There are quite a few big passes up in the Sierra Nevada. About one per day for a week or two. They are the highest points on the trail and are usually both preceded and succeeded by snow. Yes, there's a drought in California and yes, it's a low snow year, but we're up here pretty early in the season. There may not be a ton, buts it's here and it's changed the feeling of the hike tremendously.

One of the biggest changes the snow brings is navigating. Previously, the trail was easy to follow. Nowadays, not so much.

Sometimes you have to follow other people's footprints and hope they steer your in the right direction. Sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't.

Sometimes you glissade down and skip a bunch of switchbacks. Glissading can be very fun, but it is not without its dangers.

Sometimes there is absolutely no clear indication and you hope you can follow your maps well. That or you guess and hope you can navigate well in the blind.

Cheers,

Jonathan