Re: March Snow Survey

Park staff have completed the March 1 snow surveys. Both the Tuolumne and Merced drainages are approximately 120% of average water content, and over 100% of April 1 average. The lower elevation locations are particularly impressive, with most courses under 7000" showing more than 125% of April 1 water content.

From a seat-of-the-pants objective, there's a LOT more snow in the Valley itself than I recall seeing in the past few years. The Ahwahnee meadow has been snow covered for what seems like a couple of months now, and usually it comes and goes quickly.

After my attempted visit to Upper Pines last week which had 2+ feet of snow covering the whole thing, I'm wondering how we'll do on our family March 23-27 visit. I guess even if there's still snow there (likely), somebody will have shoveled out a campsite by then. 8^)

I walked up to the Mariposa Grove last week, and the tops of the speed limit signs were all that stuck out of the snow. Would have been a great downhill ski, coming back. Snowshoes would be a good idea for anyone planning that walk soon, though there is a fairly well packed ski route, as long as you don't step off of it.

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Gary
Yosemite Photo Galleries: http://www.pbase.com/roberthouse/yo

I'd be very surprised if there was much snow in the Valley that late in March. It could happen though.