12-31-10, Snow in the Supes?

[RickVincent]

Are the weather forecasters getting overly excited for snow? We should know by the end of the day today. Anyone up for a half-day hike in the Supes? Lets meet up Friday morning. Flatiron, 5024, Heiro to 5057, Carney, Peralta, First Water. I'm open. Just looking for a morning hike partner or two or three. I'll check in regularly today for interested hikers. Moderate to fast pace. Would like to be back in town for lunch. My preferred meet-up location for Supes hikes is the Fry's grocery store parking lot at the southwest corner of Idaho and Apache Trail. I'm thinking 6:00am. Dress warm and bring a headlamp. Post here, call or text if interested: 480-258-3443.

[DarthStiller]

The clouds are starting to lift and from up in Fountain Hills you can see that there definitely is alot of snow in the eastern Supes. Seems as though the further east you go (i.e. higher elevations) there's more snow. Might be some on Superstition Mt, but it's hard to tell with the light at this time of day.

The clouds are just beginning to lift on Four Peaks and there's already a bunch of snow at the lower elevations. I expect up top to be almost all white.

[JoelHazelton]

Just got back from Massacre Falls. Got snow flurries as I arrived back to my truck at the Crosscut Trailhead. The ridgeline has a light dusting of snow that's hard to spot unless you're pretty closeby.

[RickVincent]

Just heard two reports of light snowfall in East Mesa. One in Las Sendas area and another at Greenfield and McDowell Rds. I just can't decide where I want to go tomorrow. I'm leaning towards getting somewhere on top of that Ridgeline. Gonna be cold.

[CannondaleKid]

We must have crossed paths... I was out to Massacre Falls, returning to my car at 1:30pm.

When I drove out there the clouds were low over the west edge of the Supes to I couldn't see if there was snow. On the drive out, if there had been snow, I did not see any on the west edge. However, when I started the hike around 10 am from the JC trailhead I saw snow on the ridge well back and above the Massacre Falls area. It wasn't a lot but whenever the light was right you could definitely tell it was snow. I wouldn't doubt a little sun on it (which may have happened shortly after I left since the sky was clearing on that side.) will melt it.

I'm about to write up a triplog. It was a hike with a wide variety of weather and sky conditions, resulting in 118 photos and 18 videos. The snow I was hit with on the way out was just little balls of sleet, no snow flakes. Four Peaks were covered by clouds until I was almost all the way back out, when I got a few shots with the sun on the peaks. It was COLD on the way to the falls... I had four layers on (the outer a wind/waterproof jacket) and still felt a chill. Of course on the climb I warmed up so no big deal. I'm originally from MN so this is nothing...

I couldn't believe the amount of traffic going out that way on my way home. On Lost Dutchman Rd (which turns into Brown Rd in Mesa) the traffic was bumper to bumper from Apache Trail almost all the way to Ironwood. I suppose "snow on the Supes" get's everybody and their brother out to see it.

[RickVincent]

Siphon Draw up to the Ridgeline would be a nice option tomorrow morning. If anyone is interested, give me a call. Cell number in first post.

[JoelHazelton]

@CannondaleKid Ah, I believe we talked for a few back at the falls. When you mentioned the reverse Flatiron I figured you must have been on HAZ Good meeting you! (that was you, right?)

[CannondaleKid]

@azpride
When I saw your comment here I wondered if that was you. I figured I'd have seen you with your camera out taking photos. Where was your camera??? ;)

Anyway... cool! Nice to meet other HAZ'ers on the trail.

[suzaz]

I had to pass on doing a canyon today because I don't own a drysuit yet but I did hear that it was a total whiteout past the Tortilla Trailhead. Also appears to be snow up towards Queen Valley, maybe the Oak Flat area or perhaps a little further up. I am NOT seeing anything up on this side of the Supes/Flatiron from my place. The snow dumping cloud looked to be headed toward Picketpost but I have not been able to verify that yet.

[RickVincent]

Looking forward to my final hike of 2010. I want to throw a snowball off of Flatiron.

[kevinweitzel75]

Ran into falling snow on the 202 and Gilbert this afternoon. Not anything that was sticking, but saw it hitting the windsheild. I remember Jan. 21, 2007 we had about 2 inches of snow that fell in Mesa (Higley and Brown) and acually stayed for a few days. Don't think that will happen anytime soon again.

[DarthStiller]

I'm planning on a hike in Hieroglyphics Canyon with the wife and kids tomorrow, leaving Mesa late morning after my early morning jog. Not expecting snow but maybe some water in the pools up there. trying to get the kids into hiking by having a big thing to see like the petroglyphs after a 1.5 mile hike. I'm expecting them to complain about how cold it will be :roll:.

[RickVincent]

I remember the 2007 snowfall in Mesa. I stopped at the park off of McKellips. Kids were building snowmen, tossing snowballs and sledding around on boogie boards.

@ Stiller - It was a little cold out there this morning. High 20's when we hit the trail at 7:30am.