When does high country typically melt out?

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Wandering Daisy
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Re: When does high country typically melt out?

Post by Wandering Daisy »

I envy a friend who was able to be very "zen" with mosquitoes. I have yet to learn that skill. My husband smells so bad to mosquitoes that they do not bother him; I think he keeps all the over-the-counter supplement stores in business based on the handful of supplements he takes! Oh, and he has me, the mosquito magnet to keep them off him.

Mosquitoes are less bothersome when you walk fast (trails better than bushwhacking), do rest breaks away from water, stay higher up on ridges, camp at windy sites, and get up pre-dawn to cook breakfast before they wake up.

Wildhiker's 2012 (43% snowpack) and 2020 (46% snowpack) examples reflect what is likely to be this season for Yosemite and Emigrant. Those snowpack numbers are from the Tioga Road opening data on the Yosemite website.

I have reserved a permit for Yosemite Valley Pohono trail and Merced River 5/11-17 and a May 26-June 1 loop from Hetch Hetchy to Jack Main Canyon. I will try to get a conditions report out as soon as I get back from each trip. The forecast "big storm" for last weekend kind of fizzled. This week is going to be hot and snow is melting fast. Keep your eye on HST "conditions" sub-forum since many of us locals are starting to go out.
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cdevine
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Re: When does high country typically melt out?

Post by cdevine »

This was an extremely dry year as everybody knows. I think we ended around 60% of normal. Last year we were about 80%-85% of normal and I was able to get up into the high country 10-12k by later June with no issues at all. In 2017-18 we had that huge winter and it was early Aug before some places were accessible. Honestly I think mid-late may this year will be go time. Only thing is at that time nights can still be in the 20's. I have a trip in June planned and I'm not worried.
Does anybody know if the cal topo or sentinel hub site is still accessible?
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c9h13no3
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Re: When does high country typically melt out?

Post by c9h13no3 »

cdevine wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 1:35 pm Does anybody know if the cal topo or sentinel hub site is still accessible?
They are still accessible...
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