Uintas Conditions 2016

[Artemus]

Ran up to the north slope over Memorial Day weekend. Good news is the lower canyons are melted out... East Fork and Stillwater Fork are open.

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Expect a lot of downed trees.

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The upper basins are a different story. I was headed for Amethyst but ran into solid snow starting at 9,800 feet.

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Several people I met along the way reported solid ice-over on the lake (which I expected).

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Instead, I snowshoed over to Salamander Lake hoping to find some open ground on which to camp.

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There was none and the weather was nasty. Turned around and went back to base camp.

Great recon and report pal!

 

[andyjaggy]

With the weather we are supposed to have over the next week it is going to melt FAST. It's supposed to get up to the low 90's this weekend here in the valley.

 

[Devin Ashby]

I was up there on Thursday last week. We got stopped just before the top of the pass. They were working on clearing the road as I had a couple trucks full of salt drive past.

 

[LarryBoy]

I was up there on Thursday last week. We got stopped just before the top of the pass. They were working on clearing the road as I had a couple trucks full of salt drive past.

Is Bald Mtn still snow covered? Thinking about taking my annual "way too early Uintas trip" this coming weekend.

 

[Dave]

Is Bald Mtn still snow covered? Thinking about taking my annual "way too early Uintas trip" this coming weekend.

Very.

 

[Devin Ashby]

Is Bald Mtn still snow covered? Thinking about taking my annual "way too early Uintas trip" this coming weekend.

There's still like 5-6 feet of snow above 10,000 feet.

 

[JoshuaDyal]

There's still like 5-6 feet of snow above 10,000 feet.

That would certainly qualify as "Way Too Early" in my book!

 

[LarryBoy]

That would certainly qualify as "Way Too Early" in my book!

Not on skis!

 

[Artemus]

Brian McInerney's excellent snowpack and runoff analysis. Peak runoff for N. Utah is today and tomorrow. Snowpack depth is dropping very quickly now.

 

[Dave]

Trial Lake snotel read 30 inches of snow over Memorial Day weekend. Today, it's down to 10. This coming weekend should be prime.

 

[Artemus]

Trial Lake snotel read 30 inches of snow over Memorial Day weekend. Today, it's down to 10. This coming weekend should be prime.

Prime, yes. If you pick your route - wanting to backpack into the Sawtooths this weekend and the stream crossings are crazy/impossible in early spring. Stymeing our planning.

 

[Dave]

A lot of snow has come off in the past two weeks, but a good amount has yet to go.



The Bear is running at bank full and a lot of the meadows around the streams are super soggy.



Ran up to Bourbon Lake today (and to the unnamed high point above). Looking north, not much to see snow-wise.



Large fields of snow were chilling in sheltered areas, but it was just patchy on the ridge near 10,400 feet.



Looking south, toward Bald Mountain Pass, with a better idea of snow coverage across the heart of the range.

 

[Parma]

Provo River Falls is flowing pretty well.


I also went to go checkout Washington Lake. This is hiking to the lake from the group campsites.


Washington Lake




Also went by Trial Lake, it didn't have any ice and about a half dozen people fishing on the banks.

 

[Jackson]

Awesome updates. Looks like I'm headed up there next week.

 

[Upgrayedd]

Anyone been up to bald mountain lately? I was up there and the snow was deep. I'm curious how much is there now.

 

[Dave]

19 inches at the pass, as recorded by UDOT's weather station. http://mesowest.utah.edu/cgi-bin/droman/meso_base.cgi?product=roads&stn=utbmp

 

[Nick]

And even if it were zero inches, that south slope on the way up holds snow drifts until eveything else is long gone.

 

[andyjaggy]

From the pass last Friday.

 

[Skiwi]

I am trying to work out where best to head for an overnight backpack in the Uintas later this week (mid June) and can't work out whether snow levels are similar to last year when we did a similar trip. I have posted in the Trip Planning forum and any feedback is much appreciated. Thanks

 

[Artemus]

2016 Monsoon Forecast - clear as mud - it will be either a lighter, normal or heavier monsoon than normal. Season is June 15-Sept 30.