Into the sierras already, or too early?

[Dan Magdoff]

hey all
So for some RANDOM reason I have next week off work, and figured what better way to spend it, than to g backpacking for 5 or 6 days. I was thinking of getting up into the high country if I can. I know it was a SUPER low snow season, and wondering if you think any places may already be accessible? Has anyone been out yet? Locations? Snow reports?

THANKS!!
Dan

[Ken Helwig]

Altitude, location???? Skill set if you encounter snow?

[Don A.]

Here is a recent report for the Donohue Pass area.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/johnmuirtrail/message/22870

[Dan Magdoff]

Ken
I am flexible….would like to get up to at least 7,000ft. I would consider myself a very skilled three season backpacker, and can handle snow; however I seem to have misplaced my crampons and ice axe….so minimal snow would be better.

Location is flexible too…anywhere from Yosemite down towards Kings Canyon.

[John Jensen]

FWIW, here is the view on 5/20 from Taft point, across Yosemite Valley, at Yosemite Falls and the land behind:

[jscott]

I was at Merced lake–7200 feet–a month ago. No snow going in. Then I hiked on a south facing set of switchbacks to 9000 feet–not much snow. fwiw.

[Dan Magdoff]

Thanks for the all the replies…it looks like most of the high country is open and accessible!

[Dan Magdoff]

Anyone have any trip suggestions for the Emigrant Wilderness. Looking around the Pine Valley Trail Head area, or maybe out of the Cherry Lake area, OR…any other spots around there you recommend?

looking for a 2,3 or 4 night trip doing about 7-10 miles/day and hopefully staying at lakes for some fishing.

Any ideas?

[chris Nelson]

Hey Dan

I'm heading up to Emigrant this weekend. I just got of the phone with a ranger at Summit Ranger Station and they just opened the road to Crabtree trail head. He said snow is very light. Maybe some at higher elevations but they get most of their info from backpackers hiking out. Sense they just opened the road nobody has been too deep.

Check our this thread for some other reports

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=63248&skip_to_post=548934#548934

[USA Duane Hall]

I was up to Spanish Peak in the Buck's Lake Wilderness last weekend, cowboy camped on the concrete slab that was part of the fire lookout. The last 40% of the trail in from Bucks Summit had 1' – 2' or so of snow still, more the last bit up on the old road to the peak. It'll be a few more weeks before that melts off. No trees across the trail. Only about 5 miles or so from home in MV.
Duane

[Dan Magdoff]

Duane, thats just what I was looking for! I think I am gonna head up into the Buck Lakes area. Have you ever been to Rosasco Lake? It doesnt look like there is a trail to it, but looks easy enough to get to. Any other spots in that general area you recommend?

[Erik Dietz]

Chris, I'm heading up this weekend as well. Which trail head are you leaving from?

[USA Duane Hall]

I've been into Emigrant Wilderness a few times, and I've been to many of the lakes. You may also have me confused with the post on the Emigrant Wilderness.
Duane

[Andrew F]

I was just there last weekend, up on Kibbie Ridge. There was no snow anywhere, except for a very small patch on the north facing side of Mercur Peak at 8100'. There were some giant swarms of mosquitos at Many Island Lake, though they were not biting yet. I expect they will be pretty bad either this weekend or in the next few weeks. Bring yer deet!

Andrew

[Bob Gross]

"I was just there last weekend, up on Kibbie Ridge."

Apparently some guy was camped at Kibbie Lake sometime around May 19 and got lost. SAR teams from several counties were sent to Hetch Hetchy by land, and then helicoptered in to a strike camp near Kibbie Lake. By May 21, they had rescued him five miles away from Kibbie Lake, so the helicopter was ferrying all of the teams and equipment back out to the dam. I was in the Hetch Hetchy Valley until May 24, and there were zero bugs. Very mild weather. No venomous snakes seen. Only gopher snakes on the trails.

–B.G.–

[USA Duane Hall]

A little fresh snow in the mountains, viewed just a few miles away from work.
Duane

[Brian Raap]

Bob, must have just missed you! My dad and I did the Rancheria Falls-Lake Vernon loop out of Hetch Hetchy starting 5/21. We saw two rattlers. One about 25 yards after the tunnel and another near Tlltill Valley. There was only small patches of snow above 7500', and only on the north-facing wooded slopes.

We also day-hiked the PCT from Tuolumne Meadows down to Glen Aulin camp yesterday. Again, only a few patches of snow here and there in the shade.

[Andrew F]

Bob, yep, I heard the chopper on my way out on Sunday. I actually saw the guy at Kibbie Lake shortly after he went missing. I gave all the relevant info to the ranger who was stationed at the trailhead. I am glad that they found him.

[Bob Gross]

"I heard the chopper on my way out on Sunday."

Some of us were in the Hetch Hetchy campground on Monday afternoon, and the helipad was almost within rock-throwing range of us, so we saw lots of activity. It reminded me of the beach scene from Apocalypse Now. I kept expecting Robert Duvall to pop up and say, "Oh, how I love the smell of napalm in the morning."

You know, if a guy gets lost overnight, it is kind of a risky thing if the nights are cold. But if he got lost for just a few hours, it is more of a good thing.

–B.G.–

[chris Nelson]

Erik

We are leaving from Crabtree heading toward Emigrant Lake making a loop.
What about you?

[Erik Dietz]

I'm leaving out of Crabtree as well, probably starting late morning/early afternoon tomorrow. Thinking about going up to Bear Lake Saturday night and then Deer Lake Sunday, then back out to my car on Monday. Not trying to put in a lot of miles, just check out the area and relax some.

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