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Hard, snow-free hikes in Bishop-Big Pine area
#48957 12/13/16 01:38 PM
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Looking for training hikes I can solo safely, without worrying about avalanches or planning a technical trip. Something snow-free through the winter. I'm trying to maximize elevation gain and steepness, hopefully with some class 2 terrain. Possibly the White Mountain Peak approach from West Ridge would work, if I stopped at the snowline?

Last edited by fusial; 12/13/16 01:40 PM.
Re: Hard, snow-free hikes in Bishop-Big Pine area
fusial #48961 12/13/16 04:58 PM
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White Mountain popped into my mind before I read your last sentence. It could be the only option for snow-free in winter.

Re: Hard, snow-free hikes in Bishop-Big Pine area
Steve C #48963 12/13/16 08:13 PM
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Snow-free conditions in the White Mountains? Sorry, but that will change pretty soon, as it normally occurs every winter.

Current conditions in White Mtns: http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/recarea/?recid=20230

That was a few days ago. All campgrounds up there are closed, and a major storm is due to hit in a couple of days. http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php...46#.WFC5GUbTk5t

Forecast for White Mountain Peak: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php...04#.WFC5rUbTk5s

When there is enough snow the road into Schulman Grove (the visitor center) will close for the season.

Break out the skis or snow-shoes. Some of the best powder snow in the West is on Pellisier Flats, north of White Mt. Peak and south of Boundary Peak, but a bit of a hard grind to get up there.




Last edited by Bob West; 12/13/16 08:21 PM.
Re: Hard, snow-free hikes in Bishop-Big Pine area
Bob West #48966 12/13/16 11:05 PM
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Bob, I think he was talking about approaching from the west -- off Hwy 6. Is there a regular route up the Jeffrey Mine Canyon, or up the Millner Creek canyon?

I know Moose Tracks went all the way to the White Mountain summit from one of those places a few years ago.

Re: Hard, snow-free hikes in Bishop-Big Pine area
Steve C #48970 12/14/16 07:44 AM
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Moose Tracks started from the valley floor! I'm not aware of any routes that continue up either of those canyons, but it's possible. No water, either. Nice views though.

The Silver Canyon road, from the Law's Museum area, goes all the way up to the crest, but involves several stream crossings.
From the crest follow the road North toward WM Peak. As with the paved road, snow can make this approach quite a slog near the top. Four wheel drive, high clearance recommended.

Another approach, via Black Canyon road, goes all the way up to the Schulman Grove area. It starts just South of Bishop, off the Warm Springs road. Four wheel drive, high clearance is mandatory, along with experience in that kind of terrain. I did this several years ago and had to do my own road repair work (!) on the way up, driving a Toyota Land Cruiser.

Or...he could drive up HWY 6 and do the hike to Boundary Peak and stop at the snow line.

Keep monitoring road conditions from the White Mountain ranger station 'phone number. Maybe conditions will improve after this storm passes.

A few nights in a hotel at Mammoth Mtn. (9,600 ft) might be much easier.

Last edited by Bob West; 12/14/16 07:57 AM.
Re: Hard, snow-free hikes in Bishop-Big Pine area
Bob West #48973 12/14/16 11:23 AM
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Approaching White Mountain from the west, the line of least resistance is the ridge on the south side of Jeffrey Mine Canyon. The road in Jeffrey Mine Canyon may be passable to capable vehicles until it goes to pieces at about 6000'. We found it easier to park at about 5600' and go south to cross the wash and climb onto the ridge. The 600' climb to the ridge from the 6000' level on the road is very steep and loose and not recommended in the dark at the start, finish or both, of a long day hike (or any other time). On top of the ridge there are traces of a track that may have been used as a road 80-100 years ago. The track fades away by about 8000'. Scrambling on the ridge top at 13,100' avoids a traverse across the top of a steep fresh active talus slope. Pass the false summit at about 14,000' on the left.

The ridge top collects and holds less snow than the canyon bottom. There will be snow during the winter. There is no other water of course. When descending in the dark it is important to stay heading west on the ridge top to avoid dropping south into Millner Canyon which has much steeper and rougher terrain. Of the 8600' of gain, about 4000' are scree.

The Mammoth Mountain Inn at the main lodge area is just below 9000'. The people who named the restaurant there "Altitude 9000" rounded up.

Dale B. Dalrymple

Re: Hard, snow-free hikes in Bishop-Big Pine area
dbd #48977 12/14/16 08:34 PM
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Thanks for the correction, Dale. Yep, the main lodge at Mammoth is at 8909 ft. McCoy Station, up on the mountain, is at 9630 ft.

BTW, this mornings base snow depth at the summit (11053) was 84 inches. Much more coming tomorrow and Friday.

Last edited by Bob West; 12/14/16 08:36 PM.
Re: Hard, snow-free hikes in Bishop-Big Pine area
Bob West #48978 12/14/16 09:07 PM
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Thanks for this information, especially the weather links. I'm looking to go up White Mountain Peak soon as well.

A friend and I attempted to summit Split Mountain a couple weeks ago but I had gotten sick that morning (left camp at about 4:30am) and was sluggish all day. He made it to Red Lake and I stopped about a quarter of a mile below Red Lake to nap. We backtracked in the early afternoon.

I would like your opinions as to whether or not it's safe to try to summit Split again in a week or two? I know there will be snow, but I'm not sure how much of a danger avalanches are at higher elevation (steep ascend up to summit of Split). I have an ice axe and crampons and experience using them, but I would prefer to get opinions about the possible dangers of going up there this early winter before I make plans to go again.

Thanks!
illyav


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Re: Hard, snow-free hikes in Bishop-Big Pine area
illyav #48979 12/14/16 10:38 PM
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My opinion: The steep approach before you get to the Sierra crest near Split Mtn would be full of unconsolidated snow. It would take a super human amount of energy to fight soft snow and make any progress climbing. There could well be avalanche danger there, too.

I would wait at least until snow consolidates -- late March maybe.

Re: Hard, snow-free hikes in Bishop-Big Pine area
illyav #48980 12/14/16 10:41 PM
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Originally Posted By: illyav
...
I would like your opinions as to whether or not it's safe to try to summit Split again in a week or two? I know there will be snow, but I'm not sure how much of a danger avalanches are at higher elevation (steep ascend up to summit of Split). I have an ice axe and crampons and experience using them, but I would prefer to get opinions about the possible dangers of going up there this early winter before I make plans to go again.

Thanks!
illyav



Big high routes like those from the Owens Valley to 14ers don't see much travel in early winter for reasons beyond just their length. Once deep soft snow has fallen it isn't likely to be safe until spring.

Looking at the Split Mountain trail consider:

1) The entire trail is on or below slopes steep enough for worst case avalanche danger after snow accumulations.

2) The trail changes direction and elevation so much that there is no opportunity to find "similar aspect slopes" to evaluate for avalanche danger before you are on the slopes in question and you don't have access to evaluate the slopes above and off of the trail. The avalanche evaluations performed in the more traveled resort areas further north don't apply reliably to the trails and slopes here.

3) Once you find yourself in a dangerous situation, there are no safer alternate routes. (If a bowl the trail crosses is dangerous, there is no less steep forested ridge to travel instead.}

On White mountain the snow line is likely to be higher and the ridge tops may be swept free of snow, but the same three points bite you on the scree sections at 9000'-10000', 11000'-13000' and 13500' and up.

While it may be that ice ax and crampons are necessary for progress in places, there is no expectation that they provide any safety.

If you want to spend some useful and interesting time in the area after snow has fallen, there are a number of guide services that provide avalanche training in the Eastern Sierra.

Dale B. Dalrymple

Re: Hard, snow-free hikes in Bishop-Big Pine area
dbd #48983 12/15/16 12:13 PM
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Awesome, thanks for the advice Steve and Dale. So it looks like it's best to wait until next spring, especially now that this current storm is dumping so much snow.


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Re: Hard, snow-free hikes in Bishop-Big Pine area
fusial #48986 12/15/16 04:38 PM
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Looks like there's a 4WD route that I could hike from the Laws Railroad Museum in Bishop up Silver Canyon Road, with 6,000 ft gain over 11 miles, reaching a max elevation of 10,400. Appears snow free at this time. https://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=BGS135-044

Re: Hard, snow-free hikes in Bishop-Big Pine area
fusial #48988 12/15/16 08:36 PM
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Originally Posted By: fusial
Looks like there's a 4WD route ... up Silver Canyon Road, with 6,000 ft gain over 11 miles, reaching a max elevation of 10,400. Appears snow free at this time.
...


That's a route Bob mentioned.

Where does the Silver Canyon Road "appear snow free"? The trails.com site lists it for April to November. In October this year, when I spent the night at the top of the road to take pictures at sunrise, the road was easily passed by high ground clearance 2-wd vehicles (jeeps and pickups). Since then there have been storms with snowline down to 6500'. The road is in a 2000' deep canyon protected from sun in winter. So the snow may last.

The first review on the trails.com site refers to a "descent" route. At one time the upper part of the road was one way downhill. There are a lot of old papers showing that route and people who remember the old papers (and one way downhill). USGS topos since the late 80s seem to be current (Laws and Blanco Mountain quads), but my National Geographic Topo software labels the old route as Silver Canyon Road. Google earth shows that the currently maintained road is wider than the old route in the upper sections where the old road still exists. A section of the old route in the bottom of a north-south section of Silver Canyon has disappeared. Apparently that was expected to repeat if the road stayed where it was.

If you go, let us know what you find.

By the way, 4-wd is more needed when going downhill to provide a compound low gear to let compression braking protect your brakes. That's something that AWD may not provide.

Dale B. Dalrymple

Re: Hard, snow-free hikes in Bishop-Big Pine area
dbd #48989 12/15/16 09:27 PM
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I see Bob mentioned Silver Canyon, and some other good potential routes. Sorry for missing that.

"snow free" as far as looking at the White Mountains from Bishop today (I live in Bishop at this time). They look almost devoid of the white stuff right now. I'm not sure I can discern the actual road though, so I can definitely image snow persisting there if it's in a groove. I was up near White Mtn Peak a few days ago and the road was passable up to Patriarch Grove (11,200 ft I believe). I drive a 4x4 Tacoma... I don't have the experience (or desire) to take it on really rough jeep roads though. I plan to park near the bottom and proceed up on foot.

I will check out Silver Canyon Rd tomorrow and report back. Hoping the river crossings aren't too deep.

Last edited by fusial; 12/15/16 09:41 PM.
Re: Hard, snow-free hikes in Bishop-Big Pine area
dbd #48991 12/15/16 09:32 PM
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The upper part of the road is very steep and rocky. I've driven up and down it in a SAR vehicle in compound low gear. The stream crossings are pretty shallow just now, but will fill up when it rains. Once into the steep switch-backs (in 4WD) you're pretty much committed to continuing to the end of the switch-back section until the grade eases, because there isn't much room to turn around. The road near the top is still steep, but much smoother. Hiking it shouldn't be a problem.

Friday's forecast is for rain, with snow at the higher elevations.


Last edited by Bob West; 12/15/16 09:33 PM.
Re: Hard, snow-free hikes in Bishop-Big Pine area
Bob West #49000 12/16/16 08:12 PM
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Originally Posted By: Bob West
The upper part of the road is very steep and rocky. I've driven up and down it in a SAR vehicle in compound low gear. The stream crossings are pretty shallow just now, but will fill up when it rains.

Yes, I am very glad I did not attempt to drive up it. I did check it out today. The trail was dry up until 8,500 ft or so. After that there were occasionally patches of soft snow in the shade, 0-2 inches deep, possibly from last night's storm. They may melt out soon. I stopped at 8,800 ft due to lack of daylight for the walk down. Looking up at the ridge, the snow coverage looked pretty sparse.

What I saw for most of the walk up


This is at 8,800 ft. Road 6S02L is to the left. Note sparseness of snow on the ridge.


Got to explore a couple of interesting caves too. Next time I'll go up the Old Silver Canyon Trail, which splits from the road shortly before the steep switchbacks.

Re: Hard, snow-free hikes in Bishop-Big Pine area
fusial #49002 12/16/16 09:15 PM
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Yes, the snow level is pretty high in the Whites just now.

Was there any water in the stream crossings?

Re: Hard, snow-free hikes in Bishop-Big Pine area
Bob West #49003 12/16/16 09:19 PM
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Yes. Most of the crossings were 5-10 ft wide. The first one I had to walk well around into the bushes. The others (maybe 6 total) I was able to rock hop through, keeping my feet dry.


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