12/13 Eastside - Mammoth/June mountain stoke & conditions thread:

**w j b** · 05-09-2013, 11:25 AM

SR 120
[IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA & SIERRA NEVADA]
IS CLOSED FROM CRANE FLAT TO 3 MI WEST OF THE JCT OF US 395 /TIOGA PASS/
(TUOLUMNE, MONO CO) - FOR THE WINTER - MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO USE AN
ALTERNATE ROUTE

This on CalTrans website again. Is it closed at the winter gate or is this erroneous information?

**~mikey b** · 05-10-2013, 01:15 PM

http://www.mymotherlode.com/news/loc...s-To-Open.html

May 10, 2013 09:55 am
B.J. Hansen, MML News Director

Yosemite, CA -- Some high country snow over the past week is not hindering Yosemite National Park's plan to open Tioga Pass this weekend.

Park Ranger Kari Cobb says the highest elevations received a couple inches of snow over the past week, but it has been melting very quickly. Tioga Pass will open for the season at noon on Saturday. There may still be some snow and ice along some of the high country trails. All campgrounds along Tioga Pass will remain closed for the time being, as well as commercial services like the gas station, store and village grille. Those facilities could be open sometime within the next few weeks.

**harpo-the-skier** · 05-10-2013, 03:31 PM

Anyone one want to do Shasta hotline wintoon ridge with me as an overnight? Free whenever. Pm me.

**Nevada29er** · 05-12-2013, 04:04 PM

Did a quick Eastside mission yesterday. Access in and out is the real challenge, be prepared for hours of scree scrambling BOTH ways. Glacier canyon is pretty burnt. Hiking boots might be the way to go, except you would be postholing the snow patches in between all the scree fields. Round trip to the Summit and couloir took almost 7 hours. Solstice looked too soft by the time I got there. Turned out there was a wetslide below, and I heard rock fall as well. Dana was ok, but on the thick side, with a thin breakable crust by 3pm. Ellery looked still skiable, but pretty boney. At this point I would head north to Shasta/Lassen. If you go, hit it early and check the weather.

Solstice

Dana Line

Dana Back

Solstice from Below

Solstice Wetslide

Scree Hell

**splat** · 05-12-2013, 04:11 PM

Nice Dana tracks. You should embed your photos in your post.

Have they called mammoth closing date?

**masterofgreenbeans** · 05-12-2013, 06:00 PM

Manmoth closing is Memorial day.

**w j b** · 05-12-2013, 06:18 PM

Does anyone know when the road to Saddlebag Lake will open?

**jimw** · 05-13-2013, 12:34 AM

I'd guess probably when Saddlebag Lake Resort opens, which is scheduled for June 15:
http://saddlebaglakeresort.com/

It will probably be dry and bikeable well before that though.

**jimw** · 05-13-2013, 12:35 AM

Originally Posted by masterofgreenbeans

Manmoth closing is Memorial day.

Note that they are also opening the lower section of the bike park that same weekend. You can get a special ticket to both bike and ski (and golf, but I don't count that

), which would be pretty cool...

**gimpy** · 05-13-2013, 09:55 AM

it is dry and bikable now

**jimw** · 05-13-2013, 12:14 PM

Well that was quick.

Maybe they'll open it soon then. Do they typically open it before the resort opens? I forget...

**~mikey b** · 05-13-2013, 12:21 PM

it's a Mono County Road - call them or the FS and you might get a bit more info - I've had good luck getting rides in and out when the gate is "locked"

**Mr. Toad** · 05-13-2013, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by jimw

Well that was quick.

Maybe they'll open it soon then. Do they typically open it before the resort opens? I forget...

If its rideable, its open. Saw some bikers hitting it (the lower trail) this past weekend.

**jimw** · 05-13-2013, 04:54 PM

Obviously, I mean open as in driveable i.e. the gate is open...

**~mikey b** · 05-13-2013, 04:56 PM

I need to investigate

**~mikey b** · 05-13-2013, 04:58 PM

Here's the real question? What's up at buckeye hs?

**SchralphMacchio** · 05-14-2013, 10:29 AM

apart from naked overweight hippies and drunk underage college kids?

**Nevada29er** · 05-16-2013, 12:52 AM

Originally Posted by splat

Nice Dana tracks. You should embed your photos in your post.

I done it.

**~mikey b** · 05-16-2013, 10:39 AM

A couple of people were asking me about firewood on the East Side last summer. They seemed to think I was selling wood, but I'm not. Here's an opportunity to go get it yourself. There is a shit-ton of wood out there.

Free fuelwood at Red's Meadow May 17-19

The Inyo National Forest announced a special opportunity for personal use fuelwood collection in the Reds Meadow Valley on the weekend of May 17-19, prior to the area opening for the general public.

The area will open for fuelwood collection between 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on these three days. All firewood collection activities must be completed and everyone must exit the Reds Meadow Valley by 4 p.m. each day when the gate at Minaret Vista will be locked for the night. This is a one-time event for these three days only, which will be supervised by U.S. Forest Service personnel.

A vehicle checkpoint will be established at Minaret Vista Entrance Station, one mile from the Mammoth Mountain Inn. Access into the valley will only be allowed for fuelwood cutting activities. Those collecting firewood will need to check in before cutting fuelwood, and check out with their tagged load of fuelwood at this check point.

You must have a valid 2013 personal use fuelwood permit to collect dead and down material only. Permittees will be required to park along the shoulder of established roads during collecting activities, and will not be permitted to drive off-road for firewood retrieval.

Firewood gathering will be permitted throughout the valley with the following exceptions: no firewood cutting will be allowed within Reds Meadow Resort and Pack Station, Agnew Meadow Pack Station, Agnew Meadows Campground, and Devils Postpile National Monument Boundaries.

All other wood cutting regulations are in effect.

Fuelwood permits may be purchased at local Forest Service Ranger Stations and Visitor Centers. Fuelwood permits are $15 per cord with a two cord minimum purchase. The Inyo National Forest will institute shut down days (for chainsaw use) based upon daily Project Activity Levels.

Permit holders can call (760) 873-2555 for information on shut down days.

Fuelwood permits may be obtained at the following locations:
Mono Basin Scenic Area Visitor Center in Lee Vining; (760) 647-3044
Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center in Mammoth Lakes; (760) 924-5500
White Mountain Ranger Station in Bishop; (760) 873-2500
InterAgency Visitor Center in Lone Pine; (760) 876-6222

**Nevada29er** · 05-16-2013, 05:08 PM

Anyone know how the snow at Mammy is holding up? Wondering if the conditions "window" is 3-hrs, 2-hrs, or less. Thinking of heading up for a final lift served day this weekend.

**snophoto** · 05-16-2013, 09:24 PM

Free Fuelwood!!! Only $15 a cord, well that makes a lot of sense, silly Mammoth times. 29er, sorry, haven't been out on the hill lately

**masterofgreenbeans** · 05-17-2013, 04:40 AM

3hr window for Mammoth

**dhklauer** · 05-22-2013, 08:56 PM

Bump.......to Page 1. Anything good been happening out there lately? Wasn't able to get to the Eastside this year, so this is all I have!

**potatoeskillme** · 05-23-2013, 11:01 AM

Also bump, looking for some Tioga conditions beta. I know it doesn't look like those photos above anymore, so what's still holding snow around there? Any word on Saddlebag road?

**jimw** · 05-23-2013, 11:27 AM

Update from last weekend. We went out to Saddlebag and did an overnighter. Conditions were FANTASTIC! Super corn in most areas, even a little pow up higher by Conness. Totally smooth, no suncups. Looks like it's been windy as hell this week so things may have changed, but I think it would be a good bet for this weekend. Saddlebag road was still closed, but is totally clear of snow and bikeable to the lake. Some pics.

New partner for this trip.

Plateau in the backround, pretty burnt.

More the usual plateau suspects

Powerhouse is pretty burnt. Might be OK up top if you want to climb back out.

Ellery is still barely holding on. Saw tracks on the way out, looked like a decent time was had.

False White still has plenty of coverage.

Riding up Saddlebag road.

View out toward White etc

Mally approves of the snow around Saddlebag, and says it is prime for playing in and sleeping on!

Mike says the fishing is good too! He actually caught a couple fish - we had to improvise a way to cook them with a couple jetboil burners, a thin rock, and some used tin foil.

Greenstone area

White

Dana

Backing up...

Conness area

Flinty's. Aside from Greenstone, this and GPS were the only place we saw tracks the whole time we were out there.

Snow finger/S

When I was there 3 weeks prior, this sensor was just barely sticking out of the snow. Now it's sticking out 2 feet.

However, on the more N facing aspects things were holding just fine, and even had some new snow. The rock choke in S was actually slightly more filled in than 3 weeks prior.

Backside of North Peak

Y couloir and Conness summit chutes - schrunds still closed!

TEX, at 4:20 PM, on the Spliff... coincidence??

Conditions at the Mo-mart are of course going off as well. They now have soft-serve ice cream. Mally approves!