TR: Deep Donner Deliciousness, 1-24-10

**Lane Meyer** · 01-26-2010, 07:58 PM

Here in Tahoe, we are always hungry for a good storm cycle. Recent years have been either feast or famine, with periods of fat-city boner bliss punctuated with times of thin snowpack and lengthy weeks of sunshine. Right now as 2010 unfolds, we're smack in the middle of a pretty long, wet cycle. The pow feast has gone on for what now seems like weeks - and it's still snowing outside. It's the kind of time when everyone around town just walks around smiling, all the time. This is why we all live here.

This past Sunday we left the mothership to the hungry Bay Area hordes and went exploring on Donner Pass, in search of some tasty steepness. Legend has it that there are many yummy treats available on Donner Summit, and I can vouch that the whole place pretty much smells like bacon.

Sadly, I left my "real" camera behind due to fog and heavy snow, but I managed to grab a few snaps with the wife's PnS. In processing, I decided to go B/W for maximum soul. Hope you enjoy. Love to hear feedback on images, as always.

We set off across a quiet meadow..

It was that kind of day, slow skinning, lots of good conversation, reveling in the softly falling flakes and just enjoying being out. Oldtimer was our guide, taking us from the secret departure zone to three of his favorite shelves of terrain. Chances are, you've seen him rip all of these lines before.

Somtimes, things got a bit foggy, but we pressed on into the blizzard, excited by what await us.

Robio drops into the first shelf

Pope navigates the first shelf, his first backcountry turns of 2009/2010...that's what you get for following Oldtimer (photo - Oldtimer)

Pope, almost down... (photo - Oldtimer)

Myself, falling down the middle of our second try at the first shelf (photo - Oldtimer)

Me, navigating a "small" obstacle at the end of a line I followed Oldtimer down "just aim right of my tracks, you'll be fine!" (photo - Oldtimer)

Me again this time flailing my way down what could have been a beautiful line in the right hands (photo - Oldtimer)

Lane Meyer, about the bottom out on shelf 1 (Flip screengrab by Robio)

Oldtimer, deep in the moment (Flip screengrab by Robio)

Lane Meyer, getting all sorts of deep (Flip screengrab by Robio)

You think this is steep, you should see the shit that's over THERE!

Oltimer pushing off into bliss

Oldtimer getting hit in the face with heaven (he's hiding at bottom right)

Robio making his mark, back in time

Oldtimer, planning his assault on the second shelf

Robio, navigating the last obstacle on the first shelf

And then we climbed our way back up and out....

Sooner or later, it's going to stop snowing. When it does, we'll still be out there in the forest, in between storms, searching for the cold smoke and awaiting the next cycle.

**sierraskier** · 01-26-2010, 08:17 PM

very soulfull. just kidding....good stuff. that looks like a fun little zone.

**skier666** · 01-26-2010, 08:28 PM

Your report shows that winter is fun, and California has more going for it than Heidi and Spencer. Rock on....

**splitter** · 01-26-2010, 10:34 PM

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**Sutter** · 01-27-2010, 12:00 AM

That was an exemplary trip report, I got hard by about the 2nd photo, good thing this TR did not last more than 4 hrs or I would have had to call a doctor.