Video: Spring Snow Backpacking trip, South Upper Truckee to Round Lake, June 5, 2010

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 This video takes us from the snow free trail head on South Upper Truckee Road up to Round Lake on June 5, 2010.. Round Lake sits about 5 miles South of the trail head at 8000 feet.

We ran into trails running like streams about a mile and a half up from the trail head, and hit the snow line about two miles past the trail head.

The Snow is heavier, at lower elevations, and persisting later into Spring than typical.

The thaw is fully engaged as of June 5, 2010, and the snow cover was rapidly thinning during the 4 day span of this trip. Though high temps were rapidly melting the snow cover, there was enough snow to keep the mosquitoes at bay during our Spring hikes across Meiss Meadow, it was obvious that this was not going to last long.

I highly suggest that High Sierra Backpackers take full measures against mosquitoes from this point in time.

The rapid rise of temps and the associated increased thaw rate means that a massive cloud of mosquitoes is about to rise out of these already flushing meadows as the snow cover retreats.

Because of the heavy late snow pack sitting on the Sierras, I expect that many locations along the Tahoe to Whitney trails, especially high granite basins that collect runoff so well, will have heavier mosquito populations than normal, and support these heavy populations later into the Summer season than normal.

I would not be surprised if heavy mosquito populations persist well into the first half of August this year, rather than experiencing their normal precipitous August decline. But more strange weather may alter this, as it has not been unusual to see very high temps at high altitude in the Sierras during the last 15 years. So all of the extra moisture in the Sierras could persist deep into August, or it may rapidly dry out. The temps for the next three weeks will determine if we start the Summer wet or dry, and it has been unseasonably hot.

In any case, backpackers heading to the Sierras in June and July are going to confront significant mosquito populations. Check out 

Mosquitoes and Seasonal Temperature Shifts: Backpacking the High Sierras

Here's some related information about our Late Spring Snow Shoeing trip across the Meiss Roadless Area:

Map: Meiss Country Roadless Area Map

Map: Carson Pass Region Map

Meyers to Meiss Meadow: Miles and Elevations

Trail Guide: The Meyers Trail Head

the Next Video in this Spring Snow Trip: Round Lake to Showers Lake