Post date: May 8, 2016 1:59:59 PM
Are you busy making plans for a backpacking trip? Want to know how much snow is in the Sierra right now?
The Pacific Crest Trail Association has a great website with all kinds of information. Check out this interactive map which shows you snow depths everywhere along the Sierra...and the rest of the USA. (Click on the SNOW DEPTH button for that version of the map.)
http://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/maps-and-guidebooks/
What you'll see is that after this last storm, there is still significant snow in the Sierra, although in the southern part of the range the snow levels are lower. And if you're looking for a destination for Memorial Day weekend, you're options are still quite limited. Much of the Sierra still has three feet or more of snow on the ground.
One other element really stands out when you look at the snow level map--the huge swath that the San Joaquin River cuts into the Sierra. That massive canyon, lower than most of the rest of the range, clearly shows up. And it's almost that obvious when you see it from the air...
Next time you fly, ask for a window seat!