Eastern Sierra snow conditions - '11-'12

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Luciano136

 
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Eastern Sierra snow conditions - '11-'12

by Luciano136 » Sun Nov 20, 2011 8:13 pm

Might as well start up the good ol' winter thread :)

I was wondering about accessible peaks out of the June Lake area next week. Nothing too crazy since the weather is unstable. Any ideas?

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Greg Enright

 
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Re: Eastern Sierra snow conditions - '11-'12

by Greg Enright » Tue Nov 22, 2011 7:01 am

Here's a pic of Morrison and Laurel this morning. Tried to add some interest with the Green Church in the foreground, but I think the cars spinning out on the highway would have been more interesting.

Image

Haven't seen the peaks around June since the storm, but I think the higher peaks got a foot of new. The Mono Lake shoreline is a really cool hike with new snow. Saw some amazing waves on the lake Friday with the winds packing enough punch to blow over a semi truck.

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Re: Eastern Sierra snow conditions - '11-'12

by Greg Enright » Wed Nov 23, 2011 5:52 am

Here's a pic of Mt Wood from the 395 this morning.

Image

The peaks from Tioga north didn't get much new snow, and sounds like the next storm is splitting, so there may be some good hiking conditions for the holiday. Not sure if you can get any backcountry skiing yet with the skimpy snowfall we've had this year. Oh wait. There is that one spot...

Here is the Sonora Pass area viewed from the Sweetwaters.

Image
The Sweetwaters did not get much new snow at all.

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Re: Eastern Sierra snow conditions - '11-'12

by dshoshone » Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:32 pm

Lewis or Gibbs don't have much snow at the moment

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fedak

 
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Re: Eastern Sierra snow conditions - '11-'12

by fedak » Sat Nov 26, 2011 3:16 am

Tioga Road is open again
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Re: Eastern Sierra snow conditions - '11-'12

by Vitaliy M. » Sat Nov 26, 2011 4:58 am

Not all the way to 395, is it?

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Re: Eastern Sierra snow conditions - '11-'12

by fedak » Sat Nov 26, 2011 5:13 am

> Not all the way to 395, is it?

Their FB page claimed it was open all the way through, haven't verified it personally tho:
https://www.facebook.com/YosemiteNPS

Caltrans is reporting no closures, but they don't have jurisdiction on the portion in the park:

SR 120
[IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA & SIERRA NEVADA]
NO TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS ARE REPORTED FOR THIS AREA.

[YOSEMITE NAT'L PARK]
FOR YOSEMITE NAT'L PARK ROAD INFORMATION CALL 209-372-0200

Probably not going to stay open for long....
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Re: Eastern Sierra snow conditions - '11-'12

by dyusem » Sat Nov 26, 2011 2:27 pm

Tioga Pass road opened on 11/16 and I got to spend the afternoon in the Tuolumne Meadows area but I thought that it would have shut down again during the storm over the following weekend...

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Re: Eastern Sierra snow conditions - '11-'12

by Greg Enright » Sun Nov 27, 2011 3:45 pm

The road was closed to motorcycles the morning of Friday the 18th, then closed to all traffic by the evening as the storm moved in. The road remained closed at least until Thankgiving Eve.

Looks like another storm will move through the area Thurs the 1st. Likely that the road will close just before the storm moves in as the Park Service does not want tourists stranded in the high country.

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Re: Eastern Sierra snow conditions - '11-'12

by Luciano136 » Mon Nov 28, 2011 6:35 pm

Tioga Pass Rd was open all the way on Saturday 11/26. I imagine it will remain that way till the next storm. A lot less snow than I expected. Maybe an inch or two around 8k and maybe a foot around 10k.

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Re: Eastern Sierra snow conditions - '11-'12

by artirm » Mon Dec 05, 2011 6:14 pm

Despite what ranger said, Onion valley road was open as of yesterday.
There is very little snow in the area. Kearsarge peak is completely free, University peak has just a little. Basically, once you clear the forest line, there is no white stuff on the ground.

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Re: Eastern Sierra snow conditions - '11-'12

by WML » Mon Dec 05, 2011 6:24 pm

artirm, thanks for the update.

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Re: Eastern Sierra snow conditions - '11-'12

by Greg Enright » Thu Dec 08, 2011 6:30 am

Tioga Pass Road reopened today.

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Re: Eastern Sierra snow conditions - '11-'12

by Gafoto » Sun Dec 11, 2011 3:22 am

This is only tangentially related but a friend of mine took this photo this morning. Helps give an idea of what the snow is looking like in the Bishop area. You can click to get a blowup of any area of the photo. Lookin' awfully boney out there.

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