I'll be spending the next few days in Yosemite and I suspect that I'll leave the skinny skis at home but I was wondering if anyone knew the snow pack conditions around the Murphy Creek trail (Tenaya Lake area) or in the Tuolumne Meadows area.

When I was there in November there was enough snow to warrant having snowshoes but I suspect that was as good as it got so far this season...

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

I was there yesterday and there is no need for snowshoes within 20 miles of Tenaya Lake. Plenty of skaters and rock climbers. In the woods you might be able to step in pockets that are above your ankles but most of what is left is consolidated enough to walk on with hiking boots without punching through.

jeffn wrote:I was there yesterday and there is no need for snowshoes within 20 miles of Tenaya Lake. Plenty of skaters and rock climbers. In the woods you might be able to step in pockets that are above your ankles but most of what is left is consolidated enough to walk on with hiking boots without punching through.

Sweet, I greatly appreciate the feedback!

Rock Creek TH is open. We climbed the N Couloir of Dade and descended the Hourglass Couloir and had no need for snowshoes. There was a bit of postholing on the cross-country, but not enough to warrant carrying snowshoes all that way. Crampons would be worth taking for some of the slopes though, as a lot of water ice is forming within the snowpack. There is also a lot of wind slab up there but it doesn't seem cohesive enough to be much of an avalanche danger.

bump 4 new info on what trailheads are still open

Rock Creek Road is open to the snowpark, which is at the same location as other years. The road has been groomed from there, though I did not see if they groomed it all the way to Mosquito Flat.

Convict is open to the lake. Lake Mary Road in Mammoth Lakes is open to Twin Lakes and Tamarak has groomed for x-country skiing.

Trails are groomed at Obsidian Dome also.

It's been warm the last couple of days, so south facing slopes are consolidating fast. North facing slopes, up high should still be fun though.

Thanks Greg, IOU a BEER

Increasingly Wet Week for the Eastern Sierra…..”Snorkel Alert” for Mammoth Mt Next Weekend!!

http://mammothweather.com/

Then the excitement begins….Friday as the upper long wave reloads with two powerhouse short waves that move into Central Ca then south to the Mexican boarder to give LA a wallop as well. The Weekend storm could drop 3 to 4 feet of Light fluffy powder……IE “Platinum Powder”

Don't put them boards away yet!

Rob wrote:Don't put them boards away yet!

And also be mindful of the persistent weak/facet layers.

SE faces of McGee mountain were good ol' mashed potatoes almost from top to bottom and from surface to ground. I'd be extremely wary of any new snow falling...

Although I'm dying to get SOMETHING done on my skis this year... <sigh>

I hiked up to the Schulman Grove on Saturday morning. The road is open and completely clear up to the Sierra Vista. The gate is closed just past there making it a mile+ hike in to the grove. If you want to wander around any north facing slopes in the grove itself some snowshoes would be needed, but access is easy along the road.

Hiked up to Lake Sabrina too. Pretty clear up past Aspendell, no special footwear needed. Beyond the lake might require snowshoes in spots though.

The Palisades from the Sierra Vista on Saturday.

Really nice photo Gafoto. I remember taking a similar picture last summer during sunrise. It was also a good one, but snow makes the peaks stand out. Would be nice to take one like that during sunrise...

Vitaliy M. wrote:Really nice photo Gafoto. I remember taking a similar picture last summer during sunrise. It was also a good one, but snow makes the peaks stand out. Would be nice to take one like that during sunrise...

I actually shot almost the same photo on May 28th of 2011. Check it out and compare the snow conditions between May of last year and now:

That is the May 2011 image. The snow levels look very similar.