[pct-l] Sierra Snow Report #3

[reynolds@ilan.com]

Based on current data the recommendation is "Leave Kennedy Meadows early
and take your time letting the snowpack melt before you" Obvious resupply
points are Onion Valley, VVR  [and/or muir trail ranch], Mammoth, and
Tolumne

Mt Whitney Area
Forrester Pass is the highest pass on the PCT. An avalanch chute cuts
across the trail making Forrester Pass very dangerous. Last year Jonathan
Breem used Ski Mountaineers Pass to cross from The Kern to the Kings
drainages. In 1998 I interviewed a party that crossed Forrester pass the
first week of August. They were young strong and had ice axes. They
reported lots of snow but no problem crossing the pass in the snoft snow.
The current data indicates that the conditions on June 1, 1999 will be
about the same as August 1, 1998. This means that you could leave Kennedy
Meadows on June 1, 1999 and be faced with much the same conditions that
they faced -- Lots of snow but soft and easy to traverse. Ice Axe
recommended but not required.

Kearsarge Pass will also have lots of snow but is not steep. The party
mentioned above traversed Kearsarge Pass before Forrester.

Kings/Bishop Area
Snow is about normal in this area. Traverse of Glen, Pinchot, Muir and
Mather Pass around June 15 will probably be possible by a well equipped but
inexpert hiker. Glen is very steep and the climb up LeConte Canyon to Muir
pass could be dangerous because the trail and the stream are one and the
same in erly season. The valleys, however, should be snow free. This should
be a delightful time in the Sierra but don't send your ice axe home from
Onion Valley

June Lake/Mammoth/Yosemite Area
Snow looks slightly above normal. Leaving VVR the passes are not
particulary high until Donahue Pass. However, several passes have small
lakes near the top that are really easy to fall into. Assuming a leaving
VVR date of July 1 you will be mostly snow free except for Donahue

Standard disclaimers apply




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