Snowdocking in the Sierra: are there ungated areas?

We've given up on snow for this year. But we always take a trip in early March (my school's Spring Break), and we are hoping for next year.

If you're specifically looking for snow this year then Lassen will be your most reliable go, followed by Shasta. I have no idea how much snow sits beyond the Mammoth webcams, although earlier in the season it was -zero-. But Mammoth is your best bet down close.

Also: Unless you actually SEE snow on the front side of the Sierras, don't bet on it. It's been a very funny year for wet-side snowpacks, and some of the biggest wet-snow areas are suffering the most. Take a look at Ashland, for example. Normally swimming in snow, they've had two years in a row where they couldn't fully open the mountain. (Wanna buy a ski area?)

Green, I like the White Mtns idea! I doubt the tent is going to happen, even though it would radically expand our horizons -- I am at the age where if I try to sleep on the ground, it would take a crane to get me back to a standing position. We missed the boat on backpacking -- we should have done it when we were younger, but we mistakenly thought that we did not like camping, so we never tried it.

Option #1: Try the White Mountain area. Should still be gate-free until just before the summit push of White mt proper. MAGNIFICENT views of the Sierra at sunset. Since this area gets a lot of sun during the day, I can't vouch as to the snowpack. But if you like looking at mountains, there's no better place to view the high sierra (IMO), than 12k up in the Whites.

Option #2: You might just be ready for a tent. If Lady F is willing, you could buy yourselves a set of the smallest Otter sleds (normally towed behind snowmobiles), attach PVC pipes and tow them across flat access roads closed for snow. I know, you're a wounded goose on skis, but this is best done on snowshoes anyway. As long as you're on the flats it is (almost) painless. And this IS boondocking!

My suggestion is to go to the Mammoth mt inn (9200 ft), pay them to park your rig there for a few days, and then travel the closed highway to devil's postpile (gated to autos) towards Red Meadow or further. You'll have Mammoth mtn on one side, Ritter/Banner on the other.

We used to go all over the mountain areas servicing radio repeater sites.

Some of the locked gates looked like this with sometimes ten or more locks added to the chain. some folks will just cut out a chain link and add their own lock...



Roy Ken