2011 BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS UPDATES

[ChinMusic]

I couple of PCTers that have made it all the way to Tuolumne decided to take a side trip from Tuolumne to Half Dome. The could not follow the trail in the snow today (7/4) and had to turn back to Tuolumne.

Considering all the experience they had just getting thru weeks of snow, I find that amazing.

[rlown]

Your trip looked snowy enough.. I'll wait for the melt.

[windknot]

Leavitt Meadow area, Hoover Wilderness, 7/3-4: summer conditions. Pretty hot and dusty on trails, no snow in sight except in patches on north-facing slope above Poore.

[sparky]

Avalanche pass is snow free. Big wet meadow is flooded, lots of mosquitos in cloud canyon.. Brewer creek is nasty. Was very hot, and waters rose dramatically during the day.

Got glimpses of colby pass and elizibeth pass looking south up the canyons both of which has lots of snow. Elizibeth appeared to have a cornice. Very large waterfall flowing out below colby pass...is that always there? Tablelands looked patchy in spots solid in others

[Troutdog 59]

Took a day hike to Lower Jackass Lake in the Southern Ansel Adams as they opened up the road last week. First time to this lake and I was hoping to chase some early season trout. Access to this area is from the west side out of Oakhurst/BAss Lake. Very little snow on the drive in and one wouldnt have guessed from the 1st 1,000 feet of hiking that one would even see snow, but I was amazed that I lost the trail once hiking at about 8,400 - 8,500'. This year of snow will never end . Snow was hikable and I made my way the ~ 1/2 mile to the lake, and found it to be 95% frozen. I guess the ridge to the SE provides just enough shade to slow the melt at this little lake. Oh well the fishing will have to wait for another weekend. Had my lunch, enjoyed the solitude, and hiked back out. Sorry no pics . Apparently I left the camera on while in route and it was dead once summoned. Still nice to get out.

[Pulpit]

Donahue Pass 7/2

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Wow, glad I decided after seeing all the snow this winter to plan my trip with my brother in late August. Our original plan was to do Echo Lake (just over Cathedral Pass) in late June. Seems that would have been a fiasco.

Thanks for all of the conditions updates everyone.

[elbenanti]

Route: Bubbs Creek Trail in Kings Canyon National Park (a one-night, out-and-back trip)

Date: 6/25-6/26

Trail conditions: The trail is clear of all trees and debris up to what our best guess was close to Junction Meadow. We started to encounter longer stretches of snow-covered trail so eventually turned around (we don't have much experience route-finding) and didn't actually make it to the Meadow. In contrast to what the SEKI website still lists (under the Current Trail Conditions section), we didn't find Charlotte Creek difficult or dangerous to cross on the 25th and 26th and camped on the far side.

Other notes: My husband had some success in fishing the non-raging sections of Bubbs Creek and caught a few brown trout and one rainbow. We crossed paths with two rattlesnakes on the trail and had a great black bear sighting across Bubbs Creek from our campsite. There were a lot of deer hanging our at night, and the mosquitos got mildly annoying once dusk hit.

Sorry for the delayed post, but maybe this will still be helpful for someone...

[tomba]

Route taken: Cherry Lk/Shingle Spring TH, Kibbie Lk (around west side), ridge NW side of Bartlett Lakes, Little Bear Lk (E side), ridge next to Bartlett Peak overlooking East Fork Cherry Creek, ridge W from Inferno Lakes, Spotted Fawn Lk (N side), Little Bear Lk (E side), Boundary Lk (W side), Styx Pass, Kibbie Ridge (4 days/3 nights, started on 2011-07-01).

Difficult section encountered: Nothing too bad.

Perhaps 20% walking on snow at 8000 ft. See attached photo of Inferno Lakes, looking east.

No dangerous creek crossing. Hardest was Bartlett Creek below the H-shaped (or W-shaped) lake below little Bear Lk (38.07238,-119.79544 on Gmap4 MyTopo). One can cross using a log jam about 200 m downstream from the H-shaped lake.

Looking at East Fork Cherry Creek from the ridge, it seemed that we may be unable to cross it (trail crosses it few times), so we decided against going back that way to Styx Pass.

Kibbie ridge trail has many fallen trees. It is hard to follow at times, especially between Styx Pass and Sachse Spring.

Ordinary cars can get to the trail head.

Special equipment needed/used: None.

[texan]

Route taken: Cherry Lk/Shingle Spring TH, Kibbie Lk (around west side), ridge NW side of Bartlett Lakes, Little Bear Lk (E side), ridge next to Bartlett Peak overlooking East Fork Cherry Creek, ridge W from Inferno Lakes, Spotted Fawn Lk (N side), Little Bear Lk (E side), Boundary Lk (W side), Styx Pass, Kibbie Ridge (4 days/3 nights).

Difficult section encountered: Nothing too bad.

Perhaps 20% walking on snow at 8000 ft. See attached photo of Inferno Lakes, looking east.

No dangerous creek crossing. Hardest was Bartlett Creek below the H-shaped (or W-shaped) lake below little Bear Lk (38.07238,-119.79544 on Gmap4 MyTopo). One can cross using a log jam about 200 m downstream from the H-shaped lake.

Looking at East Fork Cherry Creek from the ridge, it seemed that we may be unable to cross it (trail crosses it few times), so we decided against going back that way to Styx Pass.

Kibbie ridge trail has many fallen trees. It is hard to follow at times, especially between Styx Pass and Sachse Spring.

Ordinary cars can get to the trail head.

Special equipment needed/used: None.

Thanks for the report. When did you go on this trip. I am curious. There still a lot of snow around.

Texan

[tomba]

Thanks for the report. When did you go on this trip. I am curious. There still a lot of snow around.

Last weekend, starting on 2011-07-01, as mentioned in the post title. I have added this in the message body to make it clearer.