Eastern Sierra 2011-12: The 1000" Winter

**noflyzone_allstars** · 03-02-2012, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by nstadie

I am thinking about checking out the Crest on Saturday, Cheers!

Have also been thinking Crest Saturday, for coverage and because I haven't been there in forever. After 3 days of insane wind though, something like PB trees might be better skiing & safer. Hmm.

**Skeeze** · 03-02-2012, 05:31 PM

I'd like to do the Crest tomorrow, but PB is also appealing. The slog out of PB looks worse than the Crest though. We did HITW today and found the south facing snow to be very thin and sticky, so it'll be best to stay on something north-facing.

PM me if you want to go out tomorrow.

Edit for a quick look in Hole in the Wall:

**bcd** · 03-02-2012, 07:42 PM

Lots of settling and cracking today. Hopefully another 24 hours helps that, but today was one of the very few days in the Sierra where I've backed off a 25 degree slope.

The upper north faces of a lot of peaks were scoured to the rocks last night. East faces, and chutes/gullies survived a little better. And the north facing trees are fantastic, as can be expected. Just don't lean too far into your turns!

**nstadie** · 03-05-2012, 07:07 PM

To follow up, the Crest was not terrible, with OK snow to be found in the north facing (steeper) trees. The trees are holding it and the shade/pitch is helping. Anything low angle or facing E/W is brutally sun affected, and the snow above treeline is very thin after all the wind (core shots!) and pretty wind hammered where it still remains.

Anyone up for scratching down Bloody this weekend? I would guess it's going to be fairly rough, but doable. Any recent snow beta would be awesome.

**213** · 03-05-2012, 10:50 PM

Ridiculously good snow in the Ripper yesterday after the drip drop in. Don't get too excited, 'cuz our whole baseball team sssssssssssshredded it!

**SchralphMacchio** · 03-05-2012, 11:49 PM

Ahhh, Plateau stoke. Ripper!!!

I'm sure the approach was just as puckery fun. Did you guys boot up the coker? Haven't seen it in months ... pretty thin too?

**Franz Klammer** · 03-07-2012, 12:27 PM

So, who's up in the Sierra this weekend?

**pajamas** · 03-07-2012, 12:30 PM

hey 213, i heard you were out there over the weekend. 3 stubborn splitters did ripper on monday. as we were climbing coke, realizing that there was no way we wanted to ride it, we were just hoping ripper was in.

snow had set up pretty good but the turns were OK, the flats and lower mtn was absolutely horrendous.

**BGnight** · 03-07-2012, 12:56 PM

I've had some of the best snow of my life in V bowl and some of the absolutely worst unridable funk imaginable. The upper and lower part of the plateau are 2 different worlds. I've never had the same consistency or quality on both halves.

**213** · 03-07-2012, 03:08 PM

Glad you guys had a good time in Le Ripper! I think the sluff from the upper part helped to fill in the lower half after each group rode down.

Many in our crew had the same thoughts climbing Coke, "Um, no". In classic Plateau (i.e., JimW) tradition, they went and looked at Powerhouse, decided against it as the wind had deeeeeestroyed it, then sprinted back to Ripper since it was getting late and everyone was extra spacey due to real and herbal altitude effects.

Yep, V-Bowl has provided insane blower pow and horrid crusty shrub-shredding; bonus Sierra Points for the latter!

There is enough snow for the 120 opening party to be fun though; Dana Couloir is in and North Peak has fat snow.
Mas nieve, por favor!

Here's Xander, he's got a truckload of cookies like Amos n' Andy

**Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer** · 03-07-2012, 06:45 PM

Awesome - although I have mentally given up on plans of Eastside mega crest tours this spring and mentally shifted to climbing aspirations in the Bugaboos this summer. Only time will tell....

**Skeeze** · 03-07-2012, 08:00 PM

I'll be up this weekend.

**SchralphMacchio** · 03-08-2012, 03:57 AM

Originally Posted by 213

Yep, V-Bowl has provided ... horrid crusty shrub-shredding; bonus Sierra Points for the latter!

Oh, I think you mean "W" bowl for the latter! (last May)

**Franz Klammer** · 03-08-2012, 01:52 PM

Hmmm, still on the fence for skiing this weekend. How is the approach on the Dana Plateau right now?

**SchralphMacchio** · 03-08-2012, 02:34 PM

Sad day in the Tetons ... these guys will be missed on the eastside as well
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...orthern-Tetons

**pajamas** · 03-08-2012, 05:43 PM

the pic of v bowl above looks fat compared to monday's coverage.

ascending into the plateau bowls isn't that bad, it is the descent through the flats and lower section that totally blows. i'd pick virginia lakes or mammoth crest over it, unless you just gotta get a plateau line in this season.

**Franz Klammer** · 03-15-2012, 10:16 PM

OK, here comes the big one. Thoughts for this weekend? Resort on Saturday, backcountry on Sunday?

**hutash** · 03-15-2012, 10:41 PM

Be careful Sunday if there is a big new load. That funky faceted layer is still sitting waiting for a big load to cause it to fail. Not a typical pacific snow pack, more intermountain.

**SchralphMacchio** · 03-15-2012, 11:08 PM

up in Tahoe it's only on NW to NE faces. Not sure if it's the same down there. SAC Observations have it non-existent in one area, then you go to another one and get it to drop 4cm on a propagation saw test, or fail on ECTP30 very big and very clean. Scary weak layer. Dig to find it and then set your plan!

**splat** · 03-15-2012, 11:38 PM

Originally Posted by 213

Mas nieve, por favor!

Here's Xander, he's got a truckload of cookies like Amos n' Andy

That's one of the more stokier local shots I've seen this season.

**potatoeskillme** · 03-17-2012, 10:05 PM

Picked a pretty good weekend to take avy 1.

Yesterday this spot was rain on bare dirt

**213** · 03-18-2012, 04:56 PM

^^^ whoa! So there is a base now? I'm reckoning that is around June Lake...
I think this storm just saved April-June from being dominated by rock climbing!!!

**mmmm...pow!** · 03-18-2012, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by potatoeskillme

Picked a pretty good weekend to take avy 1.

Yesterday this spot was rain on bare dirt

Good that you are taking a course, and good that there was actually snow there, but for educational purposes it would have been better to find somewhere with more snow. All you got to see were the layers from one day of snow, versus deeper spots that have a seasons worth of accumulation, which this year in the Sierra actually includes weak layers instead of the usual bomber snowpack. I know you are just working with what you had, but I would think a good instructor would realize this. I'm of the mind that if you are going to dig in the snow for educational purposes, you might as well find the shittiest snowpack you can find, with the most layers.

Stoked that the Eastside will be providing turns for us this spring!