Hiked up from Main Lodge to Pt. 10,240 along the San Joaquin Ridge yesterday afternoon:
The road up from Main Lodge was only one lane of snow all the way to Minaret Vista. They've groomed the lane from the road cutoff to the Ranger Station for cross-country skiing (one track and space for skate skiing). I wore my microspikes to avoid slipping on any black ice, but really if you were there mid-day you shouldn't have a problem in any footwear with traction (I had on NB trail runners).
There is a small bit of snow when you come over the actual Vista and drop onto the road that runs up the ridge, which I used for my first "Postholing on Purpose" part of the workout, mostly light sugar with a small crust on top. Only about calf deep on me (I'm 5'11"). The rest of the way up it was intermittent snow/ice/mud/sand but no need for snowshoes.
Incredible sunset/full moon rise on my way down, the glow silhouetting the Whites and then peeking over White Mountain and reflecting in Crowley Lake.
-L
