Rae Lakes Loop Trail Conditions

[Tapout or Blackout]

Does anyone know how the Rae Lakes Loop trail conditions are going to be like end of March, beginning of April? I'm considering doing a backpack trip, but don't know if there will be too much snow. I'm not a great navigator, so will need at least a partially defined path.

[Ellen]

Howdy

Recommend checking the Whitney Portal Store hiking forum and Summitpost.

http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/forum ... 1e6984a11d

http://www.summitpost.org/phpBB2/viewfo ... ebf9a958c7

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[Hikin_Jim]

I'd say there'd be a lot of snow, particularly on the pass just south of Rae Lakes (Glen Pass, 11,978'). Are you planning a snow shoe backpack?

That's a super popular area, so the trails might be tracked; I honestly don't know, but you could still be getting significant snow fall that time of year, so even if someone had broken trail, it could get snowed up again.

Part of that route is the PCT. The PCT is of course pretty well traveled, and this year's through hikers will be coming through. However, March and April are still fairly early for most through hikers. Through hikers typically enter the Sierra in June.

You might want to also pose that question on Summit Post or the Whitney Portal boards which are more Sierra specific.

HJ

[KathyW]

Does anyone know how the Rae Lakes Loop trail conditions are going to be like end of March, beginning of April? I'm considering doing a backpack trip, but don't know if there will be too much snow. I'm not a great navigator, so will need at least a partially defined path.

Snow and lots of snow.

Here's some info on snow depth...etc. in the Sierra:

http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/snow/COURSES

To give you an idea:

Here's last year at the end of May looking over at Mt Gardiner, Mt Cotter, and Mt Clarence King above Sixty Lakes Basin and Arrowhead and Dollar Lakes from Diamond Peak near Baxter Pass:



Here's the view from toward Mount Silliman/Pear Lake and beyond from Alta Peak in the middle of April 2008 (a low snow year):



April through June is often a wonderful time in the Sierra, but there's lots of snow.

[Tapout or Blackout]

Thanks for the tips fellas. I didn't consider the showshoe aspect, but will bring them along if I go. I'll have to give Big Sur some more consideration.