Spring Sierra Backpacking Suggestions?!

[balance]

Greetings Wandering Daisy

As usual, what you say is correct. And your experience in the mountains and fishing and photographic skills are awesome. The knowledge that you (and others as well) generously share with people on this forum helps people be better prepared and further their travels, and love for the outdoors.

Mountainpegasus said while the first week of May is locked in, he wanted to experience the Sierra Nevada high-country. Bit of a conundrum there, what with the snow and all. So I considered how he and his friends can have a high country trip that's adventurous yet safe for that time of year. Do you stay low and avoid the snow, or risk the harrowing conditions that some others properly described?

Leaving out of Badger Pass and heading towards Glacier Point would be a reasonable way to experience high-country snow travel for five days. At the same time, being not far from the well travelled pathway of the road lends an element of safety if things get sketchy. Also, the possibility of navigation errors would not be critical. There's not much elevation change, and a minimum of avalanche danger to contend with. Yet they could still experience the cold and vagaries of snow travel to some extent. If they make it to Dewey Point or Glacier Point, unless it's a white-out blizzard, they'll enjoy some great views. And if they like the mountains in winter, like you and I do, maybe they would take off the training wheels next year and go for an epic Trans-Sierra trip, or something.

As we know, this would be a snow camping trip, but not a "winter" trip. Given the time of year, developing snow conditions (Hooray!), their age and current experience, I think a five day trip out of Badger Pass could be adventurous yet relatively safe, a great learning experience, and they would have a...uhm...real cool time.

Peace

[paul]

Balzaccom has it right. Can't tell this far out what the spring will be like. On average, the first week of May is the prime time for backcountry ski tours. I do that sort of thing and that is when I plan my trips. Now of course we don't know what the conditions will be, but if you assume an average year then I'd expect solid coverage above about 7500 to 8000 feet on the west side - a little higher at the south end. If you are equipped for it, have experience traveling over and camping on snow, and have the navigation skills, it can be a fun time to be out. You do have to be extremely careful about stream crossings, as the water is usually high and fast and very dangerous. And you need to plan to be up and moving at the crack of dawn to take advantage of the firm snowpack - by the afternoon you need snowshoes or skis or it's brutal. If you are not equipped and not experienced, stay below the snow or go elsewhere.

[Cross Country]

I agree with everyone who wrote on this, especially the part about (pure) snow. One can usually expect the weather to be better in May than in February or March but the hiking and camping condicions would probably be similar. You almost might as well go in February.
The Sierra is a fantastic backpacking place in August and even July. I had to pick some very low places to go in the middle of June. One year I couldn't go above 9500 feet without walking basically on snow on July 30. This year might be the same.

[Tom_H]

Wandering Daisy is correct about winter and spring being different. One huge danger in May, especially in a high snow year, is crossing snow bridges on raging streams. Streams that might be small in late summer can run 1k CFS or more in steep canyons in these conditions. Judging the strength of these things can be dicey. They are more solid in the early morning, although they can be more slippery at that time of day. Microspikes are good to wear so you don't slip. Sliding off one or crashing through can easily be fatal. Another serious danger is traversing steep snow pack along the edge of lakes that are still frozen except for a melted periphery around the perimeter. If you slip on a 60° or 70° slope you could careen into 32°F water and have your momentum carry you on out beneath a 1-2' sheet of ice. Chances of survival are slim.

[balance]

Greetings

During the late 40's and 50's the Howdy Doody show had a character called Princess Summer Fall Winter Spring. She was one person whose name was comprised of all four seasons. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVOgXiFAfGI

Nevertheless, I'm sure we can all agree that, meteorologically speaking, Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring are separate seasons, with distinct weather conditions all their own.

Peace

[Hobbes]

I love May. The days are long (hard to believe May 21 is as long as July 21), crowds are absent, the weather (can be) warm & beautiful.

As others like Daisy have noted, the trick to May is dealing with the 'Goldilocks' conundrum: you want the (consolidated) snow to be firm, but not icy. It needs to be hard enough to walk on without post-holing, but not so slick as to slip & fall.

The spring window is only a few hours long in the morning (if sunny/warm - which is when you want to be out) between the extremes of icy and slush. IMO, this creates a situation where you really need to be on your game as far as day & route planning.

I think first & foremost, you have to be dedicated to the idea that there may be **no** relaxing around the campsite - either in the morning or afternoon/evening. In fact, you have to accept that you may be hiking as early as 3-4-5am or as late as 7-8-9pm in order to be properly positioned for the next day.

Secondly, you have to be really cognizant of where you're going to be hiking at each major part of the day within the 3am to 9pm time frame. For example, you need to be crossing passes around 6-9am; however, when you start, you may have to wait a tiny bit if it's still icy. OTOH, if you're still miles away, then you need to break camp and depart in the cold early morning before dawn.

The reverse is true for afternoon/evening. Depending how on early/far you're willing to hike in the pre-dawn hours, you may find yourself needing to hike late into the day/early evening in order to be properly positioned for the next day.

If this sounds like a lot of work, it is. Days are at least 2x as strenuous/tiring as regular hiking. You need to be in great shape to deal with both conditions and carrying/wearing extra, heavier gear (axe, spikes/crampons, low temp bag, etc). To some/many, it simply isn't worth it - hiking is supposed to be a relatively care-free, enjoyable experience, not some hell challenge.

That's all true. But this is also true:

[oldranger]

While everyone responding to spring travel issues has brought forth great point and reinforced each others points I like Hobbes response the best. I'd like to make one addendum which may be too obvious but is critical. Travel early over south facing slopes! You can be a little later on north slopes. A couple of years ago I did a trip from Agnew Meadows to Silver lake in late May nand when crossing Island Pass the snow was firm due to my early travel time. But there were lots of post holes where the early season PCT hikers broke thru due to traveling the pass later in the day. Which brings up another point when you have a choice plan a northbound route as much as possible in early season trips. Finally to reiterate what most everyone else has said be prepared for a late storm and really cold temperatures.

[Hobbes]

plan a northbound route

That's a good point for two reasons: The first, that you touched upon, which is to hit the sunny south sides first (around 6am). Doing so, you might have enough time to traverse down the cold(er) north sides while they too are still relatively firm.

The other reason is to deal with the harder passes first when you still have energy. For newcomers to the Sierra, the range peaks around the SEKI border, as it tapers & falls away to the north and even faster to the south. (As the saying goes @ Whitney, it's all downhill from here.) Early season PCTers have to first tackle Forester & Glen, the two hardest passes in the snow by far (with Mather being a close 3rd). But thereafter, it quickly becomes much easier in succession with Muir, Selden, Silver, Island & Donohue.

[tim]

What about Hetch Hetchy to Rancheria Falls (assuming the Wapama Falls bridge is OK)? Use that as a snow free base camp for day hikes to LeConte Point and Tiltill Valley and you could have a nice relaxing 4 day trip

[AlmostThere]

What about Hetch Hetchy to Rancheria Falls (assuming the Wapama Falls bridge is OK)? Use that as a snow free base camp for day hikes to LeConte Point and Tiltill Valley and you could have a nice relaxing 4 day trip

If you are okay with possibly turning around and going back if the falls is too dangerous. The bridge is rebuilt, but people have died in high snowmelt conditions when the falls was blasting the bridge and swept them off it.