Eastern Sierra 2011-12: The 1000" Winter

[Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer]

Does anyone have any beta on how far up one could drive on Buttermilk Road right now? E.g., how much snow and what is the line? I know about the clearance issues with the general character of the road. Just trying to get an idea how close to the McGee Creek trailhead I could get in a 4x4 (2010 Outback with 10 inches of clearance and cleaver driving

[weavin]

Was up there last week and was able to get a little past the Horton turnoff in my Tacoma 4x4.
Might be able to get a bit further now.
Snow was mighty thin until maybe 10,000'.
Bigger lines might be filled in ok though.
Meadow skip TR here:
http://eastsidescott.blogspot.com/20...-mountain.html

[Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer]

Thanks for the beta - I am more thinking of alpine climbing aspirations if the weather does not move in next weekend.

Debating between skinning to the Humphrey's base, or just booting it and rock hoping, etc... Doesn't sound like it is actually post-holing deep. The issue with skinning is the descent from Humphreys goes down the SE couloir and then it would be a long slog back around and up to pick up the skis.

My partner nailed Tyndall last weekend in a 21-hour car to car single push, and was able to easily crampon from 10K above, and below was minimal post-holing and mostly rock/dry patch hoping up and over Shepard's Pass.

[_Aaron_]

Eastside mags, Im considering a little roadtrip your way sometime inApril and have a couple questions since Ive never been.

First off, long, steep couloirs (asthetics a plus) are my thing. Suggestions?

I want to ski at least some of the lines I already know of (Split, Whitney, etc) how much coverage do you guys usually need before things like this are "in"? Im not opposed to boney but Id like to spend more time skiing than on a rope.

Id be more than happy to return the favor in Jackson beta or beer. Thanks

[raisingarizona13]

Eastside mags, Im considering a little roadtrip your way sometime inApril and have a couple questions since Ive never been.

First off, long, steep couloirs (asthetics a plus) are my thing. Suggestions?

I want to ski at least some of the lines I already know of (Split, Whitney, etc) how much coverage do you guys usually need before things like this are "in"? Im not opposed to boney but Id like to spend more time skiing than on a rope.

Id be more than happy to return the favor in Jackson beta or beer. Thanks

Hey Aaron, have you seen pictures of the Pinner? It must be one of the most beautiful coolies in north America. If I was there and it was in it would be on my hit list.

[AKbruin]

Eastside mags, Im considering a little roadtrip your way sometime inApril and have a couple questions since Ive never been.

First off, long, steep couloirs (asthetics a plus) are my thing. Suggestions?

I want to ski at least some of the lines I already know of (Split, Whitney, etc) how much coverage do you guys usually need before things like this are "in"? Im not opposed to boney but Id like to spend more time skiing than on a rope.

Id be more than happy to return the favor in Jackson beta or beer. Thanks

(1) Buy this book. Even if you never come to CA, it's worthy couloir-porn that makes for excellent poop-time reading.

(2) I think Red Slate and the other ones along the way (Piner and Laurel) as well as Emerson's North and Checkered Demon Couloirs would fit the bill. Maybe a multi-day trip to the Pallisades for U-Notch, V-Notch, and whatever else is up there. The timing is very hard to get right, but Scheelite looks amazing.

(3) No info on Split but it looks amazing and scary. Never done Whitney, but I've heard from many sources that there are much better targets.

[raisingarizona13]

Here is a vid with some of my old friends in it that has some of those classics in it. Mad soul.

[gimpy]

red slate is a classic and u will trek right by the pinner and mendenhall on your way.

thats the 1st one that comes to mind thats a cant miss and u dont mind some mileage. i gotta go or i' could rattle off sum more

[_Aaron_]

Dang, you guys are fast! Thanks. Looks like Ive got more homework to do.

[raisingarizona13]

I have no experience skiing there but man! It looks like some of the very best ski lines in north America lay in that area. Stable snowpack and HUGE lines! Awesome shit imho.

[UPGRAYEDD_2505]

Aaron
I'd be happy to provide beta on snow conditions (esp. between Mammoth and Virginia Lakes since I live in June Lake) as well as a shower, etc. As I'm sure you know, it's been a really dry winter so far, so the big lines south of Big Pine might be, ummm, thin. Hopefully it keeps snowing though. Fingers crossed.

Feel free to send me a pm. Also, I hope to get to Jackson at some point...

preston

[Sierra Cement]

Definitely cruise through the TR's on this site - nearly every great big popular east side line has been written up with pictures without all the hype either) - http://www.thebackcountry.net/bb/vie...ffe7b7180825f5

I concur, Red Slate would be the one (if you had to narrow your choices to only one) in my opinion. It's at 0:50 on Raising Arizona's video - which looks really cool so far....A good way to scope Red Slate is to ski one of the chutes off of Bloody Mounain (Bloody, the Y, or the Y not are all cool) the day before you go. Red Slate stares you in the face from the top of the ridge and gives you some important beta about what goes and what doesn't go. If we don't get quite a bit more snow soon you may only be able to boot up it and ski just the couloir as the traverse or direct entry will likely be too bony.

I think you should also think of the Eastside in regions and just see what's good. From North to South the really good regions are:
-Bridgeport / Twin Lakes to access Matterhorn, Twin Peaks, Mt Walt, Little Slide canyon, Victoria, etc
- Green Creek accesses some cool stuff, but primarily the Green Creek couloir - 3,000' straight shot of fun (not very gnarly). Much funner if you link it with the Dunderberg North Face and then traverse to Green Creek couloir to complete the shuttle.
- Virginia Lakes - good high elevation access to a fun zone, but not really much in the way of big couloirs
- Tioga Pass - incredible zone with a 10,000' pass that may very well be open to the top when you arrive. Dana, Dana Plateau offer tons. North Peak and Conness are a bit of a slog in, but they have some great granite lined shots. Again, no huge classic rock line couloirs here but this area is legit and has plenty of steeps. Don't miss out on the Mobil station.
- June Lake loop - Mt Wood, Gibbs, etc are OK....the really steep stuff here (Pete's dream) will not likely go this year....
- Mammoth - this is essentially where you access Bloody Mountain, Pyramid Peak (parachute), Sherwins and Mammoth Crest - again no super classic couloirs here
- Convict Lake - Getting good - Laurel, Morrison and definitely Red Slate way back there.
- McGee Canyon / Esha - has some pretty cool lines up there
- Rock Creek - Snow Park at 10k helps and there are a lot of 13k peaks up there, but they don't all have great big ol coolers on them. Still an incredible zone. One of the best couloirs I've skied is Mt Gabb north couloir. Definitely not a day trip type of line since it's way back there.
- Bishop - This area actually has many sub areas (I guess I'm getting tired of writing). Pine Creek is where Scheelite is (need tons of low snow and good timing). Mt Tom stands all alone and very big. Then there's the Buttermilks with access to Basin, Humphreys (NE couloir is great), Peaklet, Checkered Demon, Emmerson......etc...this area may very well be the couloir heaven you seek. In addition there's South Lake and North Lake and Lake Sabrina (all separate zones)....If you are willing to go over the crest there are epic peaks like Darwin and Mendel out there too.

....I'm not so experienced south of here, but here's what I know:

- Next up is Palisades with quite a few 14'ers and lots of steep and serious lines, great rock, glaciers, etc.
- Split Mt is next
- Independence area is really good with some great peaks like Cardinal Peak.
- Then Mt Williamson area (big Willy needs copious amounts of snow, but the Giant Steps couloir is on everyone's radar when it goes)
- Whitney is the furtherest south region. Highest peak in the lower 48 - but not necessarily the best lines

Living in Tahoe I rarely drive south of Bishop to ski the east side - which I really need to do more of. Hopefully some of the other east side regulars will add to this.

[Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer]

_Aaron_ - I also recommend just purchasing the book that AKBruin linked to. Nate and Dan (BCD on TGR) did a great job and it is a worth list of basically most popular lines on the Eastside. The recommendations to go through Mike's website (also linked above) are a great idea - similarly, great beta write-ups of almost every prominent line.

Red Slate is a great recommendation from the folks above. As Gimpy mentioned, Convict Canyon (the approach) also has Pinner, Mini Pinner and Mendenhall on your way. In addition, if you tagged those, set up a base camp up the Canyon, got Red Slate, you could then feasibly head up the alternate apron to Baldwin and ski the N. Couloir on that.

I agree with a statement above re: Whitney. IMO the Whitney E-side massif has awesome climbing routes, but the mountaineers route ski descent doesn't seem too awesome. It is a major slog up there for a line that I have heard rarely skis in good condition. I can't speak from personal experience on that, though.

Keep in mind a Pallisade trip to U-notch and V-notch are also pretty long approaches back there. Never skied Split, but there are a couple of different options on that (one continuous, one involving raps, etc..).

Bridgeport Zone has some good stuff up by the Sawtooths (East and Right couloirs on the Matterhorn) and in Big Slide Canyon (Incredible Hulk couloirs on both sides).

The recommendations for Emerson (Checkered Demon and N. Couloirs are good).

Another zone to look into is the South Lake area. Mt. Gilbert N. couloir is a pretty sick line, as are the couloirs on Thomson. I have only alpine ice climbed these areas in August, but skiing them in the right conditions would be pretty sweet. Assuming the road to South Lake is open, the approach to these on skins is fast. (Note: South Lake, North Lake and Lake Sabrina are all good areas that are accessed outside of Bishop, as is Emerson noted above).

One final idea = maybe heading up to the Evolutions. The approach is relatively long, but skiing the N. Couloir of Darwin is a line I always wanted to hit, and then on the way out skiing one of the N couloirs on Lamarck. I have skied the later, but not the former (was standing at its base, but bailed due to impending weather).

[riverslime]

If you end up in the Rock Creek area, the Chicken Coop on Little Lakes Peak has some aesthetic lines. I've only been there in the summer but they looked like they'd be fun.

Here's someone else's pic from a much bigger snow year (4/29/05):
http://images.summitpost.org/original/189834.jpg

From left to right, the lines are Wishbone, Chicken Chute, and Chicken Little.

[Franz Klammer]

Any suggestions for this weekend? Thinking Bloody and something more chill up in Convict. Thoughts?

[Franz Klammer]

Come on people, who's in for an Eastern Sierra outing?

[_Aaron_]

Thanks again guys. Bought the book. Ill probably post up closer to April for more current conditions.

Upgrayed-Thanks for the offer. I might take you up on it.

[AKbruin]

Come on people, who's in for an Eastern Sierra outing?

Hmm. What did the Mammy area get from the recent mini-storms? Potentially interested in something between Tioga and June.

[Franz Klammer]

Hmm. What did the Mammy area get from the recent mini-storms? Potentially interested in something between Tioga and June.

9'' to 12''. Maybe it's not enough.

[Long duc dong]

9'' to 12''. Maybe it's not enough.

Mammoth is saying 27 inches for the whole 4 day storm. I have not been on the mountain though, so I don't know how accurate that is.

[Skeeze]

Reports are that it's pretty great, and it was definitely a cold storm, so I'd think lower starting points in the BC would be manageable at worst.

[Franz Klammer]

Ok, that is good. Anyone care to volunteer some local beta?

[MapleLeafGillies]

I was thinking of heading into the Matterhorn area, or possibly Virginia lakes this weekend for an overnight tour. Anyone else gonna be in there?

[Cedrik]

I'll be rehabbing at Tamarack on Saturday and on the groomers on Monday. Sunday might see some climbing or road biking.

I'll bet Bloody would still be quite a slog on thin cover until the basin, but the couloir itself will probably be pretty good. Let me know if my prediction is correct

The only thing that worries me a little is the ESAC advisory today that says the wind "stripped exposed north facing slopes on Red Cone." It would be a shame if the north slopes generally got wind-hammered. That advisory noted 40 cm of new snow this week.

[Franz Klammer]

Alright, I'll give Bloody a try on Saturday. Still thinking about options on Sunday. Maybe pond hockey at Twin Lakes? See the Mammoth Hockey thread.