RoguePhotonic wrote:It's almost comical to go from a massive snow year to a super low year.
Pardon me while I don my lecturer's hat. What's interesting is that the last few years have been entirely consistent with California's historical rainfall patterns:
As the chart above indicates, California's so-called "average rainfall" is actually nothing more than 6-7 drought years punctuated by 1-2 deluge years.
If you really start nosing around, you'll discover a lot of state history has been driven by these factors. First, the big Mexican ranchos expanded (ie went into debt lending money from Yankees in order to finance expansion) during a period of heavy rainfall. When the inevitable drought(s) hit, the herds were decimated and mortgages foreclosed ... by the ancestors of some leading families to this day.
Keep going, and you'll see the impetus behind the great dam/canal building phase after the turn of the 19th century, including Hetch Hetchy, Owens Valley, CWP,, etc. Prado dam in Riverside was built after a 100 year food hit in 1938 and wiped out all of north OC.
Anyway, as to this year, I agree it opens up all sorts of possibilities. Not only extending the season, but expanding possible areas. You should have fun exploring the range during your summer trek.