Eastern Sierra BC 2014-15

[jimw]

Quick PSA:

SADDLEBAG ROAD IS OPEN!

We drove up 120 this morning intending to go out there, and assumed we'd be biking up Saddlebag road. We got there and lo and behold, the gate was open! We drove up to the lot at about 8:30 and we were the only ones there. Stoked! Some random notes:

- I'm changing the name to Dryoga Pass (credit to BGnight). Seriously, stuff is thin. Last spring, stuff up high was actually still pretty good when the stuff down low melted off, but this year stuff is thin everywhere. Couple examples. Camp chute down to Greenstone doesn't go at the top. I've never seen that. North Peak lookers left chute doesn't go. I've ridden that in June before. Most of the other usual chutes look thin. Even False White had plenty of visible rocks (though also plenty of snow... it's just that it usually looks like this huge blinding white field in the spring). Ellery doesn't look worth doing.

- Saddlebag lake was frozen in the morning and perfect for skating, we skated across it in like 15 minutes. In the afternoon it's getting kinda sloppy. May not last too long.

- The lower more open stuff was corning up nicely. More protected stuff is still transitioning. For example North Peak couloir was deep mank on the apron, and variable porn in the chute. A pain in the ass to boot up because it's deep and sticks to crampons like glue (I actually wished I had my Verts, never thought I'd say that this year!), and variable enough on the descent to make it so we didn't feel comfortable opening it up. Maybe will be corn by next weekend? If there's still snow anyway...

I'll try to post some pics after this weekend, gotta get some sleep for tomorrow's Dryoga session!

[~mikey b]

Thanks Jim.

[~mikey b]

Well shit....

Was headed to meet AKbruin and daughter this morning and I hit a deer in my wife's new Outback. Damage appears to be merely cosmetic but we came home rather than risk it. God damn it.

[w j b]

Thanks for the beta Jim. I'll be heading up in a couple weeks so hopefully there's some left :-)

[AKbruin]

JimW's assessment is accurate. (I think I might have spotted JimW in his native habitat--Sportsmobile with a bike on the back?) Tioga is pretty damned burnt out. I didn't see anybody hitting Dana or Ellery Bowl yesterday. Gaylor is pretty dry at the bottom. If you're going to Tioga, I'd lean toward North Peak and Conness.

I took my daughter to False White, which had the least snow I've ever seen this time of year. The first 500 vertical feet or more is an obnoxious combination of dirt and snow patches, neither of which is contiguous for more than a couple hundred feet. We made it up through the gully route on the looker's left before turning around. We had a nice little descent before hoofing it back to the truck, Mo Mart, and then Mono Cone. Anyhow, conditions were less than ideal, but it was still a fun, beautiful day out in one of my most favorite places in the world. My 8-year old had fun despite crappy snow coverage. (Side note: Kids' snowshoes are horrible for spring skiing. I need to get a cheap AT setup for her.)

On with the crappy iPhone photos:









A couple more notes:

Travertine, as it sometimes is, was overrun by weirdos and rednecks. This is always the risk, particularly after the passes open.

Mono County CHP continue to vehemently protect the rocks, scrubs, and trees between Sonora Pass and Topaz from would-be speeders. I didn't get a ticket, but they set up a speed trap at the very end of the only passing lane between Walker and Topaz, which is the only passing lane for about 10 miles in either direction. CHP pulled over somebody a couple cars ahead of me. Dick move, in my opinion.

[Incalescent]

Love these shots with the kids in the b/c AKbruin. Inspirational stuff!

[GiBo]

Well shit....

Was headed to meet AKbruin and daughter this morning and I hit a deer in my wife's new Outback. Damage appears to be merely cosmetic but we came home rather than risk it. God damn it.

Whoa. That sucks. man! Did you at least throw the road kill on the roof rack? If so, dibs on the back strap.

Props to ya'll for getting after it. Sounds like it's going to be the shortest spring tour season ever.

[TEXASS]

Chuckle Chuckle Chuckle. I tour with JimW quite a bit. I had plans to go up last weekend but had to stay home due to some projects that were not getting done themselves.
So, when you tour with Jim He always goes for an Alpine start. Ohhhh lets say 9ish. Then He likes to do targets way out there. ( Read no freakin way with the time alotted) .
So, to my amazement I got an email form Jim friday.
For the first time evah, Jim was directing to be ready by 6:45 am. Norht Peak? The Y on Conness? Maybe 3rd pillar?


Noooooooooo. 6:45 am start....to be the first............................................. ................AT THE MOMART

Gawd Im still laughing Jim

[Incalescent]

^^This
Total Jim W. right there.

[hutash]

Anybody been up Big Pine Canyon lately. Probably going to do Temple Crag MMD and wondering how much snow there is to deal with?

[LightRanger]

I'm gonna guess little to none. Check High Sierra Topix (cool site for beta, if you've never been on it). I've seen some recent photos from a bit south of there.

[BGnight]

How has this not been updated with all the dumpage the last week and a half?

[TEXASS]

How has this not been updated with all the dumpage the last week and a half?

Ive been sitting on my ass waiting for you to go out and then tell me how shitty it is.

[BGnight]

Well I think I might venture out Friday so I'll let you know. Was thinking that'd be a good day as it will be cloudy/snowy with light wind (not really worried about lightning). Might try to find a couloir to get up in even if it involves some crappy approach slogging. I'm more leary of getting on stuff when the sun is out after these little refreshers (sat/sun). I'm so out of the loop this spring that my instincts aren't there as far as guessing what and when to ride but I'm getting pretty antsy as I haven't strapped into a snowboard in almost 2 months!!

I was thinking eastside > shasta as far as conditions. I won't even think of Shasta unless it's 100% high pressure.

[BGnight]

Ha! Just realized this was 3 years ago today:

[BGnight]

Rode Bloody yesterday. Easy approach. Parked past the switchbacks at around 9700 feetish. Walked right up to the couloir in about 30 minutes and started verting. I could have skinned for a bit and probably would have been better but didn't want to bother transitioning in 500 vertical feet. Strange day. Lots of new light snow (4-8") on top of older wet powder. There wasn't a solid base as far down as I could dig. It would have been heinous booting without verts. I was up to my shins/knees to whole way. Booting would have been a thigh high affair.





Visibility was terrible. These pictures are much better than what they show due to contrast and other tweeking:


The next 2 pictures the visibility improved. It was decent right when I topped out and then as soon as I got ready it socked back in. I waited for 45 minutes on top and it progressively got worse. There was barely a breath of wind on top. Strange day:




The top looking down. It was way worse visibility than this when I dropped and this picture makes it look way clearer than it was:


Snow was good pow overall. A bit of soft chunder under the new pow that was easy to avoid with some line shopping. Turns were a bit unpredictable and punchy with all the wet, unconsolidated snow underneath. Lots of slough and snow seemed very reactive under cloud cover and cool temps. As soon as the death star hits this stuff it will be instant mank and will be moving all over the place. Hit a big ass rock half way down trying to milk the edges of the chute.

[skier666]

Flew over yesterday and got a nice shot of due West of Mammoth...

[LightRanger]

Bigger patches than what Dookey's scoping out.

[406]

A few photo's from last weekend, May 30th.

Looked bleak at the start near Saddlebag Lake:


Original plan was the summit couloir on Conness, but changed to north chute on North Peak after deciding we didn't want to walk around Saddlebag 2 days in a row. So walked up to Wasco Lake. Looked like we would have to traverse a east facing snowfield above some cliffs and with the warm temp's changed plans again.


Wasted a bunch of time scrambling around and down...but got over to Conness Lakes. Looked like we would not be on snow entirely to get to bottom of summit couloirs, so went for ridge couloir in center of photo:


Mashed potatoes, but still a few fun turns:


No photo's, but coverage on Greenstone Ridge looked pretty good. Ellery bowl looked bad, but had a nice swim in the lake. Ended up going to Sonora for day 2.

[AKbruin]

Nice, 406.

[bodywhomper]

good beta shot. thanks. the picture of saddlebag lake is pretty mind blowing.

how/where's the skeeter hatch?

[Vets]

Beautiful!
Also, impressive effort. Thanks for the beta.

[dookeyXXX]

Bigger patches than what Dookey's scoping out.

I'm constrained by my wonky work schedule, so gotta scope out what's within close proximity to the homestead.

That said, when I was driving through the Mammoth/Bishop area over Memorial Day, the peaks south of Mammy and around Whitney (as well as the peaks to the east near the first turn-off for Death Valley) were loaded. It was even snowing on that Monday in the evening when I was driving back north.

Anybody ski/ride anything that's that far south/south east?

@AKBruin: wtf is the waist on your kid's skis? Those things are bigger'n her!

[LightRanger]

^^^ I hear you. In years like this, some of the best stuff that's left is way the hell out there.