Central California

**~mikey b** · 02-09-2021, 06:20 PM

nice

**~mikey b** · 02-11-2021, 11:44 PM

Chair 8 opening tomorrow

I am volunteering with local school so not getting pow turns

SKI THE BABIES

**~mikey b** · 02-13-2021, 11:44 AM

I spent most of my day on the magic carpet with 5 year old Thomas. He is a great little dude with a dodgy family situation. I was stoked to help him learn to ski. He’s got a ways to go.

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**ScotFree** · 02-16-2021, 05:19 PM

Word is that Mokelumne Express at Bear got stuck and had to be evac'd today.

**~mikey b** · 02-16-2021, 10:05 PM

true dat

**~mikey b** · 02-17-2021, 01:39 AM

I’m told it took 5 hours to evac the chair

**GiBo** · 02-17-2021, 10:21 AM

That would be fun.

**~mikey b** · 02-17-2021, 05:38 PM

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this was fun

**Ottime** · 02-17-2021, 09:00 PM

Wtf. It looks dry and clear.

**~mikey b** · 02-17-2021, 09:05 PM

indeed

**~mikey b** · 02-25-2021, 03:37 PM

https://www.fresnobee.com/news/calif...a2rImbFfaB9C5s

Jason Torlano skied Half Dome last weekend

**AKbruin** · 02-25-2021, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by ~mikey b

https://www.fresnobee.com/news/calif...a2rImbFfaB9C5s

Jason Torlano skied Half Dome last weekend

That's so rad. I've always understood that that the conditions for the descent line up about once a decade. Interesting that they rapped down the Death Slabs. I always assumed that one would ski/hike the JMT.

**jorion** · 02-25-2021, 04:13 PM

Wow, amazing. I’d love to hear about what it is about the current conditions that made it possible. Nothing special leaps out at me about the current cycle/season history. Wet, sticky snow at a wide spectrum of elevations maybe? I’ve never even been up half dome so have no idea.

**Meadow Skipper** · 02-25-2021, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by ~mikey b

https://www.fresnobee.com/news/calif...a2rImbFfaB9C5s

Jason Torlano skied Half Dome last weekend

This should have its own thread. Mind?

**~mikey b** · 02-25-2021, 04:27 PM

please do

**AKbruin** · 02-25-2021, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by jorion

Wow, amazing. I’d love to hear about what it is about the current conditions that made it possible. Nothing special leaps out at me about the current cycle/season history. Wet, sticky snow at a wide spectrum of elevations maybe? I’ve never even been up half dome so have no idea.

That's about right, from what I've heard. The snow has to come in wet enough to bond to the granite and then freeze. You almost want rime-y conditions, which means there's often funky conditions and water ice. It looks like they skied it at dawn before the sun heated it up. It's short but steep (~45 degrees) with massive exposure/death on both sides.

I just read up on his descent of Cloud's Rest, which was at least as gnarly.

A couple friends bagged a cool descent in the Cathedral zone in good conditions during the epic 2019 year. I was super jealous.

**jorion** · 02-25-2021, 08:04 PM

So cool, I hadn’t seen that article until now. I’ve wondered about skiing in the valley but figured even I’m the biggest years it wasn’t really a thing. Hard to top the aesthetics of that line.