Southern Sierra Conditions
Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 7:41 pmWith folks unhappy with the latest snow reports throughout the state, I thought it worthwhile to offer lemonade for those wondering what to do with their lemons. Outside the occasional snowshoe foray in the Tahoe or Yosemite area, I generally turn my attention away from the Sierra after November and switch to the desert or coast ranges. But this dry winter has left conditions in the Southern Sierra quite manageable and I've spent seven days over the past three weeks in that part of the range having a fine time.
South of SR178 all the way to the Tehachapis is pretty much open for business with no snow. Few roads, if any, are gated and one can enjoy hikes to any of the HPS peaks in the area and plenty of others as well.
North of SR178 and east of Sherman Pass there is also little snow. Paved Ninemile Canyon to Kennedy Meadows is open as always, but so is the dirt Chimney Peak Byway (Canebrake Rd) reaching to Kennedy Meadows from Canebrake Flat. Any of the summits on the Sierra Crest south of Haiwee Pass can be climbed with trivial or no snow. Lamont, Chimney Peak, Kennedy Peak are all snow-free as is all of Domelands Wilderness. Long Meadow CG is reachable for access to Domelands from the east. The road to Kennedy Meadows Campground is open. The Sherman Pass Rd heading west from Kennedy Meadows is snow free for the first three miles, with some ice and snow on the road after that. With chains or 4WD, one can drive up and over Sherman Pass even in a low clearance vehicle. Pine Mtn, Ball Mtn and other peaks up to 9,000ft can be climbed with minimal snow.
North of SR178 and west of Sherman Pass has more restrictions. SR190 is closed to through traffic at Quaking Aspen, though it would be almost trivial for the county to open the Western Sierra Hwy through to Johnsondale. M50 through California Hot Springs is also closed. SR155 over Greenhorn Summit is open, no snow or ice anywhere. Bohna, Sunday, Split, Black and others are easily accessible from Greenhorn Summit. The Kern River Valley Rd is open from Lake Isabella to Johnsondale, and an additional five miles of pavement towards Loyd Meadows. Sentinel Peak, Elephant Knob, Capitol Rock, Speas Ridge, all snow-free in the Johnsondale area. Sherman Pass road is snow-free to 8,000ft on the west side, some ice and snow after that, but again easy with chains or 4WD over the pass. Sherman Peak Trail had some snow, about 4-6", but mostly avoidable if not sticking to the trail and staying on the sunnier side of the ridge. The road to Poison Meadow and Big Meadow is open, but probably not snow-free all the way to Big Meadow. I tried to reach Sirretta Peak from Sherman Pass but gave up due to snow (with snow shoes it would have been doable) on the mostly north-facing slopes from that direction. There appears to be a fire in the Mountain Home area to the northwest, leaving the Kern Valley smokey at times.
What snow there is (about 4-6") is mostly well-consolidated except on the northern aspects. With cold nights well below freezing and short days, the snow lingers for a very long time. It appears to melt very slowly, and then not all the way to the ground, refreezing at night. The result is a hard icy layer by the time it gets to the last inch or so. Mostly it sublimates (ice to water vapor without liquid phase) leaving no mud of any kind. The dirt roads are dry where there is no snow, far different conditions than one finds in spring conditions with everything a sopping mess. Temperatures in the daytime have been about 50F at 7,000ft, 60F at 4,000ft. And no bugs.
Other than the stalwart residents, there is almost no one in the entire area. I went whole days without seeing a soul up there. Many of the campgrounds are closed, but there is ample free camping throughout the region.
Stegosaurus Fin in Domelands:
View north from Sherman Peak (just under 10,000ft):
Kennedy Meadows and Domelands from Ball Mtn (9,200ft):
View north to Olancha and Whitney area from Ball Mtn:
South of SR178 all the way to the Tehachapis is pretty much open for business with no snow. Few roads, if any, are gated and one can enjoy hikes to any of the HPS peaks in the area and plenty of others as well.
North of SR178 and east of Sherman Pass there is also little snow. Paved Ninemile Canyon to Kennedy Meadows is open as always, but so is the dirt Chimney Peak Byway (Canebrake Rd) reaching to Kennedy Meadows from Canebrake Flat. Any of the summits on the Sierra Crest south of Haiwee Pass can be climbed with trivial or no snow. Lamont, Chimney Peak, Kennedy Peak are all snow-free as is all of Domelands Wilderness. Long Meadow CG is reachable for access to Domelands from the east. The road to Kennedy Meadows Campground is open. The Sherman Pass Rd heading west from Kennedy Meadows is snow free for the first three miles, with some ice and snow on the road after that. With chains or 4WD, one can drive up and over Sherman Pass even in a low clearance vehicle. Pine Mtn, Ball Mtn and other peaks up to 9,000ft can be climbed with minimal snow.
North of SR178 and west of Sherman Pass has more restrictions. SR190 is closed to through traffic at Quaking Aspen, though it would be almost trivial for the county to open the Western Sierra Hwy through to Johnsondale. M50 through California Hot Springs is also closed. SR155 over Greenhorn Summit is open, no snow or ice anywhere. Bohna, Sunday, Split, Black and others are easily accessible from Greenhorn Summit. The Kern River Valley Rd is open from Lake Isabella to Johnsondale, and an additional five miles of pavement towards Loyd Meadows. Sentinel Peak, Elephant Knob, Capitol Rock, Speas Ridge, all snow-free in the Johnsondale area. Sherman Pass road is snow-free to 8,000ft on the west side, some ice and snow after that, but again easy with chains or 4WD over the pass. Sherman Peak Trail had some snow, about 4-6", but mostly avoidable if not sticking to the trail and staying on the sunnier side of the ridge. The road to Poison Meadow and Big Meadow is open, but probably not snow-free all the way to Big Meadow. I tried to reach Sirretta Peak from Sherman Pass but gave up due to snow (with snow shoes it would have been doable) on the mostly north-facing slopes from that direction. There appears to be a fire in the Mountain Home area to the northwest, leaving the Kern Valley smokey at times.
What snow there is (about 4-6") is mostly well-consolidated except on the northern aspects. With cold nights well below freezing and short days, the snow lingers for a very long time. It appears to melt very slowly, and then not all the way to the ground, refreezing at night. The result is a hard icy layer by the time it gets to the last inch or so. Mostly it sublimates (ice to water vapor without liquid phase) leaving no mud of any kind. The dirt roads are dry where there is no snow, far different conditions than one finds in spring conditions with everything a sopping mess. Temperatures in the daytime have been about 50F at 7,000ft, 60F at 4,000ft. And no bugs.
Other than the stalwart residents, there is almost no one in the entire area. I went whole days without seeing a soul up there. Many of the campgrounds are closed, but there is ample free camping throughout the region.
Stegosaurus Fin in Domelands:
View north from Sherman Peak (just under 10,000ft):
Kennedy Meadows and Domelands from Ball Mtn (9,200ft):
View north to Olancha and Whitney area from Ball Mtn:
