Sierra Nevada after atmospheric rivers

[atodor]

I was planning a trip in the eastern Sierra July 1-3. I am wondering what the snow conditions will be with the all time high snowpack this year. I am specifically worried about the trails to Thousand Island Lake, Minaret, Cecile& Iceberg, the lakes around Hungry Packer Lake and Brainad & Finger. I can deal with some snow patches here and there, but my two concerns are that the scenery is diminished if the lakes are frozen and valleys covered in snow, and hiking and route finding may become hard or impossible with the trails covered.
I am considering changing this trip to Grand Teton and Wind River, including Cirque of the Towers, but I am not sure it would be any better.
Anyone can make a prediction when the snow would be mostly gone?

[seano]

I was planning a trip in the eastern Sierra July 1-3. I am wondering what the snow conditions will be with the all time high snowpack this year. I am specifically worried about the trails to Thousand Island Lake, Minaret, Cecile& Iceberg, the lakes around Hungry Packer Lake and Brainad & Finger. I can deal with some snow patches here and there, but my two concerns are that the scenery is diminished if the lakes are frozen and valleys covered in snow, and hiking and route finding may become hard or impossible with the trails covered.
I am considering changing this trip to Grand Teton and Wind River, including Cirque of the Towers, but I am not sure it would be any better.
Anyone can make a prediction when the snow would be mostly gone?

The scenery will be awesome, but those will be all snow in early July. The Tetons would be easier then, especially this year, but again... lots of snow up high. If you want the snow to be mostly gone in early July, I suggest somewhere lower and/or farther south.

[climbingcue]

I am considering changing this trip to Grand Teton and Wind River, including Cirque of the Towers, but I am not sure it would be any better.
Anyone can make a prediction when the snow would be mostly gone?

With the snow the Tetons has had this year, it will be there well into July. We did middle and south Teton July 1st last year and there was still snow. There are pictures from our day in the link below.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7399945592

[atodor]

Thank you, seano. I was looking at pictures on AllTrails and the trails look snow free in June. This picture says it's from June 21 2021 and it looks like Iceberg lake.
https://images.alltrails.com/eyJidWNrZX ... I6M319fQ==

[atodor]

Thank you, climbingcue. I can see only four thumbnails on that page, and not a lot of snow in them.
I had in mind in particular Lake of Crags. This picture on AllTrails is supposedly from July 3 2022. It doesn't look too bad.
https://images.alltrails.com/eyJidWNrZX ... I6M319fQ==

[Teresa Gergen]

If you aren't interested in a lot of snow, don't go to the High Sierra until Sept this year. Maybe. This is a record-setting year for snow in the Sierra. Your locations are more or less in the "Central" section of this chart:
https://cdec.water.ca.gov/snowapp/swcchart.action

I've been there in a couple of high snow years (2010-2011, 2016-2017, 2018-2019 if you want to compare this year to those on the above chart). Some of my experiences:

You'll be taking crampons on and off repeatedly, slowing down progress. Microspikes will often not be sufficient. You won't be able to find many places to set up a tent that isn't on snow, swampy ground, or solid rock slabs, which won't always be available. Trails will look like running streams, when you can find them at all. Mostly you will just be walking on snow through trees and meadows and over passes, unable to find the trails at all, so you need navigation skills. The avalanche debris will be insane. You'll be climbing over deadfall over and over, and Sierra trees are big and thick. Most critically, the larger creeks will be completely impassable. The last time there was a heavy snow year in the Sierra, several people on the PCT died trying to cross creeks. Crossing snow bridges over creeks becomes very dangerous. If you cross one, then later decide you have to turn around and go back, you might not find the snow bridge still there on the way back. Your feet will be wet day and night. When the snow starts melting, big snow penitentes and sun cups will form, so climbing up fields of snow becomes very difficult, with your crampons not fitting in between or on top of the penitentes and the chance of turning an ankle is great with every step. Also, CA is so highly regulated that the USFS/NPS may well close some of the trails if they decide it's too dangerous.

These photos are from a trip over Taboose Pass the last days of June/first days of July, 2017. Taboose melts out sooner than the areas you mentioned.

This is "on" the PCT

IMG_0623.JPG (252.29 KiB) Viewed 772 times

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[Teresa Gergen]

More photos:

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IMG_0618.JPG (211.56 KiB) Viewed 771 times

[justiner]

I would be most concerned with creek crossings.

[aholle88]

You'll be taking crampons on and off repeatedly, slowing down progress. Microspikes will often not be sufficient. You won't be able to find many places to set up a tent that isn't on snow, swampy ground, or solid rock slabs, which won't always be available. Trails will look like running streams, when you can find them at all. Mostly you will just be walking on snow through trees and meadows and over passes, unable to find the trails at all, so you need navigation skills. The avalanche debris will be insane. You'll be climbing over deadfall over and over, and Sierra trees are big and thick. Most critically, the larger creeks will be completely impassable. The last time there was a heavy snow year in the Sierra, several people on the PCT died trying to cross creeks. Crossing snow bridges over creeks becomes very dangerous. If you cross one, then later decide you have to turn around and go back, you might not find the snow bridge still there on the way back. Your feet will be wet day and night. When the snow starts melting, big snow penitentes and sun cups will form, so climbing up fields of snow becomes very difficult, with your crampons not fitting in between or on top of the penitentes and the chance of turning an ankle is great with every step. Also, CA is so highly regulated that the USFS/NPS may well close some of the trails if they decide it's too dangerous.

[Teresa Gergen]

Yeah...that'll do, although I was going for "most miserable"...

[Jorts]

Anticipating a busy river season for both bookings and rescues/recoveries.

[zinj]

It so happens I'm going to be in Sacramento at the end of the week of 4th of July. Almost tecord snowpack...maybe an unseasonably late climb/ski off of Shasta?

I'm inclined to stick to the "standard" South (snowfield) side. rather than the glaciated aspects where crevasses might be obscured or behaving weirdly this season.

Anyone around in epic 1995 who can tell me what THAT winter did to Shasta?