[pct-l] Mt Hood Snow

[Michael Irving]

Snow reports at this time of year are somewhat irrelevant for Oregon, at least up north. We typically get a dump load of snow around early to mid March. The real indicator will be if we get the "dump" and if so how much, particularly since it's later in the winter/early spring. The other big difference in Oregon are all the trees which make it very hard to keep going the right way when you can't see the trail (as opposed to the Sierras where you can generally see a long way away to take a bearing and then just aim for a landmark.) So don't discount the Oregon snow too much.   Even though Oregon is considered "flat" there are still some pretty steep contours that I would want no part of if there was no trail cut into it due to a slope of snow. We also typically get a 2-week or so "dry spell" which we just exited, so my bet is that the inches will start piling up again in the weeks ahead. 

GoalTech

On Jan 27, 2013, at 7:51 PM, "Ned Tibbits" <ned at mountaineducation.org> wrote:

> Last year Oregon received a lot of snow. If they are statistically ahead of 
> last year, then all that means is there may be some snow lurking around to 
> walk on in Oregon. By the time you get there, you'll be so good at 
> snow-hiking it won't even slow you down (remember, Oregon is pretty flat 
> compared to snow-hiking in the sierras).
> 
> When Mountain Education was up in Oregon last year teaching a Snow Basics 
> Course west of Sisters, we got NAILED with 4 to 5 feet of snow on our tents 
> and incredibly high winds over two days. It sounded like we were camped at 
> the airport and despite our heavy duty, monster-poled winter tent, it was 
> nearly flattened during the night's gusts (at least it was hitting my face 
> as I slept 1/3 of the way in from the windward side).
> 
> 
> 
> Ned Tibbits, Director
> Mountain Education
> www.mountaineducation.org
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Diarmaid Harmon
> Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2013 8:22 AM
> To: pct listserve
> Subject: [pct-l] Mt Hood Snow
> 
> Mt. Hood snow still ahead of last year
> 
> 
> 
> by Rod Hill, KGW Meteorologist
> Posted on January 26, 2013 at 1:22 PM
> Updated yesterday at 3:19 PM
> MOUNT HOOD -- Mt. Hood resorts are thrilled to pick up fresh powder this 
> weekend.  The  heavy snows that hit in December left a snow depth at 
> Timberline of 114 inches, with Mt. Hood Meadows seeing105 inches and Skibowl 
> seeing 64 inches.
> The total snowfall at 6,000 feet through Christmas day was 266 inches. 
> Since Christmas, only 53 inches of snow has fallen at Timberline.
> Saturday's snow base is lower than four weeks ago and ranges from 44 inches 
> at Skibowl to 83 at Mt. Hood Meadows. Timberline Lodge has a snow base of 
> 102 inches.  The snow pack at the Mt. Hood test site is 76 percent of 
> normal.
> There are still many weeks of snow to come.  A typical winter season 
> transitions through heavy snow weeks to dry weeks to heavy again.
> Compared with one year ago,  Mt. Hood has received 100 more inches of snow 
> above 5,000 feet at this point in the season.  Last year saw a booming 222 
> inches of snow on Mt. Hood from March 1 to May 10.
> The 2011-2012 snow season ended up exactly normal with 65.5 inches of melted 
> snow water equivalency.  Here is hoping for a good second half of the Mt. 
> Hood snow season.
> irish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-L mailing list
> Pct-L at backcountry.net
> To unsubcribe, or change options visit:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
> 
> List Archives:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/
> All content is copyrighted by the respective authors.
> Reproduction is prohibited without express permission. 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-L mailing list
> Pct-L at backcountry.net
> To unsubcribe, or change options visit:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
> 
> List Archives:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/
> All content is copyrighted by the respective authors. 
> Reproduction is prohibited without express permission.