[pct-l] Re: Snowpack in Wa.

[griffin@u.washington.edu (Tom Griffin)]

on 12/30/02 10:00 AM, CMountainDave@aol.com wrote:

I completely agree with Dave. In 2001 we had a low snow year. I was at Harts
Pass on June 24th and it was virtually snow free. But that was a rare winter
and it looks like we may have a more normal one this year. If you are
determined to do a through hike and only have one year in your life to do
it, then I'd opt for much better odds by starting at Campo and heading
north.

Tom Griffin
Seattle
PCT Pages: http://staff.washington.edu/griffin/pct.html

> From: CMountainDave@aol.com
> Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 12:50:18 EST
> Subject: [pct-l] Snowpack in Wa.
>
> I belive January is going to be a key month for those who might want to do a
> South bound hike. After this eries of storms , snowpack will be about 50% of
> normal, at best, in the Wa. Cascades.
> If 3 of 4 weeks in January are dry it will be below 50% going into
> Feb. and it would take a very stormy March to get anywhere near normal.
> If it storms a bunch in Jan, then all bets are off, but high freezing levels
> could still save the day.
> I would check the date that the North Cascade highway reopens through Rainy
> Pass. If it's way early, that would be a real good sign. Ditto for the road
> to Harts pass. Remember, the Pasayten wilderness gets much less snow than
> Glacier Peak wilderness because it is somewhat in the rain shadow of the
> North Cascades where it would be quite rare to see the snow mostly gone by
> June. But it has happened.
> How about June 10 - Nov -20
>