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Post by High Sierra Fan on May 5, 2017 16:12:56 GMT -8
Horseshoe Meadows Road will not open for a few months, due to road damage. Expect any dirt roads to be, at the least, rutty due to water damage. They've recently backed off their "July" opening estimate and now simply mention June. If they can keep to that it would be nice for all those JMTrs heading north out of the two Cottonwood TH.
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speacock
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I'm here for the food...
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Post by speacock on May 9, 2017 11:26:57 GMT -8
RE Cottonwood Lakes. For years there was snow covering the trail mid June (Father's Day) at 11,000' and from mid morning on post holing. Of the two New Army is suggested for winter crossings and it (and 'Old') will have cornices which you will have to negotiate.
This year has significantly more snow.
Cottonwood pass is significantly lower (and a bit longer) to catch up with Rock Creek. Pick up the PCT there.
If using this as a JMT entry going north, once over New Army you won't have a snow problem until 4-5 days later at Forester Pass and then couple days later out of Kearsarge Lakes going north over Glenn Pass or east over Kearsarge to Onion Valley.
Mt Whitney on any given day is probably easier from the west than the east side in snow. Southwestern exposure melts the problem areas sooner. It just depends if you are there late enough. A 2AM start should get you back to Crabtree area before dark. If you have it in you, I'd suggest moving camp to Wallace Creek area (about 3-4 hour). From there you can explore up into the lakes above - even to rate Tulaino Lake.
Shepherd Pass just before Forester is a good exit strategy if things are not turning out for you. At the bottom of the S. pass trail it is a short hike north to the Onion Valley road and transportation to US-395
Mather Pass well to the north should have a well trod snow trail by the time you get there.
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Post by hikerchick395 on May 10, 2017 8:11:40 GMT -8
Bishop Creek roads...South fork open to Weir Pond, middle open to Lake Sabrina and North Lake Road remains closed.
Rock Creek Road is open to the pack station.
And Buttermilk Road has reopened.
Big Oak Flat Road opened while we were in Yosemite, but Evergreen Road closed last Tuesday. It is probably open again. Lots of tree removal both along roads entering Yosemite and in the valley's campgrounds.
Oh yeah...Monitor Pass opened Monday
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whistlepunk
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I was an award winning honor student once. I have no idea what happened...
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Post by whistlepunk on May 10, 2017 20:05:59 GMT -8
Lassen Volcanic NP is reporting ~20 feet snow on the main Park Road (Hwy 89) at the high point near the Peak parking area. The plow is currently moving ~11 feet just past the visitor center. From the north entrance at Manzanita the road is cleared and open to the Devastated Area. Butte Lake Road, Warner Valley Road, and Juniper Road all still unplowed. No ETA on an opening date.
For those not familiar with the difficulties of plowing snow, in depths like these the bottom several feet may as well be concrete. Compaction from all the snow weight above makes the lower stuff a solid block, with the ever present risk of avalanches from above and if the dozer or plow goes over the edge it may be a thousand feet before it stops. The operators are getting hazardous duty pay.
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speacock
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I'm here for the food...
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Post by speacock on May 14, 2017 12:15:08 GMT -8
Took two days off (Thursday/Friday) to take wife on a birthday trip of a one day Yosemite Valley excursion to see the falls at near full flow. LOADS of cars but the traffic was moving and no complete halts. Hiked up to near the base of all of the big falls. One should plan on a cold shower of this type once in your life. There was the start of a down pour from the fall's mist at more than several hundred yards from the base. There were soaking wet light plastic 'raid jackets' hanging along the trail for use but waaay to late to put on for those who were not prepared.
Lots of tree removal work and clean up along hiway 41 from Oakhurst toward the NP boundary. One way traffic with delays. They are removing all of the dead (bugs/drought) trees and moving most of the tree down to a timber yard. From a tourist standpoint it certainly makes the road sides look better - and the timber cutters do a bang up job of cleaning up after themselves...which makes the forest floors look a bit too clean.
At one time the timber industry and timberjacks made a living from cutting down trees. I'm guessing the state/county is paying for downing and removal. I wonder who collects the income from the timber? There are decades if not centuries of work remaining to 'process' the diseased/dead timber.
As a kid, my dad was always on the look out for fast running logging trucks stacked high and beyond belief with timber 'sharing' the road with him.
That scenario has been rare in the last half century.
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Post by plaidman on May 27, 2017 9:37:46 GMT -8
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Post by High Sierra Fan on May 30, 2017 2:48:31 GMT -8
SeKi is reporting the Woods Creek bridge out from Paradise Valley has been destroyed interrupting the Rae Lakes Loop. The support steel beams have dropped off the piers into the water and been bent and twisted.
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Post by greg1062 on May 30, 2017 8:12:27 GMT -8
The suspension bridge?
...or the bridge over the S. Fork Kings?
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Post by greg1062 on May 30, 2017 8:13:26 GMT -8
btw...
It appears the Horseshoe Meadow road has been opened.
Too bad she didn't continue to Trail Pass. There is a footbridge (log) across the creek on that trail... at least there was the last time I was there.
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Post by hikerchick395 on Jun 1, 2017 8:07:26 GMT -8
Speaking of bridges, it was surprising yesterday to see the broken log bridge over McGee Creek is still there. It is barely visible and may be pushed downstream when the snow on it melts. Just around the corner, above where the bridge was originally installed, there is a snow bridge that may be safe for a few more days. A crack is approaching that natural crossing. Boy, I would hate to cross that in the morning to have it collapse by afternoon. The trail gets messy at the outlet creek crossing of Horsetail Falls, but there is plenty of water on the trail below that.
Rock Creek Road is still only open to the pack station, the road around Rock Creek Lake is closed, there is still ice on Rock Creek Lake and East Fork campground is closed. Meadow flooding there. Rock Creek Lake is FULL and the creek is awesome! (Convict Lake is full, too.)
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null
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Post by null on Jun 5, 2017 2:47:18 GMT -8
I am looking for the latest on the Woods Creek Bridge and Glens Pass. I heard there are plans to put in a temporary bridge at Woods Creek.
I have no idea what the snow conditions on Glens Pass might be. Any updates?
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toejam
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Post by toejam on Jun 5, 2017 19:58:33 GMT -8
On the PCT facebook group they said it's not the Wood's Creek suspension bridge on the JMT/PCT that's out. Somewhere downstream I guess. I saw current pictures of both.
I read about a guy who skied an avalanche down Glen Pass. Said Kearsarge was also sketchy.
When you planning to be there?
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null
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Post by null on Jun 6, 2017 2:53:00 GMT -8
When you planning to be there? About a month from today -- July 5th/6th.
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Post by hikerchick395 on Jun 6, 2017 7:56:02 GMT -8
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toejam
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Hiking to raise awareness
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Post by toejam on Jun 6, 2017 9:44:27 GMT -8
This will not be a friendly summer hike in the mountains.
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