Low Snowpack Effect on Water Availability

[Onda Road Again]

With the low snowpack levels across the state right now, what effect will that have one some of the waterless stretches throughout the trail? Any specific locations that will be more affected than others?

Thanks!

[colorado_rob]

All depends on when you're planning on hiking the trail. If you're starting a CT thru hike anywhere from mid June to, say, early/mid July, you should have no unusual problems. If you're starting later and going SWBO (Denver->Durango), there might be additional water issues by the time you get down to the San Juan's, which have the driest snowpack conditions right now, but still plenty of water until late July/early August, I believe (bear creek will chime in, I would think).

There also might be drier than usual conditions in section 2-3, though the firehouse is always fine (end of 2 or beginning of 3, right?) which should get you far enough into the LCW where there is always reliable water.

[Onda Road Again]

All depends on when you're planning on hiking the trail. If you're starting a CT thru hike anywhere from mid June to, say, early/mid July, you should have no unusual problems. If you're starting later and going SWBO (Denver->Durango), there might be additional water issues by the time you get down to the San Juan's, which have the driest snowpack conditions right now, but still plenty of water until late July/early August, I believe (bear creek will chime in, I would think).

There also might be drier than usual conditions in section 2-3, though the firehouse is always fine (end of 2 or beginning of 3, right?) which should get you far enough into the LCW where there is always reliable water.

We're starting SWBO on July 5th and planning on completing the trail the first week in August some time. Sounds like we'll be finishing up before conditions get too dry.

Thanks!

[San Juan Ron]

It's going to be dry in the San Juan's and south of I-50. The SNOTEL sites are running around 50-60%. Plan accordingly on the dry sections (20M from 26-8.4 to 27-19.4 and the cow country from 114 to Cochetopa Creek). Ron

[Wuff]

I'm planning on hiking NB from Durango for a couple weeks. Does the dismal snow report mean I could start my hike in early June? Would there be any draw backs?

I was targeting for mid/late June but the earlier the better and more time I would have out there.

[colorado_rob]

I'm planning on hiking NB from Durango for a couple weeks. Does the dismal snow report mean I could start my hike in early June? Would there be any draw backs?

I was targeting for mid/late June but the earlier the better and more time I would have out there.Good idea, and I betcha the answer is yes. Keep your eye's open though, we're supposed to get a pretty decent dump here in the next few days (maybe further east though), no biggie for a single dump, but if a few waves of snow come in things might change.

Here's the SNOTEL site again:

http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/ftpref/data/water/wcs/gis/maps/co_swepctnormal.pdf

Looking way low in the San Juan's, early-mid June should be some excellent hiking, maybe some manageable snow patches here and there, hopefully bearcreek and SJ ron will chime in and let us know... My wife and I would love to get some trail done down there in June if it does work easily.

[Venchka]

Rob is right. Mid-April is too early to tell.

Wayne


Sent from somewhere around here.

[San Juan Ron]

I will be hiking Segments 22-23 in early May and can provide an update. My guess is early to mid June will be okay, but a lot can change over the next couple of weeks. Ron

[colorado_rob]

Wow... up to a couple feet of wet snow have fallen in the last 24 hours in the Front Range (Denver foothills and west) area, more coming, this is a biggie! Good news for water, hopefully not bad news for early CT hikers.

No idea what's happening down in the Southwest (San Juans), hopefully some good moisture is falling there too.

[Wuff]

Definitely good news. Worst case for me is pushing back the hike a bit if necessary, I'll live. :)

[Ronnwell]

Wow... up to a couple feet of wet snow have fallen in the last 24 hours in the Front Range (Denver foothills and west) area, more coming, this is a biggie! Good news for water, hopefully not bad news for early CT hikers.

No idea what's happening down in the Southwest (San Juans), hopefully some good moisture is falling there too.

Doesn't look like we'll get much out this storm ... unfortunately, nothing like what the front range is getting

[nickoli]

Ahhhhh! So much good snow. Face shots if you could find something steep enough on Mary Jane today. probably 13-15 inches total from this storm, very wet slow snow. Although, this doesn't really mean anything if it's back to 45 degrees soon. Still too early to tell! It's all about May.

[Wolf - 23000]

Living on the East Coast it is a little hard to tell. I'm heading out for Colorado next month. Is Colorado going to be extremely dry? From what I can tell is around Denver it shouldn't been bad, but after North Pass it maybe on the dry side. For me it a tossup between which pack I will be carrying. The difference between a 2.4 oz pack and a 7 oz pack. If I’m going to need more than a quart of water between then I’ll go with the 7 oz pack. If not then the 2.4 oz pack should work fine.

Wolf

[colorado_rob]

Living on the East Coast it is a little hard to tell. I'm heading out for Colorado next month. Is Colorado going to be extremely dry? From what I can tell is around Denver it shouldn't been bad, but after North Pass it maybe on the dry side. For me it a tossup between which pack I will be carrying. The difference between a 2.4 oz pack and a 7 oz pack. If I’m going to need more than a quart of water between then I’ll go with the 7 oz pack. If not then the 2.4 oz pack should work fine.

WolfCO is anything but dry. Wettest spring I can recall (without looking at actual stats).

Here's the SNOTEL report:

http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/ftpref/data/water/wcs/gis/maps/co_swepctnormal.pdf

That being said, there are plenty of stretches along the tail, no matter how wet the area, where water won't be available for quite a few miles, maybe 10-12 miles or more. I personally always carry 2 liters of capacity, though many times with only one liter actually carried.

[San Juan Ron]

It's the wettest it has been on the CT in many, many years (if not decades). There is snow and water everywhere. All the "half cup" water areas should be available until at least late August. There was a MAJOR change in conditions from mid-April to June. I was hiking parts of the CT eager this week and the trail is a creek. Ron

[Onda Road Again]

It's the wettest it has been on the CT in many, many years (if not decades). There is snow and water everywhere. All the "half cup" water areas should be available until at least late August. There was a MAJOR change in conditions from mid-April to June. I was hiking parts of the CT eager this week and the trail is a creek. Ron

I should have known better than to ask about snowpack effect back in April! It's good to know about the "half-cup" water areas being mostly reliable this year.

[San Juan Ron]

I should have known better than to ask about snowpack effect back in April! It's good to know about the "half-cup" water areas being mostly reliable this year.

Next time we are in a drought, re-post about the "low water availability". :)

[Wolf - 23000]

Thank you to everyone. I wasn't tracking that Colorado was in any kind of drought conduction. Mags recently posted about alcohol stoves being banned in the Rocky Mountains. Good information to know but bans are like that are normal only done when there is a drought conduction. I thought I might have missed something.

Wolf

[Onda Road Again]

Next time we are in a drought, re-post about the "low water availability". :)

Will do! Maybe I should head on over to the JMT forum next, I bet they wouldn't mind some extra precipitation this year!

[Mags]

I wasn't tracking that Colorado was in any kind of drought conduction. Mags recently posted about alcohol stoves being banned in the Rocky Mountains


That's Rocky Mountain National Park. With the very wet spring, that ban in the park took a lot of people by surprise. Myself included.

[Wolf - 23000]

That's Rocky Mountain National Park. With the very wet spring, that ban in the park took a lot of people by surprise. Myself included.

Thanks Mags for the clarification. I was a little confuse by your other thread post and the ban of alcohol stoves. I personal love my alcohol stove but I'm bias sense I was the one who made it. It is what it is.

Wolf

[colorado_rob]

That's Rocky Mountain National Park. With the very wet spring, that ban in the park took a lot of people by surprise. Myself included.There's an actual ban on Alcohol stoves in RMNP? I read that other thread a couple times, and nowhere in it did I actually see any real facts that this was actually legally true. I won't push this because I know better to argue with Mags on this, his favorite subject.

[Mags]

There's an actual ban on Alcohol stoves in RMNP? I read that other thread a couple times, and nowhere in it did I actually see any real facts that this was actually legally true. I won't push this because I know better to argue with Mags on this, his favorite subject.

Don't know if it is legally true (I am not a lawyer..), but a person called directly and was told "no". Being a bit surprised, I asked myself as I like to see things in writing and the direct quote from RMNP. Not sure if it is my favorite subject. I just like to verify things myself rather than hearsay and supposition. ;)

The phone call/post to me:

Person: “I am going to RMNP, and they don’t allow alcohol stoves with no on/off valve, is there any good alternative?”
Me: Whuh?!?! News to me..did a ranger tell you this?

Person: “Hi Paul, Yes I did call the park office yesterday, and they told me that, anything not having an on-off switch is not allowed.“

And in writing:
(email chain I will not repeat..but I asked about the stoves)

ROMO Information, NPS (sent by ——–@partner.nps.gov ([email protected])) 12:36 PM (1 hour ago)
to Paul
Stoves must have an on/off switch to be used in the Park.



So, you would not be arguing with me. You'd be arguing with the park's interpretation of what was told to the first gentleman and then verified by me. I'm just reporting what was said and written. :)

I figure most people would appreciate knowing... And, more importantly, seems to be a trend with land agencies putting more restrictions in the exceedingly dry and fire prone West.

And, that is my favorite topic: Long term trends in the backcountry and the environment. How we interact with it. And the changes that are happening. And the impact it has in both the short term and the long term.

[AZ_Astro]

It's the wettest it has been on the CT in many, many years (if not decades). There is snow and water everywhere. All the "half cup" water areas should be available until at least late August. There was a MAJOR change in conditions from mid-April to June. I was hiking parts of the CT eager this week and the trail is a creek. Ron

Could you please explain what you mean by "half cup" water areas? I've not heard that before. Thx.

[hikeandbike5]

In the colorado trail databook, water sources that are unreliable, or prone to drying up are marked with a cup half full symbol.

see below:

http://www.shop.coloradotrail.org/images/Databook5segment8revised.jpg