High Sierra Topix

Hi! This lurker is finally posting a question! After reading the more recent postings, it seems the community is deterring people away from the Sierras.

I love the 108 (had a blast backpacking Emigrant Wilderness 2014 Memorial Day weekend w/ my husband). I was hoping to car camp in the Clark Fork area this Friday and Saturday but based on two sources below - it might be too snowy and high water to do much hiking
1) http://www.backpackthesierra.com/home/our-blog
2) http://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/ ... uidebooks/

I'm afraid the areas west of Pinecrest will be full of OHVers and would prefer to avoid this crowd.

I'm looking forward to insights on camping/hiking/fishing along the 108 for this coming Memorial Day weekend.

Clark Fork campground is open, according to the Stanislaus NF site. Based on the Daily Snow Sensor Report it looks fairly clear below 7,000', with a fair amount of snow above 7500' (obviously there may be more or less depending on local conditions). So if you're not keen on snow hiking would be kind of limited.

Hey! That's US you're quoting in that post.

Water will be high. The snow keeps melting, and those rivers and creeks are full. But the trail up Arnot Creek should be fine, once you ford the creek about a mile in from the trailhead. Take off your shoes and get wet, and you'll be fine. Water at the ford was about 15 inches deep. An easy ford.

And the trail up Disaster Creek should also be fine. Don't know about Boulder lake, but that's a smaller creek anyway. Plenty of places to hike, but the fishing may well be washed out.

I think Sonora Pass is now open. Consider going over the pass and down to Leavitt Meadows and doing the easy (4 mile) walk up to Lane and/or Roosevelt Lakes. There will be fishermen, but far fewer than on the West side of the pass.

Actually, according to the NOAA snow levels map, Leavitt Meadows is under a couple of feet of snow right now, thanks to that last storm. Might not be your best option. I'd still vote for Clark Fork as a base camp...and day-hike from there.

Or Calaveras Big Trees? That's lower elevation

I just checked the CDEC data, and my reading of it is that Leavette Meadow has no snow.

http://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/nsa/reports. ... e&filter=0

Here is the NOAA snow depth data for today.

That's just changing today. Here's the PCT snow map. This morning it should about 18-30 inches in Leavitt meadow. Now it's much less...Could not see Poore Lake this morning.

http://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/ ... uidebooks/

I find it improbable that there is 2 feet of snow in Levitte Meadow, even for the previous few days. There had been no snow for quite a while. Perhaps the few inches of snow that fell got built into drifts in places. I take all satellite and sensor data with a grain of salt.

Levitte Meadow is also huge and is always one of the places that melts off early.

Leavitt Meadows Pack Station says its pretty clear and that their already running pack trains.

Just got a hold of Bridgeport ranger station and they say trails clear until 9000 feet or so, west walker river running high.