season to make my R-2 sleeping pad an R4 pad. Even prepared, it took me several hours to warm up yesterday.

This morning was blue sky and clear, however, sun did not reach my campsite until 8:30. I still wore long johns and fleece and mittens while descending the trail to Bubbs Creek. Met people coming up who seemed to be totally unaware, starting out at the relatively warm Kings Canyon Roads End. One fellow who I met just a bit up from Bubbs Creek on the Sphinx Cr trail, with a tiny pack, said he was planning on going over Sphinx Pass, on to South Guard Lake, down over Longly Pass and to Reflection Lake, TODAY! I doubt it! My plan was to go from Big Brewer Lake over Sphinx Pass, and I bailed out lower because, having been over Sphinx Pass and the x-c route down the creek, I knew it would be dangerous with new snow and ice. Another two fellows were planning on a 100-mile, 5 day trip. They too had small "light and fast" packs.

As I drove out today, huge clouds were building and it was still cold at the park entrance station. I think Fall has arrived.

The forecast discussion from I'm not sure if it was Hanford or Reno said that hikers in the backcountry were going to have a real surprise when they woke up. I guess this time the weather forecasters were right. Glad you got out okay and hopefully everyone else who got snowed on. About those fast packers, by the time they finish, it will be really warm. The weather forecast shows a heat wave next week. They probably will have no idea what it was like yesterday!

I tried heading up Green Creek Trail Wednesday and Thursday. Both times I got to Green Creek Lake and turned around. The wind and snow was extreme. I headed up to Virginia Lakes on Saturday and day hiked to frog lakes. Snow was around six inches and frozen in some places. I was pretty bummed I couldn't get up to East or West lakes but it was very cold and the wind was way too much.

Markskor and I just got out after two weeks of cold, wind, rain, hail, and snow. Out a day late as we hunkered down an extra day at benson lake hoping it would warm up and the snow would melt before heading up over Seavy Pass. While the weather stayed mostly clear it stayed cold and as a result of hikers ahead of us the snow became packed and icy. We were able to find snow free but damp decomposed granite sites to pitch our tents our last two nights in Kerrick Canyon and Peeler Lake. TR to follow.

Caltrans made a statement to the media that the snow on Donner Pass was the earliest they have had. Hard to believe it was the earliest but it definitely was sizable. I noticed the Climate Prediction Center has made a turn around on the Sierra Nevada. A few days ago it was above average probabilties for warm temperatures and low probabilities for precipitation. Now it's turned around. I like warm and dry Octobers but this one may be off to a wet and cold start. Next week will be interesting.

Tuolumne Meadows-Vogelsang 9/24-9/29:

2"-4" of snow on the ground at Tioga Pass and surrounding area as of the 24th, but still areas where one can set up a tent. All melted off by 9/27. Evelyn and Townsley Lakes Ice free (and nice fish). HB was still frozen with about a half inch of ice and not fishable on the 27th. 24-30 degrees and night and mid 50's during the day; It was quite nice.

Tuolumne store and grill are now closed, roof already off and all packed up and gone.