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Yosemite - early season backpacking impressions

#Conditions

Rick A. All Messages By This Member #76697 Hi All, I spent the weekend up in Yosemite for some early season backpacking and was blown away how massive the snow pack is this year. No surprise here after reading all the snow reports, but seeing it in person is so impressive. Almost made it up to El Capitan (~7600 ft) some notes: - high snow trail markers weren’t visible as they were buried in snow - some creek crossings were already challenging and they likely will become impassible soon. I’d be surprised if the valley won’t flood in the coming weeks. - Hiked the first bit of the JMT, up to Nevada falls, It’s just a gorgeous hike. Short video documenting fun creek crossings and snow play ;-) Happy Trails!
Mike McCormick All Messages By This Member #76700 开云体育 Nice video. Thank you for posting. toggle quoted message Show quoted text On Apr 25, 2023, at 12:01 PM, Rick A. <nobohiker@...> wrote: Hi All, I spent the weekend up in Yosemite for some early season backpacking and was blown away how massive the snow pack is this year. No surprise here after reading all the snow reports, but seeing it in person is so impressive. Almost made it up to El Capitan (~7600 ft) some notes: - high snow trail markers weren’t visible as they were buried in snow - some creek crossings were already challenging and they likely will become impassible soon. I’d be surprised if the valley won’t flood in the coming weeks. - Hiked the first bit of the JMT, up to Nevada falls, It’s just a gorgeous hike. Short video documenting fun creek crossings and snow play ;-) Happy Trails!
Karina Bezkrovnaia All Messages By This Member #76701 开云体育 And that’s why park is closing now as they have flood warming. Karina Bezkrovnaia toggle quoted message Show quoted text On Apr 25, 2023, at 13:26, Mike McCormick <mike.mccormick@...> wrote: ?Nice video. Thank you for posting. On Apr 25, 2023, at 12:01 PM, Rick A. <nobohiker@...> wrote: Hi All, I spent the weekend up in Yosemite for some early season backpacking and was blown away how massive the snow pack is this year. No surprise here after reading all the snow reports, but seeing it in person is so impressive. Almost made it up to El Capitan (~7600 ft) some notes: - high snow trail markers weren’t visible as they were buried in snow - some creek crossings were already challenging and they likely will become impassible soon. I’d be surprised if the valley won’t flood in the coming weeks. - Hiked the first bit of the JMT, up to Nevada falls, It’s just a gorgeous hike. Short video documenting fun creek crossings and snow play ;-) Happy Trails!
Rick A. All Messages By This Member #76704 Oh wow, yes indeed.
Richard All Messages By This Member #76705 Thanks! I'm heading in pretty soon, going up to Half Dome and Clouds Rest, so this is invaluable. (I just posted a query asking about conditions.) You not only didn't need snowshoes, but do appear to be using microspikes, correct? Were those completely sufficient? I suspect the snow might be deep enough going up Clouds Rest that I'd be postholing in the upcoming conditions, though. Hmmm.
Rick A. All Messages By This Member #76706 Hi Richard. I brought Crampons since they give a bit of extra loft due to the front teeth but they come with the price of being less bendy and harder on the heel and toes (also for steep hill sides), but I mostly moved with my boots only. In shaded and north facing areas, the snow is nice an consolidated, so very easy to walk on. In sun exposed areas it was very slushy and hard to move forward. Make sure to bring fast drying boots, I made the mistake bringing my Moab's they take forever to dry. Good luck! Rick ?
Richard All Messages By This Member #76707 Thanks; I've got a pair of insulated Salomon winter boots that I'll bring. (Salomon X Ultra Mid Winter CS WP from 2019, fwiw. With OR Crocodile gaiters I never get cold feet or a hint of snow down the boot. I can't believe I might get lousy weather — this is a replay of a trip last year in early April, when the group I was leading got hit by the only late-season snowstorm. We had to bail on Half Dome, but went _almost_ to the top of Clouds Rest. Because of 50 mph gusts I told the rest of the crew they were welcome to go that last hundred meters, but I was going to stay down where the ridgeline wasn't so scary. That's me in the photo, with the top of Clouds Rest above me.
Rick A. All Messages By This Member #76709 Edited You definitively made the right decision not summit that day. Hiking smart is for sure the right thing to do, there is absolutely no shame in turning around - I applaud everyone doing so and it produces a reason to come back to hike some more. Good luck with your upcoming trip and make sure to keep us updated with the latest

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