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CA High Sierra Flooding?

stephenkatsea

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One of the few things I miss about CA is camping in the Sierras, mostly the eastern slope. Nearly every campground is alongside a creek, stream or river. What's going to happen when the spring thaw and runoff gets going in full force? A portion of the Owen's Valley aqueduct has already been compromised and emergency repairs conducted. I recall when the Glacier Lodge campground, above Big Pine CA, years ago was wiped out by flooding. The snow pack that year was nothing compared to what we have now. Have to wonder, what may be coming in the way of destructive flooding along the entire High Sierra mountain range.
 

DaveC

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I was there on Sunday. There is a shit ton of snow now. Most snow that I have seen in decades. They say it is the 2nd highest snowfall on record. They had to dig out under the chairlifts in order to use them…. Driving though tunnels of snow 15-20-25 feet tall. Just crazy

It is till very cold up there so the run off has not begun yet.

Having said that the rivers are already full. American River was full already.

I don’t know what is gonna happen but it ain’t gonna be pretty…

Some pics

43489B90-5BCF-41CB-98C6-DE4EE4D57531.jpeg
672DE154-A03D-4230-937C-82580FB94DD0.jpeg
 
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alohajeff

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@DaveC Did you happen to drive up the Kingsbury Grade? If so... how low is the snow line? We used to ski down from Killebrew Canyon after a good storm dropped snow down to the Park & Ride. I lived below Heavenly (Tahoe Tyrol) on the CA side for a couple of years and have spent 100+ days on that mountain.

Aloha
 

dread Pirate

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My wife worked in Yosemite during the 97 flood. Rode out of the park in a National Guard truck and came back for her car after a few weeks. She was lucky it was parked on high ground. She found her tent cabin a long way from where it started. Lost all her possessions including her bike.
 
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mbrown2

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I was there on Sunday. There is a shit ton of snow now. Most snow that I have seen in decades. They say it is the 2nd highest snowfall on record. They had to dig out under the chairlifts in order to use them…. Driving though tunnels of snow 15-20-25 feet tall. Just crazy

It is till very cold up there so the run off has not begin yet.

Having said that the rivers are already full. American River was full already.

I don’t know what is gonna happen but it ain’t gonna be pretty…

Some pics

View attachment 1213499 View attachment 1213500
Look at that trail sign... Almost buried... love it!
 

Ziggy

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Trips my family took up there in the late 70's had comparable snow levels. Haven't seen any heavy snow like that since back then, or at least near that long ago.
 

DaveC

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@DaveC Did you happen to drive up the Kingsbury Grade? If so... how low is the snow line? We used to ski down from Killebrew Canyon after a good storm dropped snow down to the Park & Ride. I lived below Heavenly (Tahoe Tyrol) on the CA side for a couple of years and have spent 100+ days on that mountain.

Aloha
You could ski to Harvey’s right now. Lol

I stayed in state line and took the “new“ gondola in…. Plenty of snow all the way to lake level.

The houses at the top of Kingsbury are buried…
 

rivermobster

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I follow the June Lake Instagram pages. The snow is above the speed limit signs in a lot of places.

The June Lake Loop is closed at the north entrance.

Mono Lake should get a nice boost this year. 👍🏼
 

AQUA-HOLICS

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Have reservations for Browns Owens River the end of April, this is a recent picture of Benton road that takes you to the campground.
They can’t even get to the campground to start to setting up from being winterized.
Not looking good for us keeping the dates.
83C1ECB0-9AD3-4D1F-B494-BDE695EC199D.jpeg
 

alohajeff

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You could ski to Harvey’s right now. Lol

I stayed in state line and took the “new“ gondola in…. Plenty of snow all the way to lake level.

The houses at the top of Kingsbury are buried…

I am talking about the other side of the mountain. From Heavenly (Killebrew) down to basically Minden. Done correctly you can get about 5000' vertical feet of riding.

Aloha
 

DILLIGAF

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Oh…and I was in lock down at the Hard Rock during an active shooter situation Sat. There was a murder right on the casino floor at 8AM Sat

I was locked in an just waiting for a fool to come into my room. One of us wasnt going to be leaving for sure.

Forgot to add that the SWAT team came in guns drawn and searched my room as well as all other rooms. That was wild
 
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Ricks raft

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My wife worked in Yosemite during the 97 flood. Rode out of the park in a National Guard truck and came back for her car after a few weeks. She was lucky it was parked on high ground. She found her tent cabin a long way from where it started. Lost all her possessions including her bike.
They still haven’t repaired 140. 2 army corp temporary bridges 1 way traffic.
 

Dan Lorenze

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One of the few things I miss about CA is camping in the Sierras, mostly the eastern slope. Nearly every campground is alongside a creek, stream or river. What's going to happen when the spring thaw and runoff gets going in full force? A portion of the Owen's Valley aqueduct has already been compromised and emergency repairs conducted. I recall when the Glacier Lodge campground, above Big Pine CA, years ago was wiped out by flooding. The snow pack that year was nothing compared to what we have now. Have to wonder, what may be coming in the way of destructive flooding along the entire High Sierra mountain range.


During a recent drive home from Mammoth I was listening to the local FM station up there, they had a guest on the show that was some type of Forestry official in the Sierras. He was saying that they have a good level of confidence that the flooding in the Sierra's would be under control. But he was also hoping it would warm up sooner than later so it can start to flow at a more manageable rate. We'll have to see what happens.
 
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alohajeff

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I just drove over the Kingsbury pass on Sunday. Here ya go

That looks like it would be a do'er! Snow down to Minden is all it takes. The Minden Mile or whatever they call it now. Most vertical I have ever skied in one run. Beats out anything I've done in Canada (eh) and Europe.

Aloha
 

DaveC

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I am talking about the other side of the mountain. From Heavenly (Killebrew) down to basically Minden. Done correctly you can get about 5000' vertical feet of riding.

Aloha
I didn’t drive over there but given the level of snow being so low up one could probably ski all the way down…
 

DaveC

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Oh…and I was in lock down at the Hard Rock during an active shooter situation Sat. There was a murder right on the casino floor at 8AM Sat

I was locked in an just waiting for a fool to come into my room. One of us wasnt going to be leaving for sure.

Forgot to add that the SWAT team came in guns drawn and searched my room as well as all other rooms. That was wild
I was next door. We heard about that….news said two people shot?

also the roof of the Raley‘s market collapsed under the snow weight
 

stephenkatsea

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During a recent drive home from Mammoth I was listening to the local FM station up there, they had a guest on the show that was some type of Forestry official in the Sierras. He was saying that they have a good level of confidence that the flooding in the Sierra's would be under control. But he was also hoping it would warm up sooner than later so it can start to flow at a more manageable rate. We'll have to see what happens.

I believe many of the eastern Sierra creeks are just raw streams with, other than sand bags, no means of control, that I’m aware of.
 

DILLIGAF

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JJK94

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I was there on Sunday. There is a shit ton of snow now. Most snow that I have seen in decades. They say it is the 2nd highest snowfall on record. They had to dig out under the chairlifts in order to use them…. Driving though tunnels of snow 15-20-25 feet tall. Just crazy

It is till very cold up there so the run off has not begun yet.

Having said that the rivers are already full. American River was full already.

I don’t know what is gonna happen but it ain’t gonna be pretty…

Some pics

View attachment 1213499 View attachment 1213500
Broke record last night
 

spectra bash

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I’m new with my company. Public works, construction manager stuff. Got hired on as the Orange County section. They are world wide. I come from a geo background. They just asked if I would want to take a project starting in April for owens lake. Apparently they are trying to make that functional again. Would be fun maybe. But would miss both my boys baseball seasons and I help coach both. Could be a good experience.
 

Dan Lorenze

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Our Mammoth condo's HOA just notified us of a $4500 assesment for snow removal... Good times
 

stephenkatsea

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I’m new with my company. Public works, construction manager stuff. Got hired on as the Orange County section. They are world wide. I come from a geo background. They just asked if I would want to take a project starting in April for owens lake. Apparently they are trying to make that functional again. Would be fun maybe. But would miss both my boys baseball seasons and I help coach both. Could be a good experience.

That's a beautiful area. Lone Pine CA is the nearest town of any significance. Although the little settlement of Olancha is on the West Bank of what was once Owens Lake. I have ancestors, the Meysan family, who were among the first settlers in Lone Pine, mid 1800s (?). Had a great uncle who was a Supt with LADWP in the area. They had a home in the middle of the Alabama Hills, Hop a Long Cassidy was their neighbor.
 
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