Killer Sunset at The Sisters near Carson Pass
Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney: Crown Jewel of the Pacific Crest Trail
Need a Map? Lost Al near Lost Keys Lake
Emigrant Wilderness under Tropical Thunderstorm, September.
Round Top Lake
Whitebarks and Grizzly Peak in Emigrant Wilderness under Tropical Clouds during September 2013
Lost Keys Lake
 

Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney
Trail Guide, Magazine, & High Sierra Backpacker's Trails and Topics Forums


HIGH SIERRA BACKPACKER'S
Calendar

 

May
2018

 

Important Seasonal Happenings, Transitions, Events, & Dates
for
High Sierra Backpackers

 

Road Conditions, Resupply, Seasonal Transition Concerns, Permit Dates, Weather, Water, and Mosquitoes

 

 

 

Last Year
2017

 

THIS YEAR
News, Views, & Issues
MAY
2018
High Sierra
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MAY
2018
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Alerts
Spring
of
2018
High Sierra
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INDEX

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INDEX
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INDEX
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Download
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2018
High Sierra
Backpacking Calendar

January         February         March         April         May         June

July         August         September         October         November         December

 

INDEX

 

May
2018

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

TRAILHEAD

Last Year

 

Thunderstorms
climbing the
East Sierra
over
Forsyth Peak

Sitting above the Pacific Crest & Tahoe to Yosemite Trails at the Top of Jack Main Canyon in the North Yosemite Backcountry

East Carson River just below PCT under April Snow.
A glimpse at Forsyth Peak in the very Northwest corner of Yosemite National Park under the soft but fierce pastel clouds of a thunderstorm dying as sunset approaches.

Trail Guide           Map           Miles and Elevations

May 2018

January       February       March       April       May       June     July     August     September       October      November      December

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

 

Last Spring Snow Trips?
Once the Spring Thaw gets going the rivers and creeks will rage, making fording very dangerous.

REPORT

 

 

Spring Gear

Time to begin stashing the full Winter Gear. We can start lightening up the gear depending on weather.

 

 

PCT-TYT-JMT
HIKERS

Time to Carefully Monitor
Travel & Fording
Conditions

 

 

 

SPRING THAW

FORDING
&
TRAVEL HAZARD WARNINGS
IN EFFECT

 

 

 

 

 

All Snow Information

 

1

May Day
May Day Note

 

April 29
Snow Report

 

2018
Snowpack

Percent of Average for
May 1
+/- change since
April 29

 

Ca State: 27%
(-10%)

 

Last
April 29
April 25
April 18
April 12
March 27
March 23
March 22
March 20
March 14, 2018
March 5, 2018
March 1, 2018
Feb 24, 2018

Statewide Summary of Snow Water Content PDF

 

May 7
Snow Report

 

compare years

 

 

SPRING THAW

RIVER INFORMATION


RESERVOIRS

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

 

 

Selected
Weather Resources

 

Surface Low Pressure Tracks

 

Radar

 

Visible Satellites

 

Water Vapor Satellites

 

MAPS

 

Sierra Forecasts

 

Western US Forecasts

 

Precip Animation & Charts

 

Graphical Precip Forecast

 

All Sierra Snow Info

 

Sierra Sensor Networks

 

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

 

High Sierra Highways

 

All Weather Information

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Snow & Temps

 

 

 

2017
Heat building

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TWISTED SEASONS
Hottest & Driest Year, then the Wettest Ever, over Three Years

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Snowpack

 

 

2017
Heat Wave

3

 

 

Highway 108
Open
May 3, 12:00 Noon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Heat Wave

 

2017
Late Opening

TRANSPO
Most 2017
Trans-Sierra Highways & Road NEWS

Very Late Openings in
JUNE & JULY

High Points:

June 21
Bishop Creek Shuttle runs

June 21
Lakes Basin Road open, Mammoth

June 28
Road to Spicer Open

Reds Road Closed

June 29
Tioga Pass Opens

June 30
Ebbetts Pass Opens

High Sierra Transportation Resources

4

 

 

Highway 4
Open
May 4, 12:00 Noon

 

 

ALL HIGH SIERRA HIGHWAY CONDITIONS

 

 

 

 

 

LAST MONTH

TOP

NEXT WEEK

5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

LAST MONTH

NEXT WEEK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Clearing as instability-front passes & next High builds in.

Light sprinkles across North Sierra last night.

Lows East of Sierra look set to draw tropical moisture across Sierra for next couple of days out of the Southwest.

STORM WARNING

Weak snow-rain precip through Monday

 

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

6

Highs
Off Coast of North America

Unstable, Warm, Weak Clouds

Low NW of Hawaii shedding Clouds

 

 

 

View of Sierra on May 6 by the...

MODIS
SIERRA SATELLITE

All Sat Views

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Saturday Afternoon Showers across N Sierra.

------2016------
RAINY DAY IN SIERRA
TEMPS & SNOW DEPTH
MESOWEST stations
Carson Pass
49 & 33 degrees, 51"

Ebbetts Pass
43 & 31 degrees, 46"

Sonora Pass
47 & 32 degrees, 43"

Tuolumne Meadows
29 & 48 degrees, 0"
HUGE SNOW LOSS DAY

 

7

 

Unstable, Warm, Weak Clouds Clearing

 

 

Highway 120
Closed from Crane Flat on the West Flank to the East entrance of Yosemite National Park on the East Flank.
108 & 4 OPEN

 

ALL HIGH SIERRA HIGHWAY CONDITIONS

 

 

2018
Snowpack

Percent of Average for
May 7
+/- change since
May 1

N Sierra: 21%
(-9%)

Cen. Sierra: 29%
(-15%)

S Sierra: 21%
(-10%)

Ca State: 25%
(-12%)

Last
April 29
April 25

Statewide Summary of Snow Water Content PDF

 

 

2018
HIGH SIERRA
--SPRING--
Temp-Snow Check

After the 29th* Front-"storm" this Fall & Winter.

The last fronts came across on the 12th of April.

Let's check our reporting station snow & temps.

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
April 29, 2018

A NEW WATER YEAR

N Sierra Reporting Stations On a Map
Scroll over stations for snow & temps. Click for
full report.
South Sierra Stations

"+/- & =" below are changes since last reading.

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Rubicon 5" -11
7618 feet
(35.4 H2O) +0.1
58 & 43 +/+

Echo Peak 0" -20
7652 feet
(50.1 ?H2O) +0.4
57 & 44 +/+

American-Yuba Watersheds

Carson Pass 19" -13
8388 feet
(30.7" H2O) +0.2
56 & 36 +/+

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

Ebbetts Pass 33 " -12
8660 feet
(44.9" H2O) +.3
57 & 43 +/+

Leavitt Lke 94 " -11 (errors)
9602 feet, East Flank
(44.7" H20) +0.2
44 & 56 +/+

Marine Base
6748 feet East Flank
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-WIND
70 & 36 +/+

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

Deadman Creek
9250 feet, West Flank
000.0 Snow (BAD?)
(32.4" ?H20) +0.32
(BAD?)
59 & 30 +/+

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

Tenaya Lake 1.01" -11.63
8163 feet, West Flank
(21.78) ?H20 +0.08
64 & 31 +/+

Tuolumne Meadows
.29" +0.05
8600 feet, West Flank
66 & 28 +/+

Tioga Pass/Dana
9798 feet
??.??" Snow -??.?
--.--" H20) (ERROR?)
(NOT REPORTING)

Mammoth Mountain Ski

Mono -Owens Basin

Gem Pass
10750 feet
SNO " Depth Suspect
(20.05" H2O) -.89 Suspect Suspect
temps suspect

Mammoth Pass
9500 feet
52.74" Snow -13.76
(43.60" H2O) +.09
61 & 38 +/+

South Lake Cabin
9580 feet, East Flank
(Snow BAD")
(18.6 H2O??) +.1
63 & 38 +/+

Big Pine Sawmill
10200 feet, East Flank
2.50" Snow -0.7
58 & 33 +/+

Kings River

Bishop Pass
11972 feet
BAD-
BAD

Charlotte Lake
10398 feet, West Flank
TEMPS ONLY

-- & -- BAD
(The coldest station)

Kern Watershed

Upr Tyndall Creek
11441 feet
29.03" Snow -3.14
58 & 39 +/+

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

*We've had more than twenty-nine fronts come across the Sierra, and periods of spitting snow, but only twenty-nine fronts of any substance.

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

All Sierra Forecast Zones

All Precip Forecasts

 

 

 

 

 

 


2017
Low from East brings Offshore Winds & Showers from Tahoe South.

8

Low
Off NW Coast of USA

Unstable, Warm, Weak Clouds Clearing

 

 

 

 

 

SPRING THAW

 

FORDING
&
TRAVEL HAZARDS

 

RIVER INFORMATION


RESERVOIRS

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Snowpack

9

High
Off SW Coast of USA
building in

Warming

 

NEW
Temp & Snow Tables by Watershed and Highway Corridor

Scroll down to see the...

 

NEW
All & Selected
Spring Thaw River Flow Information

 

Also See
All High Sierra Snowpck Data.

 

Date-Adjustable High Sierra Snowpack Status

 

Also See
All Snowpck Data on Weather Page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

10

High
Off W Coast of USA

Warming

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

LAST WEEK

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BIG NEWS

2017:
Summer "Opening" of Trails "Put-Off" until it happens.

Late July?

I mean clear trails across the High Passes. On the Crest Trails.

Maybe not at all this Summer.

11

High
Strengthening
Off W Coast of USA

Warm to Windy

Low East of Sierra Bringing Showers-Snow to
Sonora Pass

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2018
HIGH SIERRA
--SPRING--
Temp-Snow Check

After the 29th* Front-"storm" this Fall & Winter.

The last fronts came across on the 12th of April.

Let's check our reporting station snow & temps.

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
May 7, 2018

A NEW WATER YEAR

N Sierra Reporting Stations On a Map
Scroll over stations for snow & temps. Click for
full report.
South Sierra Stations

"+/- & =" below are changes since last reading.

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Rubicon 0" -5
7618 feet
(35.3 H2O) -0.1
53 & 40 -/-

Echo Peak 0" -20
7652 feet
(50.7 ?H2O) +0.6
54 & 37 -/-

American-Yuba Watersheds

Carson Pass 9" -10
8388 feet
(30.5" H2O) -0.2
51 & 35 -/-

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

Ebbetts Pass 20" -13
8660 feet
(44.8" H2O) -.1
52 & 34 -/-

Leavitt Lke 85" -9 (errors)
9602 feet, East Flank
(44.6" H20) -0.1
49 & 28 -/-

Marine Base
6748 feet East Flank
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-WIND
72 & 33 +/-

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

Deadman Creek
9250 feet, West Flank
000.0 Snow (BAD?)
(32.76" ?H20) +0.32
(BAD?)
44 & 29 -/-

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

Tenaya Lake .73" -.28
8163 feet, West Flank
(21.78) ?H20 =0.00
51 & 30 -/-

Tuolumne Meadows
.20" +0.09
8600 feet, West Flank
50 & 27 -/-

Tioga Pass/Dana
9798 feet
??.??" Snow -??.?
--.--" H20) (ERROR?)
(NOT REPORTING)

Mammoth Mountain Ski

Mono -Owens Basin

Gem Pass
10750 feet
SNO " Depth Suspect
(17.26" H2O) -2.79 Suspect Suspect
temps suspect

Mammoth Pass
9500 feet
37.14" Snow -15.6
(43.64" H2O) +.04
49 & 26 -/-

South Lake Cabin
9580 feet, East Flank
(Snow BAD")
(18.6 H2O??) =.0
55 & 25 -/-

Big Pine Sawmill
10200 feet, East Flank
.80" Snow -1.7
48 & 22 -/-

Kings River

Bishop Pass
11972 feet
BAD-
BAD

Charlotte Lake
10398 feet, West Flank
TEMPS ONLY

-- & -- BAD
(The coldest station)

Kern Watershed

Upr Tyndall Creek
11441 feet
24.50" Snow -4.53
49 & 28 -/-

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

*We've had more than twenty-nine fronts come across the Sierra, and periods of spitting snow, but only twenty-nine fronts of any substance.

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

All Sierra Forecast Zones

All Precip Forecasts

 

12

High
Off W Coast of USA

Warm West Flank

Low
N Central Nv

Cool, Unstable along East Flank to Sierra Crest

 

SLOPPY

 

 

SPRING THAW

RIVER INFORMATION


RESERVOIRS

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

 

 

Selected
Weather Resources

 

Surface Low Pressure Tracks

 

Radar

 

Visible Satellites

 

Water Vapor Satellites

 

MAPS

 

Sierra Forecasts

 

Western US Forecasts

 

Precip Animation & Charts

 

Graphical Precip Forecast

 

All Sierra Snow Info

 

Sierra Sensor Networks

 

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

 

High Sierra Highways

 

All Weather Information

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

 

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

13

Mother's Day

 

Low
Formed atop trough along Coast!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Windy on the East perimeter of this vast High


 

 


2016
Trans-Sierra Highways
OPEN
(Weather Permitting)

VVR Guide Information

Vermilion Valley Resort Website

 

 

 

Reported first JMT hiker
on
May 14 2015

2015 Opening
Early!

 

14

 

Low
N Central Nv

Cool, Unstable along East Flank to Sierra Crest

 

SLOPPY-BREEZY


EAST FLANK-CREST
SLOPPY-BREEZY-PRECIP

 

2018
Snowpack

Percent of Average for
May 14
+/- change since
May 7

N Sierra: 16%
(-5%)

Cen. Sierra: 20%
(-9%)

S Sierra: 16%
(-5%)

Ca State: 17%
(-8%)

Last
May 7

Statewide Summary of Snow Water Content PDF

15

Lite Spring Snow & Rain

High
Off SW Coast of USA

West Flank Cool

Low
N Central Nv

Cool, Unstable along East Flank to Sierra Crest

 

EAST FLANK-CREST
SLOPPY-BREEZY-PRECIP

 

 

 

 

2018
HIGH SIERRA
--SPRING--
Temp-Snow Check

Long a fter the 29th* Front-"storm" this Fall & Winter.

The last fronts came across on the 12th of April.

Let's check our reporting station snow & temps.

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
May 11, 2018

N Sierra Reporting Stations On a Map
Scroll over stations for snow & temps. Click for
full report.
South Sierra Stations

"+/- & =" below are changes since last reading.

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Rubicon 0" =
7618 feet
(35.7 H2O) +0.4
53 & 41 =/+

Echo Peak 0" =
7652 feet
(50.8 ?H2O) +0.1
52 & 41 -/+

American-Yuba Watersheds

Carson Pass 1" -8
8388 feet
(30.8" H2O) +0.3
52 & 34 +/-

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

Ebbetts Pass 12" -8
8660 feet
(44.8" H2O) +.4
52 & 36 =/+

Leavitt Lke 81" -4 (errors)
9602 feet, East Flank
(44.6" H20) =0.0
49 & 34 =/+

Marine Base
6748 feet East Flank
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-WIND
63 & 38 -/+

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

Deadman Creek
9250 feet, West Flank
000.0 Snow (BAD?)
(33.24" ?H20) +0.48
(BAD?)
44 & 29 -/-

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

Tenaya Lake .32" -.41
8163 feet, West Flank
(21.98) ?H20 +0.20
52 & 31 +/+

Tuolumne Meadows
.15" -0.05
8600 feet, West Flank
52 & 30 +/+

Tioga Pass/Dana
9798 feet
??.??" Snow -??.?
--.--" H20) (ERROR?)
(NOT REPORTING)

Mammoth Mountain Ski

Mono -Owens Basin

Gem Pass
10750 feet
SNO " Depth Suspect
(17.6" H2O) +.34 Suspect Suspect
temps suspect

Mammoth Pass
9500 feet
39.02" Snow +1.88
(43.84" H2O) +.2
52 & 30 +/+

South Lake Cabin
9580 feet, East Flank
(Snow BAD")
(18.7 H2O??) +.1
55 & 30 =/+

Big Pine Sawmill
10200 feet, East Flank
2.4" Snow +1.6
49 & 28 +/+

Kings River

Bishop Pass
11972 feet
BAD-
BAD

Charlotte Lake
10398 feet, West Flank
TEMPS ONLY

-- & -- BAD
(The coldest station)

Kern Watershed

Upr Tyndall Creek
11441 feet
22.08" Snow -2.42
49 & 27 +/-

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

*We've had more than twenty-nine fronts come across the Sierra, and periods of spitting snow, but only twenty-nine fronts of any substance.

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

All Sierra Forecast Zones

All Precip Forecasts

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Snowpack

16

Lite Spring Snow & Rain

High
Off SW Coast of USA

West Flank Cool

Low
N Central Nv

Cool, Unstable along East Flank to Sierra Crest

 

EAST FLANK-CREST
SLOPPY-BREEZY-PRECIP

 

 

MAPS

 

 

MODIS
SIERRA SATELLITE

All Sat Views

 

 

 

 

TWISTED SEASONS
Hottest & Driest Year, then the Wettest Ever, over Three Years

 

compare years

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK


17

Stabilizing-Warming

High Building
Off SW Coast of USA

West Flank Cool, Warming

Low
N East Nv, Moving East

Cool, Unstable along East
Flank to Sierra Crest

 

NORTH SIERRA
EAST FLANK-CREST-
SLOPPY-BREEZY-DECREASING PRECIP

 

 

Tioga Pass to Open
May 21, 9am
.

Hwys 108 & 4
Open 1st Week of May

 

 

 

SPRING THAW

RIVER INFORMATION

 


RESERVOIRS

 

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

 

 

 

 

Selected
Weather Resources

 

Surface Low Pressure Tracks

 

Radar

 

Visible Satellites

 

Water Vapor Satellites

 

MAPS

 

Sierra Forecasts

 

Western US Forecasts

 

Precip Animation & Charts

 

Graphical Precip Forecast

 

All Sierra Snow Info

 

Sierra Sensor Networks

 

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

 

High Sierra Highways

 

All Weather Information

 

18

 

SLOPPY
SIERRA WEATHER
FOR THE NEXT WEEK

GRAPHICAL FORECAST

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
High building in off NW US, off Seattle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2015
Bloom reported PCT hikers hiking down closed Hwy 108 for resupply on the 19th.

(KM PACK STATION)

 

19

 

 

 

Selected
Weather Resources

 

Surface Low Pressure Tracks

 

Radar

 

Visible Satellites

 

Water Vapor Satellites

 

MAPS

 

Sierra Forecasts

 

Western US Forecasts

 

Precip Animation & Charts

 

Graphical Precip Forecast

 

All Sierra Snow Info

 

Sierra Sensor Networks

 

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

 

High Sierra Highways

 

All Weather Information

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

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Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
HOT

21

SLOPPY

Light
Spring Light Snow & Rain

High
Off SW Coast of USA

 

Low
South Tip Nevada

Again,
Weather from E & S

Cool, Unstable along Sierra Crest & Both Flanks

 

SIERRA CREST
SLOPPY-BREEZY-PRECIP

 

 

 

Tioga Pass to Open
May 21, 9am
.

Hwys 108 & 4
Open 1st Week of May

 

 

 

 

2018
HIGH SIERRA
--SPRING--
Temp-Snow Check

Long a fter the 29th* Front-"storm" this Fall & Winter.

The last substantial fronts came across on the 12th of April!

Let's check our reporting station snow & temps.

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
May 15, 2018

N Sierra Reporting Stations On a Map
Scroll over stations for snow & temps. Click for
full report.
South Sierra Stations

"+/- & =" below are changes since last reading.

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Rubicon 0" =
7618 feet
(36.00 H2O) +0.3
56 & 41 +/=

Echo Peak 0" =
7652 feet
(51.2 ?H2O) +0.4
54 & 42 +/+

American-Yuba Watersheds

Carson Pass 1" =
8388 feet
(31.1" H2O) +0.3
51 & 36 -/+

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

Ebbetts Pass 0" -12
8660 feet
(45.7" H2O) +.9
50 & 37 -/+

Leavitt Lke 75 " -6 (errors)
9602 feet, East Flank
(45.5 H20) +0.9
47 & 34 -/=

Marine Base
6748 feet East Flank
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-WIND
67 & 33 +/-

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

Deadman Creek
9250 feet, West Flank
000.0 Snow (BAD?)
(33.72" ?H20) +0.48
(BAD?)
53 & 32 +/+

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

Tenaya Lake .15" -.17
8163 feet, West Flank
(22.00) ?H20 +0.02
525 & 39 +/+

Tuolumne Meadows
.18" +0.03
8600 feet, West Flank
54 & 35 +/+

Tioga Pass/Dana
9798 feet
??.??" Snow -??.?
--.--" H20) (ERROR?)
(NOT REPORTING)

Mammoth Mountain Ski

Mono -Owens Basin

Gem Pass
10750 feet
SNO " Depth Suspect
(15.83" H2O) -1.77 Suspect Suspect
temps suspect

Mammoth Pass
9500 feet
24.98" Snow −14.04
(44.00" H2O) +.16
55 & 32 +/+

South Lake Cabin
9580 feet, East Flank
(Snow BAD")
(18.9 H2O??) +.2
57 & 32 +/+

Big Pine Sawmill
10200 feet, East Flank
5" Snow +2.6
51 & 31 +/+

Kings River

Bishop Pass
11972 feet
BAD-
BAD

Charlotte Lake
10398 feet, West Flank
TEMPS ONLY

-- & -- BAD
(The coldest station)

Kern Watershed

Upr Tyndall Creek
11441 feet
9.97" Snow -12.11
51 & 29 +/+

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

*We've had more than twenty-nine fronts come across the Sierra, and periods of spitting snow, but only twenty-nine fronts of any substance.

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

All Sierra Forecast Zones

All Precip Forecasts

 

 

 

 

2017
HOT

22

SLOPPY

Light
Spring Light Snow & Rain

High
Off W Coast of USA

 

Lows
South Tip Nevada &
North Central Nevada

Again,
Weather from E & S

Cool, Unstable along Sierra Crest & Both Flanks

 

SIERRA CREST
SLOPPY-BREEZY-PRECIP

 

 

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
HOT

23

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TWISTED SEASONS
Hottest & Driest, then Wettest Year Ever, over Three Years

 

compare years

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

24

 

MODIS
SIERRA
SATELLITE

All Sat Views

 

 

 

SPRING THAW

RIVER INFORMATION

RESERVOIRS

 

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

 

 

2018
Snowpack

Percent of Average for
May 24
+/- change since
May 14

N Sierra: 12%
(-4%)

Cen. Sierra: 15%
(-5%)

S Sierra: 8%
(-8%)

Ca State: 12%
(-5%)

Last
May 14

Statewide Summary of Snow Water Content PDF

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

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25

SLOPPY

Moderate
N SIERRA
Spring Light Snow & Rain

Vast High
Off W Coast of USA

 

Lows
Over SF
&
South Tip Nevada &
Central Nevada

 

US MAP

N PAC MAP

 

 

WARMING TREND
Approaches
Seven Day Highs-Lows

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

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26

CLEARING

Moderate
N SIERRA
Spring Light Snow & Rain

Vast High
Building Off
W Coast of USA

 

Lows
Still Over
&
South Tip of,
&
Central Nevada

Weakening
Instability in Sierra

 

 

 

 

 

 

Selected
Weather Resources

 

Surface Low Pressure Tracks

 

Radar

 

Visible Satellites

 

Water Vapor Satellites

 

MAPS

 

Sierra Forecasts

 

Western US Forecasts

 

Precip Animation & Charts

 

Graphical Precip Forecast

 

All Sierra Snow Info

 

Sierra Sensor Networks

 

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

 

High Sierra Highways

 

All Weather Information

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Memorial Day
High Sierra Hazard Warning

See
Current 2017 High Sierra Trail and Terrain News

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

27

CLEARING

Moderate
N SIERRA
T-Storms, Showers

Vast High
Built-in Off
W Coast of USA

HEATING-UP

 

Lows
Still Over
&
South Tip of,
&
East-Central Nevada

Weakening
Instability in Sierra

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Mild

28

Memorial Day

CLEAR & HOT

 

 

 

 

2018
HIGH SIERRA
--SPRING--
Temp-Snow Check

Long after the 29th* Front-"storm" this Fall & Winter.

The last substantial fronts came across on the 12th of April!

Weak Front came across the 24th & 25th of May.

Let's check our reporting station snow & temps.

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
May 21, 2018

 

N Sierra Reporting Stations
On a Map
Scroll over stations for snow & temps. Click for
full report.
South Sierra Stations

BELOW
"+/- & =" below are changes since last reading.

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Rubicon 0" =
7618 feet
(37.00 H2O) +1.0
57 & 44 +/+

Echo Peak 0" =
7652 feet
(51.0 ?H2O) -0.2
60 & 44 +/+

American-Yuba Watersheds

Carson Pass 0" -1
8388 feet
(31.6" H2O) +0.5
56 & 36 +/+

Carson-Walker
Watersheds

Ebbetts Pass 0" -0
8660 feet
(46.3" H2O) +.6
55 & 40 +/+

Leavitt Lke 63" -12 (errors)
9602 feet, East Flank
(45.6 H20) +0.1
52 & 38 +/+

Marine Base
6748 feet East Flank
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-WIND
56 & 28 -/-

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

Deadman Creek
9250 feet, West Flank
000.0 Snow (BAD?)
(--.--" ?H20) +-.--(BAD?)
59 & 39 +/+

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

Tenaya Lake .35" +.2
8163 feet, West Flank
(22.24) ?H20 +0.24
63 & 36 +/-

Tuolumne Meadows
.23" +0.05

8600 feet, West Flank
63 & 31 +/-

Tioga Pass/Dana
9798 feet
??.??" Snow -??.?
--.--" H20) (ERROR?)
(NOT REPORTING)

Mammoth Mountain Ski

Mono -Owens Basin

Gem Pass
10750 feet
(13.68" H2O) -2.15
SNO " Depth Suspect
Suspect Suspect
temps suspect

Mammoth Pass
10.33" Snow −14.65
9500 feet
(44.92" H2O) +.92
55 & 32 +/+

South Lake Cabin
9580 feet, East Flank
(Snow BAD")
(19.1 H2O??) +.2
60 & 34 +/+

Big Pine Sawmill
10200 feet, East Flank
1.6" Snow -3.4
56 & 29 +/-

Kings River

Bishop Pass
11972 feet
BAD- BAD

Charlotte Lake
10398 feet, West Flank
TEMPS ONLY
-- & -- BAD
(The coldest station)

Kern Watershed

Upr Tyndall Creek
11441 feet
8.95" Snow -1.02
53 & 34 +/+

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

*We've had more than twenty-nine fronts come across the Sierra, and periods of spitting snow, but only twenty-nine fronts of any substance.

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

All Sierra Forecast Zones

All Precip Forecasts

 

 

 

2017
Memorial Day
High Sierra Hazard Warning

See
Current 2017 High Sierra Trail and Terrain News

 

2017
Mild, Clear

29

CLEAR & HOT

T-Storm Probs

 

2018
Snowpack
Percent of Average for
May 29

+/- change since
May 24

N Sierra: 11%
(-1%)

Cen. Sierra: 11%
(-4%)

S Sierra: 5%
(-3%)

Ca State: 9%
(-3%)

Last
May 24

Statewide Summary of Snow Water Content PDF

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Snowpack

 

 

2017
Clear, Mild-Cooler, very weak Low passing across mid-Ca. & Sierra via Tahoe:
THUNDERSTORMS
POSSIBLE
Big Low setting up in Gulf Alaska.

Yet we've had a strong High bouncing around off the West Coast of Ca for a while now, deflecting all tropical moisture around us, mostly to the South...

30

HIGH WINDS

31

WINDS DIMINISHING
SWEET DAY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TWISTED SEASONS
Hottest & Direst,
then Wettest Years Ever over Three Years

 

compare years

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review
May of 2017: Endless Snow
against

May of 2016
Snow cover was gone by the end of May last Year ('16).

 

JUNE 1

CLEAR & HOT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT MONTH

 

JUNE 2

CLEAR
&
HOTTER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP

 

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Top of Page

 

End of April

June

 

2018

JJanuary         February         March         April         May         June

July         August         September         October

 November         December

 

2014 Calendar          2015 Calendar

2016 Calendar

2017 Calendar

 

NOTES:
TRACKING SIERRA CONDITIONS CAREFULLY
The High Sierra resupply spots are all opening up this month or early the next, a good sign that we should have our trip plans and logistics down and done by now.
We have planned-out every overnight campsite we will sleep at and every individual calorie we will consume by now, meaning that we are about ready to finalize our buckets, seal them up, and determine the exact timing of their shipment to best match our anticipated arrival date.

 

2017:
SIERRA HIGHWAYS ALL CLOSED FOURTH WEEK OF MAY

 

Review
May 2017 against May 2016

 

2016:
SIERRA HIGHWAYS OPENING SECOND WEEK OF MAY

 

2015:
A Deluge of wet and sloppy weather, rain, hail, snow and lightening begins.
The beginning of a sloppy Summer of 2015.

2015
Earliest Opening of Roads and Trails in History?

 

MAY 1 STATUS 2015
2% of Average Snowpack

MAY 1 STATUS 2016
55% of Average Snowpack

MAY 1 STATUS 2017
194% of Average Snowpack

MAY 1 STATUS 2018
27% of Average Snowpack

CA REPORT, MAY 2018

 

TWISTED SEASONS
Hottest then Driest Years Ever over Two Years


Generally,
May gives us a good indication of the unfolding trajectory of Spring.

 

Specifically,
2016
It is clear that the most powerful and enduring El Nino in history had the effect of leaving us with about half a "normal" snowpack in May.

The big "takeaway" from all these past forty years is the significant changes in fundamental weather patterns.

Weather patterns have broken down in lockstep with the unlimited growth of population, offshore production, and consumption.

Our pattern must change if we hope to pull the weather patterns back into fruitful configurations.

 

 

2016:

"Spring" bloomed in Feb.!

"Summer" heat is rising in Late May!

OPENING DATE ASSESMENT
opening of the High Trails across Mountain Passes.

North Sierra opens by May 29.

South Sierra still in Spring Snow Conditions
May 29

High Sierra Backpacker Weather

 

2017:

Memorial Day
Ten feet of snow on the Crest

Huge bloom everywhere else from the overwhelming supply of water after so long with so little.

2014 Calendar          2015 Calendar

2016 Calendar          2017 Calendar

May 2015 Tracking the Drought page
May 2015 Tracking the Sierra Conditions page.

2016 OBSERVATIONS AND TRACKING

WHEN WILL THE SIERRA OPEN in 2016?

TRACKING 2016 CONDITIONS


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2014 Calendar          2015 Calendar          2016 Calendar          2017 Calendar

 

Permits
Yosemite National Park and Desolation Wilderness accept reservations six months in advance for Summer backpacking dates.

June 2016 reservations are available in January, July in February, and so on.

Yosemite Permits

Desolation Wilderness

Hoover Wilderness

 

 


2014 Calendar          2015 Calendar  

2016 Calendar          2017 Calendar

BACKGROUND
The trajectory of the cold, rain, and snows of Spring provide both excellent backpacking experiences and establish the terms, a baseline for this year’s transition into Spring Conditions.

Regular storm activity laid atop a deep pack of Winter snows wrapped in cold temps indicate a long Winter into Spring transition.

Light snows and irregular storm activity sprinkled on a thin snow pack under high temperatures indicates an early and rapid transitions into Spring and Summer conditions.

Tahoe to Whitney

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Top of Page

2018

January         February         March         April         May         June

July         August         September    October      November         December

 

 

2014 Clendar          2015 Calendar

2016 Calendar          2017 Calendar

 

Trailhead
 
Contact
Alex Wierbinski

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Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney

Your guide to backpacking the Sierra Crest, including the Tahoe to Yosemite, Pacific Crest, and John Muir Trails

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© 2017 Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney: Crown Jewel of the Pacific Crest Trail