Yesterday we heard there was a 30% chance of snow, and we camped early so we would be cozy in our tents before it got too cold. Another hiker from Czech Republic camped with us as well, as he lost his phone and had no navigation, so made sure to stick with a group.
Shortly after dark the wind died down and the snow began. It snowed continuously through the night. Eventually the tent began to sag beneath the weight of the snow, and we had to dig the accumulating snow from around the tent. By morning everything was damp, but it stopped snowing as it got light out.
We emerged to find about 5 inches of snow on the ground, so we all packed up and started the 9 mile trek to Tuolumne Meadows. Although the trail was buried, it was still easy to follow, but the going is always a little slower in the snow. We had some beautiful scenery but we were wet and cold by the time we made it to the road. We learned from the ranger it would likely snow again tonight, and with our gear already wet we decided it would be best to go to town for the night and dry off. The weather should warm up by the weekend and stay clear for a couple weeks. We have 150 miles of trail left to finish, so it should be about a week.
It snowed down in Lee Vining after we made it down from the mountains, so we are all glad to be indoors and warm tonight. Hot food, hot showers, and warm beds. Back to the trail tomorrow, once the Tioga Pass road reopens tomorrow.
Glad you guys are inside and warm tonight!