2015 Mountain Backpacking - Disappointment and Opportunity

Thanks for that link langutah. Guess I haven't been paying too much attention to snowpack here (a bit north of Bozeman) because it appeared to be very close to normal if not above normal. That said, I could count the number of times it rained in the December-March period at our place on one hand up through the 80's and now it happens at least once a month. Temp wise, this winter appears to be the coldest we've had in a least a decade but the temp range spread also seems way higher than normal.

Don't think I will be getting much high country time in before the 4th.
 
After reading this thread, I was curious. Looked up the Snotel sites in the Bridgers and Tobacco Roots and all are above normal for water content. Snow depths from 3 to 6'. We pass very close to the Lower Twin site in the Roots when we visit N Meadow and it really does help to determine if skis are in the gear and give a pretty good measure as to just how far the Jeep will be going.
 
John Goering said:
Looked up the Snotel sites in the Bridgers and Tobacco Roots ....
Click to expand...
That reminds me. Heads up John and everyone else, the NRCS recently released a wonderful new version of their snotel site. It IS a thing of beauty. And it consolidates precip., streamflow, etc. Recommended.
The site.
 
I donno-just went for the usual hike behind the house. 47 in the shade, 60 in the sun, shirt sleeves and still sweating my butt off. The packed snow trail is like hiking on a thin rope. Guess my concern about winter kill is much abated and if this lasts for an extended time, we will be in the woods early here also.





And probably out early too. What a difference a week makes.
 
Phillips Bench Snotel [Tetons] is right at normal for snow water-equivalent. As warm as it has been tere's still a good amount of water on the ground around here.

That said it is indeed drier than Hades through much of the West. El Nino is kicking in Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico and NOAA thinks it will be in March, April, and May too:

http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/seasonal.php?lead=2
 
Unless it's a repeat of the Santa Clara washout...
 
Must have been an on going topic as well for the Anasazi. Didn't work out so well for them.
 
Dry and warn in Ogden....my grass is turning green. :cry:
 
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great I'll check the weather down south. Maybe time for a weekend trip...
 
Getting pretty crazy down here in the Salt Lake Valley. My grass is growing, tulips are at least 4-5" out of the ground and scariest of all - my big maple that had nothing more than buds in early April 2013 is budding now... yikes. Only 47" up at the Trial Lake snotel. Uintas backpacking in late March or April at this rate???
 
same in boise. temps keep getting in the 60s, the flowers are coming up here.
 
Just crazy.

I've been getting bids to get my roof replaced this week and when I ask the guys about off-season discount pricing, they laugh and point at the sky. I guess business is good this 'winter'.
 
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