Snow in Sierra's

My wife moved from Tahoe (Heavenly) to Bozeman in the 1993 or so to go to grad school. There used to be an MSU poster that had a photo of people skiing the ridge at Bridger and she had seen that decided that might suit her fine as a place to go to school. She arrived and heard people describing winter and thought “wow this place must really get some snow!” Her enthusiasm outweighed her knowledge of climate at that point ad she was literally astonished at what people thought was a lot of snow in Bozeman. Cold, yes, but snow not so much. You can’t really fathom the Donner party until you see those Sierra photos.
 
@Nunyacreek I know exactly what you wife means. Lived in Missoula and the worst snow days I saw were only 2 feet. We got that in a day here, then again the next and the next. Have around 6’ now with 2 more on the way. My neighbors who lived here 30+ years say you used to have to tunnel into your front door…. For that to happen we would be at 15-20’ of snow or more. Cant imagine it looking like tahoe here when Im 2000’ lower. The midwest/rocky mtn snow is cold, light fluffy snow too compared to here. We get “sierra cement” which is brutally heavy - 10lbs a shovel full. My workouts are moving tons of snow now and Im dropping a weight class.
 
I would go up to the cabin in May to open up. Dig snow and ice off the deck and dig out the utility room on the north side to turn on the power, if possible. A pick and a bar on the drift behind it, just to get the door open.

Most years the road up to the cabin from the lake was untouched. I knew where the springs were and went cross country around them. I saw several folks just power thru with chains, or try and usually wind up in the creek below the road. A couple years we'd just hike up with a cooler and packs and leave the truck in a turn out.
I had to call in sick a few times when we'd get 2-4 feet and bury the truck for a day, the road. In May.

Our neighbors cabin had pictures of them digging in to the second story window. Down, to the second story window. 1969. One had the peak of our roof and chimney barely showing through the snow.

When the place was finally open and we'd be sitting on the deck and hear them blasting the pass open. 60 feet of ice one year.

One year we hiked up the trail along the creek and there across the canyon was a ice wall from an avalanche. 20 feet of blue ice like a glacier. The trail did not get open til the next year.

I had 2 feet dumped on me in August one year in the high country backpacking.

I have about 4 inches on the ground after a good winter and several feet of snow this year. It is fresh snow from that storm that is heading cross country now. It will be a muddy mess for a few days now , again.

Good year for a carpenter that likes to build decks in the Sierra's.
 
We only got about 18-24" total. It was enough to stall out the lightweight plow piece of shit that Santa Clara county leaves back here. PGE couldn't get to the multiple downed lines in their failing garbage infrastructure so we were without power for 10 days!!
 
Dang redmt thats worse than we have ever had here and its expected to lose power. Worse was 9 days last year. Pge sent us $100 for the inconvenience. Woo. This year ours and everyone else’s power bill doubled randomly. PGE should be dissolved.
 
We have 20k stand by generator. I write the hours on the filter when I change the oil. The last oil change was March 11 of 22. It was at 185 hours last night. we run it 8-12 hours a day when needed. Doing the math that puts us at near or above 30 days without power in the last 12 months. Remote living does have it's downsides at times.
 
Fully understand redmt. We just have an 11k dual fuel, not standby, but hooked up to the big propane tank. You must be more remote than us. Only lose power 1-2 weeks a year usually, but last year was closer to 20.
 
Another 36-48 inches expected this weekend @ Mammoth.
The report says snow level will drop to 5k and 5 inches of rain will fall on the snow.
Get ready for valley flooding.
 
Wishing you guys a break, but happy there's a lot of water!

Somewhere I have a photo of my first car, at Mt. Lassen. I'd driven down from Missoula on spring break and the cut snow banks on the side of the road were over 20'.
 
Years ago my bro & I went to duck hunt at Mendota. Similar snowpack and we had gotten 5 inches of rain in one day.
We got as far as I-5 and Mendota was flooding. We got gas before the station flooded and made it home.
Tule Lake and Buena Vista lake filled. The rivers were flowing heavy.
 
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