Early Season HST 2020.

[BaneSierras]

So I started a bit of this conversation in the "lurkers introduction" section and was encouraged to start a new thread. I realize the seasoned vets here probably get this or a similar question relatively frequently but hopefully also are willing to answer some questions that feel specific to my journey. If not, I'll fully accept the answer "use the search function".

HST has been on my wish list for a decade and finally decided this was the year. Got a few buddies lined up and rough plans dialed in but since my second child is due in July, the rest of the season is out for me. Really probably need to be off the mountain by the 10th of June.

Our groups experience is varying from a life time of backpacking and climbing to no experience but high level fitness and training hard for this. Personally I'm in the middle, I've done the TCT, half dome, and numerous other 1-2 day trips, but nothing this length. However, and here's the big caveat, none of us have experience backpacking in snow and ice.

Here are the questions:

When is a good time to determine what "type" (for lack of a better word) of a winter we had? Snow levels and melt etc.

Even if it's a relatively mild snow year compared to last year and considering our pack of ice experience, is early June still too early? I'm up for training crampons and ice ax.

From what I'm reading the pass at and around Hamilton Gorge to Kaweah Gap area and again at Whitney, are the potential trouble spots for snow. I'm sure I'm missing a lot here and I'm sure it depends on how bad/good the winter is.

Of course this isn't even factoring in potential water levels at the creeks. We have done enough research to learn that early mornings are best for both ice and river/creek crossings.

We always knew we may need a backup based on the required timing but assumed if this hike was out, then most of the Sierras are out but I'm hearing that's not necessarily the case. What other routes would you consider as a backup? The more I think about it, the High Sierra Trail isn't necessarily the thing that's on my list, it's getting to know the Sierras and see the area with my own eyes and explore and open the door to what I currently don't know so I'm open to suggestions if you're willing to share. But I also understand if we don't want to share our favorite surf spots/fishing hole, I'm sure we all have things we are similarly protective of.

TIA

[bobby49]

Finishing before the 10th of June is fairly impractical. Let's just start with the assumption that this year has a typical winter. The maximum snow depth generally happens around the end of March, so the melt starts slowly after that and then gets heaviest in June. Now, we don't know for sure that this will be a typical winter, but you can constantly monitor the snow depth reports to figure out which way that is going.

A few years ago I planned my HST trip for early July. I started and got to Hamilton Lake the first day and discovered that I would need to turn back, mostly because of the steep snow up to Kaweah Gap, and also because of the deep and fast water (especially along the Kern Canyon and up to the JMT). I turned back and returned in early August, and that turned out nicely. There is typically one snow field right before the Whitney summit, but I had been there forty times and knew that it wasn't too bad if you have microspikes and a simple ice axe. I did not descend the Mount Whitney Trail.

[c9h13no3]

Ice axe & crampons can be pretty easy to learn, at least I thought so. Not sure where you're located, but it's a fun day finding a 45 degree icy slope with a safe runout, and flinging yourself down it. Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills pretty much covers how to climb snow & ice with 1 mountaineering axe.

I haven't hiked the HST myself, but I'd think the Kern River would be your biggest obstacle in early June. The amount of water coming off the mountains in June is pretty intense. Bridges are your friend in the early season. Honestly, you don't need to even cross Kaweah gap. The tour of Hamilton Gorge, Tamarack Lake, and up to Lonely Lake would make a fine trip.

The folks on this forum like the Golden Trout/Miter Basin area in early season, but I can never bring myself to drive that far south. Anything east of the Great Western Divide will have less snow than other spots in the Sierra with a similar elevation. We also had a gargantuan thread last year where a guy (I think his name was Dustybottoms?) planned a trip to the Silliman Crest region for like 6 months. It'd be a good spot early season.

I'd think the area between 1000 island lake & Ediza Lake would make a good early season trip. I went in early July of a high snow year. Early June in an slightly below average year might be about the same. Also the stuff around the Sawtooth Ridge in Northern Yosemite would be snowy, but workable early season. Rock Island Pass, and Horse Creek Pass are pretty gentle as far as Sierra crest crossings go. Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne would be epic in June, but you'd have to wade through water for a mile or two.

[Teresa Gergen]

There are a lot of online tools available to help guide your decisions later. Here are two maps showing snow depth, from different sources:

https://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/interactive ... &js=1&uc=0

https://www.fs.fed.us/r5/webmaps/Sierra ... lon=-118.5

Neither is perfect; late in the season, both tend to show that snow is gone when there are still stretches of snow that could be a problem.

The best way to see the current amount of snow in any area, and how steep it is, is to learn how to use caltopo.com. Download a .gpx track for the HST (here's a random one from Gaia: https://www.gaiagps.com/datasummary/tra ... RasterFeet), import it into a caltopo map, turn on the Weekly High Res satellite imagery layer, turn on Slope Angle Shading, and look for where your track crosses any visible snow left, where the slope angle shading color is steeper than what you're comfortable with.

That's not going to help with things like creek crossings, but at least might indicate what gear you'd need to bring for snow. Or, where you might find other areas that are already snow-free.

[grampy]

You didn’t mention any time allotment for your trip. Just remember that if you are dealing with lingering snow (post-holing in deep stuff) or scouting for safe(er) water crossings, it will slow you down.
Also, consider travel logistics if doing the HST. It’s simple (though time-consuming) if you are doing a car shuttle between Crescent Meadow and Whitney Portal. If planning on public transport, note that the one daily ESTA bus from Lone Pine to Mojave leaves Lone Pine at 10:00 AM (need to plan your exit at Whitney Portal accordingly). You can then catch an Amtrak transfer bus (headed for Bakersfield), then a train, then a bus to Visalia, followed by another bus to Lodgepole, then a SEKI shuttle to your original T.H. ... my point is that (IF you do the HST), you need to burn about an extra day for either mode of travel.

[Wandering Daisy]

The ice axe arrest cannot be learned from a book! Crampons too involve some techniques to be safe. If the snow is low angle, then micro-spikes would do and they are fairly easy to use. In addition, to safely travel on snow you need to do some REAL practice, ideally a weekend trip practicing, and I am not sure your group could do that. You must practice falling and self-arresting with a FULL pack. What a weekend practice will not give you is good judgement regarding when a slope becomes too steep or too dangerous. People have died on Mt Baldy with crampons strapped to their packs, simply because they misjudged when to put them on. There are also snow conditions where wearing crampons are more dangerous than not wearing them. So you also need to know when to take them off! In my opinion, if you are a newbie on snow, you should stick to conditions that would work with micro-spikes and trekking poles. If you really need an ice axe, you are probably in over your head. You also need to have solid navigational skills in snow when the trail is buried.

The time you are proposing would have the worst of many conditions; high water, lingering snow, post-holing, mosquitoes, soggy campsites. Early season, trail washouts and damage usually have yet to be fixed by trail crews. And, babies do not always come on time (I know this well)! Seems like a better idea would be to postpone this trip. For what it is worth, the long term climate prediction (NWS) is calling for warmer than normal snow-melt period April-May, and normal precipitation in Feb-April. Perhaps a normal to slightly below normal snowpack with an earlier than normal melt. I would get a permit anyway, then keep track of conditions, and cancel if needed.

The snow on both sides of Trail Crest could be snow covered in steep places. The Whitney Portal website has daily information on the condition of the trail on the east side. PCT journals detail trail information between Wallace Creek and Trail Crest. Although not the route, you could exit to Cottonwood Lakes via Cottonwood Pass. Since PCT hikers will have made a good path by this time.

I have gone up to Keweah Gap July 4 holidays. We had to wade every cross stream on the first day. It was not a high snow year, so the tunnel part of the trail above Hamilton Lake was not blocked, but it was solid snow above Precipice Lake. Crossing the creek below Hamilton Lake was really deep and sketchy. I do not remember a lot of mosquitoes so we may have been just before the onslaught.

There is a bridge across the Kern River, so that should not be an issue, unless it washes out, unlikely because it is a really big bridge. Wallace Creek can be challenging but not overly dangerous.

[Flamingo]

Hi @BaneSierras

> When is a good time to determine what "type" (for lack of a better word) of a winter we had? Snow levels and melt etc.

I suggest you dive into the data on the website PCT Postholer (link below); it aggregates lots of SNODAS snow sensor data to give you an estimate of the overall snowpack. Traditionally, the PCT Postholer site also gave an estimated "Sierra Entry Date" for PCT hikers to reasonably enter the Sierra based on all this data.
LINK: https://www.postholer.com/snow/Pacific-Crest-Trail/1

[Jim F]

Hi BaneSierras,

Congratulations in advance on a new family member due in July!

I am assuming you are the Dad. (If you are the Mom, obviously do not engage in this activity in early June while 32+ weeks pregnant.)

It can be deceptively hazardous when heading into the High Sierra during the shoulder season. Eleven weeks ago (November 3, 2019) a member of High Sierra Topix ventured out into the Evolution Group with his newly purchased crampons and ice axe on a day hike. His body was recovered on the Darwin Glacier four days later. His first child was due in two weeks. Tragic.

I first completed the High Sierra Trail in 1959 and have done it many times since (most recently in July 2019). My experience would suggest that trying to complete it by June 10 is just inviting trouble. Even if it turns out the snow is manageable, creeks crossings need to be taken very seriously. Some claim drowning is the most common way to be killed in SEKI.

Think about delaying the High Sierra Trail hike until August, provided your family agrees. Then you could really enjoy the wonders of this awesome trek, while family and friends sleep soundly at night (knowing they will see you again in good health).

Jim

PS-As soon as your kids are old enough, be sure to take them on the High Sierra Trail. It is a lifelong gift you will be giving them!

[BaneSierras]

Hello all! Thank you all for welcoming me to the group and volunteering your wealth of information.

Based on this info, I think we have decided to try for permits but start to put most of energy into researching a Plan B. I hope that's in the Sierra as I have something calling at me telling me I need to spend more time in those mountains. I even named my first child after them. But I want my first trip backpacking into the Sierra to be a good experience and we want to be smart and safe and grow into our capabilities.

I'm reading through this list and strongly considering settling on the Grand Canyon of the Tuolomne if Tioaga pass is open or possibly enter from Kennedy or Horsehoe Meadows when the PCT hikers go through and find a safe trip up from there. Might have to also consider that the Sierra are out and look into Arizona or Southern Utah.

[GGC23]

Given your timeframe, I'll second the above recommendation for the Golden Trout Wilderness area. I did a trip there at the end of June 2019 (TR, complete with my crummy photography, is available here: http://www.highsierratopix.com/communit ... =1&t=19609). It was a perfect time to visit the area. The 18/19 winter was a big one, and while it's too early to predict what kind of a winter we're going to have this year, it's pretty safe to bet that it won't be as crazy as last year's. All that is to say that if late June was a good time in 2019, chances are fairly high that early June will be a good time in 2020.