Uintas Conditions 2015

[Nick]

This thread is for information on Uintas snow and travel conditions for 2015. The way it's looking now, it could be one of the earliest years for backpacking I've ever seen up there. For some comparisons, check out last year's Uinta Conditions thread.

As of today, April 11th, the Trial Lake snotel is down to 35" of snow. That's what we had up there around May 20th last year!

Post your observations of conditions as you get it. Or just chat about how weird it's going to be to be backpacking up there in May.

 

[Mullet]

Hell to the Ya! My end of June highline trip won't be snow packed after all!

 

[Aldaron]

Or just chat about how weird it's going to be to be backpacking up there in May.

Or how bad it will be to watch the forest fires in August

 

[Nick]

Or how bad it will be to watch the forest fires in August

I'll be hiding in Glen Canyon. It's gonna get ugly up there this year.

 

[pixie1339]

I guess we have to take the good with the bad. I fully intend on getting an early start up there this year, knowing full well that it will probably be pretty scary up there by late summer.

 

[andyjaggy]

It actually is working out quite well for me this year. We are expecting a new baby the first of September so most of my mountain trips I had planned this year were for June-July, I was a little concerned about that at first, but it looks like it's going to work out nicely for me.

What do you guys think Buck Pasture would be like over memorial day? I imagine the snow would be gone by then but I'm not sure about the river crossing that early in the year.

 

[Nick]

It could be running a little high but I don't think there's enough snow to make it run so high that you couldn't deal with it.

 

[Dave]

Biggest question will be when UDOT and the FS open the gates on 150. Even if the snow is low/gone, I bet they hold out until at least May. Sure would love to be proven wrong, though.

 

[Dave]

The Bear River Lodge webcams (near the East Fork turn-off on 150) are pretty revealing. There's no snow at about 8,500 feet.

http://bearriverlodge.com/index.php/weather-cam/

 

[Devo]

Thought I would provide and update of these for those who care.

 

[Devo]

Biggest question will be when UDOT and the FS open the gates on 150. Even if the snow is low/gone, I bet they hold out until at least May. Sure would love to be proven wrong, though.

I've been wondering the same thing.

 

[pixie1339]

I read on Facebook last week that the gates are open, but they haven't plowed. The person who posted said you could make it as far as Shady Dell before hitting snow.

 

[Nick]

I read on Facebook last week that the gates are open, but they haven't plowed. The person who posted said you could make it as far as Shady Dell before hitting snow.

Good point. In years past, I've always been able to drive up as far as I could. Sometimes they park the snow removal equipment in the way though.

 

[Dave]

Sounds like it's time for a drive up to Kamas.

 

[Devo]

Might get as much as a foot up there in the next few days. Looks like a decent storm system moving through.

 

[DrNed]

For those with more experience than I, what does this mean for peaks - particularly Kings Peak?

 

[Parma]

For those with more experience than I, what does this mean for peaks - particularly Kings Peak?

Kings Peak itself usually doesn't get a lot of snow. Anderson Pass, Gunsight Pass , and the Basins around it will get some.

 

[Dave]

Might get as much as a foot up there in the next few days. Looks like a decent storm system moving through.

This late in the season, it won't stick well except up high.

 

[Nick]

Looking out the window, I would have thought the Uintas may have gotten a big boost out of this storm. But according to the snotel data, I got more in my yard then we did at Trial Lake.

 

[andyjaggy]

Salt Lake seemed to have gotten a lot. None down here in American Fork, but it always seems to skip us.