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10b4me
climber
hanging by a thread
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Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 9, 2008 - 06:53pm PT
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per Chris Mac on the Lee Vining Thread.
I vote June 7th
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hossjulia
Trad climber
Eastside
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OK, here's the deal. From the eastside, CAl Trans has to plow through 2-3 large avalanche paths, (up to 50 feet) from the bottom up this year. (I have been stuck in Reno this winter and have not been up the road yet. I will be checking that out in 2 weeks.)
Tioga Pass Resort has been partly clearing these paths from the top down for the past 15 years or so, ever since they got a snow cat. They were closed this winter due to financial concerns, so the road went *wild* this winter.
My best guess-timate is it will take CalTrans 2-3 weeks longer to get up the road, depending on how much more snow there is in April and May.
Has anyone else been up there? if so, how may truck size or bigger boulders have come down? If they are as big or bigger than a full size truck they may have to be blasted to be removed. How big/deep are the avy paths?
There are good reasons that road is closed in winter, and it could take a lot to get it open this year. Any beta would be appreciated.
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Domingo
Trad climber
El Portal, CA
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They don't start plowing until April 15th; that's the only beta I have.
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hossjulia
Trad climber
Eastside
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From the eastside, or through the park?
Last year, the blower came by the resort in early April, 3-6 or so.
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Domingo
Trad climber
El Portal, CA
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Through the park, sorry.
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WBraun
climber
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It might be a looooonnnng wait.
This morning the plow crew took the equipment to plow the glacier point road, up to the Badger Pass staging area.
They said starting this monday they will plow the glacier point road. After that is finished only then will they go to plow Tioga road.
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BCD
Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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”Has anyone else been up there? if so, how may truck size or bigger boulders have come down? If they are as big or bigger than a full size truck they may have to be blasted to be removed. How big/deep are the avy paths?”
I walked up the road a month ago, and it was almost completely melted out until the first big corner. Someone had been maintaining the largest avy path throughout the winter, and the other ones weren’t very big. All of that snow will be long gone by now.
Just before the corner, there was a pretty large field of boulders in the road, but none of them were that big.
The wind this year has been unusually high with every single storm, and the wind-prone areas haven’t received any snowfall at all. I think the slope above the road is one of those areas. What little snow accumulated up there was quickly melted by the sun.
Of course, that means all the snow has to be blown SOMEWHERE, and the mid-elevation, leeward areas (like Tuolumne) are still very deep. So I think it’s going to be early access for eastside skiing, but a later than normal opening through the park.
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Fluoride
Trad climber
Hollywood, CA
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Friday May 30th.
I'm an optomist. Memorial Day weekend opener would be awesome.
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mark miller
Social climber
Reno
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Hey Julia it's nice having the "real" inside Beta on the games and history of snow plowing. I'll wait for you predicted date before I plan on heading up from 395, Thanks.
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nita
climber
chica from chico, I don't claim to be a daisy
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Fluoride, You are an Optomist..... HossJulia, hope to meet you this summer...Folks,how about placing some real bets on the opening date?
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hossjulia
Trad climber
Eastside
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Apr 10, 2008 - 12:00am PT
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BCD's beta is good news for the possibility of a (slightly) earlier opening. The weather is going to turn HOT this next week, with night time temps above 9,000' potentially above freezing. (80 for Reno on Sunday!) Same scenario as the past few years. Watch for sudden wet slide activity this weekend and early next week. (Good-bye, Ellery bowl!) This from ESAC's forecast for today, check it out. http://www.esavalanche.org/
Thanks Dan, I sure miss being up there!
While I like June 21 for an opening date, I'm revising it to a week earlier. Memorial weekend would be way cool though!
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Fluoride
Trad climber
Hollywood, CA
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Apr 10, 2008 - 12:06am PT
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Nita, I am serious. I think winter is pretty much over storm-wise and we're going to have a warm April/May. Mother nature will help with the snowmelt. Of course I could be completely wrong, but I just think spring is really here and winter is really done.
It's supposed to be in the low 90's in J-Tree this Sunday. Crap, late May temps and it's still early April!
So yeah, while I'm an optomist, I also hope I'm right :)
Plus with the Mobil Mart opening on April 27th, I'm hoping the karma Gods will open up the pass for us earlier rather than later.
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mark miller
Social climber
Reno
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Apr 10, 2008 - 12:20am PT
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Fluoride I think the Mobil Station and the Karma Gods are at opposite ends of the spectrum.
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Fluoride
Trad climber
Hollywood, CA
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Apr 10, 2008 - 12:25am PT
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No way Mark....I think they are aligned. So perfectly aligned. The Mobil will open, the karmic climbing gods will shine down and melt the snow and the road will clear and life will be right again.
Sigh. Wishful thinking.
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mark miller
Social climber
Reno
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Apr 10, 2008 - 12:34am PT
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Flouride what are you smoking tonight? The Mobile station used to be open all year but times have changed....When ever the current owner decides to open has little effect ( except on the belly's of Cal Trans employees). But Minerals currently is scoping out some new crags that don't have the constant surveillance of the meadows
Let's climb without the regulations that the Meadows has.....
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valygrl
climber
Boulder, CO
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Apr 10, 2008 - 12:35am PT
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Bicycle reconnaissance is required. I would volunteer, but I'm too far away.
Joe? ;D
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climbingbuzz
Trad climber
SF, CA
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Apr 10, 2008 - 06:13pm PT
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Second the 23rd of May.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Apr 10, 2008 - 06:21pm PT
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Whenever the pass does open, I'm guessing there'll be lots of happy mosquitoes in the Meadows this year.
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Standing Strong
Trad climber
the secret life of T*R
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Apr 10, 2008 - 06:22pm PT
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tomorrow b*tches, i want it to open tomorrow
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