Snow: how deep is too deep for camping?

[profdant139]

I'm sitting here in suburban Southern California, going stir crazy and looking at the snow depth monitors throughout the Sierras. They are slowly dropping -- yesterday we had a foot or more of snow in the higher elevations. Most of my favorite places still have several feet of wet snow. It will be mid-June before the snow is completely gone from the forest roads -- and there will be snow on the mountainsides all summer. How long do I have to wait?

So here is my question -- assuming that the forest roads are technically open, how deep is too deep? I have driven on and camped in six inches of snow. But the clearance under the axles of my truck and my trailer is about ten inches, I think. I'm guessing that ten inches is my practical limit. And there will be the occasional drift. I am willing to do some shovel work, but not an infinite amount of it.

I am sure someone with a monster truck and a truck camper could bulldoze their way into a foot or more of snow, but this is just a Tacoma -- more like a burro than a bull. 😉

Your thoughts are always welcomed -- at least it will help pass the time while we watch the snow melt.

[memtb]

profdant139 wrote:
I guess I just have to be really, really patient: the LA Times reports today that the top of Mammoth Mountain (in the Eastern Sierra) has gotten 60 feet of snow (715 inches) so far this season and will stay open for skiing until sometime in August!

Probably be getting fresh snow by then! 🙂

[profdant139]

I guess I just have to be really, really patient: the LA Times reports today that the top of Mammoth Mountain (in the Eastern Sierra) has gotten 60 feet of snow (715 inches) so far this season and will stay open for skiing until sometime in August!

[Trekkar]

We like to snowshoe in the winter, but if the CG access roads aren't plowed until spring...... we pick a plowed road spot.

[memtb]

Obviously, vehicle/ camper axle/frame height are limiting factors. If the snow is not “hardpacked” and you’ve got a good set of chains you can “push-through” snow that is contacting the axles and undercarriage! Most RV’ers don’t have a good set of chains for those conditions. Getting stuck in spring snow, is far better than getting stuck in fall snow.......you don’t have to wait near as long for the melt! 😉

[ppine]

I am heading to Bishop, CA for the 50th Anniversary of Mule Days this week. 5/24. The weather prediction is for rain and snow in the upper elevations like Conway Summit at 8,400 feet and Mammoth. Towing a trailer just means we can't go very fast. The snow plows will be out.

[profdant139]

gafidler, can I get you to reconsider? Even a few inches can be downright picturesque:


Click For Full-Size Image.

By the way, can you spot the camping misteak in that shot? Yep -- roll up the awning as soon as it starts to snow! I had a heck of a time clearing the icy residue off of the top of the awning.

[gafidler]

1/8 inch is too much.

[cewillis]

Or you could go with zero snow -- 8000 ft in the Az strip.
link 1
link 2
And if you get tired of that, you could go to Toroweap or Whitmore Canyon Overlook. .

[profdant139]

Ken, that's a very good point about not tearing up the muddy roads. Most of the places we go are gravel and rock with little mud, but there is no way to know when it's all covered in snow!

And on our snow camping trips, we have generally gone snow-shoeing -- it is fun to start out right from the trailer and head up to the higher country. That's Mono Lake on the right of this shot -- our trailer was about a mile down the trail:


Click For Full-Size Image.

And tracking mud and slush into the trailer is always a hassle, but it is part of the price of boondocking -- we have several astroturf mats and boot cleaners deployed around the doorway. They almost work.

[4runnerguy]

It really shouldn't be about how much snow you can get through. It's more about whether you'll damage the road or the boondocking site by creating ruts in the mud under the snow. Seen more than our share of places where people obviously drove in very wet conditions and left big ruts in the road and/or pulloffs that take a long time to heal.

Another thing to consider is how wet you'll get tromping around outside. Are you planning on hiking? Or just hanging out around the campsite which will quickly become a mud pit. I'm not a big fan of dragging water and mud into our trailer.

Probably the worst we had to deal with was camping up in the Flat Tops (elevation 10,000') north of I-70 maybe 25-30 years ago. Woke up in the morning and probably 6" of snow had fallen overnight and it was still dumping. We had a Toyota 4x4 pickup with a TC on the back. Bailed out and drove out of there (at least we were in a NFS CG with gravel roads and pads). Even with 4x4 it was sketchy getting out of there. The amazing this about this -- it was July 4th!

[Walaby]

Not trying to be picky, but your original question was what is the deepest snow I can reasonably expect to camp in, and the question now is not a question but asking folks for their experiences in deep snow.

Having said all that, I would agree with your original assessment. If the snow is deeper than the axles on the trailer, I would say that's too deep.

Friend of mine just got back from Cali and said the pass over 50 to Nv was chains only.

I think it would be neat to camp in a little snow, as long as the trailer was insulated enough. I've driven in snow a fair amount in my early adult years, but have never towed a trailer in it. Not sure how I'd like that.

Mike

[beemerphile1]

profdant139 wrote:

Snow: how deep is too deep for camping?

For me? A trace. :B

[RedRocket204]

As many have mentioned/eluded to, I wouldn't go venturing in conditions where it would be more than 6" of snow. Reason being as the previous poster also mentioned, hidden obstacles. But not only down trees, snow drifts can hide major holes, drop-offs from erosion, etc. Then there is the more likely aspect of snow drifts you are trying to go over and they are much deeper than you expect. This can easily result in getting high centered which is not the easiest situation to get out of even with multiple people with shovels.

I run snow on my utility ATV frequently and even that can be a major chore. We generally don't go out in conditions where the snow is deeper than 12" but again, we end up hitting drifts frequently, getting stuck and we are very experienced riders even in snow. When there are a couple of ATVs, we can link winches front or back and have anchor points as many times there is no solid tree within reach. I also carry 100' of winch rope (50' on the winch and a 2nd 50' rope) along with 20' tow strap, tree saver strap, snatch block, shackles, etc. I've used all of those as well. And keep in mind that is for a VERY capable Yamaha Grizzly ATV 4x4 with serious off-road, low pressure tires.

Out in CO, we are also confronted with mass amounts of snow in the high country this year and suspect the high country trails, 10,000+ feet will not be passable until mid-July or even later. Just better to find something lower for now as eventually, the snow will mostly melt off and allow some access.

[Tiger4x4RV]

Most of us SoCal residents know nothing about snow. In my early and less-knowing 4x4 RV days, I came up a mountain road to where there was a drift of snow across the road. It looked like maybe easy to blast through and go on along the clear road on the far side. Fortunately, I had the good sense to get out and check that drift. It was hiding a tree that had fallen across the road. Time to turn back.