cc TR: West Walker River 5/25>26, 2022

[SSSdave]

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Four of us car camped over Wednesday and Thursday 5/25>26 along the West Walker River at Chris Flat ~6550. 4 people, 3 cars $24 a night (senior GE pass). Clean nearby restroom, water spigot, dumpster, , camp sites half taken, flat riverside camp spot with table, fire pit, camp host resident. Main negative was highway traffic noise. Just downriver, the well shaded with jeffrey pines Bootleg Campground, west of the highway with 63 sites had few occupants. Given warmer temps into upper 70F's midday, the river had risen a half foot from 3.3' to 3.9' but is well below the 6 foot flood stage. That flow is about 850 cfs that given the dominant volcanic geology of the basin, has much sedimentation making for very murky conditions that made lure or fly fishing impractical.

https://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/graphicalRVF.php?id=WWBC1

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Good conditions at 6.5k versus higher elevations for late May greening conditions with maybe a dozen scattered wildflower species seen along riparian stream areas and lots of birds moving up with much insect life emerging. On that note, we didn't see a single mosquito haha. So my summer tan got a good start. Mornings however are cold in that canyon because of the large just above Pickel Meadow cold air pooling that night sumps down the river. Wednesday dawn was 37F. Also the sun rises late in the deep S to N trending canyon and sets early.

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Scattered melting snow along SR108 in shade above 8k and much above 9k. Easy roadside fills for coolers, ice chests. Some greening in higher meadow areas with yellow buttercups. BC skiers at Sonora Pass ~9600 with many slopes for skinning up but past prime. Store and SNF facilities rebuilt since fire at Dardenelle area. Also note SR120 just opened Friday 5/27.

Deadman Canyon from SR108 at 9k, 5/27/22:

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Just east of Sonora Pass at 9.5k from SR108:

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View from SR108 of 10320' Granite Dome in Emigrant Wilderness showing much snow yet to melt:

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[Wandering Daisy]

Good to see what conditions are like. Did you run into any PCT hikers up on Sonora Pass?

[SSSdave]

Didn't linger. There were several cars and suspect not all were bc skiers. The mid April storm after such a droughty late winter early spring, has had a significant effect north of Mammoth allowing for a more normal May and June conditions.

[texan]

Thanks for the reports. Leavitt Lake area by Sonora Pass usually gets more snow than any other place in the Sierra. There is a snow sensor there at Leavitt Lake and today its at 50 inches. More snow than any other place in the Sierras right now besides Independence Lake by Tahoe which is at 56 inches. I don't think forest service in Bridgeport will open the road to Leavitt lake until July this year which is normal. The area by Sonora Pass always gets lots of snow, Its right at 10K altitude.

Texan