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Hiking the BFT in 2023

April 3, 2023 by Bigfoot Trail Alliance 2 Comments

October 2023 Update

All routes and trails are open.

There is some snow on the highest north-facing slopes. Great time to be out!

September 2023 Update

Active fires are all across northwest California right now…most of the trail is closed.

Working Document

Get most recent updates for 2023 here

June 2023 Update

Current conditions include regular afternoon thunderstorms, fast moving creeks and rivers, along with snow levels hovering around 5500′.

Consider day hikes in lower elevations as lower daytime temperatures are still trending. Rivers and creeks are still running high.

May 2023 Update

It has been a wild year so far in California. The state is soaking up the rain and snow after years of drought conditions. It is such a relief to have this precipitation but it also means that hiking and trail working seasons will be more difficult, if not delayed, this year.

A Look at the data…

The February 1st survey looks really good. Then winter hit us again in February and the surveyors could not even get in for many of the March 1st surveys. Swampy John, the lowest elevation site, was surveyed and holds a low average due to climate change and the rising snow forests. We look forward to seeing the data from April 1st.

Satellite image from March 15th, 2023. Notice river mouths and low snowpack.

Be careful out there

Hiking in the Klamath Mountains is never easy. The trail gains and loses 100,000 feet in elevation. When you add high snowpack and rushing streams and rivers, caution should abound. What follows are pictures from a section hike. We had 5 inches of snow on our June 21st start at Canyon Creek. The streams were raging and worrisome to cross but we eventually hit summer in the Red Buttes, where we ended our hike.

Starting at Canyon Creek.
Marble Mountains.
Russian Wilderness.
Crossing Stuart's Fork.

More updates to come…

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Filed Under: Trail Accounts

Comments

  1. Brad Marston says

    April 6, 2023 at 9:11 am

    April 1 snow data is out at https://cdec.water.ca.gov/reportapp/javareports?name=COURSES

    Looks like Swampy John is at 132% but Etna Mountain is 171%. (Bighorn Plateau near Mt. Whitney is at 310%!).

    Reply
  2. Joe Garro says

    June 9, 2023 at 1:46 am

    I attempted a portion of the Fir Glade Trail in the Red Buttes last week and the amount of snow is overwhelming still.

    Reply

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