[pct-l] Ray Day

[Scott Bryce]

Len Glassner wrote:
> What's parameter values define 'Ray Day'?  Is it the same thing as
> the 'Sierra Entry Indicator' over on postholer.com?

I'll answer the best I can. Someone else may have a more definitive answer.

Ray Day is June 15. That is the day that Ray Jardine determined to be
the best day to leave Kennedy Meadows on a NOBO through hike in an
average snow year. It is late enough in the season to allow sufficient
snow melt in the Sierras, and early enough to allow enough time to reach
Canada before the early season snow fall hits the north Cascades.

Postholer.com is comparing this year's April 1st snow depth in the
Sierras to the average April 1st snow depth in the Sierras and making an
estimate about when the snow pack in the Sierras will be equal to the
average June 15 Sierra snow pack.

Since the postholer.com estimate is based on April 1st snow depth, it
cannot give a good estimate before April 1st. There are any number of
factors besides snow depth that will affect the amount of snow in the
Sierras on or around June 15th.