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  1. #1
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    2015 SoCal Snow Thread

    Snow, stoke, and info thread for everything south of The Sierra.

    Ski areas:
    http://www.mtbaldy.com/
    http://www.mtwaterman.org/
    http://www.mthigh.com/
    http://www.snowsummit.com/index_winter.php

    Weather:
    NOAA
    http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick...&FcstType=text

    radar
    http://www.intellicast.com/National/...ation=USCA0638


    Webcams:
    Mt. Baldy, top of chair 2 not sure why it isn't pointed at Thunder:


    Mt. Baldy, bottom of chair 1:






    Mt Wilson Cam

    Shops:
    http://www.norpine.com/ San Diego

    Deals:
    ?

    SoCal Snow Avalanche Center:
    http://www.socalsnow.org/

    Other:
    ?
    Last edited by 406; 01-02-2015 at 02:46 PM.

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by TWINS View Post
    Rode Baldy/Thunder today with Big Tim. There is some fun stuff if you look. Traffic was brutal when we left. Started at the base of the hill.
    Skiing looks better than I expected.
    Last edited by 406; 01-02-2015 at 02:48 PM.

  3. #3
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    Oct 2013
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    Saw picture from De Luz-8-10" back in there. 26 miles from the ocean with some decent snow-hillsides will be green at least-

  4. #4
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    New Years Day...
    Still extreme low tide on Mt. Baden Powell.

    Booting up:


    skining after it got less steep and more deep:


    Final hike to the summit ridge. Crazy cold at the top. Hydration tube froze and that has never happened to me in SoCal before.


    East facing stuff looked tasty, but seemed risky given the terrain and wind loading.


    Some good turns near the top.




    We stayed out of the chute as long as possible.


    After the ~500 vert of nice turns it was 2000 vert ft of survival turns.


    Bailed on the chute and traversed back to the trail due to lack of snow. Down hiked about 500 vert back to the trailhead.


    Took 1.5 hrs to drive the 20 miles from Mt. High to the freeway, SNOWPLAY! But got a nice sunset view from the 15.


    I think we need a couple more feet of snow before backcountry is ready to go.

  5. #5
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    Nov 2005
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    Nice job 406 Was wondering how Baden Powell is.
    Happy to see a 2015 thread ! Thanks

  6. #6
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    Dec 2012
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    117
    good job guys stoked to see you getting after it that looks tasty. stoked the thread got going.

  7. #7
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    Oct 2011
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    Bear was OK on Friday.

    Fwiw 38 was a painless drive up, almost no traffic and no chain control.

  8. #8
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    Any tracks on Baldy Bowl yet?

  9. #9
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    Jan 2006
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    Heading to baldy tomorrow AM to at least check out what's up inbounds. Anybody wanna make some turns? Three OH three 748-4337. Shoot a text for ??rideshare. Leaving SD about 630
    "I said flotation is groovy"
    -Jimi Hendrix

    "Just... ski down there and jump offa somethin' for cryin' out loud!!!"
    -The Coolest Guy to have Ever Lived

  10. #10
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    Sounds like the rain closed down the skiing at Baldy ski area...you might want to check the report tomorrow am prior to driving up.

    Unfortunately we will not be able to operate today for tubing or skiing and snowboarding due to the rain we received over night. We will be open for scenic rides to the Top of the Notch restaurant only today. Expect the clouds to clear up by mid day and for today to be a beautiful day in the mountains.
    We hope that we can do some work moving some snow around on the mountain to get open tomorrow for skiing and snowboarding.

  11. #11
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    Bring rock skis for sure. Hope the rain didn't/doesn't wipe out what little was left after these warm days.

  12. #12
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    Drove up to Baldy yesterday afternoon. They received quite a bit of rain in the morning. Messed up whatever was there. Good thing is all the snow down low was washed away to keep snowplayers away. Staff told me they set a record for most tickets sold over the holidays.

  13. #13
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    any beta on san g? thinking about that long mission.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by TWINS View Post
    Staff told me they set a record for most tickets sold over the holidays.
    Glad they are making money when the skiing isn't fully open, but might be an even bigger cluster fuck if the SNOWPLAY crowd shows up on a full on ski day...although hopefully they wouldn't show up early.

    Nice how they are so truthful and up to date with their conditions report this year, but I want them to point the webcam at Thunder.


    Quote Originally Posted by sticksplitman View Post
    any beta on san g? thinking about that long mission.
    Here is a video I found on a hiking forum from yesterday http://youtu.be/R1zxsnzCnU8 sounds like it was thin to Dry Lake. Radar of the weekend storm seemed to have mostly rain except the highest elevations.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by 406 View Post
    Glad they are making money when the skiing isn't fully open, but might be an even bigger cluster fuck if the SNOWPLAY crowd shows up on a full on ski day...although hopefully they wouldn't show up early.

    Nice how they are so truthful and up to date with their conditions report this year, but I want them to point the webcam at Thunder.




    Here is a video I found on a hiking forum from yesterday http://youtu.be/R1zxsnzCnU8 sounds like it was thin to Dry Lake. Radar of the weekend storm seemed to have mostly rain except the highest elevations.
    Thanks looks like its starting to fill in a bit. But still low tide with sharks ready to bite!!!

  16. #16
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    Despite spraining my knee a month ago, headed up to Baldy today to pick up my pass (to hopefully be used at Brian Head) this season. Coverage was thin, but better than I expected as long as you tried to stay on the snowy side of the runs. No core shots, lots of edge nicks, & some renewed knee pain. Would be shocked if chair three is still turning by this weekend.
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  17. #17
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    ^^^Thanks for the photo's, more snow on Thunder than I would have guessed.

    Elsewhere in SoCal, there was powder to be found this weekend:
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  18. #18
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    I'll be in Palm Desert for the annual family retreat around 4/6-10, and I look to get out of the desert as much as possible. Stoked on those photos above, do give me a baseline for coverage. Anyway, looking for any beta out there on my usual goals, including top of the tram, Tahquitz, from Bishop southward. I was thinking of buying the advanced tickets to Baldy for $16, but man, that looks limited even now. I know a lot will change in the next month (I am praying for a dump), but all info is appreciated.

    I'm flying solo, but would love to hook up with a partner if anyone is interested. PMs accepted. I have skied Mt. Jean (mellow) and Tahquitz (not so mellow) and know my way around. Otherwise, I am exploring, and basing plans off guides and maps and collected beta.

  19. #19
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    Ottime - too far out to say, if there are not a couple large storms, there will be no snow in a month.

    1000-oaks - your inbox is full.

  20. #20
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    From watching the radar, looked like the March 1st storm dropped the most snow in the San Jacinto Mountains. A friend and I took the tram up to 8000 ft and slogged across Round Valley to check out the north slope of Jean Peak this last weekend. Rewarded with a couple laps of nice powder.

    8 am tram:


    Took the long way, but got to the base of Jean Peak and started to finally gain significant elevation.


    Started to get some views:


    Snow was sticky on the summit ridge, thin air at 10,000 ft and extra 20 pounds of snow on the skis made for slow going. San Jacinto in the background. Not enough snow on the east face, skied it back in 2010:


    Picked a bad day to forget the glop stopper.


    Nice snow on the north facing slope:




    Not very steep or long, but nice snow and fun little rocks to jump off.


    We went for a second lap...figured we put in the skin track and the up couldn't be as bad as the first time. This time cut over prior to the ridge and the cooler temps kept the snow from sticking.


    Another nice run:


    Took the short cut back and despite being a bit thin in spots I skied most of the way back to the tram. Some of the upper low angle stuff was actually fun. Turned into survival skiing after leaving the main trail to start down the cut across drainage. Cross country snowboarding, so plat:


    Beer time:

  21. #21
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    ^^^That is what I needed. Looks like a fun day. I know it is too early to tell, but I can watch the weather and look at pics and start basing decisions. That is a lot more coverage up there that I had expected after watching the same storm, and makes me hopeful.

    Did you notice if there was any coverage on the NE ridge from San Jacinto down to the tram top? That zone is mini golf with really short vert (maybe 600'), but is steep and techy. Jean is my go to, as it hold more snow, but not really worth it if the approach is completely burnt out.

    In the same note, knowing what the base looks like in the main gully on Independence or the Wahoo Gullies is good beta. Figured some Mammy skiers have at least driven that stretch of road recently.\

    And of course, I'll check back as I get closer to my dates.

  22. #22
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    Jul 2007
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    Lakeside California
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    And of course, I'll check back as I get closer to my dates.
    Im going this weekend and plan to check out Onion Valley and Wahoo Gullies. If my plan goes as planned Ill have some pics for you

  23. #23
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    Dec 2004
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    Anyone want to poke around Telegraph for some patch skiing on Saturday? Lift #3 probably won't be running & will require hiking from the Notch. Still the shortest route to snow right now though, & with my sketchy knee I don't want to get too far from civilization. I'll be slow, so if you're a hard charger you'll probably be bored.

  24. #24
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    At the top of Thunder right now, nice sunny skin. Too late a start to go for Telegraph (dammit), will scout the trees on the way back to the notch.

  25. #25
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    Here's a photo from today that makes it look like there's some snow holding, though it's the most awful, sticky, wet snowball snow you ever saw. (Didn't even bother putting on skins until it got steeper.) Zero-fun survival skiing on 84mm waist skis in the trees, doing the falling-leaf between rocks and logs. But at least it was nice to do some skinning in the great outdoors. Since there's no base where the sun shines, there wasn't any corn to be found.
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    Last edited by 1000-oaks; 03-15-2015 at 01:07 PM.

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