Conditions around late October?

[gkam2]

What do you guys think the conditions around Cathedral Peak will be around late October or even early September?

Is hiking to the lakes and up to Cathedral Peak an option? Or will there be snow around that time?

[balzaccom]

There will probably be some snow--but you will only know for sure when the date comes around.

And I've climbed Cathedral Peak---but used ropes for safety for the last few pitches there. It's pretty steep. With snow, it would be a whole different ballgame.

Then again, if it really snows, you won't be able to drive to Tuolumne Meadows...the road will be closed.

[balzaccom]

On a very related note--anybody know how much snow the peaks got in this most recent storm? Snowline seems to be well above 8000 feet.

[Wawona1]

Still raining/snowing as of Monday morning. 10-4-10. If this keeps up, late Oct. will be pre-winter this year.

[orion]

what we see today will probably melt again at some point this month.

of course, you must always keep an eye over your shoulder on the skies and prepare for the worst.

here's a refresher of what can happen in october, the blizzard of October 21st 2004 that left over four feet of snow in a day:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 9D9OC1.DTL