Above average snowpack

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OldGeezer
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Above average snowpack

Post by OldGeezer »

According to the Fresno Bee for Friday, March 31st, the central Sierra snowpack is anywhere from 130% to 150% above normal so far this year, and there are more storms on the horizon. It's beginning to look like a late season for anybody heading for the high country.

I wonder if the guys building the bridge across the south fork of the Kings River at upper Paradise Valley will have it finished before my planned Rae Lakes Loop trip in September.
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SteveB
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Post by SteveB »

I was just wondering what the levels were at. I'd been planning a photo trip into Evolution Valley in the last week of June, but have been concerned that with the way this spring has been shaping up that heading up there in late June would be a little ambitious.
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OldGeezer
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Post by OldGeezer »

According to the newspaper article the measurement was taken at Statum Meadow. The article went on to reference a blanket of snow which "covered nearby Wishon Reservoir at 6,500 feet."
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Post by giantbrookie »

It's pretty difficult to translate "130%" or such into actual conditions in the backcountry come summer given that how warm spring and early summer is can play a big role and the fact that "100" doesn't really relate to any tangible schedule in the backcountry. Unless one has a plane and flies over to check things--the Chuck Yeager method (and the vast majority of us aren't in that category)--then the next best thing is to look at the DWR snowpack and compare it to earlier years when we've been up in the Sierra. I generally don't bother to really check until the beginning of May. Then check the DWR snowcourse historical measurements and compare them to the current year (as of the May 1 reading). You will generally be able to find a past year that is pretty close or bracket between two years. Then you compare your notes for that past year (or years) for a given location and elevation versus where and when you want to go this year. Granted this is a heck of a lot more useful if you've visited the range a lot over the years (and have kept notes on the early season conditions--we've tried to hit a number of lakes right after the thaw for fishing purposes, hence the attention paid to this detail). Until this latest storm we were about dead on the 1997 pace, but I imagine we're now ahead of 1997 for the southern/central Sierra. As far as Evolution in late June is concerned, I'm pretty sure the lakes will be thawed, but stream crossings may be a problem.
Since my fishing (etc.) website is still down, you can be distracted by geology stuff at: http://www.fresnostate.edu/csm/ees/facu ... ayshi.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Post by Snow Nymph »

Mammoth Mountain is 8" away from breaking their record of 617".
Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free . . . . Jim Morrison


http://snownymph.smugmug.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Post by SSSdave »

For the internet savvy, one can check any of the many CDEC remote sensor sites near areas one is visiting:
http://cdec.water.ca.gov/snow/current/snow/

Below is something too, part of today's Yosemite report. Note one of the Tuolumne sites, Gin Flat which of course is along highway 120 at 7k shows 92 inches of snow depth. And in the last 48 hours they have had over 11 inches of rain on top of it! ...David

----------------------------------------

April 1 Snow Survey Results

Park personnel have completed the April 1 snow surveys. March was wet! There was measurable precipitation in Yosemite Valley on 20 days in March; for the period February 26th through April 3rd, we had precipitation 26 out of 37 days. Overall, the water content of the snowpack went from about 90% of average at the end of February to about 130% of average at the end of March. This is somewhat behind last year, when the water content was 163% of average on April 1, but the current series of storms forecast for early April may should increase those figures above last year's totals, particularly at the higher elevations. While these numbers are impressive, the total gain in the snowpack doesn't quite match the "miracle March" of 1991. Figures for individual snow courses are shown below.



Course Elev. Date Depth H2O Density 4/1 Avg. %of Avg.

Tuolumne River Basin

Dana Meadows 9,800 30-MAR 124.6 47.6 38% 31.1 153%

Rafferty Meadows 9,400 27-MAR 121.1 51.6 43% 32.8 157%

New Grace Meadow 8,900 30-MAR 175.3 72.8 42% 48.0 152%

Tuolumne Meadows 8,600 29-MAR 98.1 32.7 33% 22.7 144%

Wilma Lake 8,000 30-MAR 166.8 60.6 36% 43.2 140%

Paradise Meadow 7,650 30-MAR 141.0 50.0 35% 39.9 125%

Vernon Lake 6,700 30-MAR 77.9 27.9 36% 22.4 125%

Beehive Meadow 6,500 30-MAR 81.0 27.6 34% 23.5 117%



Basin Average Pct. of April 1: 129%



Merced River Basin

Snow Flat 8,700 25-MAR 150.5 59.5 40% 44.5 134%

Ostrander Lake 8,200 30-MAR 123.6 48.9 40% 32.6 150%

Tenaya Lake 8,150 26-MAR 117.6 40.9 35% 33.6 122%

Gin Flat (Course) 7,000 26-MAR 91.9 36.2 39% 32.0 113%

Peregoy Meadows 7,000 01-APR 93.7 29.7 32% 29.3 101%



Basin Average Pct. of April 1: 124% (M. Fincher - 4/4/06)
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will_jrob
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Post by will_jrob »

Comparing the current webcam shots of Half Dome from Sentinel, on the Yosemite Association website, with last years of the same date, there seems to be little difference in snow depth. Half Dome is obscured upto the summer snow patch in both views. This was about the high mark for last year.
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SteveB
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Post by SteveB »

Just saw on the news that the storm coming into the Truckee area of the Sierra is expected to drop up to another foot of snow about 7000'... :D
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norcalhiker
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Post by norcalhiker »

Yep, it's looking a lot like last year :crybaby:

For some visual representations check out:
http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/current/PlotSWC

and:

http://postholer.com/cgi-bin/postHoler?trail=PCT

I'm heading north from Kennedy Meadows (south) around mid-june and I'm expecting LOTS of snow. Might well bring snowshoes and I'll definitely have an ice axe and crampons.
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SteveB
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More snow, more snow, more snow!!!

Post by SteveB »

Yup, you read right!! :) Another foot of the white stuff has dumped in this latest storm, and latest forecast calls for up to another 20" tonite! Mandatory chain conditions on I80, 50, and 88.

I think this officially kills my Evolution Valley plans for last week of June! :crybaby:
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