|
Brian Stevens
·
Apr 29, 2017
·
Boulder, CO
· Joined Apr 2011
· Points: 2,137
Can anyone comment on what the access might be like for late May/early June given the snow? The MP page for Calaveras Dome is pretty thin regarding how to get there, but I've got some good info from an old Rock & Ice mini guide. Any additional info on how to get there (particularly from the east) would be helpful. Thanks! Also, any info on the sun/shade aspect for Silk Road would be much appreciated. Looks like it's on the east face, but is there a southern/northern aspect as well?
|
|
longlep
·
Apr 29, 2017
·
Grand Junction
· Joined May 2014
· Points: 20
|
|
Brian Stevens
·
Apr 29, 2017
·
Boulder, CO
· Joined Apr 2011
· Points: 2,137
Oooh, hot and wet at the same time....sounds titillating.
|
|
J. Albers
·
Apr 29, 2017
·
Colorado
· Joined Jul 2008
· Points: 1,926
Given the snow year, there is very little chance that Ellis road will be open, which means you will have to do the longer tiger creek road. This is no problem, just longer and rougher. Get a gazetteer and getting there should be no problem (I did it before MP and it was no prob). Coming from the east or west is not too relevant because either way Ellis is faster, but snow is what dictates your choice. Cal dome proper can get hot in June for sure. It's not really east or west facing as you are thinking. It faces north for the most part but its dome structure bulges out so that you are getting some east or west sun. Things like wall of the worlds will be very hot and won't get shade because of its right (west) facing corners and open slab. At least Silk Road has left (east) facing corners so it will be in the shade sooner. Perhaps still hotish (depending on the day) but much more doable. WoWs can seep a bit, but I have done it in spring and it was fine. Only done silk in the fall, so can't comment on seep for that in spring. Maybe salaminzer is lurking MP and can post up because I know he has climbed there a lot too
|
|
J. Albers
·
Apr 29, 2017
·
Colorado
· Joined Jul 2008
· Points: 1,926
The pic above of Panther Creek road is nuts! Crazy winter in the Sierra I guess. All is not lost though just because the FS states that a bunch of those roads are closed. Just to try and clear up some confusion, you always need to use Salt Springs Road to get to Cal Dome because its the final section of road. To get to SS Road, you have essentially three options: Ellis (highest road, i.e. further east up the Hwy 88 pass), Panther Creek (a bit further down the pass), and Tiger Creek (all the way down the pass in the little town of Pioneer). First off, Ellis is always closed this time of year because of snow (and it stays that way until mid-summer because there is always a drift across the road not far from the Hwy. 88 junction), so just because the FS says its closed is no big deal. Tiger Creek Road started being seasonally closed about 5 years back for "resource protection" reasons (it used to be open to the public all year, but it was getting beat up, so they closed it in the winter and spring). Thus if the FS says that Salt Springs is closed, it could just mean that they still have a seasonal closure in effect. And if Salt Springs is jacked up, they will definitely be fixing it ASAP because PG&E uses that road regularly to service and operate the dam and reservoir facilities. I guess what I am saying is that just because Panther Creek Road is jacked and Ellis is closed, does not mean that you won't be able to get to Cal Dome in June. Just call the FS and find out what the deal is.
|
|
Berweger
·
Apr 29, 2017
·
Unknown Hometown
· Joined Jan 2012
· Points: 0
While I have no idea how the road survived the winter, it is possible to get into SS taking winton rd east out of the bustling metropolis of West Point, and then following spur 4 -> forest route 7N08 (as labeled on google maps - it's all easy navigating). I would recommend doing it with more clearance than a sedan (I recall seeing a mustang stuck up there last summer), though something along the lines of a rav 4 would have worked then. The whole network of logging roads is pretty extensive out there, and it is also not too difficult to get to the top of the dome either. Coming from the east this is of course really far - there may also be options coming in through bear creek reservoir that will be melted out in a month.
|
|
J. Albers
·
Apr 29, 2017
·
Colorado
· Joined Jul 2008
· Points: 1,926
Wow, that's pretty crazy Nate, thanks for sharing. I guess its not so surprising because a lot of those roads up there (including the main SS Road) are traversing steep hill sides just like the Panther Creek photo. If the rest of the roads look like that photo, whew, could be a long time. Bummer. Do keep us posted if you here anything, I'm interested just for curiosity sake if nothing else!!
|
|
Brian Stevens
·
Apr 30, 2017
·
Boulder, CO
· Joined Apr 2011
· Points: 2,137
Wow, thanks for all of the information - very helpful. Although it sounds like I may not be getting into Cal Dome this year...?
|
|
J. Albers
·
Apr 30, 2017
·
Colorado
· Joined Jul 2008
· Points: 1,926
Climbing on Sonora Pass?!?! Nah. Nope. No climbing there. Keep moving along. Besides, even if there was climbing there (and there isn't), the whole area is patrolled by El Chupacabra, which makes it a dangerous (borderline suicidal) place to try and camp. Yup, best just to keep going south to the Valley or Bishop. Better climbing and safer too.
|
|
Brian Stevens
·
May 8, 2017
·
Boulder, CO
· Joined Apr 2011
· Points: 2,137
If anyone else is interested, I called the forest service for the Cal Dome area and talked to a very *grumpy* woman who told me there was no predicted opening for any of the roads, and that it is currently impossible to get back to that area. Please post up any additional info you may have gathered. Thanks!
|
|
Muscrat
·
May 8, 2017
·
Unknown Hometown
· Joined Oct 2011
· Points: 3,625
Funny that this should pop up this morning, as we were heading down in a couple of days. Guess not. For those who wish us to avoid the chupacabra @ Sonora, (and we have them here, too) what is the snow like on the dome? I'm thinking maybe a hike in might be in the works, looks like it is only a couple of miles. Thoughts?
|
|
MP
·
May 8, 2017
·
Unknown Hometown
· Joined Sep 2013
· Points: 2
On the plus side for calaveras dome climbers-- PG&E must be working on repairing at least one access road to the dam/hydroelectric plant?? How are they getting back there right now-- helicopter?
|
|
Tony L
·
May 19, 2017
·
San Carlos
· Joined Oct 2011
· Points: 832
Just called USFS Amador. They said road closed (missing in places).
|
|
Muscrat
·
May 22, 2017
·
Unknown Hometown
· Joined Oct 2011
· Points: 3,625
Nate, you tease. Verbal info would be just fine, too. Weather, access, ANYTHING! :-0
|
|
Brian Stevens
·
Mar 19, 2018
·
Boulder, CO
· Joined Apr 2011
· Points: 2,137
Reviving this thread as I'm thinking of a trip in late April. Anyone gotten out that way and know of the road conditions either coming from the east or west? Predictions on whether late April will be a total crap-shoot?
|
|
Bobby Hutton
·
Mar 20, 2018
·
Grizzly Flat, CA
· Joined Aug 2013
· Points: 1,153
We are having a late winter, so its anybodies guess what it will be like in April. I haven't been on 88 in a week but I am confident that the Ellis Ellis Rd route and the route thru Bear River reservoir are closed due to snow currently. Living in the area my guess is that snow got as low as the valley during this last storm over the weekend. That being said I haven't heard any thing about any road wash outs this year and we have had fewer big rain storms this year. Ellis rd was repaired last summer and the route by bear river reservoir was never closed. I hope all that helps you make your decision.
|
|
Salamanizer Ski
·
Apr 3, 2018
·
Off the Grid…
· Joined Sep 2005
· Points: 18,919
Panther Creek will probably be open by late April this year. Tiger Creek definitely will. Tiger Cr would suck if coming from the east as it will take you much longer, but coming from the West its not too bad. Probably an extra 25 minutes of driving. Don't go by the Forrest Service website. They're about as accurate as a broken clock, only getting it right in the middle of summer, and dead of winter.
|
|
DrewSmith
·
Apr 23, 2018
·
Tahoe City, CA
· Joined Feb 2015
· Points: 116
Road update-
Talked to Amador and Calaveras forest service today, all roads to Cal Dome are still closed. If we keep getting warm weather, they may open in a week or two.
|