2023 High Snowpack Conditions: Jinxing snow discussion

[commonloon]

The graphs are looking pretty crazy about now:

https://cssl.berkeley.edu/

[TahoeJeff]

But, but Global Warming....

[c9h13no3]

But, but Global Warming....

There’s always that one guy…

Can you be stup… errr political in some other thread?

[TahoeJeff]

Hook, line & sinker.

[maverick]

Back to original subject, please. Off subject posts will be deleted. Thank you

[c9h13no3]

Hook, line & sinker.

If this was a lesson not to feed trolls, you win.

In other news, if you’re sad that you missed the most recent blizzard, don’t worry! There’s always another one around the corner.

010D99C2-D4C5-4904-898C-F3BEFECD093C.gif

Even if there was a heatwave all of April-June, melting all this snow that fast would wash out every trail and bridge in the range. This is a big snow year, and you’ll see the impacts of it one way or the other.

[jgshal2385]

I have a trip of June 20th that will take me up towards the Ediza Lake area. My trip up there last year was perfect in late July (low snowpack that winter). With that being said, is this trip going to be doable in normal backpacking gear or am I going to need Crampons, Gaiters, etc... The people coming with are in shape military personnel but not avid backpackers with all those additional gear requirements. Any thoughts on if this is do able or if I should post pone this trip?

[commonloon]

I have a trip of June 20th that will take me up towards the Ediza Lake area. My trip up there last year was perfect in late July (low snowpack that winter). With that being said, is this trip going to be doable in normal backpacking gear or am I going to need Crampons, Gaiters, etc... The people coming with are in shape military personnel but not avid backpackers with all those additional gear requirements. Any thoughts on if this is do able or if I should post pone this trip?

There will likely be at least some snow, but it's still too early to say if you'll need crampons or micro-spikes. It will depend on temps/storms as spring approaches. 3 or 4 ways to get there too depending on conditions. Depending on what trailhead you are coming out of, you might be affected by the opening date of the road down to Reds Meadow. Historical open/close dates are here (e.g. 2011 was a bigger snow year):

https://www.nps.gov/depo/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

There is always the option of camping along the river trail and day hiking up. Don't let the snow talk get you down yet!

[c9h13no3]

Don't let the snow talk get you down yet!

There is currently more snow on the ground in the Southern Sierra on March 1st than there has ever been, since measurements started being collected in 1976. I also added the previous biggest snow year for the state (1983, and the two most recent big snow years 2017 & 2019).

Draw your own conclusions.

SnowMar1.jpg

[frozenintime]

does anyone here have memories of the high sierra in 1983?