Snow Backpack

[tkknc]

Who is interested in a snow backpack January 5th & 6th?
Depending on the snow conditions, I was thinking Lockett Meadow.
Maybe around Woods Canyon lake if the we get more snow.
It will be a nice 3 mile walk (snow shoe or ski) in the snow.
I would expect the over night temps to be in the single digits.

[te_wa]

i think conditions over 7k will be good. Heck I can still see snow on Four Peaks. It must still be sticking at Woods Canyon. Im a 'most likely' for now but I'll know for sure in a few days.

[chumley]

There's a nice webcam from Forest Lakes (with a light shining on it at night!). The snow stick here is "exposed" so the snow isn't nearly as deep as you'll find in the shade of the woods. From a recent trip to Woods Canyon Lake, I can tell you that there's over 2 feet of snow in the trees. Should be a nice trip.

http://www.forestlakesweather.com/live_camera.html

[chumley]

I forgot to mention (if you didn't know this already) that all the roads are closed, including the paved portion of FR 300 between Hwy 260 and Woods Canyon Lake. The gate is locked just beyond the parking area at Hwy 260, so the only access to Woods Canyon Lake is by snowmobile or hiking/snowshoeing along the closed road (4.5 miles each way).

Roads to Willow Springs Lake and Black Canyon Lake are also closed.

Of course, the Lockett Meadow Road is closed (it is always closed during winter), and it's about 3.5 miles from the gate to the campground. A nearby snow station is reporting 32 inches at 9700 feet. Snowbowl has 2 feet at 9500.

On a side note, I just returned from my brother's place in Fraser, CO, where the snowshoeing was great. Not a day where the mercury got above 14°! He has blazed a few miles of loops around the house and it's just a matter of "maintaining" them everytime it snows. Hiking on top of 6 more inches of snow every few days sure beats plowing through a couple of feet of undisturbed fluff!

[tkknc]

After looking at Totise hikers Rims Lake Vista pictures,
http://hikearizona.com/phoZOOM.php?ZIP=53209

there will not be enough snow on the rim, it looks like Flagstaff will be the place.

[Davis2001r6]

I would just go up to snowbowl,pick up a backcountry permit from the lodge 9-11am, then head as far into the woods as you would like. Enough snow there for whatever you want to do, well maybe not build a snow cave. The road is plowed so your not having to cross country a few miles to get where you want to go.

[Dschur]

Looks like there may be chance of showers on Friday and Saturday in the Flagstaff area. It doesn't say snow there. For the snowbowl it looks like chance of shower/snow on Friday, snow on saturday and snow showers on Sunday.

[chumley]

I take these forecasts with a grain of salt so many days away, but from the National Weather Service:
A SERIES OF STORMS DEVELOPING OVER THE PACIFIC OCEAN IS EXPECTED TO
BEGIN IMPACTING NORTHERN ARIZONA ON THURSDAY WITH RAIN AND HIGHER
ELEVATION SNOW. BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS ARE ALSO EXPECTED.
THE SNOW LEVELS WILL HOVER BETWEEN 7000 AND 8000 FEET THROUGH
SATURDAY MORNING BEFORE MUCH COLDER AIR ARRIVES. THE SNOW LEVEL
COULD DROP TO AS LOW AS 4000 FEET NEAR THE UTAH BORDER ON SUNDAY.
RAIN FALL AMOUNTS COULD TOTAL AROUND 2 INCHES FOR THE LOWER
ELEVATIONS WITH OVER TWO FEET OF SNOW POSSIBLE IN THE HIGHEST
ELEVATIONS BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. THE MIDDLE ELEVATIONS COULD SEE
MODERATE RAIN FALLING ON FROZEN OR SNOW COVERED GROUND. RESIDENTS
AND VISITORS TO NORTHERN ARIZONA SHOULD REMAIN INFORMED OF THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THIS SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE WEATHER.

[fairweather8588]

I'd love to do some backpackin' in cold weather, but from the looks of things, that'd be more then I'd safelty be able to handle given my current gear status

[te_wa]

im out. we'll be spending saturday helping my sister who had a c- section that produced a healthy baby girl named Raechyl Elizabeth Ramsey. 6 lbs 10 oz.