Sierra Snow

[HardPack]

The 2024 Sierra west slope Spring runoff may be substantially less than the Spring of 2023 unless snowfall totals increase over the next two months. Approximately 30 inches on the ground or about 30% in average for this time of year. 

January, 2023, Homestead Cabin, Elevation 7,000 feet, looking west.



January, 2024,  Homestead Cabin, elevation 7,000 feet, looking south.

[phrunt]

Super jealous that's considered a low snow level! Awesome!  Nice photos of the previous year too.

[HardPack]

14 hours ago, phrunt said:

Super jealous that's considered a low snow level! Awesome!  Nice photos of the previous year too.

Here is the end of last winter 2022/23. At the south entry porch located on the left is buried a ladder that extends from the bottom of the doorway down 8 feet to the ground. There is actually a human and two cats living inside the cabin. His firewood is stored under the cabin for winter with access through a floor hatch. He puts on his snow suit in late fall leaving it on until late spring. Snowshoeing pass on a sunny day I find him standing outside warming himself. No electricity, propane or telephone only water and books. Over the years he has knock loose all the wooden bridging between the ceiling joists for additional firewood. After he finishes a read the book often finds itself inside the woodstove. When in need of assistance he sits in the porch doorway yelling to the south. The echos comes at you from all directions. The first time I heard it I could not figure out what it was let alone locate where it was coming from. He claims to have panned a few flakes from the creek just a few yards to the south. A few winters back there was 10 feet of snow on the ground by the end of December. During the January following 17 inches of rain fell. The runoff could not reach the creek channel so cut a new channel beneath the snow that ran under his cabin flushing out all his firewood.  

50 years and still he has not found a good woman to share his cabin in the woods. 

[HardPack]

Here’s a recent photo of the view to the south. Beyond the nearest ridge and to the left (east) is the north boundary country of Yosemite.  A section of the original Tahoe to Yosemite Trail (TYT) is left of the photo. The rivers in this watershed flow to the right (west) down to the foothill goldfields. During the Ice Age(s) an ice field stretched south covering the terrain below to Tuolumne Meadows and beyond. The canyon glaciers flowed both east and west down the rivers canyons from this upper ice sheet. The only structures pointing above the ice sheet was the upper portion of the first ridge and the higher peaks. A lateral moraine is located just to the right (north) of the cabins pictured above.  

 

[Rick N. MI]

Still looks like a lot of snow. Nice photos.

[John-Edmonton]

Nice photos. Most of that snow will make it to gold containing waterways and spread it around. 

[HardPack]

18 hours ago, Rick N. MI said:

Still looks like a lot of snow

More than I would want to shovel. More is on the way…

[HardPack]

14 hours ago, John-Edmonton said:

Most of that snow will make it to gold containing waterways and spread it around. 

…then to concentrate in my pan. Many a prospector passed through these mountains, first to the west then to the east.

[RickUK]

Terrific shots,a couple of inches of snow here in the UK brings the whole country to a stand still as we dont get a great amount of snow and just not geared up for it.

[HardPack]

1 hour ago, RickUK said:

and just not geared up for it

In 1841 the Bidwell-Bartleson Party passed through the mountains pictured in the photo to the south headed for the Marsh Ranch near Mount Diablo. Their route is estimated to be just south of the near ridge pictured in the photo. At that point they were down to pack horses and low on supplies including food. When the party came to a point where they could view the California coastal mountain range they actually thought the far off mountains were the Sierra Nevada. Fortunately, near the San Joaquin River the party was found then guided to the Marsh Ranch. When discovered along the river the Miwok had taken and eaten their remaining pack horses. The party’s supplies were exhausted and they were reduced to sharing a coyote. John Bidwell would be employed by Sutter at the Russian fur trading Fort Ross. Bidwell would be elected a California State Senator. His mansion located in Chico is open for public tours. Another party member was Nancy Kelsey who carried her baby as she walked across these mountains. Kelseyville near Clear Lake, Lake County is named for her family. Her crossing is still celebrated in the mountains.

The Donner Party attempted a late Sierra crossing further to the north of Lake Tahoe. One of the survivors would marry and settle down with John App, of Apps quartz mine. Their home is located near Woods Crossing, the Tuolumne County gold discovery location west of Jamestown. The roof of their home recently burned.

Neither of these emigrant parties were the first to cross the Sierra. They were only the first to have survived the crossing that could write.

A lot of snow, a lot of steps, a lot of gold and a lot of history.