Conditions at Lovers Leap and Phantom Spires

[Paul Minault]

Drove down 50 yesterday.  The Leap and Spires are essentially clear of snow, with just a few patches of snow on some ledges at the Leap.  There's still some snow on top, and I imagine cracks could still be wet.  The Leap campground isn't open and hasn't been cleaned up yet.  The Eldorado NF website says it will open Memorial Day weekend.  It also says the campground will be managed by Royal Elk Park Management Company, with no reservations required.  New bear boxes have been installed.  These are the same ones that State Parks has installed in the Tahoe area.  They are more vertical than horizontal and look a bit smaller than the old ones at the Leap.  Getting 6 people's food in them could be difficult, so be prepared for that.  Didn't check to see if the Spires road is open.  Sometimes snow persists near the creek crossing, which is shaded from the sun later in the day.

More on snow below

Paul

-------- Forwarded Message --------

Subject:	Donner Summit Snow Report #19
Date:	Fri, 10 May 2019 05:58:03 +0000 (UTC)
From:	Richard Simpson <hut....@yahoo.com>
To:
CC:

This will be brief because (1) not a lot has changed since last week and (2) I forgot my laptop charger, so my computer is running on fumes.

First snow along I-80 during the drive up this afternoon was at Emigrant Gap (around 5000 ft).  First place I would try skiing is at Big Bend; I think a trip to Loch Leven Lakes is possible, but walking part of the way to the railroad tracks would be required.  The first place I would consider skiing on the north side of I-80 would be Kingvale (6000 ft).  There's 5-6 ft of snow at Serene Lakes (SL) (7000 ft) in shaded spots, less on north facing slopes.  High temperature today at SL was 55F, the low was 39F.  I wouldn't have been surprised by a thundershower this afternoon, but we only got black clouds.  

The snow is very firm, but it's probably not freezing overnight.  I suggested crust cruising last week; we tried some at Serene Lakes Saturday morning where it was too bumpy, then Sunday morning at Van Norden Meadow where it was OK but variable.  As time goes on, the bumps will turn to sun cups making skiing more difficult.

I skied to Peter Grubb Hut last Saturday.  The USFS signboard/map near the trailhead opposite Boreal was still completely buried, meaning there's 6 ft depth only a hundred yards north of the freeway opposite Boreal.  At the hut, the snow is a couple feet above the second floor landing — meaning there's a good 10 feet on the ground.  There were fewer bumps and pre-sun cups in the backcountry than in the meadows, which was opposite to what I expected.

Forecast highs for the next two weeks range from mid 60s to upper 40s; overnight lows are mostly in the mid 30s.  There is a mix of sun, clouds, and showers.  I think skiing above 7000 ft will be OK through Memorial Day.  The South Yuba is now spilling over its banks with snowmelt runoff; but there's no real flooding.  Watch for snow bridges and wet snow avalanche conditions in the backcountry.

At Donner Summit only Donner Ski Ranch among the resorts remains open.  Boreal 're-opened' last Sunday, but they were closed Saturday and Monday; their web site is not helpful as to status.  There's still plenty of snow if you don't mind making your own way.  Sugar Bowl looks beautiful from a distance; attached photo 5890 shows Van Norden Meadow and the South Yuba River in the foreground and Sugar Bowl in the background.  Parking should not be a problem at most trailheads; many winter restrictions ended on April 30 (but Sno-Park runs through the end of May).  Clair Tappaan Lodge and the Sierra Club huts remain open; phone 530-426-3632 for availability.

Photo 5870 (taken last weekend) shows a different kind of local scenery.  There are a surprising number of these abandoned vehicles around Donner Summit.  More of the car in the photo is now exposed; the roof is crushed and all of the glass is shattered.  I thought last weekend that it might be salvageable with some body work; I'm no longer that optimistic.