Only the beginning of the deluge

The snowpack is deep and wet, Friant Dam already has water coming over the spillway, the San Joaquin River is running high, and at Hwy 152 the Eastside Bypass looks like a fast running lake. Considerable interest in the snow and water levels, and weather forecast. These researchers measured the snowpack at their study site nearby the cabin, and at 6,000 ft. elevation their study site is about 500 ft. lower than the cabin. The snow measurement: 2.89 meters = 9.577 feet.

A sold sheet of ice, almost

Between Mother Nature and the snowplow there's a mighty bank of snow next to the road. Thanks to the UC scientists, the USFS and a multitude of other agencies, the area is being well studied, from critters to water. What that means for us, however, is a break in the snow wall so we don't need ice climbing gear to get up on the snow. And after we're up on the snow, those snowmobile tracks used by the bureaucrats & scientists make for lots easier snow shoe walking the first few hundred yards. At the turnoff to our cabin is the obligatory house number sign and the close up picture shows the snow level in the tree well, and with imagination it's possible to see the tippy top of the same sign from a distance.

North, South, Sun, Shade

The north side of the cabin, the south side of the cabin, and the sunniest spot within a 5 mile radius, the log cabin. And then there's the gate, nestled in the snow, somewhere.

Now about the cabin...

Saturday 3/26 it was still snowing lightly and the trees were covered with snow. By Tuesday 3/29 the snow was off the trees, and off the roof, at least as much as it could slide. So how to get a perspective on the snowpack? Try the north facing bedroom windows where the snow doesn't slide off the roof and it's shady. Several times we have seen the snow reach just above the bottom of the window ledge. This time the snow was 3/4 of the way up the window and reportedly was even higher a few days earlier before it warmed up and the snow started settling. Right Andrew & Becky?

Tons of snow, less snow, then even more snow

In January(2/5/11) we thought there was a lot of snow, it was cold and the snow was just like the best of Utah powder. Ann and I dug down and opened the door and fixed the electrical/water problem. A month later(2/6/11) with essentially no new snow we could have easily opened the door. Then a few weeks later that snow started and didn't let up until late March leaving a pile of wet "Sierra Cement" snow that must be close to record levels for snow depth and water content.

This mound of snow is the front door to the pump house taken 3/29/2011. No, not bothering with any comment regarding shovels.

Breakfast of Champions

Yummmmm! Soft boiled eggs! Yummmmm.

Before

After

Snow and Sunshine

Two days, one trip, one with snow, one with sun! Thank you again mother nature.

Yesterday

Today

Best Huevos Rancheros. Ever.

If you are curious of how the best huevos rancheros EVER taste like, try to make it to the cabin when Andrew is.

Feet, and feet, and feet of snow!

Hello for heaven!

We left San Francisco last night and stayed overnight with the dawgs in a king size bed at La Quinta Inn in Fresno. We checked in at 1:15 am, and thank goodness we did.

We left Fresno around 10ish this morning to find the four lane road closed because there was a rock slide. We almost made it through, though. Had we not made that last stop at starbucks we might've been able to make it. So, we turned around and took the old road. Good thing the rock slide was only on the four lane part and we were able to make it all the way to the cabin. It took us 45 minutes to snow shoe in.


The pump house

We were soooo excited to find out we had power, heat, and man... water! SOMEONE--im not gonna say any names--but someone forgot to shut the water off on the last visit. It could not be auntie Ann or Jane, so the only logical explanation is that uncle Lou sneaked in in between auntie Ann and Jane's visit and now, to turn the water on so that perhaps someone other than him would experience a trip to the cabin with NO FRIECKEN WATER!.

We are snowed in! Below, some pictures.