Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Creek Crossings from Vidette to Crabtree Meadows on the JMT?

Hello,
I was wondering if anyone had any information on how the creek crossings have been lately? Specifically, from Vidette Meadows through the rest of the JMT. Do they require fording or are they mostly doable by jumping over rocks/trees?
Thanks!!
Adam

Adam, I just spent 6 days hiking the Kern River, every stream that I cam across, from Golden Trout Creek, Rattlesnake Creek, Rock Creek, Whitney Creek, Wallace Creek were ALL crossed on exposed rocks. As a matter of fact, I made a comment in another thread that upper Rock creek is down to a trickle, and maybe dry by September.

Now, having said that, I have hiked the area that you mentioned in August of last year, another drought year, just walking across the streams on rocks.

By the way, when are you going?

Paul

Hey Paul,
Thank you for the info! I'm doing Onion Valley to Whitney next week. Looks like there will be some rain from now until then, so that might have them moving a bit faster.
Thanks again!

Have fun, on my Kern River trip last week, while I was down in the Kern River trench, one night it rained from about 10:30pm well into the morning. I was lucky to catch a 30 minute break around 7am to pack and get on the trail. Everything was sooo wet. Luckily, at the next campsite, Junction Meadow, I arrived with sin and everything dried out. Ouch, wet stuff.

By the way, I've made the Onion Valley to Whitney more than a dozen times. It's a great trip.

paul

We are in our second year of a drought. The water everywhere is very low.

None of these streams along the way should present any kind of a problem.

Did this last year (trip report on here somewhere). Be sure to fill up at Wallace and/or Wright creeks...the slog to Crabtree was bonded dry by July 4 last year.....

Snow surveys taken at the end of April, in the Kern area showed only 6 survey data points with recordable snow on the ground...out of 122 total! Report from a local snow surveyor. If we get another dry winter, California had better start saving water...especially in Southern California.

Strangely, the natural browse available to bears is better this year than last year. Go figure. (Report from the Mammoth Lakes area.)