2015 Snow Level Thread

General discussions on hiking in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest
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BigBear
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Re: 2015 Snow Level Thread

Post by BigBear » May 29th, 2015, 2:00 pm

For what it's worth, as it seems to be confirmed by off-season ventures into the high areas, is this:

This year was NOT a drought year for the immediate area. We received 98% of the rain we normally receive.

What was abnormal was that the freezing level this winter was not in the 2,000-5,000 foot range for much of the winter, it was at the 8,000 foot range. Snow measurements are often taken at the lower elevations on the mountain, and this year that meant below where the freezing level was much of the winter. Thus, the higher you go, the more likely you are to encounter an average snowpack.

Klamath County has been the exception during the past decade or so. The precipitation which that region typically receives is landing on Mt. Shasta where the glaciers have actually been growing in size, leaving Klamath in more of a rain shadow than has been the norm during the past century.

Glacial ebbing and growth in the past century has varied on Rainier (growth in the 1960s, then a sudden ebbing; and in Glacier where the glaciers nearly disappeared after it was established as a national park, then the glaciers grew significantly, and in the past 40 years have ebbed. It's almost like watching a tide at the beach, but where the movements of the moon occur over a century instead of over a single day.

The other interesting "drought" issue is California. Is this area experiencing a drought? Based on the past hundred years of data, California is most-assuredly getting less precipitation. However, based on the past thousand years, the 20th century was a period of relative deluge, according to the measurements of tree ring width of ancient trees. This situation is quite interesting in the future of how California makes use of its water resources as the population increases and the precipitation returns to what may be called "normal" or dry.

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Don Nelsen
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Re: 2015 Snow Level Thread

Post by Don Nelsen » May 29th, 2015, 2:38 pm

I hiked and camped in the area SW of MSH the past two days and saw no mosquitos at all and no black flies or other annoying bugs either. Nice! There was a hummingbird flying around my camp at 3500' Thursday morning which was a nice surprise. Here is what MSH looked like on 5/28 from my camping spot on a ridge 5 miles SW of the mountain. Looks like the snow level for an average early August day.

Image

-dn
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

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drm
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Re: 2015 Snow Level Thread

Post by drm » May 30th, 2015, 6:21 am

BigBear wrote:This year was NOT a drought year for the immediate area. We received 98% of the rain we normally receive.
Traditionally, people have thought of drought based solely on how much precipitation has fallen recently. But these days I think a working definition relates more to how much water there is in the system: creek and river levels, soil moisture, etc. So it isn't just that there is no low-altitude snow. We had record warmth over the winter, so the ground is also dry where it is lacking snow cover. And with the sun high in the sky and the higher-altitude snow disappearing quickly, there will be a lot more dry ground than now. That normal level of precip we had is not sitting in the soil, a lot of it made it's way to the ocean.

If you look up dictionary definitions of drought, most still depend on precipitation, but I think that scientists working in the field use more nuanced definitions.

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drm
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Re: 2015 Snow Level Thread

Post by drm » May 31st, 2015, 1:22 pm

Cairn Basin is about 50% snow covered. TT starts to get snow patches going east from Top Spur connection just after the steep/shortcut to McNeil. The creek crossing just before Cairn Basin, which I think is the northernmost fork of McGee Creek has a steep step-kicking snow slope to get to. Once you pass Ladd Creek, there is essentially 100% coverage of the TT.

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-Q-
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Re: 2015 Snow Level Thread

Post by -Q- » June 1st, 2015, 4:54 pm

Juniper Ridge-Sunrise Peak-Jumbo Peak... no snow at all.
Closest snow is on the north side of Craggy Peak.

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drm
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Re: 2015 Snow Level Thread

Post by drm » June 3rd, 2015, 7:17 am

The snotel at Aneroid Lake went to zero yesterday. As far as I can tell, all Oregon snotels are now snowless.

Lyman Lake in Central Washington still has 20 inches or so, but that will be zero by next week after the coming heat wave. Harts Pass, at 6490', has 2 inches.

Of course there are no snotels in wilderness and plenty of north-facing slopes above 6000 feet have snow yet to melt, but I heard that this heat wave is supposed to last well into next week.

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romann
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Re: 2015 Snow Level Thread

Post by romann » June 21st, 2015, 10:58 pm

On Sunday 6/21/15 (click for full size)

Mt. Adams' west side
DSC_1995.JPG
Goat Rocks
DSC_1996.JPG

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