Eastside Conditions Thread

[Rico in Flag]

Quicky run fun above Bishop.

[claymond]

Hey all anyone interested in getting out with a visiting Utahn Wednesday? I'm pretty unfamiliar with eastern Sierra skiing besides Tioga Pass. Weather looks better further south, but I can meet wherever. I think I'm an ok partner! Somethingclever, I was told you may be down by whatsupdoc.

[somethingclever...]

Hey all anyone interested in getting out with a visiting Utahn Wednesday? I'm pretty unfamiliar with eastern Sierra skiing besides Tioga Pass. Weather looks better further south, but I can meet wherever. I think I'm an ok partner! Somethingclever, I was told you may be down by whatsupdoc.

Not this week for me. It's the kiddos spring break so we are gonna hit the hill a couple days on my days off. If that weren't the case I'd be game but...

[whatsupdoc]

claymond is a super solid partner, someone ski with him Wednesday

[chill winston]

Trying to figure out where to go this weekend. Has anyone been up Pine Creek / Royce lakes? Sabrina/echo area? Curious about conditions, snow line, hellishness of the approach etc.

[Skiwald]

I could be down for an adventure tomorrow.

[Rico in Flag]

Nevahbe Ridge was a hot mess Tuesday, lots of ice, snow, rock fall. Nonetheless, we watched two guys beautifully drop a chute from the top.

[claymond]

Humphreys yesterday with cosmic suncloud before the wind hit too bad. Four wheel drive got us pretty close to the trailhead

[claymond]

[BGnight]

Wtf, where are the pics of the couloir?

[kidwoo]

And where's the soundtrack???

[claymond]

Wtf, where are the pics of the couloir?

Are they not showing up? I was having issues but thought it finally worked

[whatsupdoc]

Some photos from Langley with Claymond and Cosmic Suncloud

Claymond on the skin track:



Booting:




Summit pano:

[whatsupdoc]

The down. The top half of the line or so was good edgeable chalk. Bottom of the couloir was wannabe corn in the sun. The apron (which bends towards the N) was icy wind funk but the rest of the ski out was nice smooth corn. Dry hiking isn't too bad as long as you stay on the trail. It's challenging to follow in the dark which led to some pre-dawn schwacking.

Claymond:




Cosmic Suncloud:




Good corn on the way out:


Hiking out:

[chill winston]

Mid Pal looks like it goes -- that is, if the massive size of your balls doesn't inhibit your skiing.

[chill winston]

A few others from the neighborhood.

Mt. Sill NE ("L") couloir



Norman Clyde North Couloir


Good looking chutes off the crest between Mid Pal and the Thumb


ripping skins at above the Palisade Glacier. Underhill Couloirs look nice between T'bolt and Starlight


Pano from Glacier Notch


how did you pull that self timer off? (hint: where's my other pole?)


Love the access at Big Pine. 10 minute walk on a manicured trail to skinning


California is special. You ski down an insane glacial valley with jagged peaks dripping with couloirs, step off the snow and right onto a cactus. Fifteen years ago i almost sat down on a scorpion while changing out of my ski boots on the North Fork trail

[SchralphMacchio]

Anyone peeked over at 120 lately? What are the odds of the east side popping to the park gate by 4/29?

(My guess is that Caltrans has been spending a lot of money on 50/88/89/80/49 and won't be in any rush, so very slim odds)

[kidwoo]

Still some really good cold soft snow above 11k yesterday at what should have been far too late in the day. some cool breeze helped.


Little north of bridgeport this is.

[enlosandes]

Anyone peeked over at 120 lately? What are the odds of the east side popping to the park gate by 4/29?

(My guess is that Caltrans has been spending a lot of money on 50/88/89/80/49 and won't be in any rush, so very slim odds)

Here's an update I came across, note the 50 foot drifts on Tioga.


Caltrans District 9 has started plowing the passes!

Here is their update as of Wednesday, April 12, 2017:

SR 89 – Monitor Pass
Snow removal has begun from US Highway 395 to the Alpine County line. There is approximately 5 feet of snowpack at the Mono/Alpine County line. Road repair is required before reopening. There is no estimated date for reopening the highway at this time.

SR 108 – Sonora Pass
Snow removal equipment is in place and starting to work on the lower sections of the highway. The snowpack is estimated to be 5 to 12 feet on the highway. There is no estimated date for reopening the highway at this time.

SR 270 – Bodie Road
All snow has been removed but the highway remains closed at the request of Bodie State Park personnel.

SR 120 West – Tioga Pass (from the Junction of US 395 to the Yosemite National Park Gate)
Snow removal equipment is in place and starting to work on the lower sections of the highway. The snowpack is estimated to be between 8 to 15 feet on the highway, with up to 50 foot snowdrifts in some locations. There is no estimated date for reopening the highway at this time.

SR 120 East – Mono Mills
All snow has been removed and minor road repair is complete. Seasonal opening is scheduled for 2:00 pm Friday, April 14, 2017. If the area is impacted by inclement weather Caltrans may have to re-close the highway.

SR 158 – June Lake Loop
All snow has been removed and minor road repair is complete. Seasonal opening is scheduled for noon Friday, April 14, 2017. If the area is impacted by inclement weather Caltrans may have to re-close the highway.

SR 203 - From the Mammoth Mountain Parking Lot to Minaret Vista
This section of highway is under permit of Mammoth Mountain Ski area for the winter ski season. There is no estimated date for reopening the highway at this time.

SR 168 West – Above Aspendell
Snow removal has begun and there is approximately 2 to 5 feet of snowpack at the end of the highway. The estimated date for reopening is April 21, weather permitting.

Crestview Roadside Rest Area
Reopened on Wednesday, April 5th for the summer season.

All information is subject to change and is weather dependent.

[tone capone]

Just popping in to say thank you guys for making this thread so awesome again this year!

[kidwoo]

SR 108 – Sonora Pass
Snow removal equipment is in place and starting to work on the lower sections of the highway. The snowpack is estimated to be 5 to 12 feet on the highway.

[AKbruin]

Much, much sickness here. Humphreys, Langley, Palisades!

Warning: I'm about to post a buttload of photos, many of which will be of snow-covered rock and the occasional tree. This will be the first of three days. I'll get to the other two days tomorrow or later this week.

The goal for this weekend was a three-day overnight tour in the Eastern Sierra featuring international ski luminaries freak, Klar, and CM ("Team Innsbruck"). After much time at work not working, I came up with a few potential plans: (1) Rock Creek to Lake Italy, hitting Cat's Ears, Feather, and Gabb; (2) Alpine Col, hitting Muriel, Goethe, Darwin, and Lamarck; or (3) Palisades, hitting everything. Yeah, ambitious and stupid, but sometimes these kinds of plans actually work out. Unfortunately, Wednesday and Thursday brought a shit ton of wind and thus wind slabs on anything high and steep, which mucked up my plans a bit. We chose Lake Italy.

Day-before garage organization.



FRIDAY (Day 1)

Someone asked about access from Rock Creek? It's a damned slog. We parked at the Sno Park at the East Fork Campground and skinned from there. (FYI, you don't need a California Sno Park pass.) Anyhow, they were trying to clear the road but making slow progress given the five-plus feet of solid snow.


A pretty tree.


Like I said, there is a lot of snow. (I think this was just past Rock Creek Lodge.)


Team Innsbruck heads for Cox Col.


Climbing goals.


CM and Klar, who are legit badasses, smile while carrying 35-40 pound packs up a 13,000' pass (Cox Col) after an eight- or nine-mile slog. (I felt like a dick for suggesting this tour at this point.)


Freak (also a badass) descends toward a cliffy maze and Lake Italy with Mt. Gabb in the background.


The fabulously named Mt. Julius Caesar looks down upon Klar, CM, and freak as they head for our prospective camp.


My air mattress has a slow leak, meaning I woke up cold every three hours or so. Still working on the night shots.

[gimpy]

Oh fuck yeah man!!!! Lookin forward to feather n gabb

[somethingclever...]

. Packing for three days myself. Hope to come back with some goodness. Thanks for the Stoke AK

[SchralphMacchio]

Nice AKB!
How was coverage on the lower part of Red Mountain? You think good wife friendly hippie skiing to the car for someone who utterly hates their boots, and wouldn't mind short laps to the car for boot and beer breaks in between? We will be out there on Sat 4/30, looking for some mellow corn runs.

@ELA, thanks for the Caltrans Post. So much for Tioga week from next ...


And for everyone else, just gonna leave this Tahoe Abe eastside gem here, he just nabbed it with Baby J. N Couloir on Mendel!