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 I'd say there's a bit of snow up at the Portal...  Trailhead bathroom...  Overflow parking lot bathroom...  Typical boot track... The track cut through Ravine and the Trailhead Overnight Campgrounds (guess this was Doug's track...).  Meysan Trailhead...  Lots of rockfall on the road...  Mudslide or Avi... (Reminds me of a decade-Plus ago when there was an even bigger debris field across the road...) As Doug told us, the gate at the bottom is locked (for good reasons). Getting up to the Portal was pretty trivial because of the good (snowshoe originally) track. I headed up the Main Trail track, which essentially went straight up the Carillon Creek drainage. I made it to about 9,000' on the MR... Next time up will be with snowshoes... I think a track could be run straight up the drainage from the turn-off, instead of wandering through the trees (holding back the insults I'd like to throw at the existing track...that petered out...probably due to snow and spin...I used a lot of S words...) There is a good track up/down the "Old Trail"...  The spindrift off of the crest was amazing...the wind was blowing down the canyon hard enough to slow progress at times...
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Thanks Richard , yes I went up/down the Ravine area, a new guy in town had put in the track and it saves the last loop up the road. Road shows some more melt but once in the shade is slow going , I think by the road markers about 1- 1 1/2feet less. This weekend a warm spell may help but will only start the run off problems! Look at the snow holding look at the aqua duct look at the snow look at the .... , Look at the webcams that Jeff added and you can see the valley getting water now.
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I'm wondering what you think about opening...considering the damage on the road now and (more concerning) what's to come with the considerable melt off?
BTW: there have been a couple of CAT front loaders working the tracks down in our area...wondering whether they're BLM, or DWP? Last time up Indian Wells Canyon, nothing had been done there yet... If it's BLM. it's a pleasant surprise to see such fast action to clean up a major mess... (already had 1 cross-rut, high speed crash due to the damage)
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First I moved this to the top of the threads so the posts can be updated and easy to find,
Ok the main concerns are 1. If we have a long period of warm days (24 hours above 32) , light warm winds coming up canyon and no cloud cover. Heavy runoff
2. The south facing sides are melting out now Slopes and road surface , this allows for heat to transfer in the area and melt more area.( We at times will shovel 2-3' squares in the snow covered road about 7-10' apart and if the area gets sun will melt the snow between the holes we cut in a day).
3. Much of the upper elevation snow will be removed by sublimation over time. This process is slower than melt but saves the threat of flooding below.
Now all the above is working now as you can see from the pictures Richard posted Dry road in the south facing area , the signs at the Meysan Parking area are showing about 1- 1 1/2' less snow in the shaded area from my trip 2 weeks ago this is part sublimation and melt.
The major concerns are slides off the north facing areas holding snow also the south facing but they have already started to slide.
The melt has started, North Fork has a good flow now and the Carrilion creek is flowing strong . The North fork will be prime for snow bridges , so will tree and rock wells. ( side note on tree wells, first time I can recall the tree trunks held enough heat to keep the snow away from the base and acted like the drip line effect) .
When the main canyon runoff starts , this adds to the already lower run off plus the north fork and carrilon run off plus the lower canyon walls, Meysan canyon and at the lower elevation add the Lone Pine Peak runoff and several seasonal creeks that will flow into lone pine creek in the Lone Pine Campground area. Most likely the water will breach the road at Lone Pine Campground area (added problem the fire 2 years ago could bring debris into the flow and again plug the culverts ).
Notice during the construction of the Aquaduct most of Lone Pine Creek water was directed into the aquaduct, as all the creeks north, Water and Power working long days clearing out culverts and flooding the valley floor getting ready for the melt, Owens Lake will hold much of the run off but getting the water across the aquaduct and 395 could be a problem .I recall the 1969 flood. Olancha had some water problems and has already this spring ( that hints to 395 being closed or bypassed in several areas, see the flooding signs just south of Olancha near the 4 lane and another area about 10 miles south )
Well the good news is we have had one slide that stopped about 200' from the store and if we can weather the next 2-3 weeks without another slide taking out the store life will be great ( back part of the store was taken out during the 69 spring runoff and warm heavy rain, also took out the trailhead bathroom and much damage in the Sierra) Trial was move to the horse trail that is the now the main Whitney Trail .
The County clears the road to the overflow parking lot , FS clears around the pond and parking lots , both are overloaded with washed out roads, slides and getting ready for the run off. We might not be high on the list getting the road open , we are lucky that the road has some rocks but nothing yet that would need blasting and about the normal amount of rock fall over the winter, the area just past the lower gate had slid around late Dec and is normal for that area.
On the trail the first creek will run high this season , most likely above the rock hop , the water will be raging but not deep just wide say 50' plan for this crossing , next will be the area as you enter Outpost camp this will be a very wet area and could require walking in the water for several hundred feet like the old days , then the outlet of the waterfall , that stream will be very wide but not deep, outlet from Mirror lake the steps will be under water early season . Canyon above trailside Meadow will be very hard to climb/ either ice or soft snow ,this area most likely will be the turn around for many early season hikers.
I will post as we start to get near the road opening and the store opening.
I would suggest not doing the April hikes to miss the permit system. Conditions are very unstable and often during mild winters we experience fatal accidents during this transition period.
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Any update on getting the high resolution camera back up? Would be very nice to have with all this snow on the mountain!
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It's up and has been working for the last couple of weeks. Click on Webcam 1 at the top. We had to switch a few things on the back end, so you may be using a deprecated link. I'm going to put in weekly time-lapse videos soon, so that will help with planning also.
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Did another hike up to the Portal today... Significant melt (compared to last time) on the lower switchback (road). The snow was mushy on the way down, so the days of firm snow (other than morning) may be gone already... Here's another pic of the WPS:  And the turnout in the afternoon: 
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Walked a little ways past the Portal today... Snow is in terrible shape...postholing with snowshoes on... Don't know whether to blame BC Skiers, or slides, but the tracks up the Old Trail area were destroyed. I backtracked and headed up the Carillon Creek track and then looped down the Old Trail area... The "tunnel" under the road must be plugged because Carillon Creek was running down the road...one positive: it's taking out a lot of the snow...big areas of pavement showing... Here are a couple of photos:  Snow sluffed off the WPS roof.  That's the Kitchen completely buried. Don't know if I'll be heading back up any time soon...the snow seems to be mash potatoes with no consolidation at the first sign of warming...and not too happy about SH's messing up tracks that take a LOT of work to put in (and it wasn't even my work!)
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Notice how fast the roof cleared from 4-7 to 4-10 this also means way hot/ way quick not good for the run off .
On the track I can't understand why people would like to post hole up to the waist, risk twisting a knee or ankle or worse. A track is set so we all use the same track ,that track becomes a trail, hard firm packed snow easy to walk in the track no post holing limited risk of injury.
I see the same pattern on Baldy . Oh well a long time friend has an saying do what you want you will anyway.
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Has anyone been up in the last day or two? Know there have been some slides but would be curious to hear how things look now and how the top is looking with the warmer weather this week. If anyone has a trip report to share or any insight as to when things might be safer for skinning up, would be interested to hear!
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Anyone know the current conditions on the whitney portal road? Can it be biked?
Also, any update on MR conditions?
Thanks!
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Haven't been up there since the last trip a week ago...
When I was up there last, with a little hike-a-bike on the second switchback, you'd be able to ride up a ways past the turnout (top of 2nd switchback) towards the campgrounds...
I'm sure there's been plenty more melt, but rocks on the road is also a concern and will require dismounts...
There was a rider on an e-bike...I was jealous...
BTW: again, with a little hike-a-bike, Horseshoe Meadows Road would be a fun ride...early enough in the day, you might be able to stay on top of firm snow for some of the ride...(assuming a MTB)
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Took a e bike ride to the just below the main campground .Bike brake keep locking up co turned around.Road is dry from the bottom gate to this area .The slide above the first switchback is a few rocks,mud and branches.
Lone Pine Campground will open 25 April ,Portal still a guess,first the county road crew and then the Forest Service can do the work they need to do.
I have talked with several groups doing the mountaineering route,all report slow going ,snow shoes and all the gear for winter travel.
Cooler today but temps picking up again.
It looks like much of lower elevation snow has cleared to about 7500 ft,above that deep snow.
Several weeks will clear snow mostly in the Portal some may remain in the shaded areas.For some not fimilar with the old days we would have snow behind the store till late June.Shovel out the doors to get in and open ,road around the pond would be deep snow till traffic would plow it out.
Guide groups going often now so a track should be in on the North Fork,snow bridges should start showing,don't blindly follow the creek as you are about 25 feet above the creek now.
Will update when we have a firm opening.
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Hey great work, like I posted glad you got the coverage , I didn't mention great ride down , took the bike to a shop today, they think it might be overheated motor plus the rear brakes . Going back up next Tuesday see were the snow level starts , I assume above the campground that section of road will clear if not already`, still the shaded areas will have snow for several more weeks.
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Going back up next Tuesday see were the snow level starts , I assume above the campground that section of road will clear if not already`, still the shaded areas will have snow for several more weeks.
What time are you heading up? If I can get my wife to trade my single speed e-bike for her multi-speed, folding e-bike, I'd like to join you...
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Bike is in the shop ,the thought about over heating might be the problem also the shop wants to bleed the brakes
So I will be traveling bipedal.I want to hit the road early in case the snow is soft the last section. Or I could go later and use show shoes? Thanks
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