High Sierra Topix

Was hoping to do some winter camping up the north fork/palisades after last weeks snow but now with this heat wave i dunno.
Anybody have an idea what snow conditions will be like this weekend.Its gonna be 90 this weekend.Gross.

Looks like some flooding may take place with all the fresh snow and the major heat. It's supposed to be 99 here in Bakersfield.

I'm a few miles north of that area, but Crowley Lake environ is dry up to 9,000'. It's patchy/solid snow above that. "Spring conditions" prevail; i.e. soft snow during the day. Seems to me it's melting fast.

Its worth keeping an eye on the peak snowmelt forecast: http://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/awipsProducts/RNOHFSSPK.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Currently they are predicting peak snowmelt/river flow around May 1. For reference I think last year the peak snowmelt was mid June, while in 2010 it was around Memorial Day weekend. I guess bug season is going to start pretty early, especially with the coming hot weather.

Also there's a report on the Whitney Portal site that Horseshoe Meadows, Onion Valley & Whitney Portal roads will all open officially on April 27 (though the latter two are apparently unofficially open already). For Horseshoe Meadows that's also about 6 weeks earlier than last year.

So is it going to be a slush fest this weekend up there?

I sure wouldn't count on building an igloo!

Onion Valley is officially open; cones and road closed sign are gone. 89 is also now open, and the Tioga Pass is reported snow free from Lee Vining to the Yosemite entrance, closed beyond.

tim wrote:I
Also there's a report on the Whitney Portal site that Horseshoe Meadows, Onion Valley & Whitney Portal roads will all open officially on April 27 (though the latter two are apparently unofficially open already). For Horseshoe Meadows that's also about 6 weeks earlier than last year.

That's incredible. Last year I think Horseshoe opened on June 16 or 17, so it's even more than 6 weeks. Now I'm really tempted to head up there next weekend.

Thanks for the weather updates! I have permits to head to Miter Basin out of Horseshoe Meadows in late May and It looks like NAP will be passable by then.

Is it time to start up the Skeeter Report (with the scale explanation) yet?