High Sierra Topix

Route taken:
Piute Pass Trail to Merriam Lake
Difficult section encountered:
Just the top of the pass. All other snow we encountered was easy to get around. Here's a pic of us going up the pass:
Special equipment needed/used:
Just poles for the stretch of snow at the top of the pass. Coming back down was harder than going up, with more postholing toward the bottom. Everything is melting fast though!


Other notes:
Saw very few mosquitoes - I only saw about a dozen mosquitoes, and only got bit once. I'm sure the pressure will start ramping up in the coming weeks. There have been a lot of afternoon thunderstorms recently in the area, so be sure to check the latest forecast.

Welcome to HST @vbud. Thank you for the conditions report.

I have been checking weather and am leaving on a trip in the Minarets tomorrow. Temperatures at 10,000 feet (Thousand Island Lake) are forecast 40 highs/ 21 low with up to 30mph winds, next two day about 5-10 degrees warmer and still windy, then getting back to normal. I have gone from worrying about mosquitoes to throwing in warmer clothing! Thankfully tomorrow I will either be driving or walking (hopefully the southwest wind will be pushing me along ) After the previous exceptionally warm weather be sure you are prepared for the next few days, if you are going out.

Subject: Phipps Peak, Desolation Wilderness, June 5-6 2021

Route: Meeks Bay >> Stony Ridge Lake >> Phipps Pass >> Phipps Peak >> PCT >> Lake Genevieve >> Meeks Bay

Difficult section encountered on this trip:
- Overgrown/abandoned trail on General Creek & Genevieve Lake trail (i.e. connecting PCT back to Lake Genevieve). Parts of this trail are totally intact, while others are a maze of downed trees and boggy alder swamp. I actually found this section to be sort of fun... puzzle solving the optimal route, looking for old boot tracks, etc. The experience of following abandoned trail engages my brain in an exciting way.
- There are trivial snow patches on the north side of Phipps Pass, but it was no big deal at all.

Special equipment needed/used:
- None! With these low snow levels, it's hard to believe it's only early June.

Other Notes:
- Despite the drought, I found that all the seasonal creeks were still running. I found an active spring approximately 100 feet below the summit of Phipps Peak, which enabled me to bivy on the summit and enjoy the alpenglow

Subject: Mineral King 6/4-6

Route: Franklin pass>>off trail alpine meadows above soda creek drainage>>soda creek>>Sawtooth pass>>back Difficult section encountered on this trip:
- Mosquitos! Only at ~8000-9000ft. Substantial but not horrendous Special equipment needed/used:
- None! Other Notes:
Ridiculously low snow. Pretty damn scary. The ranger said maybe 4% of normal. North faces at 11-12k had MINIMAL snow. None on the passes. Streams are timid and easy crossings on rocks and logs. Meadows were wet with flowers but not swampy at all. Insane

Skeets are out at the 7500' level, not biting furiously yet, but by the time your read this it could be bad.

The Elephant Rock trail is in pretty rough shape, minimal maintenance.

A buddy and I hiked from Crabtree to Emigrant Lake, passing Gem, Jewelry, Deer, and Upper Buck Lakes between 6/10 and 6/11.

Seasonal water sources are still flowing. All stream crossings are easy, we only had to get our feet wet crossing Cherry Creek (ankle deep).

Mosquitos are out at most lakes, but not bad until you hit Buck Meadow and Emigrant Lake. In those spots, they were 8/10. You can see clouds of them and they are swarming. They haven't yet figured out how to bite effectively, though.

6/6 to 6/12: Green Creek TH > West Lake > Par Value Lakes > Glines Canyon > Virginia Pass > Virginia Canyon > Lower McCabe Lakes > Shepherd & Onion Lakes (xc traverse via roper route alternative saddle) > Summit Pass > Green Creek TH

Glines was snowy, but lightly suncupped and nearly ideal (a little slushy), boots and poles were fine. Lots of angled fields between return lake & the saddle to soldier lake (looked dry on the other side). Sky Pilot Col was surprisingly snow free.

Nothing but boots & poles needed.

2021-06-17 to 2021-06-25 Onion Valley TH > Kearsarge Pass > Vidette Basin > PCT > Center Basin > Junction Pass > Sherpherds Pass > Wright Basin > Wales/Wallace Basin > Williamson Bowl Ridge > Sherpherds Pass > Sherpherds Pass TH

All unnamed water sources between Wallace Creek & Shepherds pass were dry - Wallace, Wright, & Tyndall Creeks still flowing well. All water sources on Shepherds pass trail down were flowing aside from the unnamed one just after the ~8800ft north fork of shepherds creek pickup.

Boots never touched snow aside from two small patches remaining in the talus section of the S side of junction pass, and one snowfield that required a somewhat sketchy bypass near the top of shepherds that's probably melted out by now.