[pct-l] Southern Sierra Snow--lots of it!

[Ken Murray]

Last year, I posted about the snow-pack around this time of the year, as I thought it was an interesting pattern developing.  I thought it was interesting enough, that it provided the basis for starting a discussion about "the possibilities", and to provoke some thinking about the whole issue of snow travel.  I think that for something as committing as the PCT, as much thought as can be given to this, particularly the potentially dangerous stuff, the better.  I have a feeling that there is a significant group, based upon my conversations with them, that really don't consider their snow travel options seriously, until they arrive in Ca, and I think that's.....suboptimal.

So, in the context of discussing the weather, I thought I was starting the discussion last year.  For my effort, I got stuff like this:  

"The ADZPCTKO's authority who gives the snow talk at the gathering stated in the most ignorant and uninformed manner that you could tell what type of snow year it will be on Dec 1st. Amazing!" 

They say "once burned, twice shy".  But, I'm willing to try again.  :)

There is an AMAZING amount of snow up there!  One of my friends who has a house in Mammoth got 14 FEET of snow in about a week!  And as others have mentioned, this is very wet snow, not light powder.  It is translating into very high water content.

Others have mentioned "anything can happen between now and June", and I suppose that is a safe statement.  But I would suggest that one could start to think about some possibilities:

-even if there is no more snow, and it is sunny the rest of the winter, the north side of the high passes will not see that sun, and will retain that snow, which will become icy.  

-you may want to start to think about traction devices. There are a lot of choices, there are controversies. Now, when there is not the crush of last minute packing is a good time to consider the options that you might want to consider, if things work out that you need them.

-if the snow continues to come down, and you have truly miles and miles of angled snow to travel each day, you may be well advised to have an axe or similar product.  You may want give careful thought to what kind of axe you might want to have, if you decide you need one.  They may be difficult to procure at the KO, and your choices may be limited along the trail. 

-you may want to take a course in snow travel.  This year shouldn't be a problem to find, even in Florida!!!!

-you may want to get some real practice with hiking poles, if you're not used to them.  They are a huge advantage when traversing across snow, if one is comfortable with them. 
This can take some time, you may want to take advantage of your fitness hikes.

-if it turns out to be a huge snow year, you may be doing a lot of travel on snow, and this may actually change your travel strategies.  Later may not be better.  High water will be at a different time.  Access for resupplies may be altered in some places (Red's meadow, Muir Trail Ranch, Tuolumne)

I appreciate that the responders last year who took the position that one should not think about snow at this time of year under any circumstances, were responding to what they thought was a concrete prediction about weather (although it was not meant to be).