Sierra Trip Reports

Date: Saturday, June 11, 2011

Location: Sonora Pass

Skiers: Rachel, Andrew, Brandon & Nick

Photos: Andrew, Brandon & Nick (as noted)

Synopsis: May in the Sierra is my favorite month. Typically, the days are long, the snow is consolidated and predictable corn, the weather is stable and the mountain passes are open making for easier trips to the Eastern Sierra. After such a big snow year this winter, we continued to get “plagued” by additional late season snow and low-pressure windows. It didn’t feel right to complain about snow and low pressure, but frankly, I was internally grumbling most of May. With work obligations and the like, I found myself trying to squeeze in weekend trips that would get shut down by weather.

Fortunately, Enginerd and I were able to pull off a quick stealth mission into the Evolution Range in between weather cycles in early May. Unfortunately, that was the only skiing I did the entire month.

After that, I would read reports of 100 mph winds on the High Sierra, mountain passes being shut down due to new snow or rock fall, and the like. Honestly, I was just ready to move on to climbing season and packed the ski stuff up.

All week I was debating with Brandon whether to just go climbing on Saturday or give Sonora Pass a chance. The weather looked hit or miss with the potential for clouds and no re-freeze the night before. With the ski stuff packed, it was a hard decision at the time to pull it out. Fortunately, we made the right call.

The snow up at Sonora Pass is mind-boggling for June – even though I realize how big of a snow year it was – I still just get overwhelmed pulling up to the parking area to views like this (Note: this was at the end of the day when the weather was clearly great). Photo: Brandon

Reverse back nine hours or so. Waking up in Hotel Subaru, it had definitely re-froze the night before so we were pumped about that. However, assembling at the trailhead, the winds were kicking and the skies were greybird as far as you could ski. Assuming/hoping/wishing it would later burn off, we headed up towards the Pacific Crest Trail to head back towards Leavitt Peak.

Travel was fast due to the hard snow and upon reaching No Name Peak, we just sat and chilled. It was super early and there were not really signs of the clouds breaking up. Photo: Brandon

After a little bit, the sun did start to poke out, but really only in easterly aspects. We decided to go exploring a bit and forego the typical route up to Leavitt. Heading back, the snow was hard enough that just walking was quicker. Photo: Nick

We decided to boot up a short couloir and head back towards some zones to the east of Leavitt. We figured it would be a good way to kill some time until the snow softened. Nick checking out a possible couloir to boot, with Leavitt off in the distance. Photo: Andrew

Nice couloir (although would be a short ski) with easy snow to kick steps in. Nick and Rachel up top with Brandon following below. Photo: Andrew

I actually had a lot of fun just skiing around in some zones I have only ever seen from the top of Leavitt, but never headed back to. Low angled stuff, but nevertheless, just skinning around and checking things out was fun. The snow was not really showing any signs of warming that point, so really just ski touring at its finest. Photos: Nick

Nick, pumped on the possibilities for this “side trip”. Photo: Andrew

Brandon heading down over the next pass to an area we would lap a number of times. Photo: Andrew

The sun was finally starting to break through, but still mitigated by some thin clouds. Pure east aspects were starting to soften, but we knew we had some time for the couloirs on Leavitt and the ski out. So we lapped this fun little area a number of times as the snow continued to get better and better.

Brandon laying it out. Photo: Nick

Ah, there is the stuff I am looking for. Nick finally enjoying the soft stuff. Photos: Brandon

The coverage in the High Sierra is still kicking strong! Photos: Nick

After a number of laps, we finally decided to head back to Leavitt from the SE. Brandon working up. Photo: Nick

Rachel on the final push to the summit. Photo: Nick

We really didn’t have any agenda and were open to any of the couloirs or the bowl – pretty much whatever looked good. We watched one person drop the right fork of the Y couloir – it looked good. Well timed and just softening. Photo: Brandon

There is a nice sneak entrance on the skiers left entrance that is usually corniced up entirely across (well, at least it was the past couple of years earlier in the season). Photo: Andrew

Andrew dropping in an enjoying a great descent over to the hub. Photos: Nick

Brandon airing in the entrance and following suit. Photo: Nick

Brandon with some good turns on the way down. Photos: Andrew & Nick, respectively

Fortunately, it was not really warm, because not sure I would want to ski that line below the cornices this late in the season if it was getting hot! Photo: Andrew

Rachel heading down the skier’s left flank of the Y couloir. Photos: Andrew, Nick, Andrew, respectively

After finishing shooting from above, I decided to go over and head down the right entrance given that the left entrance was now all tracked out 😉 When I go out to dinner, if anyone orders the same thing as I was intending, I always find myself switching up my order… I guess I just like variety. Heading down, with my entrance up to the right of the picture through the rocks. Photo: Andrew

The snow was nice and fast, as long as you avoided some (easily avoidable) slide debris. Photo: Andrew

June 11, 2011 – Gotta be in my top-five June 11ths! Photos: Brandon

Yeah, yeah, get out of the backseat – I know 😦

Andrew heading down the lower couloir. Photo: Brandon

Brandon heading down (for some reason, all my pics were unintentionally B&W, but I liked how this turned out). Photo: Nick

A color perspective – Y is crazy filled in this year. Photo: Andrew

The ski to the car lower in the drainage was, honestly, the best I have ever hit it. Usually it is super warm down there and sticky, but given how late it took to warm up, we just fell backwards into great corn all the way down. Everyone was smiling ear to ear. Photo: Andrew

Ran a car shuttle back to the pass for cold beers, shorts/t-shirts and this CRAZY rainbow that was just so cool. Photo: Andrew

Looking up from the car shuttle up the drainage, way up there to Leavitt Peak. Great, great day. Photo: Brandon

Don’t think I am going to re-pack the ski stuff just yet. Shasta is definitely in the works now that I re-light the fire. Climbing can wait a bit.