Eastern Oregon Roadtrip

[karlsch]

Originally Posted by Deezus

So just a further question--how is the snowpack in Eastern Oregon mountain ranges this year? I tried finding some info online, and it looks like as is the case in the Cascades this year, snowfall was pretty heavy.

The snow has been heavy and the weather has been cold (coldest April since 1955) in the Wallowas and Elkhorns. It is still snowing at the higher elevations. It's almost certain that a lot of it will still be there next month.

The late melt has complicated the filling of the Brownlee Reservoir:
http://www.bakercityherald.com/Local-News/Brownlee-Reservoir-begins-to-refill [/quote]

[Deezus]

Originally Posted by Fiddlehead

I would have to think that the High Wallowas and Elkhorns will likely be snowbound until July this year. It could get hot anytime, but above about 6,000' that will not be enough to melt things out very quickly. The low elevations could be nice. But this is the thunderstorm season, so it can get very cold when they settle in and hail on you. I once saw a bunch of bikers holed up in a Prairie City coffee shop trying to wait out the storms. On the other hand, it could be beautiful. Luck of the draw.

Yeah, I think we might delay our trip until July or August, just to have a chance of hiking to some of the high alpine lakes and peaks in the Elkhorns and Wallowas. I've struggled through early season hiking in deep, but slushy snow in the Western Cascade for the last few years, and it gets frustrating when it's almost too warm for snowshoes but deep enough that you have to trog over deep snowbanks in places.