Lassen / Shasta Conditions Anyone?

[~mikey b]

great to finally meet you BFD

[~mikey b]

it was another good day up on the mountain

[~mikey b]

you can see the track into Hidden Valley from town

[Ted26]

Tentatively planning to be around shasta Monday if anyone’s interested in skiing.

[~mikey b]

go early

[mordoc]

is that picture this season mikey b? I haven't been up this season, but that is far less snow on the west face than I expected.

[~mikey b]

that’s two days ago

West Face is pretty good

there was quite a bit of wind up high this winter so a lot of snow got stripped - lots of snow down low but less than expected up high in places

reports have been mixed the last week with the warm nights

should be a bit colder this week starting tonight so maybe it will improve

[~mikey b]

I’m going to ski tomorrow morning

[~mikey b]

upper mountain shrouded in thunderclouds this afternoon - could be an exciting day for some folks

[emcee]

is it ever going to freeze again??

[PB]

October??

[~mikey b]

tonight at Helen Lake

[jimw]

Here are some now-obsolete pics from Lassen, from a couple weeks back. Drove out there Sat 5/6 eve to meet some of the “splitarillo” crew (don’t ask) since it looked like it was maybe gonna be a legit pow day Sunday after actual dumpage on Sat. Drove 6 hours from Bend, camped in the lot, and woke up to classic Lassen low clouds despite the “partly sunny” forecast. Those low clouds actually did keep the snow from getting baked by the sun, so it was actually pretty decent snow… but zero vis up high and also NUKING wind. Cold AF!! We were all freezing, thinking isn’t this supposed to be spring?? Called it quits after a couple mellow laps.

The day started out like this, about 50 feet from the lot. At least I had the dual whippets. And the phone is safe!



There was a lot of this:



But at least we got the color coordination happening!



Maybe instead of “splitarillos” we should go with “skittlerillos"



After kinda getting shut down, I really wasn’t looking forward to turning right around and driving 6 hours back to Bend. Plus looking at the weather, it looked like it might actually dump there again on Mon, and Tues looked like a potential window. I was able to work it out to stay there and work remotely Mon and take my chances on Tues...

…and goddamn I’m glad I did! It dumped some legit pow on Mon, then early Tues woke up to cold temps, clear skies, and zero wind. WTF?? That never happens there! So, headed out to Brokeoff. I’ve been wanting to get into the chute there every since we got it in pow like 7 years ago but conditions/timing/etc never lined up again till now. Seemed like this could be the day…





I hiked out the ridge to the knob right above the front brim of my hat in the previous pic. Great views from there down the ridge all the way to Lassen proper. Oh, and Shasta poking out top left!





This spot has a similar aspect as the chute (N-NE) and felt like a good slope to see what the snow was doing. Verdict: HOLY SHIT THIS IS GONNA BE THE DAY!!



Next up:



Glad I brought the Verts!!



There was a decent amount of debris on the apron, some likely from the day before and some earlier, but booting up the edge of it the snow felt nice and consolidated and stable, and generally not hitting the crust from previous slide layers. There was a small crown further up (a few inches) likely from the day before. Overall the snow was feeling pretty bomber on this day though. It was about as perfect vert-ing as you could hope for, generally boot-top deep or so with a supportive base. And there was a rad sun dog.



The top got stizzeeep and deeper.



Looking back towards Lassen just before topping out. It was so weird pulling myself the last few feet over the top, one minute you're clawing your way up this almost vertical face with super deep snow, then your next step is on completely flat ground.



I hiked around to this sketchy-ass rock perch above the cliff to get some views. Mom would definitely not have been stoked! She also would not have been stoked that I dropped my mini-picture of her down the cliff face about 10 feet and had to go retrieve it. That would have been an ironic way to go. I did spread some of my folks’ ashes up there. I love knowing that a part of them has ended up up in a bunch of places that I love and that they’re looking out from the great beyond. I like to think it maybe also brings some good luck...











Time to drop!





I knew it was gonna be all-time from the very first turn!



I mean are you f’in kidding me?!?



Goddamn that was good!!

This was just one of those magic days… I feel lucky to get a single day like this a season, if that. Unreal.





Both lines, left and right in the pic.



Then went over to No Name for one more N-facing exit run.



It was so good that after I got back to the van, I had to go do a quick evening powsurf lap right next to the visitor center. By that time, it was more like a slush-surf, but I was so stoked I didn’t care!





Crazy to imagine Brokeoff used to look like this:



So after all that, drove home all stoked. Then the plan was to head down to the eastside the following weekend and finally sample the epic spring snowpack down there. But before leaving, I just HAD to get in a quick session at the local jump trail since dark dirt conditions were going off… and this happened:



DOH!! I rode Brokeoff… then the next day I got broke off! COINCIDENCE?!?

Ah well. If that was the price of admission for getting that line in all-time conditions… it was worth it!

See ya next season.

[Norseman]

Nice lil TR and sorry bout the clav

[rod9301]

Get well

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[~mikey b]

windy today

I didn’t go high

[frorider]

Nice TR jim. Mtb injury?

Thought I saw a brief road access update on Lassen in one of my IG feeds but can’t seem to find it now….

[frorider]

Nice TR jim. Mtb injury?

Thought I saw a brief road access update on Lassen in one of my IG feeds but canÂ’t seem to find it nowÂ….

[jimw]

Nice TR jim. Mtb injury?

Seems like they all are these days. At least I'm predictable...

Thought I saw a brief road access update on Lassen in one of my IG feeds but canÂ’t seem to find it nowÂ….

N entrance opened to Devastated Area on 5/12. Latest info here:
https://www.nps.gov/lavo/planyourvis...ing-update.htm

[frorider]

N entrance opened to Devastated Area on 5/12. Latest info here:
https://www.nps.gov/lavo/planyourvis...ing-update.htm

Thanks, I have that link. My (probably unclear) point was that there was a non-NPS update that was actually an update ie was dated May 23 or 24 rather than May 12. It included some info on the skiing quality. S facing was sorta holding, NE was better, some comments on snowpack depth.

[hardboiled]

jimw TRs are always a treat! i love this shot - kinda reminds of the "unknown chute" off mt dana. bummer about the collarbone, hope you heal up quick.


long shot/favor request of the community - if anyone will be driving from shasta/lassen/far northern norcal down to the bay area and passing through redding, and would be willing to pick up a bike and shuttle it to somewhere closer to me in marin/north bay), I'd pay for gas + whatever to make the detour worth your time.

[Dark Energy]

Late report of a late start on Memorial Day Monday on Shasta. ~200 cars in parking lot at Bunny Flats! Skinned from the parking lot. Just below the heart, thunder and building dark clouds. Traversed and descended below the Casaval Ridge. No suncups and minimal runnels.

[fleaches]

I don't suppose anyone has tried to ski Hotlum Winton yet have they? I know the road is still covered in snow but I'm worried the upper mountain will be in poor shape by the time the roads melt out... Anyone have any insight into conditions on that side?

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[~mikey b]

they have

[bfree]

I don't suppose anyone has tried to ski Hotlum Winton yet have they? I know the road is still covered in snow but I'm worried the upper mountain will be in poor shape by the time the roads melt out... Anyone have any insight into conditions on that side?

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Interested in that too. I was planning to head that way the 6/23 weekend, think roads will be clear within a couple miles of the trailhead by then?