2013 SoCal Snow Thread

[whyturn]

Friday was epic local pow day. Kinda low visibility on Friday, will see how things came out later. But for fun I will be putting up quick video of my fearless friend out on his first day of snowboarding on Saturday. He got into the powder alright...

[hutash]

You blew it! The trees around Charlton were Tits McGee. Snow quality was about as good as it gets, easily 2' of fresh up there.

All that fresh and you were mostly in your partners tracks???

[potatoeskillme]

C'mon... mostly? No. Follow the leader, yes. Terrain was super mellow, so it's nice having a track to maintain speed sometimes.

[coretard]

All that fresh and you were mostly in your partners tracks???

hutard for the loss...with his 1-billionth useless post.

[406]

This years SoCal storms seem to hitting the San Bernardino mountains more than the other 2 ranges, so I thought it would be good to return to a peak I skied a couple years ago, Shields Peak.

Always waiting on snowboarders


ha ha ta ta:


Coverage was a little thin at the bottom, but could skin from the car. Lots of dead fall and steep terrane made the skin for the first thousand vertical feet challenging. After that it was just lots of work breaking trail in the powder. Andy and I took turns.

Big bear lake comes into view:


Andy and Chunder are excited to be getting near the top:


Topped out at 10600 feet around 2 pm, took longer than expected. After some grub, made a couple turns to dig a pit and check out the snowpack.

Epic blue bird powder turns.

Andy:






Chunder:






Me:


Such nice turns, down to about 7800. Then about a mile of horrific bush whacking/survival skiing back to the camp. Seemed worse this time, must have been more snow 2 years ago.

Excited that the bush whack, post holing nightmare is over:


Lots of work getting up and out, but it sure was nice snow that called for a Cold Smoke Beer. Flip-flops, that is how we roll on SoCal powder days:

[Big Tim]

nice.........

[davieboot]

Was the camp pool full? Did you get kicked out?

[406]

Was the camp pool full? Did you get kicked out?

Pool was covered and we didn't get busted this time :-)

[davieboot]

Looks fun, wish I could have made it. Though the bushwhack sounds brutal.

[potatoeskillme]

Hot damn! Nice work guys!

[whyturn]

Always cracks me up that people say we don't get pow in SoCal

[chunder]

Tasty turns near the summit!

[tavis]

Are there any groups in so. cal. that do guided backcountry tours? The sierra club website hasn't been updated since 2003, so I doubt they're still active. I'd really like to learn the basics, but don't know anyone IRL who does touring around here.

[TWINS]

Nice work^^^^ Quality pow.

[Long duc dong]

Nice job, I'm almost regretting going to Mammoth last weekend.

Hopefully the coverage on Baldy will last to this weekend. It would be nice to at least get some slush turns.

[406]

Seems like they are calling it a little early:

Although the forecast is calling for a system to move through the area the second half of next week. Unless it is significant, this Sunday could be the last day of skiing and snowboarding for the 2012/13 season at Mt Baldy.

Although from the webcam, looks like they are running out of snow

Last year my 2 days at Baldy ski area, both powder days, March 26 and April 14...although I think they reopened for the April 14th day. Added extra time to getting chair 3 going.

[1000-oaks]

Didn't use my virtual season pass to Baldy even once this year, and don't think I did last season either. All for supporting Baldy, but the renewal fee for 2014 better be a lot less than $89.

[jetlag]

Didn't use my virtual season pass to Baldy even once this year, and don't think I did last season either. All for supporting Baldy, but the renewal fee for 2014 better be a lot less than $89.

Amen. My board's worth a lot more than what I paid for the pass. Wasn't ready to wreck it on the snow days we had this year.

[Long duc dong]

Seems like they are calling it a little early: Although from the webcam, looks like they are running out of snow

Last year my 2 days at Baldy ski area, both powder days, March 26 and April 14...although I think they reopened for the April 14th day. Added extra time to getting chair 3 going.

I had fun today, but it was pretty rocky, with lots of bushes showing. There were a couple of strips of snow on Emile's, and a couple of groomers, but other than that it was no go. If this week is warm it will kill things. Goldrush trees are still pretty good.

The virtual pass renewal is 89$ this year. Just got the email. I am banking on a 2007-2011 type season next year. If not, it might be wasted.

[sticksplitman]

Here's from yesterday @ Baden went with Potatoes.

[406]

what elevation did the snow run out? Looks like nice corn, but thin.

hwy 2 gate still closed?

[potatoeskillme]

It was delicious creamed corn almost the whole way, the thick stuff you can really lean into. The choke was just barely filled in enough to get through, but we got down to about 6800 without having to unstrap. Over 2000' vert... not bad.

hwy 2 is still closed.

[TWINS]

Made me laugh^^^ Great stoke with the corn show.

[GurmB]

Lots of work getting up and out, but it sure was nice snow that called for a Cold Smoke Beer. Flip-flops, that is how we roll on SoCal powder days:

Nice turns 406 but the real question is, where did you get Cold Smoke in SoCal?! Or is that a stash hand delivered from the motherland?

[406]

Nice turns 406 but the real question is, where did you get Cold Smoke in SoCal?! Or is that a stash hand delivered from the motherland?

Personally exported a stash from the motherland. Only MT beer I have found for sale in SoCal is Big Sky.