Yosemite High Sierra Conditions

Questions and reports related to Sierra Nevada current and forecast conditions, as well as general precautions and safety information. Trail conditions, fire/smoke reports, mosquito reports, weather and snow conditions, stream crossing information, and more.
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fpb56
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Yosemite High Sierra Conditions

Post by fpb56 »

I just pulled this off a notice i got with my wilderness permit reminder.

Park Area Trails, (landmarks included in description) Trail Conditions

North and South Rim of Yosemite Valley
: Lehamite Creek, North Dome, Dewey Point, McGurk Meadow: Expect patchy snow from Porcupine Creek to the first trail junction, but the snow is melting fast. Expect trails through meadow areas to be flooded and muddy. Please stay on trails to prevent damage to resources. The Yosemite Creek crossing at the campground is currently 30 ft wide and 2.5 to 3 ft deep, with moderate to slow flow. Blue Jay Creek has fast flow but can be crossed via downed logs. Caution is advised for all creek crossings. Water is plentiful throughout. The camping closure between the top of the Snow Creek switchbacks and the Snow Creek footbridge is still in effect: there is no camping allowed in that area, and camping along Snow Creek is discouraged. There is a lot of bear activity even beyond the Snow Creek footbridge, with canisters and even backpacks getting lost or damaged. Hiking past Snow Creek and finding campsites west of Indian Ridge is strongly advised.

Glacier Point Rd: Ostrander Lake, Illilouette Creek: Illilouette Creek is flowing full and swift, and will likely be impassable. Mono Meadow trail is clear, but very wet through the Meadows. The trail to Ostrander Lake is mostly snow free, with frequent snow patches around the lake but dry camping spots available.

Wawona Area: Chilnualna Creek, Buena Vista Loop: Trail to Chilnualna Falls is clear. The creek crossing above the falls 1.5 ft deep and 30 ft across, with a mandatory wade. Very wet trails above Chilnualna Falls. Buena Vista Lake is still mostly frozen with 90% snow coverage around the lake. In general, snow starts at around 8,300 ft in this forested section of the park.

Hetch Hetchy: Beehive Meadows, Laurel Lake, Jack Main Canyon, Wilma Lake: Lots of water throughout the area and many sections of trail are still flooded and muddy. Wapama Falls is at high flow and crossing the bridges may not be possible, if water is flowing onto the bridges. Falls Creek at the Lake Vernon outlet maybe flowing around the bridge, depending on flow, and hazardous to cross. Jack Main Canyon has numerous wet and flooded sections. Your boots will get wet.

Tuolumne Area South of Tioga Rd: Lyell Canyon, Rafferty Creek, Echo Creek, Fletcher Creek: Expect very wet feet! Creeks are flowing abundantly. Meadows below the snowline will be flooded or muddy. Lyell Canyon is very wet and muddy, but snow free until 9,600 ft and then is 90% snow covered to Donohue Pass. There are extensive sun cups near Donohue Pass. Vogelsang area is 50% snow coverage and 30% flooded, with snow starting at around 9,200 ft on the Rafferty Creek Trail. Echo Creek Trail has multiple flooded sections of 100 ft or more.

Tuolumne Area North of Tioga Rd: Glen Aulin, Cold Canyon, May Lake, Murphy Creek:Trail to Glen Aulin is snow free. Mattie Lake outlet is flooding the trail for 1/4 mile just above California Falls, up to 2.5 ft deep, but slow moving. Cold Canyon is snow free until after the McCabe Lake junction, and then is 50% snow covered down to Return Creek. Both the bridge to the Glen Aulin backpackers camp and the bridge crossing the Tuolumne River in Pate Valley are out.

Tioga Rd West: Half Moon Meadow, Ten Lakes, South Fork Cathedral Creek: Yosemite Creek is snow free until Ten Lakes Pass which has 90% snow coverage. Halfmoon meadow is wet and muddy throughout.

JMT (Happy Isles to Tuolumne): Bears have been very active along the JMT corridor. Please store food (and toiletries!) properly to prevent them from obtaining it. Store bear canisters outside backpacks to avoid property damage and never leave food unsecured. Snow coverage on the JMT begins around Sunrise Mountain and is about 90% persistent until after Cathedral Lakes. Lyell Canyon is very wet and muddy, but snow free until 9,600 ft and then is 90% snow covered to Donohue Pass. There are extensive sun cups near Donohue Pass. The meadows are saturated or flooded; always stay on the trail to protect these sensitive ecosystems. Sunrise HSC is not opening this year and there will be no potable water; plan to filter from the surrounding streams.
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balzaccom
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Re: Yosemite High Sierra Conditions

Post by balzaccom »

Curious note about Snow Creek bear activity, since the reports on bear activity from the park as a whole have noted very few incidents
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