Yosemite Crag Conditions Question
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I'm planning on climbing in the Valley this weekend (April 1-3). Temps look to be sunny & high (high 50s-60s) all this week, but I really don't have a feel for how quickly the snow at the lower elevations and south aspects will burn off. There are a couple of areas I want to climb at that I haven't been to yet in winter, so I don't know how wet they are and how likely they are to dry out or become safe by this weekend. |
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Plan on it being wet everywhere, especially cracks and single-pitch climbs in the trees. The devil's bathtub area (Peruvian flake, etc.) is often a good bet, as the bathtub ledges direct most of the upper runoff to the side, but it will still be wet. Royal Arches will be a waterfall. Most of the post-storm ice and rockfall will probably have past, but scope the upper walls in the morning. If there are sheets of ice hanging, you're better off staying away from Glacier Point apron and El Cap. |
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Zin, you seem to pretty knowledgeable about the area. I'm looking to make my first trip to The Valley the last week of April. I understand this can be hit or miss with the weather, but will a lot of the crags be dry by then if the weather is nice? |
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its going to be a soggy spring in the valley. CA got tons of snow this winter, could take a while to melt and dry. suerte! |
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Lots of winter snow doesn't mean the crags are going to be wet all spring. Some climbs (e.g., Royal Arches) will stay wet longer. Many others will be unaffected. It mostly depends on whether theee's a lot of precipitation. |
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Parkline, Cookie, and Arch are good year round and dry out quickly |
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Hey are you coming in to Yosemite from the North side or the South side? Im heading out that way a few days after you get there and Im going to be coming from the South and wasnt sure what roads were open and if my little Chevy Colbalt would make it through that area with it being mid April. |
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Eric T. wrote:Zin, you seem to pretty knowledgeable about the area. I'm looking to make my first trip to The Valley the last week of April. I understand this can be hit or miss with the weather, but will a lot of the crags be dry by then if the weather is nice?If we don't get another significant storm before then, it will certainly be climbable. The cracks will still be wet, but they definitely can be climbed. As Kevin stated above, the Cookie is also a good sunny option. |
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I'm no regular... But Reeds is also really good in the winter. Pretty much the lower valley I suppose. Although I was at the Cookie before the storm came in, and some routes were wet even then. Still climbable. But yeah maybe you've already been to those places. |
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Cwaters wrote:Hey are you coming in to Yosemite from the North side or the South side? Im heading out that way a few days after you get there and Im going to be coming from the South and wasnt sure what roads were open and if my little Chevy Colbalt would make it through that area with it being mid April.On their website the current status is: Monday, March 28 Update: Roads into Yosemite National Park have reopened. This includes park entrances via Highways 120 from the west, 140, and 41. All park services are fully operating at this time. Please carry tire chains with you as they may become mandatory at any time. Also, a good link to watch for weather: forecast.weather.gov/MapCli… |
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Thanks Mark, My girlfriend and I appreciate the info. |
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Arch rock is now closed due to Falcon Nesting FYI so that crag would be no go. |
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3rd pitch of Nutcracker is wet, but the rest of the routes on Manure Pile are dry. Pat & Jack Pinnacle was nice & dry, and so was Generator Crack! |
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just wanted to give this conditions thread a bump and see how things are looking for this weekend (april 15th).... |
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Based on last weekend, this weekend should be pretty good. The snow levels from that giant storm a few weeks ago have been reduced substantially by rain and warm temps. It's looking more like spring. |
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any Valley updates? I'll be there this weekend and will update the thread then. |