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  1. #1
    Vets's Avatar
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    Patchskiing TRs - Spring, Summer, and Autumn Stoke - 2017

    It is May, so it seems like a good time to start another annual patch skiing thread. Instead of posting a separate TR for every patchskiing day, I'm going to put them in one thread. I hope that others will add to this. I also hope to provide views, creamed corn and soft-serve snow images, along with some dog stoke.

    I'll post a few highlights from each day.
    To see more just click on the link for patchskiing.com in my signature.

    Bald Mountain, Pinenut Range, May 6, 2017

    For years, on many occasions after a snow storm, I would look up at the mountains we can see from the deck of our house and see a nice looking snow patch form on Bald Mountain in the southern part of the Pinenut Range. Often this snow patch would disappear after a few days. However, this winter I noticed that the snow up there had staying power. It was time to ski it. Since there were afternoon thunderstorms predicted, a quick morning mission was in order. This meant driving part way up the road to 7,200 ft. and "storming the castle" to the top of the snow just below the 9,228 ft. peak of Bald Mountain.

    Here is a self-timer photo from my second run.
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    Makisha in the foreground with the snow patches below Bald Mountain in the background.
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    Penny at the top of the last snow patch.
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    Makisha watches Vets ski down the last snow patch.
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    The storm kicked in while I was taking my boots off. Even though we were soaked by the time we got back to the truck, this was well worth it.

  2. #2
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    Monitor Pass Dusk Patrol, May 8, 2017

    My wife called me when I was driving home from work with the news that Monitor Pass had just opened. After arriving at home we gathered the dogs and our gear for a dusk patrol recon mission.

    Penny and Makisha.
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    Penny watching Vets slarving the slurpee.
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    Looking back at tracks.
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    A successful recon mission with results that make a return trip worthwhile.

  3. #3
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    Yeah! Finally a fun and easy patch season! See ya out there.

  4. #4
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    What's the over/under on the Forrestdale patch's life span this year? Late August?

  5. #5
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    it was there in october of 2011 so Id expect similar this year

  6. #6
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    Nice jump on the patch season

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by GiBo View Post
    What's the over/under on the Forrestdale patch's life span this year? Late August?
    It also made it until October in 2006.
    Here are some photos from October 1, 2006.
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    Last edited by Vets; 05-11-2017 at 07:20 AM.

  8. #8
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    Monitor Pass Dusk Patrol, May 12, 2017

    Since the skiing was so good to start the week on Monday, we made a return trip to end the week on Friday.

    Penny joins Vets for the bootpack up for the first run.
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    Vets skiing up in the clouds.
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    Vets hiking up for more after his first run.
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    Penny enjoying the snow.
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    Vets shadow skiing.
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    Makisha joins Vets.
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    Vets skiing back to the Tacomama on Hwy. 89.
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    There is still a lot of good snow to be skied up around Monitor Pass.
    Last edited by Vets; 05-16-2017 at 06:18 PM.

  9. #9
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    Monitor Pass, Leviathan Peak, May 14, 2017

    This would be our third time up here in seven days. With a storm forecast for the afternoon, we had a wide variety of conditions. We started with a few snow flurries followed by moving clouds and even some sunshine. We did a combination of snowshoeing, dry hiking, and bootpacking.

    A panoramic view on the approach up.
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    Penny below the Leviathan Peak Lookout.
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    Vets slarving corn snow.
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    Looking back at tracks.
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    It was well worth the return trip. We also finished before the storm rolled in.
    Last edited by Vets; 05-16-2017 at 09:21 PM.

  10. #10
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    I approve
    Own your fail. ~Jer~

  11. #11
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    you sir are an institution, carry on

  12. #12
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    yeah vets - git sum!
    Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Natures peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn. - John Muir

    "How long can it last? For fuck sake this isn't heroin -
    suck it up princess" - XXX on getting off mj

    “This is infinity here,” he said. “It could be infinity. We don’t really don’t know. But it could be. It has to be something — but it could be infinity, right?” - Trump, on the vastness of space, man

  13. #13
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    Vets, we're gonna do some patches. What's the Ebbets Pass dates lookin like???

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by splat View Post
    Vets, we're gonna do some patches. What's the Ebbets Pass dates lookin like???
    Yes!
    Haven't heard anything yet about when. Chinese Fireball Dragon Chute is at the top of the priority list when the pass does open.
    I wonder if the snowpack is deep enough to last until the eclipse later this summer.

  15. #15
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    Monitor Pass, Leviathan Peak, May 21, 2017

    We returned to our "local" ski spot, Monitor Pass. It is only half an hour away from our home and the snow conditions are holding up pretty well. We would ski on the north ridge of Leviathan Peak.

    Vets on his first run.
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    Penny looks up at Mrs. Vets and Makisha.
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    Makisha striking a protective pose in front of a cairn.
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    Vets takes a second run.
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    On the third run Makisha turns toward Vets.
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    We headed down to Walker for an apre ski snack. Penny watches Vets and Makisha enter the garden at Walker Burger.
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    Monitor Pass delivered creamed corn goodness again.

  16. #16
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    Lundy Canyon, May 27, 2017

    Lundy Canyon is an area that I have looked at for years and had hiked around in the summer, but had yet to ski. Rather than ski the "low hanging fruit" near the shore of Lundy Lake, Mrs. Vets encouraged me to head further up the canyon for more of an adventure.
    On the approach Vets looks across the pond at waterfalls and beyond.
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    Pre-run selfie with a pond, Lundy Lake and Mono Lake in the background.
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    Vets on hs first run.
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    Vets climbing over rocks on the way to more snow.
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    Vets starts on a boulders and branches giant slalom run.
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    Penny and Makisha join.
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    Vets looking across Lundy Lake and pointing out Lundy Canyon along with Penny and Makisha.
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    It was great to finally ski Lundy Canyon. There are so many great lines to ski back there. A return trip seems certain.

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vets View Post

    Penny enjoying the snow.
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    This is great photo, should probably be in the dog thread wherever that is
    Quote Originally Posted by The SnowShow View Post
    Keystone is the new Snowbird

  18. #18
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    Monitor Pass, May 30, 2017

    A nice thing about patchskiing is that you aren't limited to the normal operating hours of a ski resort. Being able to take your dogs with you is an added bonus. When Penny and Makisha gave me the lets go out look, I loaded up the car and we left the house at 7:15 PM. 30 minutes later we were up at Monitor Pass and all set for some sunset skiing.

    Penny and Makisha want skiing to start.
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    I started my first run at around 8:00 PM.
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    Another self-timer photo from another run. Moving Makisha and Vets.
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    I completed four runs in an hour. Three were done prior to sunset and my last run was finished about ten minutes after the sun went down.

  19. #19
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    You Rock. I followed your thread last season.

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vets View Post
    Lundy Canyon, May 27, 2017

    Vets looking across Lundy Lake and pointing out Lundy Canyon along with Penny and Makisha.
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    It was great to finally ski Lundy Canyon. There are so many great lines to ski back there. A return trip seems certain.

    count me in on the return trip, since i've only driven out there with you like 1/2 dozen times and still have yet to ski anything!
    "Man, we killin' elephants in the back yard..."

    https://www.blizzard-tecnica.com/us/en

  21. #21
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    Monitor Pass, June 2, 2017

    Makisha and Penny wanted to head up to the snow. I agreed, so we headed back up to Monitor Pass and skied the North Ridge of Leviathan Peak.

    Penny and Makisha at the top of Leviathan Peak with the Sweetwater Mountains in the background.
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    Penny and Makisha are ready to start skiing.
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    Further down on the first run.
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    Another self-timer photo. Vets on the second run.
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    Makisha and Penny were right. There was still plenty of creamed corn snow goodness to be enjoyed.

  22. #22
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    Mount Rose Highway Part One, Sky Tavern, June 3, 2017

    Dookey67 and I decided to explore some area around Mount Rose Highway that we had not skied before. Part one would be a partial car shuttle to ski a couple of runs at Sky Tavern.

    Dookey67 and Vets pretending that there is lift access.
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    Dookey67 starts down our first run with Little Washoe Lake in the background.
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    Vets skiing his first run ever at Sky Tavern.
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    Dookey67 further down.
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    Dookey67 spraying corn snow high above Reno.
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    It was fun to finally ski Sky Tavern.
    Part Two, Tahoe Meadows coming up next.

  23. #23
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    Mount Rose Highway Part Two, Tahoe Meadows, June 3, 2017

    After skiing Sky Tavern for the first time ever in the morning with just enough cloud cover to keep the snow in good shape, we decided to explore the other side of the pass from Tahoe Meadows.

    Dookey67 skiing with Washoe Lake in the background.
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    Dookey67 further down with Chickadee Ridge in the background.
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    Vets
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  24. #24
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    Monitor Pass, June 4, 2017

    Since the North Ridge of Leviathan Peak skied so well two days ago, I returned with Mrs. Vets as well as our dogs Makisha and Penny.

    Vets and Penny angling and angulating.
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    Vets skiing with the Leviathan Peak Fire Lookout in the background.
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    Vets continues.
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    Makisha pursues.
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    Makisha joins Vets on the bootpack up for another run.
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    Nearly a foot of snow melted off in the past two days, but the skiing was still great.

  25. #25
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    Donner Summit, June 5, 2017

    Dookey67's description:
    "Yesterday (6/5), Vets and I found some decent snow and some cool chutes starting from the Donner Summit Trails parking lot on the southside of Hwy 80 (Boreal exit). We hiked in (in hiking boots as the snow was firm) and skied several lines somewhere to the Northeast of the Boreal and Donner Ski Ranch boundaries, overlooking Donner Lake and Hwy 80. Lottsa sun-cups on the east facing slopes, but all the stuff in the trees/shade was nice. There are a few lakes back there (still trying to figure out which lake we ended up skiing above). They are still frozen. Skied--well at least skated, traversed, and were on snow--all the way back to the vehicles."

    Dookey67 starts our first run with a mini cornice drop.
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    Vets on our first run with Donner Lake in the background. Northstar Ski Resort is in the distant background.
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    Vets further down on our first run.
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    Dookey67 on the giant tree well giant slalom course.
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    Vets slarves around the tree branches and trunks.
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    Vets skis toward a frozen over Azalea Lake.
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    Dookey67 finds an interesting opening above Azalea Lake.
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    Dookey67 finds a fun path on our return run.
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    Vets skiing out on the return run.
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    Castle Peak, our next destination, can be seen in the background.

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