April 18th - 19th conditions
Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2015 12:21 am
Just thought I'd post photos to give an idea of snow levels and water in a handful of areas. After spending the night just outside of Lone Pine, I drove up on Saturday morning to Lake Sabrina, followed by a few hours skiing Mammoth and scoping the surrounding backcountry, followed by a quick drive up Rock Creek to see Little Lakes Valley before it got too late. I slept in a different location then drove back up Rock Creek to hike to Hilton Lake #3 on Sunday. I can't believe it looks like this in April.
There's no snow up to Sabrina, which resembles a dirty meadow right about now. Many south-facing slopes in the Bishop region are in summer condition (in April!). The larger lakes in the Mammoth Lakes Basin are mostly thawed and Horseshoe Lake looks like it may be a meadow by the end of summer (barring lots of thunderstorms). The Ritter Range has a very high snow line for this time of year and it looks like one could get to a lot of lakes without encountering snow. Did I mention it's only April?
Rock Creek Lake is completely thawed and the snow in Little Lakes Valley, but not necessarily the slopes surrounding it, is disappearing. The flow in Rock Creek is pretty weak right now.
The Hilton Lakes trail is summer-like on east facing slopes but turns to spring/winter when you get to north facing slopes. There's a stretch towards Hilton Lake 3 where footprints are your trail because the summer trail is buried. I don't think that'll last, though.
There's no snow up to Sabrina, which resembles a dirty meadow right about now. Many south-facing slopes in the Bishop region are in summer condition (in April!). The larger lakes in the Mammoth Lakes Basin are mostly thawed and Horseshoe Lake looks like it may be a meadow by the end of summer (barring lots of thunderstorms). The Ritter Range has a very high snow line for this time of year and it looks like one could get to a lot of lakes without encountering snow. Did I mention it's only April?
Rock Creek Lake is completely thawed and the snow in Little Lakes Valley, but not necessarily the slopes surrounding it, is disappearing. The flow in Rock Creek is pretty weak right now.
The Hilton Lakes trail is summer-like on east facing slopes but turns to spring/winter when you get to north facing slopes. There's a stretch towards Hilton Lake 3 where footprints are your trail because the summer trail is buried. I don't think that'll last, though.
