Spring Time!

[highz]

I'd love to plan a trip to areas with violent summer thunderstorms -- to experience and photo them. I see photos all summer posted on WunderPhotos, photos of huge piles of clouds with great lightening, etc. almost all posted by people from the eastern Rockies to Florida. We have very few opportunities in the far west for that.

On the other hand -- we don't have summer humidity, either.


Love those monsoon thunderstorms, too (except when there's damaging hail). I don't like the dry lightning we get, typically in June, as the monsoon season starts to ramp up. The forest is very dry then and we get lightning without rain. Bad news.

Love the humidity as well. It's a nice change from the usual dryness, and it's nothing like the Midwest and East summer humidity.

I've been thinking of picking up one of those handheld weather meters made by Kestrel. The higher end ones have data-logging. Kind of pricey, though.

Hmmm. Wandering off topic again. Back to springtime... the Rocky Mountain iris have sent up leaves. I don't think it'll be a very good year for blooms, though.

 

[Barko1]

Is Las Cruces where you are, Barko1?

I've never been to southern, NM. I visited a friend in Taos once -- flew into Albuquerque...and I flew into El Paso, once, rented a car and drove to Big Bend, so that's the closest I've been...so not really.
I expect I'll make it down there the next couple of years. I think I may revisit southern AZ in late-winter next year (I haven't been there in >10 years -- I love Organ Pipe Cactus National Mnmt!)...so maybe I'll head east from there.

Thanks.



I'm a few miles North of LC. Organ Pipe is nice but screwed bad by all the illegal immigration. Chiricahuas East of there are very nice, the Gila as well. Much to see

 

[Smokecreek1]

Spring! Spring! Will winter ever end! It seems like i have been packed and ready to go for ever-but the weather where I usually go(the coast or somewhere in NE Calif/Nevada) is as bad as it is here in Susanville. I bought a Granby for winter camping and it seems like I can't get out this year (unlike the usual year). I know we need the snow because of the drought we have been in for the last several years-but enough is enough! It's April and some rain is expected and wanted, but it keeps snowing here. Last week we had a sunny day, and I was buzzed by a humming bird on my back deck-put out a feeder and it snowed the next day and my sewer line clogged up (great fun unclogging it in the wind and snow). This week we expected sun starting today and i loaded up the Granby with food and vodka and got ready to head to Eagle Lake to try out my new solar panels--and it is overcast and trying to rain-oh, and my new bridge in my mouth got infected (for the 2nd time) and I'm stuck here again! Does it sound like I've got spring fever---sure do, the grass is green (when not covered by snow), the buds are budding, and i'm popping pain pills and watching tv instead of "adventuring" some where. Next Friday- after i go to the dentist-i'm out of here-somewhere-even if my border collie "Bob" has to drive. So hope the roads are not all mud, the flatlanders have not found Eagle Lake yet with their RV's, and there is water in the state campgrounds on the coast-and it doesn't snow-at least until I've popped the top and I've popped my first beer !!!

Smoke Creek and bob

 

[Barko1]

i'm out of here-somewhere-even if my border collie "Bob" has to drive.

Smoke Creek and bob


Hope you like driving in circles around sheep!!

I was supposed to be on a FWC trip to the midwest but plans had to change and I'm doing the trip on my motorcycle. Yesterday ran from the 30's by (Highz's place) to 88 and 40 mph winds across NM and TX. Today I missed the tornados but have sideways rain and 43 degree perfect Spring bike weather. Got to love the weather

 

[MarkBC]

Another fine spring day here in Bend, Oregon: It's 31° and snowing.
Visible (a little) on my backyard-cam.

 

[Phird05]

A very demoralizing April this year!
It stopped snowing here in Crested Butte only yesterday and was 7 degrees here this morning. We just can't seem to get away from the winter out here. I charged the water system in my camper a couple weeks ago without too much concern. However, the last few nights I have had to leave the heat on and use the old light bulb trick under the sink, out of fear of freezing up the system.

What did someone say about Spring Time? Someone please tell me it's just around the corner.....PLEASE!

Good camping,

Paul

 

[MarkBC]

Local ski area, Mt. Bachelor, had a record total snow fall this year (record for them, but not a record even for Oregon -- Mt. Hood is almost always snowier). The current snow depth at the base (156") is at the high for the season now, 3" of new and 21° -- and yet they're only running spring-schedule (9a-2p) and will close in a month due to seasonal waning interest in skiing. Winter-like snow-conditions and there's hardly anyone up there:

Big-picture though, it's GREAT that the PNW (and other places, apparently) got/is-still-getting above-average snow this year -- always need more water out West!

 

[clikrf8]

Above average rainfall/below average temps in March/April in the northwest part of Washington state. Like hubby says you gotta put your life on hold. Tulips are blooming in Skagit County but it has been rain, rain, rain, except for the day we had town stuff to do. Waaahhh. Maybe, the weather will improve by the time we get our FWC in mid-July. Meanwhile, I have not been photographing anything in landscape country. Sensitive electronics like camera gear does not like to get wet. Maybe the next investment will be an underwater housing. I don't mind the wet but my Nikon does. However, I was able to shoot (with a free pass) remnants of Jefferson Airplane/Starship last week. My shutter finger is getting twitchy. I am even dreaming of photography to compensate for the real thing.

The days are getting longer, the temps should be getting warmer. 37 degrees and raining today @ 10am. Blah.

Hope the rest of you can get out soon. I really enjoy the travelogues with gorgeous photos and interesting comments.

 

[highz]

And those of us in S. New Mexico are in the midst of the worst drought in recent memory. Fires all around. Rub it in with all that talk of moisture.

 

[MarkBC]

And those of us in S. New Mexico are in the midst of the worst drought in recent memory. Fires all around. Rub it in with all that talk of moisture.

La niña effect, isn't it?
Not that giving a name/explanation to it makes it any better...

 

[Barko1]

7000+ acres in the Organ Mtns 12 miles from me up in smoke but apparently in some ways beneficial, not too hot and not threatening anything. Different fire burned up a picnic area at Sitting Bull Falls in the Guadalupes. At least the wind has been down. Rough Spring!

 

[highz]

Yeah. La Niña. I read that it's weakening. The models indicate things could go either way this winter, but probably a weak effect either way. We'll see.

 

[craig333]

I know what you mean. Seems theres been weather almost every weekend unless I had to work. Only been out once this winter and at least the rain had the decency to wait till after we went to bed.

 

[highz]

7000+ acres in the Organ Mtns 12 miles from me up in smoke but apparently in some ways beneficial, not too hot and not threatening anything. Different fire burned up a picnic area at Sitting Bull Falls in the Guadalupes. At least the wind has been down. Rough Spring!


We're eating the smoke from that fire right now at the observatory all the way across the Tularosa basin. I smell it when I go outside.

 

[Barko1]

We're eating the smoke from that fire right now at the observatory all the way across the Tularosa basin. I smell it when I go outside.


This morning it's looking more under control, good thing because the winds are coming back.

 

[MarkBC]

Barko1 and highz, I saw a story on your area's fire issues on my AP phone app today:

Experts predict busy fire season in southwest

First time I've seen this on national news...but maybe I just missed previous stories.

 

[Barko1]

I think we are at the 3rd longest stretch without rain, and looks like we will be second by next week and probably 1st shortly after that. Still a lot of smoke and back to 40 mph winds blowing it towards HighZ. Drought in the desert, a good year we get 7.5" Here is what Chihuhuan Dest weather looked like this past year.

 

[ski3pin]

Changed out the winter tires for the summer tires on the Lady's Subaru yesterday morning. Is it really spring?

 

[ski3pin]

Finally spring, the kind of spring we dream of – harvesting Sierra Nevada spring corn! Saturday was a glorious backcountry ski tour, a 12 mile circle, up one side and down the other.

Lake Tahoe and Mount Rose off in the distance.

The Lady folds her climbing skins on the summit. Only downside to this day was the howling wind. Ascending the summit ridge was a real bear as we did not want to be blown off down the east face.

Here’s where we’re headed.

Heading down into the big northeast bowl. It is always fun to follow the Lady.

Our turns mark our line of descent from the top.

Our descent dropped us down through wonderful terrain.

Finally we were down far enough to get some shelter from the wind. One of the best things about spring skiing is relaxing in the sun and having lunch on a lake shore.

Spring time and earning our turns and our WTW user name.

 

[DLN]

ski, great shots. Nice to see someone still closes eights, don't see it that often any more. Woke up to 1" of snow this morning, oh yea, spring in Truckee.