Best early-season bets?

[ketoile]

Hi HST,
Last year's season was so abbreviated I'm trying to make the most of this summer, assuming that we continue to have fairly average snow pack and there's not a ton more accumulation in April. I'm hoping to get in some 1-3 night backpacking trips in May and June before the hatch and am looking for beta on what's likely to be relatively snow and bug free while still alpine. I've looked at trip reports from the Tuolumne zone in mid-to-late May, and am also eyeing lower elevations of Hoover. I figure I need to keep things between 7 and 9,000'-ish and avoid major water crossings. I've read that Emigrant at this time of year usually has a trifecta of lingering snow, mosquitos, and raging creeks.

I have snow hiking experience and gear, but I'm not really looking for a "winter" trip, and may be guiding folks with less experience—so hoping there are things that can generally be done with trekking poles and maybe spikes for short stretches. I've backpacked in various parts of the Sierra, including solo and xc, but only after mid-July, except for one beautiful but misjudged trip over Island Pass in late June, where I emerged looking like I had monkeypox. Not trying to repeat that experience, and appreciate any advice!

[Wandering Daisy]

Counter-intuitive but the southeastern Sierra, although higher elevations, may be better bets this year. Cottonwood Lakes is aways a good early trip in mid to late June. Snow to cross if you want to get all the way into Miter Basin before mid-June.

Yosemite before mid-April (I think that is the date), you just self-register at the Wilderness Office in the valley and there are tons of great routes available. North Rim Traverse may have a bit of snow but and a few moderate creek crossings. Merced Lake features the Merced River and wonderful waterfalls. It is classic that is described in Arnot's book.

Kennedy Lake in Emigrant is one destination that does not require creek crossings. It is really beautiful, with side trips up Soda Canyon or up towards Big Sam. You need to get into Kennedy Lake before they let the cattle in. Call the FS office to see when that will be. You would probably get snow going to Emigrant Lake and you have one crossing, but you need to be early to beat the mosquitoes.

Kibby Ridge to Lord Meadow is another water-show without having to cross a major stream. Boundary Lake and other lakes near it are also nice.

And, of course, the minute Tioga Road opens, the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne is another classic. I would go down from Tuolumne Meadow so if a water crossing stops you, most of the best scenery will already have been seen. Not sure what the state of the bridge is in Pate Valley, but I have done an in-and-out from Tuolumne short of Pate Valley. It did not seem repetitive because it looks different each way. Of course this depends on a fairly early opening of Tioga.

I have done Sabrina Basin early season. The lakes east of Bishop Pass from South Lake also are nice if willing to deal with some snow. These both will depend on when the road opens.

In Hoover Wilderness, I think the routes from Twin Lakes via Barney Lake-Robinson Lake get you into good scenery quickly. I am not that fond of going in from Levette Meadows- it is a long walk to good scenery.

You should simply look at the posts here for early season trips in the last few years. There are a lot of good routes described.

[ketoile]

Thanks! Really helpful. I was looking at GCT and the Barney Lake zone in Hoover. Also good to know about Cottonwood, though I'm aiming for Langley later in the season, so I'll save that one.

[Wandering Daisy]

I just looked at the DCEC snowpack graphs and in 2006 and 2016 the snowpack was sitting at normal, just as it is now. But 2006 had continuing snow and a slower melt; 2016 had a speedy melt. I then looked at my early season trips in both years. So here is what I encountered

2006- slow spring melt

Piute Mountain 6/3-8, Hetch-Hetchy until stopped by impassable stream, some snow before dropping to the valley ,climbed Piute Mountain (all snow). No mosquitoes

Miter Basin 6/16-21 In Cottonwood Pass, snow, climb peaks in Miter Basin, Sky Blue Lake frozen, out New Army Pass- cornice on pass. No mosquitoes

Mineral King 7/1-4 Farewell Gap- Shotgun Pass- Franklin Pass-- patchy snow, no mosquitoes

Tablelands 7/5-12- Lonely Lake-upper Deadman Canyon, Glacier Ridge- Elisabeth Pass-Tamarak Lake-Lion Lake-out HST. No mosquitoes, difficult crossing of Lone Pine Creek. No longer able to out-run the mosquitoes by going higher.

2016- fast spring melt

Boundary Lakes and Spotted Fawn via Kibby Ridge 5/20-6/4 High water but little snow, a few mosquitoes

Dusy Basin 6/25-30 steep snow on Bishop Pass, patchy snow in Dusy Basin. Few mosquitoes.


I think I put in trip reports for the above trips. Bottom line- too early to tell now what early season is going to look like. My strategy is simply to keep going out, try to outrun the skeets by going higher, until it no longer works, then take a 2 week break from the mountains.

[ketoile]

Ah, thanks so much! This is really helpful. Yeah, I'm going to see how the rest of snow season plays out and keep an eye on the melt as things open up, but I wanted to have some plans ready to go if the conditions are right.