Official 2017 Snow Level Thread

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

Post by retired jerry » January 17th, 2017, 9:45 am

okay, I apologize for complaining it wasn't cold enough

Now, I'm complaining it's taking too long to go away

I'm sure the swimming pool ice is thick enough to walk on. I put some weight on it with no problem.

Should I try walking across pool?

Wife says no...

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Charley
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Re: Official 2017 Snow Level Thread

Post by Charley » January 17th, 2017, 1:23 pm

Steve20050 wrote:At least we have snow pack so far. Let's just hope we don't get a Pineapple Express and melt it. I also recall this being an issue with highway 35 up there above the upper valley. One year I could hear the boulders rolling down the river from all the snowmelt. That was one of the times 35 got taken out, though I think this usually occurs in November or early December and not this late into the snow season.
It looks like that's about to happen again. Oy.
Believe it or not, I barely ever ride a mountain bike.

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romann
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Re: Official 2017 Snow Level Thread

Post by romann » February 13th, 2017, 9:05 pm

Larch Mtn. Rd becomes snowy about 2/3 mile to the gate, possible to drive all the way with a 4x4. Hiking down to Bridal Veil Creek, snow really increases closer to the river, around 2000' it became too deep on forest roads to go without snowshoes.
DSC_0696.JPG
Larch Mtn Rd had its share of down trees, all cleared off enough to drive through...
DSC_0691.JPG
Last 1/2 mile to the gate

dikkeknodel
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Re: Official 2017 Snow Level Thread

Post by dikkeknodel » February 21st, 2017, 5:31 pm

I did a nice hike yesterday that turned out a bit tougher. The original plan was to do Elk Mountain-King's Mountain Loop Hike, however I was advised to not do the Elk Mountain part because it's to tough in the winter by hikers I bumped into when going up from King's Mountain Trailhead.

- Snow started showing up here and there from about 1000 ft altitude.
- Continuous snow was available from 1700 ft
- From 2500 ft the snow started to really impact the ability to hike (no snow shoes).
- Between King's Mountain and the highest point of Elk Creek Trail I was always about 1 ft of snow with the upper of the spectrum being 2 ft.

I left a nice waving welcome near 45.6261/-123.5027 :D
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Smile and wave!
Keep hiking!

bushwhacker
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Re: Official 2017 Snow Level Thread

Post by bushwhacker » March 3rd, 2017, 7:06 am

Taking advantage of the last predicted dry day until July 5th I decided to see how far up the Herman Creek trail I could get. Not too far it seems. Almost made it to the Casey Creek Trail junction. The going is really slow and best described as tedious. Lots of blow down which I had to cut through just to move forward and lots of snow and ice. If you go bring micro spikes and lots of patients (and work gloves to help clear some of the stuff off of the trail otherwise it will never happen).

Here's a shot of the typical trail conditions once you get past that first falls. Wouldn't have been so bad if it had been all snow but there was a lot of crushed ice in there also which made traction difficult.
IMG_0222b.jpg
Herman Creek Trail 3/2/2017

dikkeknodel
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Re: Official 2017 Snow Level Thread

Post by dikkeknodel » March 3rd, 2017, 11:13 am

bushwhacker wrote:lots of patients
I agree, those patients really slow you down, don't they? I tend to drop them in the nearest emergency room before I go hiking, and they really appreciate that too :lol:.
Keep hiking!

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Official 2017 Snow Level Thread

Post by Don Nelsen » March 3rd, 2017, 4:56 pm

bushwhacker wrote:Taking advantage of the last predicted dry day until July 5th I decided to see how far up the Herman Creek trail I could get. Not too far it seems. Almost made it to the Casey Creek Trail junction. The going is really slow and best described as tedious. Lots of blow down which I had to cut through just to move forward and lots of snow and ice. If you go bring micro spikes and lots of patients (and work gloves to help clear some of the stuff off of the trail otherwise it will never happen).

Here's a shot of the typical trail conditions once you get past that first falls. Wouldn't have been so bad if it had been all snow but there was a lot of crushed ice in there also which made traction difficult.
IMG_0222b.jpg
Thanks for the info. I was headed out there today but after I saw your report and photo I went to Dog Mt. instead.

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

bushwhacker
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Re: Official 2017 Snow Level Thread

Post by bushwhacker » March 8th, 2017, 4:10 pm

So the intent was to go up towards Devils Rest and cut over to Multnomah Way Road and loop back around and down Multnomah Falls. But that little voice said maybe I should do this in the opposite direction 'just in case'.

Looks like the Larch Mountain Trail bridge took another hit.
IMG_0225b.jpg
By this tree.
IMG_0226b.jpg
All seems well though. Just another bend in the railing. The bridge is still standing and seems stable. But with all the dings it's beginning to take on the appearance of a bridge Dr. Seuss would create.

On the other side of the bridge it's all snow.
IMG_0227b.jpg
I kept going but just short of where that repair work was done last year on the trail (I believe there was a write up in the RX section a while back on this repair going bad) I gave up. Completely snowed over and it is a long steep slide right into Multnomah Creek if you loose your footing so my take is that the Larch Mountain Trail is a no go until it melts out some more. This would have been a long backtrack if I had come in from the opposite direction.

Looking back at where I gave up.
IMG_0224b.jpg
Any guesses on how long it's going to take this much snow to melt?
IMG_0233b.jpg

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retired jerry
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Re: Official 2017 Snow Level Thread

Post by retired jerry » March 8th, 2017, 4:19 pm

It's amazing how much snow there's been at those low elevation trails this winter

Looks like the bridge is still usable

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Official 2017 Snow Level Thread

Post by Don Nelsen » March 8th, 2017, 6:50 pm

bushwhacker wrote: So Any guesses on how long it's going to take this much snow to melt?
IMG_0233b.jpg
The gorge canyons stay pretty cold/cool and with the pattern that has been so persistent this entire winter the snow will last well into the spring given things continue as they have. The worst two years that I have good documented personal experience, 1985 and 1996 the snow in the canyons lasted until May. I was there, of course, in '64, '68/'69, '79 and '80 but I do not have good photographic proof and did not take good notes. My original thoughts for this year were that the snow and ice would last until mid March, later amended to late March. This appears to be a bit optimistic.

Warm rain is what it takes to rapidly melt snow and ice and even condensation helps - a lot. Consider: evaporation cools and condensation heats. When water vapor condenses on ice and snow, heat is released and the snow and ice melts. This effect has been minimal this year due to continued cold/cool temperatures and the result is for all to see.

So, no way to predict details but in general, it is going to take a long time to melt. I will continue to go out and explore and report. However, I'm heading off to Death Valley in a few days. I will report on that, too!!

dn
Last edited by Don Nelsen on March 9th, 2017, 9:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
"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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