Spring Sierras

[SLJ]

Whats it like in spring? Access? Snowpack? Good routes? Or is it just not the right time.

 

Thanks

[curtveld]

Well...at the risk of stating the obvious, it depends on what specifically you want to do. If, by chance, you're interested in alpine rock routes, here's a summary clipped from MountainProject.org:

 

"May-June: Approach to climbs may require taking crampons and ice-axe. Snow can provide a good highway there and back. May and June provide long daylight hours. Weather can be unstable with late arriving winter storms. Cold to cool."

 

That being said, I had great conditions there a couple of June's ago. But this year's snowpack is much larger than average year.

 

If you could clarify your potential routes and months, I suspect someone will chime in with some more helpful details.

[mattp]

I have spent several almost complete months of may in the Sierra and would agree with what you found there, Mr. Veld. It can be cold and unstable with late winter storms cycling through. I have also had some damn nice weather and it can be a good month in the Valley.

[kurthicks]

I was just up at Whitney Portal last week. We bailed after 3' of snow fell. There was snow all the way down to 5500' and mixed snow/rain all the way to Lone Pine. Still winter in those parts.

[Hugh Conway]

This years snowpack is approaching all time records in the Tahoe area.

[SLJ]

looking pretty wintery then...

kinda what I feared

[Hugh Conway]

For future spring Sierra use - the CDEC does measurement of a number of snow stations:

http://cdec.water.ca.gov/

The April 1 report:

http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/snow/DLYSWEQ

between 170-155% of the normal snowpack for this date.