The April 1 snow survey results are in for 2017. The Kern River basin is at 215% of normal! Two years ago it was 5% of normal and last year it was around 75%! It is great to see so much water back in the Sierra Nevada mountains, especially the Golden Trout Wilderness. With all this water, what does it mean?
There is still one more survey next month that will give a better idea of what the summer season will hold for users of the Golden Trout Wilderness. If the trend continues, one could expect delays to some trailheads. This depends on elevation and access, but snow and ice could persist well into June creating barriers for road crews. For now it will be wonderful to have a lot of smaller creeks with water, meadows wetter, lake lines higher, and some of the groundwater recharged. What do you think?