Last high mountain trip of the year

“Just so's you locals don't think I've gone off and joined the Navy
(not a bad idea though...
all those adorable little sailors).

I'm off on what absolutely has to be the last trip of the year above 10,000 feet.

I'm headed out again for eight days with the folks who are shooting film footage for that documentary they're doing on the:
Endangered Bighorn Sheep of the Sierra Nevadas.

We did this same thing last year in November, but last year in November, the weather was warmer than normal at 12,000 feet.
No snow on the ground or in the forecast.
Tuesday six of us, and all four of The Boys, are headed out over two 12,000 foot passes to base camp at some lakes (Rae Lakes, for you Sierra fans) for the duration.
Naturally, the weather is about to change.
The first two days we are out the forecast is calling for gusty winds over the passes, temps 10 degrees colder than normal (that ought to make it about 40 degrees at high noon and 15 degrees at night), and snow...
up to five inches.
Oh, Hell!
The only bright spot in this scenerio is that the weather is expected to clear by Friday. But it won't get any warmer.
I'm going to have to take along my jammies with the feet.
It's either that, or bring the llamas into the tent at night.
Think the lakes are frozen up there yet?
I'm taking my fishing gear anyway!”

“Hey, Mel!

Sounds like a great
trip!

My corpus will be at
the orfice

My heart will be in
the highcountry

Will ya post some pics
afterwards so I (we?)
can travel to the
High Sierra widja?

Thanks, Mel.

Highcountry”

“I'll take some pitchas' and see if Phil will be kind enough to scan and print 'em.
Would you, Phil?
Pretty Please?”

“Well, OK! I'm a sucker for a pretty picture.

Send them when you can!”

“Let's all pray for mel. The weather forcast now calls for the snow to hit down to the 6,000 foot level in the Sierra's. Hope she took her expedition jammie's.”

“Latest forecast is a winter storm watch; four to six inches of snow above 6,000 feet on Tuesday.
Storm system is supposed to linger through Wednesday, then clear out.
The weekend should be dry and slightly warmer.
Oh how I hate to hike in blizzards.”

“Oh, Boy! We're having fun now.
Latest forecast has us in a holding pattern.
Winter Storm Warnings posted.
Six to 12 inches of snow over the mountains by late tomorrow. Gusty winds to 50 MPH over the ridge tops.
My sheep people are here and now we all have to sit and wait till the storm blows through.
We'll be hauling in the snow shovels to break trail over the passes on Wednesday or Thursday.

If I was going to go out and snow camp, I'd at least pick nice weather to do it in.
This could be some adventure.”

“Dangit, mel. Sounds like a fun hike. I've been itching for a snow hike since coming across Shepards Pass!”