[pct-l] Current Sierra Conditions Part 2

[Claire Porter]

PCTers and Angels,

Just came out of the Sierra at Mammoth.  Here's the report.  At the bottom
is a copy of my Kennedy Meadows to Kearsarge report, though that is getting
out of date now.

Snow and cold: the cold weather we had on memorial day weekend made the old
snow great for traveling.  The snow pack was solid all the way from
Kearsarge to Agnew Meadows.  The only exception is Silver Pass.  For some
reason, that approach and descent were rather mushy and deep.  I don't think
that is a sign of melting snow all over, but I could be wrong.  I often am.
Obviously, morning snow is stiffer than afternoon.  At higher elevations,
morning was actually quite icy on the river crossings and steep snow
patches.  I also had a few nights below freezing.  I haven't looked at the
weather forecast yet, so I don't know how nighttime temps will be in the
next few weeks.  Warmer clothes might be a good idea, especially given the
recent discussions about hiker preparedness.  Here is a link to my snow
pictures on my flickr site: www.flickr.com/photos/clairesga<tr_1212616390481>
llery/sets/72157605440799051/<http://www.flickr.com/photos/clairesgallery/sets/72157605440799051/>.
 Thanks to Roger for the reminder to include the link.

Water: The river crossings were not bad at all.  The highest were mid-thigh
on me (2.5 ft), though Eric D reported lower levels when he crossed a few
days before me. Very cold though.  With the crossings and the snow, cold
feet are a problem.  I'd bring at least one extra pair of socks for changing
into at night, and make them thicker for insulation (medium cushion worked
well for me).

Navigation: All the passes are well covered in snow for many miles on either
side.  Know your route.  At lower elevations, the snow is patchy and
sometimes even absent. How exciting.

The road to Red's Meadow is still closed (though you can walk it, of
course), but a FS guy told me they are hoping to have it ready to open by
this weekend.  Did I forget anything? Let me know.

Cheers,
Claire



On 5/21/08, Claire Porter <claire.porter at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi folks,
>
> I just hopped out if the Sierra at Kearsarge Pass in company with Eric D.
> There is still a lot of snow up there.  It is melting fast, and the rivers
> are running high.  Don't let that stop you though.  It is very do-able and
> loads of fun if you keep three things in mind:
>
> 1. Navigation - while the path is easy to find through the snow patches
> for most of the trail, there are some very tricky sections where the
> coverage is extensive, and the approaches to Whitney and Forester are nearly
> completely covered.  Have a map, know hoe to use it.  If you are not
> confident in your trail finding skills, bring a GPS with maps.  As a trail
> newbie, I found my GPS very helpful in a few situations.
>
> 2. Food - the snow slows you down as well as making you tired.  Plan for
> the extra calories and reduced mileage.  Both Eric and I found ourselves
> eating more than we anticipated.
>
> 3. Weather - by all reports the next week will be hellish up there, with
> high winds and cold temps.  Wait for that to pass.  More snow will have
> melted then too.
>
> Here's the detailed breakdown:
>
> Kennedy Meadows to Trail Pass - the snow starts after climbing Cow creek.
> The snow frequently covers the trail, but not for long sections.
>
> Trail Pass to Whitney cutoff - ditto on the snow.  The Rock Creek was
> running fast, but was not difficult or dangerous to ford.  Trekking poles
> helped.
>
> Whitney - a very slow approach because of the snow.  Some postholing,
> though the deeper snow was still relatively firm.  The snow softened up
> very quickly after dawn.  the snow fields are all rather flat, so no
> danger there.  The switchbacks are mostly clear, with just 4 steep snowcrossings.  Ice ax was helpful for stability, not necessary.  Gaiters and/or
> pants will save your sanity.  Give yourself plenty of time, the going is
> slow.
>
> Whitney to Forester - frequent but patchy snow on the fist half of the
> approach.  The second half is just like Whitney.  Trail finding is
> difficult, and postholing happens often.  Thankfully, the deeper snow is
> usually stiff enough to walk on, but not consistently.  River crossings not
> bad.
>
> Forester - switchbacks are NOT to totally clear for the bottom half.  Many
> snow crossings.  I just went straight up the snow fields instead.  The
> second half is mostly clear, with only one steep and rather icy crossing
> near the top.  It's short and do-able, but be careful.  Ice ax very helpful
> here as an anchor.
>
> Forester to Kearsarge trail cutoff - Make sure to summit Forester
> relatively early, since the north side of the pass is completely snow-covered
> for at least 5 miles to the Center Basin Trail.  Center Basin Creek was
> raging when I hit it (at night), but near the confluence with Bubbs Creek it
> splits in two for an easy crossing.  This whole section has NO visible
> trail, but all the snow makes for good glissading.  For a fast descent,
> follow our slide off the left side of the ridge as you descend, instead of
> going down straight from the pass.  Thanks to Steve for that pointer.
>
> Kearsarge Pass trail - extensive snow at points, but the trail is much
> easier to follow in the approach to the pass.  The descent is totally snowy,
> but that actually makes it faster.
>
> Independence - no snow here.  The grocery store in Independence has
> closed.  Lone Pine or Bishop now, I guess.
>
> Have fun,
> Claire
>
>