2022 and Beyond - Snow Levels

General discussions on hiking in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest
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cfm
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Re: 2022 and Beyond - Snow Levels

Post by cfm » May 2nd, 2022, 3:57 pm

Silver Star South Ridge on Sat 4/30, this is app 3800 ft, 1-2 feet of soft snow.
Sridgeclimb.jpg
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walrus
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Re: 2022 and Beyond - Snow Levels

Post by walrus » May 3rd, 2022, 7:08 pm

5/1 Defiance

Snow (soft) started around 3000 feet, several feet deep at the top. We put on snowshoes around 4000'. Some folx made it to the top without snowshoes, post-holing all the way, sometimes hip-deep.

Warren Lake still snow-covered, but a few feet of water all the way around the edge.

Lots of calypsos and glacier lilies coming down Starvation Ridge!

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Charley
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Re: 2022 and Beyond - Snow Levels

Post by Charley » May 5th, 2022, 4:28 pm

Loowit Trail, May 5, 2022:

This is the only bare tread I could find. Around 4300'.
unnamed-1.jpg

Location:
unnamed.png

Otherwise, there was lots and lots of snow to be enjoyed:
unnamed-2.jpg
Believe it or not, I barely ever ride a mountain bike.

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drm
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Re: 2022 and Beyond - Snow Levels

Post by drm » May 5th, 2022, 6:50 pm

Looks like a sweet campsite. The snow was soft for your turns?

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Charley
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Re: 2022 and Beyond - Snow Levels

Post by Charley » May 7th, 2022, 10:52 pm

drm wrote:
May 5th, 2022, 6:50 pm
Looks like a sweet campsite. The snow was soft for your turns?
Very, very soft.
Believe it or not, I barely ever ride a mountain bike.

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Charley
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Re: 2022 and Beyond - Snow Levels

Post by Charley » May 13th, 2022, 10:54 pm

Tuesday, 5/10/22:

Frozen condensation along the Franklin Ridge Trail, at 2,800'.
unnamed.jpg
This is actually hail, not snow. This was the only frozen condensation I saw: the trail up from Multnomah Falls was snow free the whole way! The woods are beautiful up there, so if the weather is good, go for it.
Believe it or not, I barely ever ride a mountain bike.

Aimless
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Location: Lake Oswego

Re: 2022 and Beyond - Snow Levels

Post by Aimless » May 14th, 2022, 7:20 am

Yesterday I hiked on the Boulder Ridge trail in the Salmon-Huckleberry wilderness. No snow at all up to about 3450 ft. elevation but by 3550 ft. it was continuous, soft and rather recent snow, about half a foot deep in places.

AlpenGlowHiker
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Re: 2022 and Beyond - Snow Levels

Post by AlpenGlowHiker » May 17th, 2022, 5:30 am

May 15th, 2022
Location: Gifford Pinchot, east of Trout Lake, WA

Continuous snow starts at approx. 3000'.

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Charley
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Re: 2022 and Beyond - Snow Levels

Post by Charley » May 20th, 2022, 9:41 pm

May 20, 2022:
Hiked up the PCT from Herman Creek. Went as far as 3,740', and found only three small patches of snow, like so:
unnamed-2.jpg
The trail's in good shape. There are definitely large patches of poison oak, but you can avoid them if you can recognize the plant.
Believe it or not, I barely ever ride a mountain bike.

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rubiks
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Re: 2022 and Beyond - Snow Levels

Post by rubiks » May 22nd, 2022, 6:21 pm

Sunday 5/22, went up East Zigzag by way of Burnt Lake. Snow started ~3000', and became continuous just about at the lake. The last half-mile or so before the lake was the worst kind of snow, the firm old kind that fills in the trail bench on the sidesloping sections. The lake itself is mostly frozen over, with maybe 10% melted out. The shoreline and all the campsites are still buried, so no bare spots to sit down for lunch.

There were no tracks above the lake, we broke trail all the way up East Zigzag. There was more snow up East Zigzag, at least a couple feet at the top. We went early, so the snow was all pretty firm everywhere. Never sank in more than ankle deep (okay, maybe shin deep as we plunge stepped back down). Spikes were not necessary, but they were useful in a couple spots.

Two USFS rangers were hiking up as we were hiking down and asked if we had a wilderness permit. This was only the third or fourth time I've seen a ranger out of a hike, and the first time I've ever had one ask about a permit.
You know exactly what to do.
There's no need to be afraid.
Keep walking.

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