Adios Yosemite Tioga Pass "Early" Opening :(

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Mike from District 9 sent an email last night.

"More than 20"of sloppy wet snow fell last night". I guess from Ellery Lake westward. Caused avalanche hazards. My guess remains a hopefull 8 July opening.

Mike wants to retire down here and I guess never wants to see another snowflake. I feel for him.

Alternative route suggestion. Cross Sierras Monitor Pass hwy 88 which joins US 395 with CA 49 south to Yosemite Valley. I called the Forest Service: zero backcountry permits until mid July at the earliest and doubt was expressed about the Pacific Crest backpacking trail opening except in isolated stretches.

Wow what a winter

[profdant139]

According to the remote sensor network, there is still 174 inches of snow at Leavitt Lake at 9400 feet. That is not too far north of Tioga Pass, and it is 500 feet lower. Yikes!

[profdant139]

To add to the disappointment, we can't even hike into the back-country because the snow is rotting and unstable, and the snow bridges over the streams are unpredictable. Snowshoes help, but they are not perfect -- entire sections of the hillsides give way suddenly. Not avalanches, but just slumps. It is hard to go more than a mile an hour safely, and it is a lot of effort. Wet, too. And the weather is hot. Weird!

In a normal year, those snow conditions are typical of March or April. This year, they will persist into July, at least. We have had to change our camping plans -- we are heading to the coastal Redwoods instead of the Eastern Sierra.