Recs for overnighter in Yosemite. 10-15 RT. Minimal snow.

Coincidentally I was planning on going to Ten Lakes next weekend. I called the ranger who reported that as of 5/27 there was 1-4 feet of snow on Ten Lakes Pass. The snowline is much higher in the southern Sierra apparently as expected from other reports. The weather is warming up so snow melting should be rapid and creek crossings will be interesting. There is a Facebook group called Sierra Nevada Current Conditions which has lots of relevant info particularly at this time of year as the first wave of PCT hikers pass through the Sierra.

Robert,

that’s what I’ve noticed. I saw some pics of PCT’ers down in Seq/kings at 11k with little to no snow. I went to Cottonwood Lakes last year in mid June after a big snow season with patchy snowfields at most at 10k.

I’m open to Seqouia too as my friend is driving in from Fresno. Maybe we’ll just drive into the Valley and see what walk ups are available.

Have you been along Illiloutte Creek?

I’m headed from Bridalveil campground to Royal Arch and other lakes in that area next Thursday, so close by.

In my experience rangers on the phone almost never know anything about actual snow conditions and if they do know anything they vastly overstate the amount of snow. Things have melted fairly fast over the last month, the Desolation does hold snow later than most places around Tahoe but otherwise the TRT is getting pretty clear, I have friends who run it daily.

I hiked Cloud’s Rest back on May 5th and approaching from the South didn’t see any snow all of the way to the summit (10,000). Back then there was a foot of snow on the north slope.

I hiked Onion Valley to Glen Pass on May 27 and saw minimal snow. Kearsarge pass (11,700 and East / West oriented) was totally clear. Glen pass (12,000 and North / South oriented) was totally clear on the south side but 2 feet deep on the North side.

When I drove home over Tioga pass road last weekend Tuolumne was all melted out at road level, with only northern aspects of the taller peaks (11,000+)  in the area still holding snow. By the time I passed the Ten Lakes trailhead I hadn’t seen any snow for quite some time.

There may be small patches of lingering snow but I’d be very, very surprised if you saw any significant snow in the Ten Lakes / May Lake area. 4 feet of snow at Ten Lakes pass is ludicrous.