Record snow fall in the Sierras!

[OhioHiker]

I am by no means a thru hiker, hopefully someday. Anyhow I live vicariously through YouTubers!

I am sure we have heard about the weather on the west coast, record snow falls in the Sierras right now.

What does this mean for your 2022 thru hike? Hopefully it makes finding water sources easier

[Miner]

It's too early to tell. We sometimes see this and then everything goes dry for the rest of winter/early spring and the snow levels ultimately end up below normal. The important number to watch is the water content that is determined as the snow pack consolidates into a hard packed mass. This is why people use the April 1st date to determine just what it's going to be like. That said, this is a great start as California needed the rain as last year was very dry so I pray it continues.

[Venchka]

Dixie hiked the PCT in a high snow year.
Same for Second Chance Hiker.
Videos from those two years should give you some idea of when the show becomes passable.
Some folks had ice axes and traction devices on their shoes.
Be safe!
Wayne

[JPritch]

It's too early to tell. We sometimes see this and then everything goes dry for the rest of winter/early spring and the snow levels ultimately end up below normal. The important number to watch is the water content that is determined as the snow pack consolidates into a hard packed mass. This is why people use the April 1st date to determine just what it's going to be like. That said, this is a great start as California needed the rain as last year was very dry so I pray it continues.

You called it. Record snowfall in Dec then nothing, and it's shaping up to be possibly the worst year on record. I'm in crunch time on my PCT go/no-go decision, but I'm leaning heavily towards waiting another year, for a multitude of reasons, with my 5/7 start date.

[stephanD]

California and all the Western USA need any inch of snow/rain they can get. The Colorado River basically is becoming a puddle.