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Up at the Schulman Grove and Patriarch Grove the only green you're going to see is the Bristlecone pine trees themselves. There may be a few small seasonal flowering plants that grow low to the ground, and who's lifecycle is very short in the spring, but don't expect to see them in July. With this year's ongoing drought they may not even bloom this year.

The Grandview campground near the start of the entrance road does have some drought-tolerant pine trees and shrubs around it that'll be green, but that should be the extent of any 'greenery' in the White Mtns. Grandview is a nice place for a car camp as its not heavily used; people who come up to the Bristlecone forest are only there on a day trip. If you want to stay overnight just make sure you bring your own water. Great views over the Sierra Nevada mountains and Owens Valley from the back (west) of the campground, especially at sunrise and sunset.

Basically what happens that the Sierra acts as a barrier for moisture that comes in from the West, so the Whites get even less precip than even the Eastern slope of the Sierra. It's a high desert, basically.

https://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?docId=ft3t1nb2pn&chunk.id=d0e306&toc.id=d0e306&brand=ucpress

No need for a new thread. Since the Sierra is having it's best winter in several years, it makes me curious about San Jacinto.

Is this the best winter Mount San Jacinto has seen for snow/precipitation totals since 2010? Or perhaps a more recent winter than that?

Certainly, after the abundant rain in the warmer storms, there is now a good accumulation of snow in the webcam. Enough to bury the table.

Looks like it could be. I don't expect to see trip reports of people ascending Snow Creek Drainage, but it would be interesting, and it is nice to see such a snowy winter, for a change.

I haven't been out that way, but most of the Los Angeles area has received 150% of the rainfall they usually get at this time in the rainy season. It should be well covered up top, and from the P.S. Tram to the top, too. Snow Creek drainage isn't safe to do after snowfalls or this early as it's known for having a lot of avalanches; wait until spring when there will be less snow and what's left will be consolidated or nice cramponable ice. Also consider the water agency that owns the land on the lower slopes is pretty aggressive at keeping people off their turf to the point of suing them in court. There are a few alternate routes to do the drainage (S.J.'s 'north face') so search around to find those if you're keen on doing it later this spring.

phydeux wrote:I haven't been out that way, but most of the Los Angeles area has received 150% of the rainfall they usually get at this time in the rainy season. It should be well covered up top, and from the P.S. Tram to the top, too. Snow Creek drainage isn't safe to do after snowfalls or this early as it's known for having a lot of avalanches; wait until spring when there will be less snow and what's left will be consolidated or nice cramponable ice. Also consider the water agency that owns the land on the lower slopes is pretty aggressive at keeping people off their turf to the point of suing them in court. There are a few alternate routes to do the drainage (S.J.'s 'north face') so search around to find those if you're keen on doing it later this spring.

So, yes? To my question. I'm not doing it, just wondering if this is the best snow year in over a decade.

Sorry, not able to see Mt. San Jacinto. But if its of any interest there's lots of snow visible on Mt. Baldy/Mt. San Antoinio down to 7000ft (maybe even as low as 6500ft), and the daytime temps in the L.A. Basin are in the high 50F-60F so it should be sticking around for a while. There's a possibility of more rain/snow early next week.

Well, while I am no expert on San Jacinto, I do think that after this weekend's expected snowfall, that this is in fact the best and wettest winter since 2010 for southern California. Perhaps since 2005?

No idea about the mountaineering, I'm purely thinking of the hydrology and forest health. There was already a pretty good snow pack up there, and with up to 6 feet more potentially, it will be around for a while.

https://cdec.water.ca.gov/reportapp/jav ... e=PLOT_SWC


Based on that link and the automated sensors used to create the graph, this winter is about to break the prior wettest winter on record in the Sierra Nevada in the southern (High?) Sierra, and potentially the central region, too.

Is there anyone on SP who was around in 1983 mountaineering? A friend wants to do Whitney this year ( was able to go for the 4th time last summer) and I keep saying that this isn't the year.

Thoughts?

I'm talking to myself here, but the Southern Sierra Snowpack is now not only the greatest on record, but it's off the chart. 255% of normal.

I made a few backpacking trips in 1983 and I don't remember anything particularly different that year. But to give you an idea of how old I am and how long I've been at this the biggest snow year I remember was 1968/69. In July 1969 I ascended Mt. Morgan (by Rock Creek Lake), which at 13,600 ft provides a tremendous vantage point. The view was a panorama of white, there was so much snow it looked like the middle of winter. Driving back to LA on 395 took forever because so many streams had jumped the road. Caltrans had to sand bag Owens Lake to keeo it from flooding the highway. I've already postponed my backpacking trip for 2023 from August to September. Ironically, too much snow complicates backpacking as much as too little.

"Is there anyone on SP who was around in 1983 mountaineering? A friend wants to do Whitney this year ( was able to go for the 4th time last summer) and I keep saying that this isn't the year."

"Thoughts?"

I climbed the East Face of Whitney in February 1983. That snow year was huge.

In early July 83 we skied across Lake Sabrina which was totally frozen and never took our skis off while going to Evolution Basin.

Same July we climbed the regular route on the Third Pillar of Dana and the approach was knee deep snow at places.

This summer, Whitney and other high peaks will be approachable much later in the season. I'm thinking from very late July on and you must be prepared for snow and can deal with it. There might be snow present throughout the summer, the High Sierra might never melt fully this year.

Also, the summer window will be very short as it can start snowing (again) by early September.

Anyone wanna climb Cloudripper this week? Hmu