2015 Backcountry Conditions Reports

[marymaryland]

That's good to hear! I'll be heading out for Rae Lakes this weekend (CCW) and will report back how the conditions are!
By the way, I don't think the photo attached?
-Kevin

Whoops... file size was too big and I forgot to adjust. This one should work.

2015-05-13 16.27.53 copy.jpg

And a panorama of Center Basin as of 5/12 for good measure. Looks like July to me.

2015-05-12 12.30.01 copy.jpg

[Hobbes]

I have dabbled in winter climbing and want to get more into it. I also did a lot of steep offtrail skiing at Squaw Valley in my youth as well as rockclimbing so the sport seems natural to me. The problem that I face is that I'd like to have a partner to go on those trips with and I have yet to find one.

Yeah, it's a pretty small cadre of people performing at that level, not the least of which is the specialized gear to pull this off:



Add snow shoes, x-country skis & ice skates and you'd be ready for anything.

[Hobbes]

Doug Sr @ the Portal store posted a great summary of conditions on Whitney here:

http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/forum ... mber=99833

Including this little tidbit:

Buying/ renting gear will not come with a packet of tricks you MAY need as the conditions change.

To which someone else posted this awesome graphic:



Doug also mentioned a lady came in who had just finished the JMT. I believe she posts here as part of her 'Sierra mapping project'. Here's her Instagram link - check out the photos!

https://instagram.com/sierramappingproject/

[rlown]

Someone needs to win an award for that "Magic Set" graphic.

[Bluewater]

"Set contains small parts and small balls". . . There's a lot of comedy on that one graphic.

Here's one from yesterday at the top of Kearsarge Pass from Randy Berton on the PCT 2015 Facebook page. There's a lot of snow up there.

10408508_850244735054917_515670234030603745_n.jpg

[sparky]

Well, supposedly temps will stay cool all week then rise dramatically by next weekend. Fresher snow will melt quicker.

[Jimr]

maybe I'm crazy, but I'm going over Kearsarge on Tuesday to hang around on the West side for a few days. Anyone feeling a bit crazy and wants to come along, give me a shout. At the moment, it's a solo trip.

[Hobbes]

June 6, 2012

[dougieb]

Went over cottonwood pass this weekend and saw very little snow except in little tiny pockets here and there. I went to Lower Soldier Lake and up into Miter Basin and didn't have any snow issues at all. On Saturday night it snowed on us about 3-4 inches of powder. It was gorgeous and quickly melted by noon, seemingly soaking straight into the ground without any noticeable difference in river levels or anything. I got hail for an hour one day and a little snow here or there just floating through the sky but no rain or thunder. Even the temps were moderate, probably not going below the high 20's at night and during the day it was probably in the 50's if I had to guess.

[Hobbes]

Steve C at the WZ posted a great video of a group's Whitey attempt last Sat, May 23. Wait until you see the conditions at the crest (where they turned back) - lots of snow. Sure, it's been melting off, but there's also been daily flurries (note how the weather rapidly degrades).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obZCxDa ... e=youtu.be

It's supposed to be 92 in LP this Sat, and 52 @ the peak. Schmalz & I are taking a guided trip up the MR.