Sierra Trip Reports

Date: Saturday, March 17, 2018

Location: West Shore Lake Tahoe (Rubicon Peak)

Skiers: Andrew, Alex, Nick and Mike

Photos: Alex, Nick and Mike. A special thanks for Alex to being willing to lug a DSLR and take the vast majority of pictures, all of which turned out amazing.

Synopsis: Words can’t really describe how fun this day was. We were treated to an amazing day of ultra deep, stable snow. At times, it was too deep to even ski, as we focused on a low-angle zone on Rubicon Peak in light of avalanche instabilities. It was great to ski again with Alex, who moved up to Oregon last year.

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TR: Desolation Wilderness

Dates: Saturday, February 6 & Sunday, February 7, 2016

Locations: Desolation Wilderness, South Lake Tahoe (Ralston Peak, Dick’s Peak, Janine’s Peak and Maggie’s Peaks)

Skiers: Saturday: Jon, Andrew, Alex and Nick, and Sunday: Jon, Mike and Nick

Photos: As noted

Synopsis: After a period of heavy wet snow the weekend prior, last week a very strong high pressure moved in over California (and much of the Mountain West), leading to above average temperatures and a quickly solidifying Sierra snowpack. After 4 days of melt/freeze cycles and shifting winds, we settled on heading into Desolation Wilderness for a couple of bigger days alpine terrain. With above average forecasted temps, we new going in that working the compass dial and time of day would dictate quality of snow conditions, and in retrospect I think we nailed it both days.

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Date: Sunday, January 10, 2015

Location: Mount Tallac, South Lake Tahoe

Skiers: Jon, Mike & Nick

Photos: As Noted

Synopsis: While every day out in the mountains with friends is a day well spent, every once in a while a day will come across that literally just makes you stop, look around and deeply appreciate your surroundings. Sunday was one of those days for me.

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Dates: Saturday, December 5 & Sunday, December 6, 2015

Location: South Lake Tahoe

Skiers: Sat: Andrew, Alex, Noah and Nick; Sun: Andrew, Mike and Nick

Photos: As Noted

Synopsis: Last Thursday, another small storm fell dropping between 5-12 inches of snow across the Lake Tahoe basin, depending on aspect and elevation. Saturday was largely a warming trend and rather mild weather, while Sunday brought very intense, gale-force winds (with gusts of near 90 mph on higher elevation ridge tops late Sunday afternoon).

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Skiers: Alex, Andrew & Nick

Date: Sunday, March 21st

Photos: Andrew (edited by Nick in Lightroom)

Synopsis: Alex, Andrew and I headed out Sunday to a higher elevation zone around Tahoe to try and take advantage of a couple of inches of fresh snow that fell over the weekend. Below 8,500 ft, the approach conditions are getting rough and involve quite a lot of patch to patch skinning and indirect routes. Up above 8,500 ft however, there is still good enough coverage for some good turns.

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Skiers: Pat, Alexis, Alex, Andrew, Jakob & Nick

Photos: Alex & Nick (as noted)

Synopsis: While we have received very little snow since early January, I have actually be having a great time in Tahoe out in the mountains. The days are getting longer, with great weather, great views and good friends. Below is a collection of photos from a number of days out in the Tahoe Basin backcountry (as well as some Big Basin shots thrown in). Intermixed with all of this has been a number of days at the resorts just ripping groomers with Sarah, which has been a lot of fun.

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Dates: April 9 –10, 2011

Locations: Cross Couloir, Mt. Tallac & Angora Peak

Skiers: Alexis, Clement, Warren & Nick

Photos: Alexis, Warren & Nick (each as noted below)

Synopsis: Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you view it) one of the joys of ski touring is dealing with variable conditions. After amazing corn skiing in Carson Pass Last Sunday, the warm cycle continued for most of the week leading up to a pretty strong re-freeze Wednesday night. A small low-pressure system then moved in, dropping 3-6 inches of fresh snow along the upper elevations of the Sierra Crest on Thursday and Friday. Yes, that is one of the few times this winter we are talking 3-6 inches rather than 3-6 feet.

While we headed out on Saturday to ski steep lines in a bit of powder, what we found was steep lines in quintessential “dust on crust” conditions. While the ski conditions were essentially nothing to write home about, we still had a great day both days.

Pictures to follow. Note that this TR is several pages long, with the Cross Couloir on Page 1 and Angora Peak on Page 2.

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Date: Sunday, April 3, 2011

Skiers & Rider: Andrew, Alex & Nick

Location: Carson Pass

Photos: Andrew, Alex & Nick (as noted)

Weather & Snowpack: This winter in Tahoe has been unreal in the volume of snow, and in some cases, record setting. According to Tahoe Weather Discussion, for the month of March up to and including March 28th, “8-16 feet on the resorts in the last 10 days of non-stop snow, 11-21 feet in the past 2 weeks, and 13-23 feet in the month of March.”

Once the snow stopped on March 28th, that week brought a rapid warming trend. Unfortunately, nights were not refreezing so the snowpack was not transitioning to corn snow. After several days of heavy glop due to the warm days and nights, on Saturday night, April 2nd, we finally received what we had been waiting for – a very strong refreeze of the snowpack due to well-below freezing nighttime temps and a clear night for some radiational cooling of the snowpack.

As a result, Sunday we awoke to a strong refreeze, warming temperatures (capped around 40F) and blue-bird skies – the perfect combination for rapid corn snow growth.

Synopsis: Andrew, Alex and I headed out to Carson Pass in search of corn. Ultimately, our tour ran approximately 9.8 miles on skis, with approximately 4500′ of vertical ascended and 5200′ of vertical descended. Most importantly, this was Alex’s first day back in the backcountry following a full recovery from some spontaneous lung collapses last year. A proud welcome back indeed!

Pictures to follow. Note that this TR is several pages long.

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Date: Sunday, February 27, 2011

Skiers: Jonathan, Rachel, Warren, Alexi & Nick

Weather & Snowpack: Sunday was the perfect combination of bluebird and a relatively cold day for Tahoe. In addition, it was several days after a great Alaska-formed storm delivered 3-4 feet of fresh, light powder along the Sierra Crest in Tahoe. Fortunately, the snowpack stablized very quickly despite the cold temps.

VIDEO TR: A nice video of the tour along the West Shore on Sunday.

Some additional photos from Saturday at Alpine follow.

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Location: Crescent Moon Couloir & The Sisters, Carson Pass

Date: Saturday, April 17, 2010

Skiers: Jon & Nick

Photos & Video: Nick (unless otherwise noted as Jon)

Weather: Bluebird and warming – really a perfect day. By 1 PM on the skin back to the car, it was nearing the 60s around 8,000 ft.

Avalanche Conditions: From the Sierra Avalanche Center:

Early this morning, avalanche danger is Low for all elevations and aspects. Pockets of Moderate danger will form at all elevations on E-SE-S-SW-W aspects in response to daytime warming. Very isolated areas of instability may exist on northerly aspects. Normal caution is advised.

During our tour, Jon and I did not encounter any instabilities.

Synopsis: With the call for good weather, stable avalanche conditions and the promise of wintry snow at higher elevations that do not get any sun, Jon and I decided to head to Carson Pass and ski Crescent Moon Couloir as the primary objective. With an abundance of other options and easy access, we intended on skiing other lines in the area as well, but giving ourselves an easy bail if the snow got too warm too quick.

Other than a vital gear mishap in a somewhat exposed spot, the day was awesome.

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Location: Halls of the Gods Couloir, Indian Cliff Chutes (Angora Peak)

Date: Saturday, March 6, 2010

Skiers: Bob & Nick

Photographers: Nick (unless otherwise noted as Bob)

Weather: On Saturday a small Low system was moving through the Tahoe region. Skies were grey-bird, with light winds out of the E/SE. Around mid-afternoon, light snow showers quickly move in and out of the area (with little to no accumulation).

Synopsis:

After hitting Halls of the Gods Couloir last year with Frank and Coling in very good snow conditions TR Here, I knew I had to get back during good snow conditions. Only this time, definitely better to take the appropriate route up the ridge between Angora and Echo Peaks. Shaved off a good amount of time (at least an hour and ½) off the approach time.

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Locations: Dick’s Peak, Janine’s Ridge, Maggie’s Peaks (Desolation Wilderness)

Dates: Saturday, January 30 – Sunday, January 31, 2010

Skiers/Riders: Alex & Nick

Photographers: Nick, unless noted as Alex (although Alex’s shots pretty much blow mine away! Time for me to get a new camera and learn how to use it…)

Weather: Saturday was the tail end of a small Low system that was moving through Tahoe. Skies were grey-bird with intermittent, light snow. Winds started the day slow, but were howling up at Dick’s Peak. Temps at night got to around 10-15 degrees at 9,000 ft. Sunday was blue-bird and generally warm, although once again the ridge top winds at Dick’s Peak were consistent 30 mph. Janine’s and Maggie’s had no wind, fortunately.

Avalanche Conditions:
From the Sierra Avalanche Center:

On Saturday, near and above treeline, pockets of moderate avalanche danger will form in wind loaded areas on NW-N-NE-E aspects, 37 degrees and steeper. Below treeline, avalanche danger is low in wind protected areas.

On Sunday, near and above treeline, pockets of moderate avalanche danger remain on wind-loaded, NW-N-NE-E aspects, 37 degrees and steeper. Below treeline, avalanche danger is low in wind protected areas.

We found the snow to generally be very stable at both Maggie’s and Janine’s. As discussed further below, Dick’s was very wind-effected and in most areas had 6-inch wind-slabs sitting on lower density snow. We were able to ski cut and otherwise trigger some small, very slow moving wind-slabs on Dick’s N face.

Synopsis: With Alex and I both about to turn the dredded 30 (me, well, today actually, and Alex on Friday), we figured a good early present would be to get back into Desolation Wilderness and get in some powder skiing. Nothing better than avoiding the fact you are turning 30 by essentially continuing to “live the dream” so to speak. Was a great trip and a good early present.

Warning: There are a lot of scenic pics in the TR, but some great skiing ones near the end as well.

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