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.

[profdant139]

I am sensing a consensus here. SMK, yes I have aggressive link chains (not just cables), but only for two of the four tires. I have driven off-pavement on unplowed forest roads, with no problem, but only with about six inches of snow. I do have a winch but have never had to use it.

And I have used the truck to "pre-plow" a forest road -- we unhitched, drove the truck to the campsite, and then went back for the trailer:


Click For Full-Size Image.

Bottom line -- that's probably as adventurous as I will get. But I was hoping some of you backwoods explorers had some stories of busting through deep drifts to get to a boondocking site.

[ppine]

You need the roads to open. Towing a trailer in the snow is not good. There are plenty of deep drifts that need to be cleared. Most of our passes in the central Sierra are still closed. Pay attention to the elevation of camp sites you want to visit.

I have camped several times in 12 feet of snow, but that was on xc skis. As the snow melts there will be drifts left over from the winter in the shade and on north facing slopes. All it takes is one drift to stop you in your tracks. Bring a shovel or two and some chains and don't go too high.

[HadEnough]

This is more about going driving in the snow. And you are talking about off road? These are not plowed roads?

I was going to say if you can’t open your camper door, that means it’s probably too much snow to be camping. LOL

However, if you are talking about driving in the snow, it really depends on your vehicle and your trailer if any.

I wouldn’t go out driving in anything more than A few inches of snow on the road itself. Only go on plowed roads. I would not go off road in any kind of snow. Too easy to get stuck.

[pianotuna]

My yearly trek south is often in late November. So far, I've been lucky and have stayed a day ahead of any storm.

Coming North in March is another matter. I have been storm stayed in Grand Forks, ND with Highway #2 being closed to traffic. I do wish there were a campground with just electric power on that route.

[time2roll]

Consider just going in with the truck. If you make tracks easy enough the trailer should follow fairly well. Do you have link chains for all four on the Tacoma?

[romore]

If there is snow on the ground I'm heading south where it's warm. IMHO, camping and snow don't belong in the same sentence.

[mrw8i]

profdant139 wrote:
old guy is sort of right -- I have driven in snow, but only about 50 times. Not like a true mountain person. I do not consider myself an expert -- maybe a low intermediate?

But I do know that I can get in and out of a few inches of snow. I've done that several times with my trailer. I am really asking the experts, "What is the deepest snow that you have camped in?"

And yes, mrw, there is a lot of terrain under 7000 feet that is already clear. We were at June Lake not long ago, and the whole Volcanic Tableland is snow-free.

But the high country is really calling me -- gotta get up into that cold clear air, with 200 mile views. (Not at the price of getting badly stuck, though.)

Maybe time for a winch.

[profdant139]

old guy is sort of right -- I have driven in snow, but only about 50 times. Not like a true mountain person. I do not consider myself an expert -- maybe a low intermediate?

But I do know that I can get in and out of a few inches of snow. I've done that several times with my trailer. I am really asking the experts, "What is the deepest snow that you have camped in?"

And yes, mrw, there is a lot of terrain under 7000 feet that is already clear. We were at June Lake not long ago, and the whole Volcanic Tableland is snow-free.

But the high country is really calling me -- gotta get up into that cold clear air, with 200 mile views. (Not at the price of getting badly stuck, though.)

[Lwiddis]

Still in the eighties in Death Valley. How about going there and then west to the Sierras in a week or two?

[mrw8i]

High desert is not a bad place to camp this time of year. We are going to Lone Pine over Memorial weekend. Many others will be there as well, but it is still away from the city. It's not the type of camping you do, but it can be close. For you look at the road east out of Independence (I think it is Mazourka Cyn Road) and then heads north. It can get rough, but you might be able to get part way up. I've never been, but looks really cool.

[BB_TX]

Hmmm? He said he had driven on and camped in 6” of snow. What qualifies as “never driven in snow”?

Oops. Jfkmk beat me to it.

[jfkmk]

old guy wrote:
sounds to me like you have never driven in the snow before and are more then likely unprepared for doing so. I would stay home if I were you or take a grader with you to get yourself out of the snow banks

Don’t think so. He said “I have driven on and camped in six inches of snow.”

[old_guy]

sounds to me like you have never driven in the snow before and are more then likely unprepared for doing so. I would stay home if I were you or take a grader with you to get yourself out of the snow banks