Re: Snow Levels

I'm planning a trip to Young Lakes on June 7th. Will the trails and campsite be free of snow by then?

No way.
I'd expect near to 100% coverage at the lakes.
And probably they are 1/2 frozen over.
Dingely and Delaney will be fun to cross.

If you want to see a picture of another lake at 10K this last saturday
take a look see at the "How to Avoid Solo Hiking" thread below.
(and take a guess what lake it is (not Youngs) cause noone else is guessing!)

What do you think the snow depth might be by then?

Hit 100% coverage around 8.7k last Thursday near Buena Vista Lake (~9 mi. NE of Wawona). Snow depth appeared to be 2-3 ft. up to 9.0k.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2009 06:41PM by szalkowski.

One can always predict numbers of novices who have never backpacked early season, will return to destinations they visited in past seasons mid to late summer and be utterly surprised to see all the snow and frozen lakes. Happens every year. Even though they fight tromping through snow a quarter of the way, a few actually expect to see liquid water in Lower Cathedral Lake. Then reflecting on how unpleasant such early backpacking was, they learn about the few few low elevation destinations like Rancheria Falls and in following years fight the permit crowds to go there. Well I could suggest several nice destinations but don't want them to get crowded like the latter. Well this is a rather obscure board so I'll suggest two in Yosemite: go to Kibbie or Laural Lake (say hi to Yogi).



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2009 08:11PM by DavidSenesac.

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DavidSenesac
One can always predict numbers of novices who have never backpacked early season, will return to destinations they visited in past seasons mid to late summer and be utterly surprised to see all the snow and frozen lakes. Happens every year. Even though they fight tromping through snow a quarter of the way, a few actually expect to see liquid water in Lower Cathedral Lake. Then reflecting on how unpleasant such early backpacking was, they learn about the few few low elevation destinations like Rancheria Falls and in following years fight the permit crowds to go there. Well I could suggest several nice destinations but don't want them to get crowded like the latter. Well this is a rather obscure board so I'll suggest two in Yosemite: go to Kibbie or Laural Lake (say hi to Yogi).

David, I don't think it's obscure as you think.
And I think Froggy Creek will probably daunt the newbies as well...
(and Yogi was at Laurel last year indeed ... didn't see him when the lake was frozen over April 17 this year...)

But you are spot on. Far too many realize that it is very typical for there to be huge quantities of the
white stuff from 7500ft and above well into late May.

David, Shhhhhhh!!!!






Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2009 09:32PM by Bee.

Yes please edit your post and get the K lake out of there!

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Old Dude

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DavidSenesac
Well this is a rather obscure board

Grrrr!!!

I'm trying to change that!

I like the fancier software, thankyou. In a week or so after our little community has read the post I'll change the two lake names to L Lake and K Lake. Back in the 80s I spent 2 or 3 MD holiday weekends at K Lake and we would always be the only backpackers on the east side of the lake after bushwhacking through the monkey zone. We returned once in the mid 90s and I noticed that route was beaten down to the point it wasn't quite the jungle jim challenge it once was.

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eeek

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DavidSenesac
Well this is a rather obscure board

Grrrr!!!

I'm trying to change that!

K Lake has a new set of rules that have taken place over the last five years or so. No fires within one quarter mile of the lake and no camping within one quarter mile of the lake. This has reduced the number of people that go to the lake. Plus the pack station that used to run out of the Cherry Lake Dam area has shut down. The last time we ware at K we were alone. The area on the west shore that used to be a sandy beach has now overgrown due to restoration efforts. Charlie Fullum the ranger that used to be based at Eleanor loved K and would patrol every weekend to be sure people respected the lake. I think the restrictions on fires and camping are a result of his efforts.

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Old Dude

That's good news to me as that lake is unusual and special. I was last there with a bro in June of 2004, the summer after a fire wasted much of the forest along the trail. Years ago most backpackers I saw either camped on the south shore or along the bay on the southwest end. Both a bit too close to the lake edge. And some would illegally tent right beside the water on the narrow peninsula of the bay. Besides the hard to get to east side, we would otherwise camp about the northwest shore well back from the edge up by a big eratics I liked to use instead of bear bagging. There are some very nice glacial flats back away from the southwest end that people will find work nicely and such areas have far less mosquitoes.

Quote
DavidSenesac
That's good news to me as that lake is unusual and special. I was last there with a bro in June of 2004, the summer after a fire wasted much of the forest along the trail. Years ago most backpackers I saw either camped on the south shore or along the bay on the southwest end. Both a bit too close to the lake edge. And some would illegally tent right beside the water on the narrow peninsula of the bay. Besides the hard to get to east side, we would otherwise camp about the northwest shore well back from the edge up by a big eratics I liked to use instead of bear bagging. There are some very nice glacial flats back away from the southwest end that people will find work nicely and such areas have far less mosquitoes.

David, It's much nicer now. I remember people camping / sleeping RIGHT NEXT to the water. I'm not kidding when I say the wife and I walked
to the North beach and LITERALLY had to walk OVER sleeping bags to get there. Some people just don't get it.
Still we'll find illegal fire rings... and last mem day people camping on the south beach and having a fire...
But with the next regulations that sort of stuff is way down. I still think they should close the TH and move it back to where it was
for a couple years when the road washed out. (leave it be by the Eleanor TH) Make people walk in a bit more.
Maybe they will appreciate it more. Wishful thinking...

I find it pleasant. Winter without the winter. Long days. No mosquitos. Lots o water.
Noone in sight. No horse crap all over the trail. Trail not dug to crapola from said horses.
Spring rearing it's head.
Very Pretty. Late Fall is very nice too.
(ok, I like it ALL!)