High Sierra Topix

From the web -

"So the only grocery store in town has been ordered to close it's main doors by the Mammoth Lakes Police Department because the roof cornice is so big, it it releases, it will kill people."

Here's something you don't see everyday:
So, Mammoth not only blew past both the snowiest January + snowiest month on record, but also the YTD totals (335") through Jan for the record snow year of 2010-2011. Now standing at 344", it's only 18" inches shy of the *entire* season total from last year:

We blasted through the record for most monthly snowfall [209"] with 241" of snow so far this January and it's STILL DUMPING! This severe winter storm is forecast to continue through the morning and resort operations will again be limited and road closures are still in effect.

http://www.mammothmountain.com/winter/m ... nformation

Awoke to 4 feet new this morning...taken from my 2nd story balcony. As soon a plow clears our drive, will post more...Mammoth today.

Looks like its quickly becoming your first story balcony :-)

Took a walk about town...Vons and Post Office - Mammoth

1/28...9:00 AM

The Jeep is looking spiff!!

looks to me like you don't need the steps to get down to ground level!

Mammoth just surpassed last year's season total:

2015-16 0 0 56.0 71.0 110.0 20.0 85.0 16.0 3.2 1.0 0 362.2
2016-17 0 10.0 19.0 75.0 245.5 14.0 - - - - - 363.5

There's another series of major storms on the way, so the next targets are these high snow years:

2008-09 0 10.0 26.5 120.5 63.0 144.0 62.5 30.0 11.5 2.0 0 470.0
2009-10 0 34.0 21.0 103.0 127 108.0 62.5 84.9 17.5 0 0 557.9
2010-11 0 10.0 88.0 209.0 29.0 92.0 177.5 31.0 27.5 4.5 0 668.5

When Andy & I began our JMT section hike last year on May 31 from Lamarck, the snow line was around 10.7k. Of course below that there was still plenty of snow (usually to around 8k), but above was complete 100% coverage.

This shot of Dana meadows is from 6/5/2010 - the first day Tioga opened. I remember parking up against a solid wall of snow that was still around 3-4' high.
By the look of things, we could easily get to 470", and maybe over 500". If that's the case, then this photo provides a good idea of what to expect.

For those of you who remember/lived through previous winters like this one, how did 140% or more of normal translate into late summer/fall conditions? I've seen the 2010 snow (much less than now) and late July in the high country felt like mid June in dry years.

My guess is the melt will be pretty exponential once we hit July, but with these record amounts, won't some snow fields last late into the summer, possibly fall? I was planning on a fall trip this year, but I really want to take in the unusual amount of white stuff as well, so if fall will be dry as usual, I may need to change my plans.