[pct-l] Sierra Snow Update

Thu Apr 21 13:57:56 CDT 2011

Consider this:  miles and miles of suncups. Creek fords that are dangerous under non-epic conditions. Not being able to see or walk on the trail, and having to use map and compass through some of the most formidable geography most people have ever seen.  Avalanche danger.  Post-holing.  

Maybe you want an adventure like this and possess the necessary skills and equipment (and know how to use it). But I am here to tell you that not all hikers have those skills or are prepared for that type of an adventure.  Most just want to go for a hike -- challenging perhaps, but not necessarily perilous.  

The point is to make everyone AWARE of the conditions ahead, and for each individual to decide for themselves whether they are ready for that type of experience or not. Telling you that there is a lot of snow ahead is not meant to scare, but to let people know what to be prepared for.

In the Sierra, this may well be the biggest snow year that any of us has ever seen. At least that's what is being reported from the people who live there and know the trail.  You do what you want with the information. 

L-Rod

-----Original Message-----
>From: Kolby Kirk <admin at thehikeguy.com>
>Sent: Apr 21, 2011 4:32 AM
>To: Reinhold Metzger <reinholdmetzger at cox.net>
>Cc: Deems <losthiker at sisqtel.net>, Hiker97 <hiker97 at aol.com>, MONTE DODGE <montedodge at msn.com>, pct-l at backcountry.net
>Subject: Re: [pct-l] Sierra Snow Update
>
>I think I'm mentally prepared to deal with bears and mountain lions, but
>you've really worked me into a fearful tizzy with this snow.  Do you know if
>there are any outdoor retailers that sell snow repellent?  It would be such
>a shame to get into these mountainous areas and have it ruined by this
>dangerous white stuff all over the ground.  I even read somewhere that it's
>cold and wet to the touch!  I've been spending a good portion of my life
>exploring the great outdoors, but this snow issue is just too much for me to
>grasp.  If need be, I'm prepared to construct some sort of bridge using
>branches and rocks just so I don't need to get my feet in it.  Maybe I
>should consider bringing a small blow torch so I can make a path through
>it?  Honestly, I can't imagine how anyone can spend a minute near snow, let
>alone hike in it, let alone prowl around in it in the summer and winter.
>
>My hat is off to you, Mister Metzger! :-)
>
>Kolby
>
>On Thu, Apr 21, 2011 at 4:24 AM, Reinhold Metzger
><reinholdmetzger at cox.net>wrote:
>
>> Yes Shroomer,
>> Excellent advice.....I have been sending Sierra snow warnings to the list
>> since December which have mostly fallen on deaf ears.
>> It appears folks are not accepting the facts or are in a denial stage.
>> If you think last year was bad, you might be in a state of shock when you
>> hit the Sierra this year.
>> I have been prowling around the Sierra, Summer&  Winter, for 40+ years and
>> don't really remember ever seeing more snow than this year.
>> I just came back this weekend from another week of skiing at Mammoth and
>> can
>> tell you, huge boulders that normally protrude way above the snow line are
>> still
>> completely covered by snow.
>> Mammoth averages 340" of snow per year...it got 516" by this time last year
>> and
>> has already received 626" this year.
>> Do the math.....this ain't rocket science....everybody should be able to
>> figure
>> out what kind of snow year this is.
>> A good friend in the Tahoe area told me 2weeks ago that Donner Summit had
>> received
>> 740" so far and that there is about as much snow as he has ever seen.
>>
>> So, what does that mean?..It means there is a hell of a lot of snow in the
>> Sierra
>> and the snow pack (base), at the higher elevations is still 23 feet high
>> which is
>> about 8-9 feet higher then what it was last year this time of the year.
>> I know, some folks say it may all melt by the time we get there in June.
>> I say, don't count on it..23 feet of snow take a lot longer to melt than
>> 14-15 feet.
>> Take Shroomer's&  Ned's advice....be prepared and don't get caught with
>> your pants
>> down.
>>
>> Although,...if Melanie&  Sugar Moma should get caught with their pants down
>> I want to be there.....it should be quiet a spectacular sight.
>> I think I will bring my camera......and wide angle lens......I want to make
>> sure I
>> capture all of them.
>>
>> This will be a spectacular photo opportunity....Sugar Moma&  Melanie, in
>> color, on
>> wide angle, on the PCT, knee deep in snow, WITH THEIR PANTS DOWN.
>> This almost certainly will win the "PACIFIC CREST TRAIL COMMUNICATOR"
>> picture of
>> the year award and grace the center fold.
>>
>> Deems and Monte Dodge will be so jealous.
>>
>> I'm so excited about this I can't sleep...I'm like a little kid in a candy
>> store...I
>> cant keep my mind of Sugar Moma and Melanie.
>>
>> JMT Reinhold
>> Your sleepless trail companion
>>
>> ------------------------------------
>> Shroomer wrote;
>> Because of a lot of snow in the San Jacinto and beyond last year, and the
>> recommendation at the "snow report" at KO, many people had their winter
>> gear
>> sent to Idyllwild, (Paradise was closed) and decided at that point.  Some
>> of
>> us jumped forward to hike the Mojave and Tehachapis first and came back
>> several weeks later, and still found lots of snow to deal with.  People who
>> had sent their winter gear on to Kennedy Meadows were either buying new
>> traction devices etc in Idyllwild or were yogiing it from other hikers.  I
>> remember the gear shops had a huge run on winter gear because of us, and
>> had
>> to ship in extra microspikes.  I loaned my ice axe to a Fidget, and then
>> ended up using Bacon's ice axe later.  Everybody was traiding gear to make
>> it work.  And then many chose to hike the roads around Fuller Ridge
>> instead.
>>  If you want to hike that section in deep snow, have the gear.
>>
>> My recommendation, given the snowiness of this year, is to have ice axe and
>> traction devices sent to Idyllwild, and then decide when you get there.  If
>> it's all melted down to a manageable level, as in many past years, then
>> just
>> ship it on to KM.  But if you end up in conditions like last year, you will
>> be glad of anything you had planned to use in the High Sierra.  You may
>> need
>> the option, or you may not, but if you need the gear and don't have it, you
>> may miss one of the great parts of the trail.  Frankly, those mtns, and
>> Fuller Ridge, which was scary even with the gear for many of us, were
>> beautiful, and a lot of fun to hike over.
>>
>> Shroomer
>>
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