TOP SNOWFALL

Gerome · #1 03-19-2009, 08:02 PM

Dhelihiker, Johann, Willy and I embarked on an Eastern Sierra mission to Sonora Pass to rally sled assisted ski laps and experience snow camping. Being halfway into our second season on sleds, we’re still taking the fast-tracked kinesthetic learning experience of “Trial by Error” regarding tandem terrain navigation on snowmobiles. A plethora of lessons are experienced every time the starter rope gets pulled, typically ending with shovel in hand when we’ve done something wrong. We affectionately call these negative feedback lessons “Snowmodigging”. Included here are a handful of the lessons we learned at Sonora Pass and their overall challenge scale (shovel factor 0 to 5) corresponding to: difficulty, time spent using a shovel, future time spent with a wrench, cost of new parts and general McGuyvery needed to return to the truck.

Snowmodigging Lesson #1: Early Starts (shovel factor: 0)
Dhelihiker woke me up at 5:21am. I hate waking up early. Dhelihiker loves it. There are rewards to waking early though. Reno should consider installing a permanent sunrise over the city the way Silver Legacy has one over their casino.

Driving takes a long time from Truckee to Route 108 when diversions include; getting lost when route 395 changes from a freeway to a highway, mandatory coffee and restroom breaks, and when gas cans get bought and filled.

Snowmodigging lesson #2: Gear Selection (shovel factor: 0)
Bring everything, including ice axes and climbing gear. Who cares that Sonora Pass consists of brecciated volcanics that won’t hold a piton and crumble in your hands. It’s all about looking cool at the trailhead.

Snowmodigging lesson #3: Tandem Riding with Expedition Backpacks, Climbing Gear & 10 Gallons of Extra Gas (shovel factor 1+)

Quick tip: Don’t do it. It can’t be done.

We loaded the sleds with two 200 lb. guys, two 40 lb. backpacks, two pairs of skis and 10 gallons of gas. We rallied about 100 yards.

The sled overheated to 170 degrees within a minute and burning rubber scorched our noses. The sled bottomed out, causing the track to rub the radiator. We droped the extra gas back at the truck and got back on the trail.

Snowmodigging lesson #4: Climb the Hills to Find the Epic Powder (shovel factor 2)
Sonora Pass was completely untracked (by skiers, that is).

Except for the handful of noisy sledders (us), it was relatively desolate

The snowmobile sheriff told us we couldn’t snowmobile here

First, try skiing the south facing coloirs.

Then bail on plan A when boilerplate is found. Dhelihiker demonstrates skiing the widest snowfield possible to avoid nasty falls involving massive outcrops.

Willy

Snowmodigging lesson #5: Snow Forts (shovel factor 3)

Are you determined to sleep in a snow cave? Only two steps are involved in construction of a snow cave.

Step 1, use the probe to find proper snow thickness and density. Proper safety equipment must be worn while snow probing. If a DOT approved helmet with goggles is not worn during snow probing, an eye may be poked out.

Step 2, dig. Plan on digging for about 5 hours if you chose to include an 8 foot long entrance tunnel, a 6 foot ceiling and dig through sierra cement. Also plan on being completely soaked. There, see how easy that was? You now have a snow fort.

Whos there?

It’s Dhelihiker

Tip: bring wiskey. It’ll be nice to have something to drink when your Jet Boil refuses to melt snow.

Smart people bring a tent instead to camp in. This allows them to experience 50 mph wind gusts all night long.

Snowmodigging lesson #6: Getting Un-Stuck (shovel factor 2 to 3)
Here’s a suggestion, experience the fun and see what happens when you let your buddy ride a sled without providing instruction as Johann demonstrates.

Hint: get as many people together as you can to spread out the work, then hold the camera while everyone else does the work.

Snowmodigging lesson #7: Ghost Riding the Sastrugi (shovel factor 1 to 4, results may vary)
The goal of sled skiing is to mamximize turns for everyone while minimizing sled time. The most efficient way to get everyone on skis is to ghost ride your whip. It is very effective and attaching and removing skis from a backpack can be the longest part of the drill.

We even found a nice steeper section with chalky snow to ski.

Gerome

Gerome & Johann

Gerome · #2 03-19-2009, 08:05 PM

Johann & Dhelihiker

Dhelihiker

Side Note: I though it was atrocious when on Sunday some couple showed up and ruined our fun by making a skin track right across our chosen ski lines. And to top it off, their dog postholed their skin track. Completely unacceptable.

Caution: Evaluate the terrain the sled will ghost ride, including the snow conditions. It may not be enough to assume that you have a gentle slope free of trees or boulders. Gerome’s sled tracked directly down the smoothed out valley nicely. Dhelihiker’s liked to off road a bit towards the right side of the slope, and on the 8th journey downhill, it tipped. One ski augered into the snow and bent in half.

Snowmodigging lesson #9 HighMarking Sastrugi (shovel factor 4+)
Hint: in firm snow, when the track starts sliding, it’s time to turn around.

After Dhelihiker limped his sled back to camp. I still wanted to have more fun. Climbing a sweet 40 degree slope is simply delightful. Though carnage comes quickly for those who don’t known when to turn around. I neared the crest of the hill and the track slid out while I continued uphill. Without warning, the track caught and I spun about 270 degrees. For a fraction of a second I though I maintained control pointing downhill, but a ski caught and momentum tipped the sled on its side. I grasped and clawed for the sled to regain control, but it slid faster than I could keep up facing head first downhill. The sled gained speed and puked plastic bits, visors and engine covers as I followed. The sled rolled once, then backfilpped and landed tail first into the snow, pirouetting slightly before coming to a rest.

I spent about 20 minutes digging a platform and pulling the sled back onto its skis. I reattached the covers, cranked it over and rode back to camp. Wow, that was high octane fun.

Snowmodigging lesson #10: Sometimes the best snow is at lower elevation (shovel factor 1)
On our motor out, we drove over some fantastic corn, but had no time to enjoy it. But we were stoked to be done and to give our arms and back a rest after all of the shoveling involved.

Sculpture: Reflective Plastic on Metal and Wood
Artist: Caltrans

AKbruin · #3 03-19-2009, 08:38 PM

Brilliant! Looks like a great time despite the mishaps. Sorry I couldn't make it.

LightRanger · #4 03-19-2009, 08:48 PM

Entertaining. Thanks Gerome.

Yukonrider · #5 03-19-2009, 08:59 PM

Now that there is a quality TR!

snowful · #6 03-19-2009, 09:02 PM

Very funny. I laughed several times.

45hill · #7 03-19-2009, 09:03 PM

You need to get a toboggan from ski patrol, place all your gear in it, and tow it up to camp. Cool trip.

sierraskier · #8 03-19-2009, 10:58 PM

awesome TR. have to say I've experienced every one of those various mishaps (with the exception of the runaway tomohawking sled) but not in a single trip and not in Sonora. planning the same trip now for sometime in April...

that is a pretty solid cave, but next time I go I'm bringing tent + earplugs.

Dhelihiker · #9 03-19-2009, 11:05 PM

Hell yess, What a windy night to be in a tent. I finally know what a birthday candle feels like.

The snow cave pics rock- we all had to freeze in those positions long enough for the aperture to appert (?)

I laughed a lot that night

John Smoke · #10 03-20-2009, 12:31 AM

From the tales of the two stroke mishaps things could have been much worse. Once they start rolling on that hard snow they often will roll to the bottom on slopes like that.

Dhelihiker · #11 03-20-2009, 12:52 AM

^^done that

kidwoo · #12 03-20-2009, 01:05 AM

Yup

Laughed my ass off.

Awesome. wish I'd been there.

AKturnanburn · #13 03-20-2009, 02:14 AM

Looks like fun, its better to be lazy when the snow is HARDly worth going after.

Quote:

Just a quick tip on ghost riding: Make sure there are no other sleds at the bottom when you send it, even if you send it on what you might think is a differant line.

Trust me, I know from multiple epic carnage experiances and observations.

Gerome · #14 03-20-2009, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AKturnanburn

Looks like fun, its better to be lazy when the snow is HARDly worth going after.

Just a quick tip on ghost riding: Make sure there are no other sleds at the bottom when you send it, even if you send it on what you might think is a differant line.

Trust me, I know from multiple epic carnage experiances and observations.

I thought of that every time we pushed the sleds down. And certainly having them run into each other would be double trouble with two broken sleds instead of one. But if we were to be so cautious, we couldn't call it snowmodigging then, could we?

senior researcher · #15 03-20-2009, 11:34 AM

thank's ,that was cool!

^^^ · #16 03-20-2009, 11:35 AM

Nice braaaap'in stoke! I know they are hard to find, but look for a used Granite Gear Expedition pulk sled. They make those overnight trips a breeze. Tows fairly well behind a sled. I've fit 3 sets of skis, poles, camping gear for 3, food for 3, beer for 3, and 3 packs in it before. You can find used pulk sleds for around $200.

Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer · #17 03-20-2009, 11:56 AM

Gerome et al. - awesome TR. Looks like a ton-o-fun (although digging that cave must have been brutal).

I gotta get out on a sled one time, just to experience that. Well to clarify, have been on a sled (long time ago), but not sled-accessed skiing.

Moose Pit · #18 03-20-2009, 01:00 PM

I have never considered sledding to get after anything other than powder, looks like I might have to give it a try.
Quality TR, digg the accommodations.

mtnbiker/boarder · #19 03-20-2009, 01:13 PM

FKNA AWESOME AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE STOKE......

Jack Burton · #20 03-20-2009, 02:00 PM

nice work.. dig the snomodigging shovel factor.

Imz · #21 03-20-2009, 02:23 PM

Holy craps; looks like the standard shit show for our gang.

I can't believe i had to sleep with hot women & miss this trip! (oh well).

Word to the mother.

Imz · #22 03-20-2009, 02:27 PM

btw- are the sleds ready to roll?

jmulcahy04 · #23 03-20-2009, 02:29 PM

Way to get after it. That snow cave looks money, but I still think I like the bivy in a pit approach the best.

uuilly · #24 03-20-2009, 04:33 PM

jmulcahy04, your Shasta ditch method would have been so f'd with that wind. You'd wake up under 2 feet of snow. Killer writeup gerome. Fun trip, sorry I sucked at sledding. My writeup is not nearly as good as this one:

http://willypell.blogspot.com/

Roo · #25 03-20-2009, 05:47 PM

You're wasting valuable digging time with all that foofy skiing shit.