[Desertsp]

Anyone have any predictions for when snow will be melted out in Glacier Peaks for NEXT year? I'm planning a possible trip and one person, if they go, will need to request time off work soon. We would be in the eastern part of the wilderness around Buck Creek Pass. Would the end of August be a safe bet for the trails being snow free? How about wildflowers? Thanks for any opinions!

[Brockton]

A friend of mine flies out here just about every year for our backpacking trips and it's always about the third week in August. We've never had any problems with snow then. If you're staying on trail, I would say end of August is as safe as it gets snow-wise. You'll probably be past peak flowers by then but you should still have some in August.

[Desertsp]

Thanks Brockton. That's what we're planning on. Only thing I was concerned about are reports that there will be more snowfall than usual this winter. Not sure if that prediction carries much weight though...

[Randito]

The Lyman Lake remote sensing station (SNOTEL) is pretty good measure of the snow on the ground in that region of the Cascade Mountains http://wcc.sc.egov.usda.gov/reportGenerator/view/customChartReport/daily/606:WA:SNTL%7cid=%22%22%7cname/CurrentWY,CurrentWYEnd/WTEQ::value,WTEQ::median_1981,PREC::value,PREC::average_1981?fitToScreen=false The median melt out at Lyman Lake is July 1st, but you may check the above link in the spring to gauge how quickly the snow pack it melting out.

[Desertsp]

Awesome link, thanks! Going through individual years, the latest melt out was August 3rd, 2011. Only a few other years were even close.