High Sierra Topix

I am taking my daughter on this short trip starting 7/18. She is an inexperienced backpacker and I want her experience to be a good one. Plan is to take in Clouds Rest and Half Dome on the way from Tuolumne to the Valley.

Watching the historic snow totals and the late melt has changed some folks plan. I think my trip will be fine with maybe snow on Cathedral Pass on 7/19. At this elevation could I expect more snow than just a curiosity? Any guesses as to how low the snow "could" be. I look forward to some snow as I only saw just a bit last year, and that was at Donahue (much higher) in late July.

There is still more than a month until your trip---and the answer to your question depends on the weather we are going to have between now and then. Today is warm...and if this keeps up, a lot of that snow will melt and explode down the waterfalls.

But if it stays cool, the snow will stay longer in the high country.

Sorry. but you'll have to wait to get a complete answer!

Thanks. I know 6 weeks is too long for pin-point forecasting. I was kinda hoping for a general range. Even with normal weather I would expect some snow around Cathedral Pass and areas protected from the sun down to 9K (?). From what I remember Cathedral Pass was fairly tame. If it get hot fast I'm more worried about flooding for the poor folks in California. Let's hope we get a steady melt than one that takes it out all at one time.

I have friends that have already cancelled their JMT hikes for this year, but they had much earlier planned starting dates. Personally, I WANT snow on the passes. I just don't want to freak out my daughter too much. I think we'll be fine but still wanted to bounce this off of folks that know the area MUCH more than me.

CM

Cathedral Pass isn't particularly steep so that shouldn't be a big deal. Why don't you drive up to some place with snow and do a little day hike to see how she handles it before the big trip?

Mike

oldranger wrote:CM

Cathedral Pass isn't particularly steep so that shouldn't be a big deal. Why don't you drive up to some place with snow and do a little day hike to see how she handles it before the big trip?

Mike

I thought Cathedral was fairly "flat". I think it snuck up on me last year, as in, "was that it?"

My daughter is 27 and lives in Chicago, so snow isn't the issue. Snow + Steep is. I wouldn't imagine the climb up Clouds Rest would still be snowy on 7/20. I think we'll be fine. I'll actually be disappointed if we don't see snow on the trail.