TR: Emigrant 7/7-7/9

[texan]

The only time I have seen more snow in the summer was in 1995 in Emigrant. That's the year Mammoth Mountain stayed open until mid- August. We went over Brown Bear Pass in mid-late August and it was covered. The only good thing was there no skeeters. Fishing will be good in late August or early Sept for sure. Also on that same trip I witnessed the biggest backcountry fish I have ever seen caught. Thanks for sharing the TR.

Texani

[maverick]

Hi Tim,

Welcome to HST!

I'm heading out on 8/12/17. Hopefully, the next 4 weeks sees some streams start to recede a bit.

By then, steams crossings will be much safer, creeks levels have been receding in many areas in the Sierra.

[Wandering Daisy]

Saying Emigrant Lake will not be "worth" visiting for a month because of the snow, is one person's opinion. My opinion, is that if you know what you are doing, this year's late snow offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to backpack in "Spring" conditions with "summer" weather. The photos show that the scenery is stunning. The snow is pretty solid right now, not bad to walk on during a "window" in the morning. Of course, this trip was 10 days ago and a lot has melted. I suspect that Emigrant Lake is open now. Once they start to melt, it actually goes quite fast, particularly as hot as it has been the last week.

I did Mosquito Pass one year when there was about a foot of soft snow left (end of melt) and it was pretty sloppy and you could not stay on the top of the snow. A bit miserable for a short distance, but, I did not remember that the stream crossing was bad (just a knee-to-thigh deep wade). Crossing the inlet to Emigrant Lake is more difficult. I did not try it. But the trail to the outlet is on the sunny side and was mostly dry.

[Wandering Daisy]

Moderators- sorry about the multiple posts- I never got a message that said the post was successfully entered. Please delete the extra's. Thanks

[giantbrookie]

Saying Emigrant Lake will not be "worth" visiting for a month because of the snow, is one person's opinion. My opinion, is that if you know what you are doing, this year's late snow offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to backpack in "Spring" conditions with "summer" weather. The photos show that the scenery is stunning.

I agree. There are a wide range of attractions for any area of the wilderness, and different folks can get enjoyment out of different things. Even though I don't choose to hike to lakes until they are thawed, this is because fishing is one of my main priorities. For others, frozen-over lakes and the spring conditions under summer warmth are every bit as fulfilling as fishing for the big fish is for me.

[SSSdave]

As for mostly snowy areas being worthwhile, indeed I am aware some enthusiasts obviously enjoy being out in such conditions and think such places are exciting with strong scenery. A mountaineer or peak bagger with crampons, ice axe might agree and learn to enjoy looking at snowy conditions that they regularly experienced. Another mid summer peak bagger might find such conditions unpleasant and that could affect their aesthetic appreciation of images of such. A bait fisherman that each May was excited to visit lakes just when ice started to melt out while trout were hungriest might love to be out then and enjoy looking at frozen lakes with small areas of open water while another fly fisherman used to summer conditions when insects hatch would just have a lot to complain about the experience and find such landscapes ho hum.

A photographer that never gets out during winters and only ever experiences melting summer mountain snow fields might be very excited with any snow they come across while a winter snow enthusiasts and photographer that skis a lot in fresh powder snowfall landscapes might find summer snowfields far less interesting or aesthetic. And then there is the pro photographer exhibiting all manner of scenic mountain landscapes at a street art and craft fair wondering why he hardly sold any images that day while a couple booths down another modest photographer sold several images of pack horses walking across a boring corral pasture with an overexposed snowy mountain in the background.