TR: Dunderberg Peak 9/29/14 - First Turns of the New Season

[dookeyXXX]

Nothing like leaving your September turns to the very last minute. Then again that’s kind of been my modus operandi for years. This time around, though, the dragging of my ski boot heels was mostly due to lack of snow in the Tahoe area: pretty much all of my usual late summer/early fall spots were long since dried up.

My initial plan for keeping my turns-all-year streak alive was to head up to Bend, where I knew there were several options in/around Bachelor. That plan changed, however, thanks to the light dusting Tahoe and the surrounding area got over the weekend. Despite the new snow, which began on Friday and managed to stick around through the weekend, I still wasn’t convinced that what had fallen would be enough to schuss.

Enter a friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend via Facebook, some Pavlovian angst from staring at the new fallen fluff lining the ridges around my house, and plans were tweaked. It turned out that my soon-to-be-new-acquaintance had driven down to Dunderberg over the weekend and while he hadn’t managed to score any turns (he got skunked out on the OHV road) he had seen snow and he believed it was rideable. Thus Bend was put on the back-burner and a shorter road trip down to Dunderberg was hastily concocted. I scooped up my new patch skiing partner, Eric, on the 29th around 7:30 in the a.m. and we cruised straight on down to Dunderberg Peak/Virginia Lakes. Good time was made and we found ourselves atop Kavanaugh Ridge, geared up and hiking by 10:45.

Eric had never actually been to Kavanaugh Ridge proper and after scoping out Jack’s Glacier at the onset of the morning, we decided to do the full tour, first heading over the ridge to “Secret Samurai Snowfield” and possibility also hitting the “Heart Patch.” It should be noted that my long-time patch skiing partner, Vets, had been to Dunderberg during the first week of September and had reported that he had not skied either Jack’s or Samurai due to ice, debris, and not-so-user-friendly exits (i.e. abrupt slope endings, rocks, runnels, etc.). Surprisingly enough, things appeared to be in much better shape this time around thanks to the recent storm, not to mention the considerably colder temps that tend to grace Dunderberg. Fresh snow coated much of the landscape and while Jack’s Glacier was the smallest I have ever seen it, there were definitely a few skiable lines to be had, granted short and no doubt riddle with hidden ice ridges, but skiable nonetheless. We decided to leave Jack’s for the end of the trip and continued heading toward “Secret Samurai Snowfield”.



Our path up the ridge was made all the easier thanks to a rather considerate rabbit who had seen fit to lay down what was one of the cleanest and most efficient boot-packs (or, in this case, paw-packs) I’ve ever followed. We made good time to the snowfield, but once there were greeted with less-than-ideal conditions. While the fresh snow was close to 2”’s in spots, it was light and airy and merely masked the sharp scree and rock hard ice lurking underneath. Needless to say, these conditions required a nimble touch, mostly in the form of slowly executed hop turns.







Each turn was greeted with a waft of fluffy snow followed by the ear cringing sound of our bases grinding over ice and rocks. While our bases took the brunt of the damage, neither of us came off this first run worse for wear (although I would be lying to say I wasn’t a bit nervous over the course of making the 7 turns that constituted that first run of the day). Given the conditions, neither one of us were even remotely intent on taking a second pass on the snowfield. So, with a warm-up run under our belts, we packed up and headed on over to the “Heart Patch”.






Much smaller in size, the “Heart Patch” did manage to offer up much better conditions. Eric took first lap honors and ultimately milked another 2 runs out of the patch. I, on the other hand, was satisfied with a single 5-turn run. By the time we were done we’d physically graffitied the entire patch, so it was time to move on. We packed up and headed back towards my truck and the final ski run of the day: Jack’s Glacier.



Jack’s was indeed interesting. As mentioned earlier, it was the smallest I have ever seen it, there was no pond at the bottom, and a nice sink hole was situated prominently in the middle of it. Additionally, the bulk of the glacier was dotted with ice spines/ridges that turned the entire slope into an interweaving mess of natural mini-half pipes. Despite what looked like less than ideal conditions, we figured it couldn’t be any worse than what we had just skied, so we geared up and made some turns. Surprisingly, Jack’s turned out to be the best snow of the day. Sure, the ice spines were interesting, but enough snow had wind loaded onto the slope making it rather enjoyable overall. Yes, I grazed a few rocks and skidded over my share of ice, but overall it was the best run of the day.



On the hike out it was interesting to see how much of the ground snow had melted away over the three hours of our tour. We arrived back at my truck around 2:15, and were back in Tahoe by 6. Overall not a bad 11 hour adventure and a pretty good start to the 2014/15 season (oh, and we both kept our consecutive month streaks intact).

[powdork]

good job getting after it.

[AKbruin]

Nice. I bet the aspens were popping up there as well.

[Vets]

Very nice! I hope to head there this weekend for October turns.

[Huckwheat]

Very nice.......strong work!!

[splat]

props, dooks!

[LongShortLong]

Whee! Winter may show this year, after all.

[Grape_Ape]

This TR reminded me of my exploits in the east with low snow, rocks and roots.

[TEXASS]

I owe you one buffalo burger from the whoa nelli. That was bad ass. Most core I have seen for some time. Im a splitter, go by TEX and hang with JimW. You can collect your free meal anytime we cross paths and the nellie is open

Thanks

[grskier]

Nice work, especially considering the season that was had out there last year...

[dookeyXXX]

I owe you one buffalo burger from the whoa nelli. That was bad ass. Most core I have seen for some time. Im a splitter, go by TEX and hang with JimW. You can collect your free meal anytime we cross paths and the nellie is open

Thanks

Awesome. Although I'm a salad eater, so perhaps you can owe me the Grilled Veggie Sandwich instead?

[skier666]

Haha...pow turns...nicely done sir!

[dookeyXXX]

Haha...pow turns...nicely done sir!

or what i like to refer to as "pow on ow"...

[TWINS]

Great start to the season! Every year you and Vets post a TR of Jacks Glacier with the pond below it. Amazing how dry it is right now . Nice job with the lite feet

[dookeyXXX]

Great start to the season! Every year you and Vets post a TR of Jacks Glacier with the pond below it. Amazing how dry it is right now . Nice job with the lite feet

Yeah, I think this is the first time I've been there where there wasn't even an iota of water at either the bottom of Jack's or Secret Samurai. Definitely the first time I've ever seen a sink-hole on/in Jack's, too.

October is gonna be intereseting, probably down-to-the-wire just like Sept. turns.

[tahoe420]

Any report on the snowfield above Leavitt Lake, Sonora Pass?
Also, how is the road up there? October turns where are you?

[TEXASS]

Originally Posted by TEXASS

I owe you one buffalo burger from the whoa nelli. That was bad ass. Most core I have seen for some time. Im a splitter, go by TEX and hang with JimW. You can collect your free meal anytime we cross paths and the nellie is open

Thanks
Awesome. Although I'm a salad eater, so perhaps you can owe me the Grilled Veggie Sandwich instead?

You got it. Should be up there Halloween. Gonna go do pumice peak. Do turns count for your all year quest if they are made on pumice instead of powder??

[FrankenKnee]

Looks like you had a fun day! Regardless of the pow on ow, still turned. Profit.

[dookeyXXX]

Do turns count for your all year quest if they are made on pumice instead of powder??

if the pumice has a light dusting on top, sure...

[Ottime]

I dunno. October looks some what promising for precip. You might luck out this weekend or next Tuesday. If you are quick. Looks like another offshore event for later next week. So what might fall might not last.

Never knew you were dragging your ski boots. Always seemed like a skip to me. Hope share some turns this winter.

[powdork]

You got it. Should be up there Halloween. Gonna go do pumice peak. Do turns count for your all year quest if they are made on pumice instead of powder??

we're planning on hitting it around the 27th. and yes, of course they count. maybe

[dookeyXXX]

Any report on the snowfield above Leavitt Lake, Sonora Pass?
Also, how is the road up there? October turns where are you?

i haven't been up the Leavitt Lake road since last June, but recall the road wasn't as smoothed out as it usually is. Didn't hit it up this season, thus far. You would definitely need a 4x4 unless the marines have graded it recently.

[El Chupacabra]

Leavitt Lake road was rough this summer. Lots of damage from heavy rains.

Might make it in a Subaru that you hate. Otherwise you'll want a real 4x4 with low range.