Re: [pct-l] Snowpack

[Karl Brandt <brandt@snf.Stanford.EDU>]

On Mon, 8 Feb 1999, Tyler Brooks wrote:

> I am a '99 hopeful.  I have been reading this list for about a month
> now and I want to thank everybody for the helpful information.

Good luck. I think I can speak for a lot of us folks at home in saying
that we wish we were going too.

> I am starting to get worried about the snowpack.  I live in Seattle
> and we have been getting slammed all winter.  The skiing is great...
> but the snowpack is way beyond normal levels now.  Did I pick the
> wrong year to quit my job and try the PCT?  Does anybody know what is
> going on in California?  If the same is happening in the Sierras, then
> I am afraid none of us are leaving until late May!

One of the better sources of up to date and condensed information on
Sierra snow pack is on the California Department of Water Resources
Web page at:

http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/current/DLYSWEQ

You'll notice that the statewide average to date is dead on 100% of
normal as of 2/8. Even more encouraging is that the southern Sierras
which are most important to a northbound thru-hiker are somewhat below
average. 

I was just up in the Sierras near Carson Pass this past weekend and
sure enough, it's snowin' up there. Over the course of the weekend,
the Tahoe area got 3'-4' of new snow. It's continuing to snow heavily
even now as a coworker of mine is stranded in Reno due to road
closures. 

Even though I had to send 2.5 hours shoveling out my car, my trip was
a lot of fun. I had my first overnight snow camping experience near
the Forestdale Divide. We camped within a mile of the PCT itself.
Despite the fact that I've taken multiple summer trips in this area,
I didn't see a thing I recognized. It's simply a different world there
this time of year. 

> Anybody got some words of wisdom for a scarred 'newbie'?

Don't worry so much. It's supposed to snow a lot this time of year.
Really, it's normal.

If you want to take my not-so-educated advise, I'd say shoot for
Jardine's normal snow year schedule. Start at Campo somewhere around
May 1 adjusting for your expected pace. Then try to arrive at Kennedy
Meadows around June 15. 

Take all this with a grain of salt. I've lived in California most of
my live and am amazed how the winters can change from light to heavy,
heavy to light, normal to whatever in a very short time. The
Department of Water Resources used April 1 as there determination
date for what kind of year it is. That's about right by my experience
too.

Good luck.

-Karl

*********************************************************************
Karl "Birdman" Brandt PCT97 LT98                       (650) 725-3686
http://www.stanford.edu/~kbrandt/

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