Sonora Pass

[meggers]

The suncups are looking significant. Is the Y at least still smooth?

The Y is smooth and so is the couliar between it and the bowl, which is in slightly better shape. Ski it early though, it already seemed like it could slide by 11 am.

[Arcsim]

Skiied the Y on Saturday, dropped in around 11:15. Nice and smooth but a few rocks in the lower portion as well as a runnel on the right side. Suncups below were not too bad. Skiing back to the hairpin, would recommend traversing high left towards the end and then skiing through a notch that overlooks the hairpin - then it's a straight shot down with a nice steep face.

[~mikey b]

Another great day at the pass. Took my brother-in-law for his first Sierra mission.



Mammoth tomorrow to celebrate Owen's 11th birthday and Krystal and my 14th wedding anniversary.

[~mikey b]

Rained like hell up on the pass today. Lots of mud and debris in the road coming back from Mammoth just now.

Another mission early tomorrow!

[emcee]

where's the snowline right now? is the leavitt lake fire road fully snow or has the bottom turned to dirt?

[Vets]

A self-timer photo from today.

[~mikey b]

emcee

Dirt to first creek crossing. Melting above.

[bobz]

Just posted in eastside topic re Y-couloir yesterday (with pic). It's still decent, and not too cuppy anywhere that I passed through.

[jorion]

Finally made it up today. I left at 730 worrying about the snow getting too hot but I could have left much later. I needed crampons all the way to the top of the Leavitt Bowl. Skied of the shorter peak across from Leavitt since it had had sun longer. It was decent skiing but it's getting bumpy even up there. I have a thought to the Y but it didn't seem like it would be fun for a few more hours.

[jorion]

Ironically the best skiing was the last pitch down to the hairpin.

[bobz]

I think I descended off Leavitt around 1230 or 1; later than I wanted to be out there, but I'd slept in after a restless night (first night at 9000', coming from sea level). Snow was nice at that hour, possibly ideal given the bumpiness. I did watch a minor slide, kicked off near the top by the boarder who stayed to its (looker's) right:

[TahoeBC]

Drove over the pass this weekend to do some biking in Pinecrest, caught this view of the "Y"

[evdog]

^^^ went up there for 4th of July weekend. Fun times as always. Some of the upper trails weren't ready (snow/downed trees). And some of the stream crossings were interesting to say the least. Had to backtrack from a couple of them that couldn't be crossed. I might go back for Labor day, though I've been itching for a Downieville or Tahoe trip too...

[TahoeBC]

Prime time right now there, most of the trails are cleaned up, river crossings are doable and the wild flowers are peaking!

[Ottime]

That looks prime for a bike in ski adventure.

[~mikey b]

Wilderness

Photos from Blue Canyon yesterday...

[skier666]

I spy Deadman's still with snow?

[~mikey b]

The Y goes.

[hopelesslyadolescent]

Anyone been to Leavitt Lake this summer? How are the road and the stream crossings? Thanks in advance.

[~mikey b]

Road and stream crossings are doable.

[dookeyXXX]

clarify "doable" in terms of the road conditions.
i hain't been out to Leavitt in a few years, but the last time the road was kinda sketchy in spots for my Taco Mama; deep gullies, rivulets, and serious pot-holes.
have the Marines graded it recently (i.e. within the last 5 years)?

[~mikey b]

It's as bad as ever and as good as you could expect.

[~mikey b]

Sonora Pass closed tonight due to snow.

[~mikey b]

From CalTrans

[hopelesslyadolescent]

Thanks, Mike, gets the blood flowin.