Official 2017 Snow Level Thread

General discussions on hiking in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest
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xrp
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Re: Official 2017 Snow Level Thread

Post by xrp » July 14th, 2017, 2:43 pm

ZigZag Ranger Station reports no problems on Timberline Trail from Timberline to Paradise Park. She did state there are snow patches, but the entire trail is navigable. Mosquitoes likely moderate or worse at the lower elevations.

Mt Adams Ranger Station reports the PCT is melted out and navigable through Indian Heaven Wilderness. She said this would probably be the best weekend for immediate "post-melt down before mosquitoes get bad backpacking."

I'm trying to decide which of the two I want to do this weekend after likely passing on doing Trapper Creek Wilderness & Observation Peak.

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drm
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Re: Official 2017 Snow Level Thread

Post by drm » July 15th, 2017, 5:28 am

xrp wrote:I'm trying to decide which of the two I want to do this weekend after likely passing on doing Trapper Creek Wilderness & Observation Peak.
If you hate hiking with mosquitoes then do Indian Heaven. They won't last long on Mt Hood but will be around IH for most of the summer most likely.

Timberline is melted out at junction with Vista Ridge. The are various snow banks in the area but in the short distance to the turnoff to Dollar, none were too much to lose the trail.

pdxgene
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Re: Official 2017 Snow Level Thread

Post by pdxgene » July 15th, 2017, 7:24 am

Anyone been up Yocum Ridge?

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Official 2017 Snow Level Thread

Post by Don Nelsen » July 15th, 2017, 8:55 am

Looks like most lakes in Jefferson Park are ice-free but the eastern one, Russell Lake is still ice/snow covered. Here is a picture I took about noon yesterday (7/14) from the 7,600' level on Jefferson's north ridge. Lots of mosquitoes, even high on the ridge - They must be horrible down lower!

Image
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

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drm
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Re: Official 2017 Snow Level Thread

Post by drm » July 20th, 2017, 2:00 pm

Went up Riley Ck trail on Mt Adams. No snow on Riley or on PCT in that area. We went above to Crystal Lake at 6200+ and it was essentially snow-free too! A few patches in the final section is all. LOTS of mosquitoes though. But it got cold last night (low 40s) and mosquitoes were gone by 7pm and not there this morning either. Lots of flowers too, especially lupine, but plenty of buttercups, indian paintbrush and many others. This all tells me that the snowmelt on Adams is now actually ahead of average, for a lake that high to be open in mid-July.

mac3258
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Re: Official 2017 Snow Level Thread

Post by mac3258 » July 22nd, 2017, 6:07 am

We just finished timberline loop yesterday, had planned on hiking three sisters loop next. Any word on snow levels there?

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retired jerry
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Re: Official 2017 Snow Level Thread

Post by retired jerry » July 22nd, 2017, 6:36 am

If no one gives a report, I can say I've found Three Sisters melts sooner than Mt Hood, it should be fine. Rivers are much easier to cross.

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retired jerry
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Re: Official 2017 Snow Level Thread

Post by retired jerry » August 13th, 2017, 5:19 am

damn... 0.05 inches of rain over 4 hours...

57 days, 3rd longest in history, short of 71 day record

good chance there won't be any rain in next 2 weeks, so close...

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retired jerry
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Re: Official 2017 Snow Level Thread

Post by retired jerry » August 29th, 2017, 6:48 am

it's been 74 days without rain, breaking the record with no end in sight

except for that pesky 0.05 inches in 4 hours

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drm
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Re: Official 2017 Snow Level Thread

Post by drm » August 29th, 2017, 9:10 am

They don't keep records for number of days with one measurable rainfall. And we had trace rain also during that stretch.

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