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Snowpack

Here is the water content snowpack data in inches for the Squaw Valley Gold Coast station at the 8200 foot level. This station is near the top of the climb out of Squaw Valley and is a good indicator of the snowpack on the WS Trail. Generally, the snowpack reaches its peak on April 1 and melts after that date. In years where we can’t get into the first aid stations we may use a snow route. While the snow routes don’t change the mileage and have minimal change on the elevation gain/loss, we will exhaust all options to stay on the regular course. In some years, the access roads to our early aid stations melt out the week of the race. On years when we are unable to lower the river level by upstream dams, we cross the Middle Fork of the American River at mile 78 via boats.

Snow Water Content History

YearApril 1May 1June 1June 10CourseRiver Crossing
201836.522.80.00.0
201779.277.636.822.0boats
201641.628.20.00.0
20151.50.10.00.0
201420.211.40.20.0
201327.68.10.00.0
201233.324.30.00.0
201165.074.658.760.9snow routeboats
201043.051.443.017.3snow routeboats
200945.037.10.00.0
200839.026.20.00.0
200731.023.00.00.0
200672.078.444.918.0boats
200571.074.739.525.0boats
200442.027.50.00.0
200349.063.331.68.0
200263.050.813.40.0
200124.021.00.00.0
200052.036.00.00.0
199970.063.530.923.0
199880.075.566.151.0snow routeboats
199779.057.71.80.0
199665.059.024.63.0
1995104.0117.085.074.0snow routeboats
199427.014.90.00.0
199391.093.247.043.3boats
19925.00.00.00.0
199133.030.520.21.2
199025.010.92.30.0
198654.043.020.610.0
198533.021.30.00.0
198447.045.418.012.6
198392.0108.089.078.0snow routeboats

Water Content at Squaw Valley Gold Coast

3 Miles Short of Robinson Flat in June 2011

The 2011 River Crossing