Snowpack

[Red Dawg]

went up the wenas today and there is nothing but mud. Surprisingly there are a ton of elk at welfare.

[hirshey]

No kidding, with things this warm, how early will they start prescribed burns?

It'll still be late March/April at the earliest... depending on funding and when they can get enough early hires to do the groundwork.

[ICEMAN]

Thanks hirshey.

[swanny]

It's scary how little snow there is this year. I'm up at Snoqualmie every Thursday night for ski races and can't believe how bare it is driving up the pass. Even the surrounding 5,000ft plus hills have bare spots on them. The conditions have been very Spring like all last month, hopefully they improve some this month, wouldn't mind a couple powder days.

Was riding at Baker on Saturday and there were creeks that I have never not seen covered in snow. You had to make sure to pay attention good to where you were going or you were stuck and hiking out a ways.

[Pathfinder101]

finally getting some here in the Blues.  Mountains are white this morning..

[Shootmoore]

No kidding, with things this warm, how early will they start prescribed burns?

It'll still be late March/April at the earliest... depending on funding and when they can get enough early hires to do the groundwork.

I used to love the Green Weenies prescribed burn season, always meant some early overtime on dry springs when they got away from them. Was also a good time to stock up on the nice leather work gloves. Made sure I had a good trading stock in the spring.

Shootmoore

P.S.  So to even out my term of endearment for the FS I'll tell one on myself.  Whats Red and sleeps 3 comfortably?.........A DNR engine.....DNR vs. Forest Circus was always in good fun, the peons always got along it was more up the food chain where friction occurred.  Not sure how it is now days as I have been out for 16 years.

[Alchase]

Thank you for he report Idabooner!

[hirshey]

I used to love the Green Weenies prescribed burn season, always meant some early overtime on dry springs when they got away from them. Was also a good time to stock up on the nice leather work gloves. Made sure I had a good trading stock in the spring.

Shootmoore

 
P.S.  So to even out my term of endearment for the FS I'll tell one on myself.  Whats Red and sleeps 3 comfortably?.........A DNR engine.....DNR vs. Forest Circus was always in good fun, the peons always got along it was more up the food chain where friction occurred.  Not sure how it is now days as I have been out for 16 years.
[/quote]
Ha! Good one! We are generally all on good terms still. There's always the few and the proud that take it far too serious.. but really we all do the same job. (except you (the DNR) doesn't get hazard pay for it). There's always plenty of work for all.. and we much appriciate you holding the lines while we burn off of them. hehe.

In all seriousness, its always fun to meet new people who also enjoy the same job I do.. definitely looking forward to those spring burns this season.. it'll be much-needed browse soon afterwards.

[hirshey]

Thanks hirshey.

Anytime.

[Skyvalhunter]

Yea it was always fun to watch a crew of forest circus guy do the work of one DNR guy. Then watch them throw the wrong end of their hose down the hill!!

[hirshey]

Oh so funny.. that mentality is why the Auhtanum 20 person crew (who has been trying to get hotshot status for years now) always has the most injuries.. and yes, the most fireline... but also the most fireline that consistantly needs to be improved by us forest circus crews.

(I jest... sort of)

The rappel crew in Wenatchee has plenty of old DNR folks on it... solid guys.

[Lowedog]

Mission Ridge is supposedly at 109% of normal for this time of year.  Last year we had a bunch of snow by new years and it all melted off through Jan.  Early Feb 2009 we were at around 80% most places.  Ended up getting it all back through the rest of the winter.  Up high there is lots of snow.  I have been snowmobiling and once you get above 4000' it starts piling up. 

[MichaelJ]

I think we'll be alright really... seems like there's been a lot of moisture this year just none of it has stuck down low.  I guess only time will tell and there's still quite a bit of winter left for the snow to accumulate up high.

Michael

[washelkhntr]

I just have a feeling that this year, the snow is gonna hit us hard in March and April. 

[bobcat]

I just have a feeling that this year, the snow is gonna hit us hard in March and April. 

Or February...