Lake Tahoe 2015/16 - Year of Godzilla Baby Jesus

[LightRanger]

^^^ What in the actual fuck are you talking about, pussycat?

[LightRanger]

FYI, from State Parks:

The DL Bliss Visitor Center lot is located within about ¼ mile of two of the affected parking areas that have been of concern to the backcountry ski community in the DL Bliss area. We plowed it for many years, and only recently stopped plowing (4 years ago or so) when State Park budget deficits cut our personnel about 30% in the District. With the parking now affected in the region, we’ll go back to plowing so there is more open parking in the area. It’s a bit of a fight for me, internally to our Department, because we are opening up parking now for largely a recreational contingent that will mainly NOT be using State Park lands, but in a perfect world that shouldn’t matter and that’s what we’re going with for now… Ultimately, we’re just happy to be part of the equation of providing access for high quality outdoor recreation.
As for the other areas that have been of concern, most of what I’ve been hearing is not under state park control (Bayview, Pyramid Peak, et al.) With the Bliss lot being plowed, we add that to also plowing both sides of Sugar Pine Point SP where some people access the Ludlow Hut and some of the northern areas of Desolation Wilderness. We don’t really have anything beyond that that is feasible to open in the winter due to slope, distance from Hwy 89, etc. Caltrans partially opens Vikingsholm (half of the lot is not generally plowable due to rock islands) and the roadside parking at Eagle Point is often cleared by Caltrans at their right-of-way.

...

We will NOT be charging for parking at Bliss. I can’t ever promise in any of our parks that will always be the case, because fee-related discussions come up frequently, but it will be for at least this winter and there really aren’t any active discussions about that lot becoming a fee lot. And at Sugar Pine, yes – the lots for XC skiing, which do have day use fees. $10 per car per day, but a $75 Tahoe pass is available.

And lastly, I would estimate 20 cars potentially in that lot, but with a winter configuration perhaps a few more or a few less depending on people’s efficiency with lining up when the lines aren’t visible....

[rod9301]

Unfrozen, I'm not the best to keep track of this. I'm spending the year in the French Pyrenees.

I emailed the people recommended in another post, and I got that reply.

I still think everyone should email them, this may change their minds.

Btw, the ski resorts here fit my definition of great resorts:
Huge, steep terrain and no crowds.

Many couloirs, 1,000 to 2,000 ft, steep, and within a reasonable hike.

And they get skied a few times a week.

Good climbing, otoh, mountain biking is the steepest I've seen. Tight switchbacks means I'm walking a lot.

[lepistoir]

FYI, from State Parks:

Huzzah!
$75 West Shore Skinning Resort unlimited pass. Not as cheap as CPSR, but what you gonna do? It encourages carpooling at least

Edit: maybe they could sell a $25 winner only pass but then I guess that would just make it a snow park

[LightRanger]

Word. I also foresee peoples' cars getting keyed if they park like assholes in that Bliss lot, or at the CalTrans pullout that they widened in response to community concern.

[FluffyLilKitten]

^^^ What in the actual fuck are you talking about, pussycat?

I'm talking about all these El Nino forecasts. Yes Cali is suppose to get the precipitation but it is also suppose to be warmer. Squaw in a normal year hangs at like 31 degrees during storms if they are lucky. Add a warmer year and it is just plain ugly. Tahoe has become too much of a crap-shoot. Probably better to base at SLC or JH and then take a trip IF Squaw gets pounded their one or two times.

[LightRanger]

[TahoeJ]

Jongs gonna jong.

I love it when some dipshit comes in here and tells us the facts about the places we spend a great deal of time at like we have no idea what's going on or what is possible with the weather. I think I'm going to pickup my family and move to Utah because someone on the internet told me I probably should.

[CaliBrit]

I'm talking about all these El Nino forecasts. Yes Cali is suppose to get the precipitation but it is also suppose to be warmer. Squaw in a normal year hangs at like 31 degrees during storms if they are lucky. Add a warmer year and it is just plain ugly. Tahoe has become too much of a crap-shoot. Probably better to base at SLC or JH and then take a trip IF Squaw gets pounded their one or two times.

That's why we have Kirkwood

[Ottime]

Thanks kitty for the enlightenment. Year guys have no idea te knowledge you have shared

[FluffyLilKitten]

Thanks kitty for the enlightenment. Year guys have no idea te knowledge you have shared

All I know is that the 2 seasons I ski bummed at Mammoth I would routinely be putting on my skis to ski a huge dump only to check Squaw to see that it was all rain for them (of course the resort would report 2 foot of snow though since the top 10 feet of Granite Cheif would be getting snow). Bump up temps a few degrees like is suppose to happen this winter and I imagine it will be very ugly for Squaw.

[WestCoastPDR]

Better leave that pussy alone boys


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[lepistoir]

I just spoke to Judy at supervisor Novasel's office. Really nice chat. Love that she can spend the time on the phone hearing from constituents. she said that she already heard from 60 to 80 backcountry skiers so thank you everyone who has made their presence known. It has made an impact and you can see this by the way the meetings that have been proposed are arranged around addressing this specific access issue . Judy tells me that there is a community engagement survey happening in Southlake on the 15th and then she is still working on putting together a meeting of interested parties for desolation winter access points to be held in Meeks Bay, hopefully on the 23rd. She's working on bringing together representatives from TRPA, CalTrans, state parks, and whoever else is interested in addressing access issues in the area. I mentioned Tahoe backcountry alliance, but I forgot to ask if the sheriff would be there to address the Rubicon parking issue. It's important to take advantage of this opportunity and show up to make sure that winter user groups are part of the planning process.

if you haven't called or emailed parties I mentioned in the earlier post about this, you still have a chance and your voice counts!

Here's the Jake's parking today:

[lepistoir]

Job's group pleasantly dusted :-)

[LightRanger]

I have mandatory work stuff on the 23rd. Doh.

[4matic]

Sorry, if you don't like it then get a 11,000 foot summit.

Can't see above treeline in flat light so it's a mixed advantage. That's what is nice about Kirkwood. Peak elevation right at treeline.

[ScrewYou]

Bump up temps a few degrees like is suppose to happen this winter and I imagine it will be very ugly for Squaw.

How do you know what temps for this winter are?

Also, I thought strong el ninos brought cooler weather to California/Tahoe? Thats what all the info Ive read has said.

[skier666]

Last very strong El Nino was 97-98...

Check my old video at 17:19 to see what can happen around Tahoe when it rains above 12000ft after 10 feet of snowfall...

[213]

Here's precip vs. ENSO (positive = El Niño, negative = La Niña, black line is 3 year running mean) since 1910 for Tahoe City and winter freezing level elevation as a difference from the 1981-2000 mean. In both cases, the ambiguity of ENSO on Tahoe is pretty clear. If anything, you can see that stronger El Niños do end up with slightly lower freezing levels. This doesn't do justice to storm-by-storm temperatures, which really matter the most and will require more detailed exploration.



No matter what El Niño brings, I have done my part to guarantee a killer winter!!!

[4matic]

Check my old video

The width of skis have inverted to your amount of hair. Have you seen the carnival show on Ridge Road yet?

[FluffyLilKitten]

How do you know what temps for this winter are?

Because I just read a bunch of forecasts about it and even just read a couple news articles how the California Water Board is telling people that this strong El Nino should not make everyone excited because they expect warmer temps so the precipitation will not equate snowpack. Am I the only one that knows how to use Google???

[ScrewYou]

Not at all, you seem like the only one who holds so much hopes in such long term forecasts. Plus ive read conflicting information.

I just moved here. And I bring the snow wherever I go. So get ready for a big winter. Haters gon hate

[skier666]

The width of skis have inverted to your amount of hair. Have you seen the carnival show on Ridge Road yet?

Amount? What amount is left?

Haven't driven past since mid-June but did notice a ton of 'rides' in the yard.

[LightRanger]

Here's precip vs. ENSO (positive = El Niño, negative = La Niña, black line is 3 year running mean) since 1910 for Tahoe City and winter freezing level elevation as a difference from the 1981-2000 mean. In both cases, the ambiguity of ENSO on Tahoe is pretty clear. If anything, you can see that stronger El Niños do end up with slightly lower freezing levels. This doesn't do justice to storm-by-storm temperatures, which really matter the most and will require more detailed exploration.



No matter what El Niño brings, I have done my part to guarantee a killer winter!!!

Thanks for the graphics. Educational.

Major bummer about that knee. Rehab up, and, in the meantime, get a scrip for that sticky icky and go on a weather posting spree.

[bodywhomper]

Last very strong El Nino was 97-98...

Check my old video at 17:19 to see what can happen around Tahoe when it rains above 12000ft after 10 feet of snowfall...

That video is from 96-97, right?

It makes me really wanna ski!