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danvlarsen
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Joined: 30 Apr 2006
Posts: 2 | TRs | Pics
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I'm planning a group hike (up to 12 people) in the Paradise Valley end of May. Anybody have any advice for a loop trail that could be done in 2 days and mostly stays below the snow line (currently around 4500-5000').
I'm an experienced hiker, just don't know the Rainier terrain very well yet and am still figuring out the nuance of when and where Northwest snow will be.
We could camp off trail or at a NW parks group site, doesn't matter - have any advice on where to pitch camp for the night?
This would be a Saturday and Sunday. Could maybe include an extra day if that made sense for the loop.
Thanks for any experienced insight you may have.
Dan
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Slugman
It’s a Slugfest!
Joined: 27 Mar 2003
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Slugman
It’s a Slugfest!
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 Sun Apr 30, 2006 5:47 pm |
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| danvlarsen wrote: | | ... Paradise Valley end of May. Anybody have any advice for a loop trail that could be done in 2 days and mostly stays below the snow line (currently around 4500-5000'). |
Are you sure about that snowline? There is a snotel site at Paradise, at 5,120 ft, and it says the snow is at least eight feet deep, maybe as deep as ten feet, but I can't say for sure, because I'm only getting the "snow-water equivalent" info, not the actual snow depth. But the S-WE is 85 inches, meaning if the snow melted and the water stayed put, it would 85 inches deep. That's a lot of snow. I might question the accuracy of the data, except it is right in line with historical averages, just a bit higher than normal, but we had more snow than average this year. At the end of May last year you would have been OK, but last year the snow at Paradise melted a full two months early. My guess for snow at Paradise at the end of May this year is five to eight feet deep. Here's the current water-year graph for paradise. This year is the incomplete line at the top. Where the line bottoms out is the point where all snow is gone. As you can see, almost no significant melting has occured, though I'm sure that a lot of consolidation has happened. As far as how low you would have to go to avoid snow, I don't know. The Mowich snotel at 3,150 ft is showing as fully melted out. Burnt Mountain at 4,200 ft is showing snow depths of 30 inches. Morse lake at 5,400 ft is showing 12 feet of snow, and its S-WE is no more than Paradise's.
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Opus
Wannabe
Joined: 04 Mar 2006
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Location: The big rock candy mountain |
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Opus
Wannabe
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Sun Apr 30, 2006 8:45 pm |
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I think Slugman is about right on the snow level, unless we get a big heat wave. I was up there last weekend and there was still 7-10 feet of snow in the areas around the Inn.
Paradise valley viewed from Panorama Point area
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Slugman
It’s a Slugfest!
Joined: 27 Mar 2003
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Slugman
It’s a Slugfest!
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Sun Apr 30, 2006 8:53 pm |
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Snotel strikes again!  How I ever managed to hike in spring before I was turned on to that website is beyond me. But since I learned about it here, I guess it's this site that is ultimately responsible.
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Sore Feet
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Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 6303 | TRs | Pics
Location: Out There, Somewhere |
Yeah, with the snow as heavy as it was this year, I don't expect Paradise to be snow free until mid July. Maybe even August (doubtful, it was like that after the winter of 98-99, and this year wasn't quite that substantial).
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danvlarsen
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Joined: 30 Apr 2006
Posts: 2 | TRs | Pics
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danvlarsen
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Tue May 02, 2006 11:22 am Talking about the Wonderland Trail
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Thanks all, for your responses. Sorry, I should have been clearer: I wasn't talking about Paradise, rather the Wonderland Trail, which starts at least at lower elevations (3000-4000 feet). But it definitely seems like it's too early in the year to tackle that without dealing with the snow.
Any other suggestions for good 2-day backpacking trails in the region at this time of year, after a winter of good snow dumping? Though I love the snow for snowshoeing, x-country skiing, etc., I'm looking to avoid it for a backpacking trip.
Dan
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