Sierra Mountaineering in March

[PandaExpress]

Hi, trying to get on some Sierra peaks like Mt Clarence King or Thunderbolt, etc.

 

Does anyone know if the appropriate summer trail heads are accessible if the snow is low enough? i.e. does the park service actually close the road? For example you can easily drive up to the Whitney portal in winter despite the road being "closed".

 

Can anyone with any winter Sierra experience give input (ie this is a bad idea logistically).

[keenwesh]

just go right now. there isn't any snow to speak of.

[PandaExpress]

I can't go till March.

 

Also, if there is snow, does this mean it is possible to drive up to the trailhead just like it was summer, ie the road to Glacier Lodge is clear? The road to Lake Sabrina?

[christophbenells]

The Whitney portal road will be closed most likely, but the road to lake Sabrina and south lake should be open year round.

[iluka]

The park service doesn't handle the roads on the east side of the Sierra. They are generally handled by CalTrans.

 

The road to South Lake is not open year round. It is a 7-mile or spur off the road to Lake Sabrina and is often closed until into spring depending on the snow conditions.

 

You can get pretty good beta on the road access by giving the folks at Mammoth Mountaineering or Wilson's Eastside Sports a call. You might also check out this discussion board: http://www.whitneyzone.com/wz/

 

 

[PandaExpress]

Thanks alot for your comments. iluka, do you have any knowledge or opinion of the snowpack this year? Does the low snowpack help or hinder travel to say, the Palisades or Mt Clarence King.