High Sierra Topix

Over Memorial Day Weekend in 2003 we went over Cottonwood Pass, out to Big Whitney Meadow and then on to Rocky Basin Lakes. Cottonwood Pass was pretty much snowfree. We didn't hit much snow until when we got to the upper Rocky Basin Lakes. This year has been a heavy snow year, but I don't think the Southern Sierra got dumped on as bad as the northern Sierra. I hear that the road to Horseshoe Meadow wil be open soon if not already.

Kathy,
How did you find Rocky Basin Lakes to be? I might go that way on a July 4 five-day trip...or I might just hang out near Golden Trout Creek/S.Fork Kern west of Tunnel Meadow....haven't decided.

Krudler: I found the Rocky Basin Lakes to be very pretty - especially with the snow around them.

I went back to look at my pictures and found that we did the trip over Memorial Day Weekend 2002, not 2003 - the years go fast.

Here are pictures from the trip:

http://kathywing.smugmug.com/gallery/1431483/1/68008993


and one of the lakes:

Kathy, thanks for the input. That's exactly the trip I had in mind. Not only are the Rocky Basin Lakes pretty, the Boreal Plateau is almost otherworldly -- sort of like being on the Moon, only with a great view of both the southern Sierra Crest and the Great Western Divide. Of course, there could be snow up there.

I heard that the snow level in the Whitney area is already up to 9,500, so you must be right - the south didn't get dumped on that hard this winter.

Wow! Nice trip Kathy. That one goes on my list.

Thanks for sharing.

Jerry

Hi:

The April 27th snow survey is showing 77" of snow at Siberian Pass -- 158% of normal. All of the surveys above 8,000' are showing around 150% of normal. I don't think the melt at that elevation has even started, though 7,000 and below is clearing up quickly (that might be a result of warmer storms/rain to that elevation rather than warmer spring weather...).

http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/reports/COURSES.html

Might be a slog, but at least a fairly safe one.

Good luck.

George

Great pics Kathy, thanks for the info

George, cool link - thanks for that!

George, thanks for the info. Funny that the Whitney Portal store guy claimed the snow level was 9,500 feet. I may have to look for an alternative.

Over on summitpost there's a report from someone that did Thor Peak on the 6th that snow level is 9500 feet in that area.

Here's two years in Onion Valley - 2004 a low snow year, 2005 a high snow year:




I just happened to be in the same area two years in a row.

I think I'm going to switch to a trip up Baxter Pass Trail over Memorial Day instead of heading to Mineral King. There are some peaks up there that are only open part of the year due to the Big Horn Sheep Closures.