Conditions in Tuolumne, Hwy 120?

[Simon Weiss]

Hello Light Backpackers,
My brother and a couple of friends are flying in for our 3rd annual snow camping/skiing trip. Our original plan was to sky up Highway 120 to the ranger hut – something I've been wanting to do for a long time. However, given the dry winter we're having, this may not be practical.

::CONDITIONS::
Has anyone been up 120, Tioga Pass, or in Tuolumne meadows recently?
How is the snow on 120? Where does it start?
Is there much snow in Tuolumne meadows?

::GETTING UP HWY 120, SNOWLESS::
I know the road is closed – if there is no snow until Tioga Pass (or after), do we have any options to get there other than to hike, (rent bikes?)?

::ALTERNATE TRIP SUGGESTIONS::
I also want to think of alternative trips that would allow skiing and camping. We've been to the Sierra club huts and some some camping along the the PCT near Tahoe. I might consider that again, but open to other suggestions (also a shorter drive).

Thanks!
Simon

[Paul McLaughlin]

There is a winter conditions update page on the YNP website but it hasn't been updated for a long time – connections must be down to the rangers who are up there. According to the remote snow sensors, there's about 4 feet of snow at Dana Meadows (very close to the pass) and about a foot and a half at Tuolumne Meadows.
I haven't see any actual reports on where the snow is on 120 going up from Lee Vining, but you can safely assume you'll be walking some pavement – I'd bet up to around 9'000 feet, maybe higher. People do ride bikes up there when the road is dry but still gated, but I have no idea whether you can rent bikes anywhere near Lee Vining – probably not closer than Mammoth.

Pretty much anywhere that you'd want to snowcamp & ski on the east side will require some walking, because the roads are gated at their normal closure points but the snowline is higher than usual. You can reach snow directly from the tahoe area passes, but most of that area gets a fair amount of snowmobile action.

When is your trip schedule for?

[jscott]

Maybe Desolation Wilderness at Lake Tahoe. No snowmobiles.

[Simon Weiss]

Hey Paul,
Thanks for the info on Snow. What you've mentioned is basically what I'd thought of, intuitively, but didn't have any data to back it up.

We're leaving on April 4th, so pretty soon. We would definitely prefer to be more isolated – prefer not to be hearing snowmobiles…
I wonder if the area around the Sierra Club huts has enough snow, near Tahoe.

Tahoe would also be a much shorter drive for me than going all the way around to Lee Vining.

Know of any trips out of Badger Pass, other than Ostrander that you would recommend?

[Bruce Tolley]

Go here for ideas on where to go:

http://www.backcountryskitours.com/

The snow is pretty grim almost everywhere.

Are you looking for enough snow to ski on?
I am going out this weekend with the Sierra Club for my third trip to Carson Pass where there is 4 to 6 feet of snow at the Pacific Crest. You can look at the maps and the avalanche warnings and plan some sort of loop North or South of the highway.

The snow mobile cannot go into the wilderness areas but your party you might need a permit, depending on where you go. Check with the Forest Service.

Get out while there is still snow!

[Michelle A]

I was just at Badger Pass this past weekend to do a dayhike to Dewey Point. At least the first half mile of Glacier Point Road until the Dewey Point turnoff is patchy snow. People were walking with their skis. I can't speak for the snow conditions past the Dewey Point turnoff though.

[Paul McLaughlin]

I can't recommend anything particular out of Badger Pass: never skied that area.
Desolation is nice – you'll see some people usually, but not lots, and no 'bilers. Echo Lakes is the way to go in.
Carson Pass area – you can go to Round Top Lake and Winnemuca Lake, but tha's about it, pretty much a day trip or short overnight. Kinda the same thing going north to Showers Lake/ Meiss Lake.

You can ski from around Lake Alpine where Hwy 4 is closed, but it's all forested and not very interesting terrain and a fair amount of snowmobile use.

Off Hwy 108 it's possible to get back into the Emigrant Wilderness from Dodge Ridge and there's some nice touring in there but it's a fairly long trip – takes a couple days to get to the good stuff so at least a 5-day excursion to be worth it, but if you are motivated and have the time you'll have it all to yourselves.

This link may be useful – it's the snow sensors in the Sierra, real-time:
http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/getAll?sens_num=3

Takes some poking around if you're not familiar with it, especially to find the sensors closest to the spot you are interested in. Also, be aware that there always seems to be some funky data. The sensors measure both water content of the snowpack and depth. Depth at this time of year should be roughly 2-4 times what the water content is, unless you look at it right after a storm (we wish). If it's much off that, something is wrong with one set of data or the other.

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