Snowshoes in the Sierras

imported
#1

Sorry, I’m completely hogging the forum this morning - but that “trailsource” post was making me grumpy.

If you are entering the sierras early, in a high snow year, do you think snowshoes would be helpful or a waste?

They’re heavier to carry, but they would prevent postholing. Do you think it would be possible to walk on the suncups with them? Are the suncups everywhere there is snow? Was the snow patchy or everywhere when you went (and what date was that?).

Anyone use them and have comments on their experience?

Thanks again
Sophie

Sophie

#2

I think the key word here is consolidation. If the snow is mostly consolidated (which is true for the normal entry time-frame into the Sierra), I think the snowshoes would be a waste of time, even in a heavy snow year. I’m sure they would be very helpful if you were winter hiking the Sierra.

In '05, I left Kennedy Meadows on May 31st - this was considered very early in a very heavy snow year. The snow was mostly consolidated to Whitney (where I kicked out and flipped to Canada).

Suncups were more prevalent in sunny areas, ie. above treeline. The snow line was somewhere around 10,500’ with solid snow above 11,000.’ Northern faces were of course more snowbound than Southern exposed areas. These levels dropped slightly north of Whitney according to other hikers.

So far it doesn’t look like a heavy snow year in CA this year…

happy trails!

freebird

#3

Having hiked in 06, a heavy year, in lots of snow, I can say that they’re not needed. Absolute waste of weight, you easily stay on top of the snow. We only post holed every quarter of a mile or so, not much at all. I entered June 17th. Snow was pretty constant after Forester at higher elevations. Longest stretch was about 8 miles on Muir. A hiker near me said he kept tabs on how much snow he walked on. I think the total figure was sixty something miles.

I had snowshoes at KM and decided not to bring them, very glad I didn’t! If you need snowshoes, it’s a VERY unusual year, and much, much harder than even the big years that 2005 and 2006 were.

Union

#4 
 I also hiked in 2006, lots of snow.  No snow shoes necessary.  The snow is well consolidated by the time you get there so snow shoes are of no real value.  I only found myself post holing in fresh snow for 11 miles coming down fuller ridge in early April.  It was one horrendous day and that was it.  In my opinion the one day of postholing was worth it.  I couldn't stand the thought of the continued wear and tear of carrying snow shoes for hundreds of miles, they'd just be dead weight.  
 Also, snow shoes are not only a pain in the butt on suncups but very dangerous.  Suncups by definition occur on consolidated snow.  You are much more stable on just your feet.  You are also much less likely to fall on your face when you do slip because you will be able to catch yourself.  With snow shoes on you'll respond much like a duck.  You won't be able to move your feet fast enough to catch yourself when you slip thus running the risk of seriously injuring yourself, something you don't want to do in the backcountry of the Sierra.
 Unless you're planning on hiking the PCT in winter leave the snow shoes at home.

Ladybird

#5

I entered the Sierras June 1st this year. Proabably started postholing about 20 miles out of KM and did it pretty much continuously until Mammoth where I bailed. In the mornings there was a great crust, but started crashing through by 11am. At times I certainly wished I had snowshoes. I’m planning on going again in a couple years and entering the sierras earlier… will probably bring snow shoes then.

Backdraft

#6

I entered the Sierra this year on June 7 and snow shoes were worth their weight in beer coupons. It’s not just the postholing – I found it was often the interruption of your gait, where you kind-of sink in but never know how far, that was as energy-sapping as actually postholing. And when I was sinking in by a foot WITH my snowshoes, I was seriously grateful to have them. By way of a control study, Three Gallon didn’t have snowshoes and he mostly kept up with us but he must have been doing twice the work I was.

Rolling Thunder