Eastside Conditions/ Trip Report Thread 2018

[bobz]

How does one access Kidney with V Bowl burnt? That 4wd road on the map that leads to Gibbs Canyon? That still looks like a looong approach. Am I missing something?

You are not missing anything. I did a long day out of Horse Meadows/ Gibbs Lake trailhead, and Kidney was good fun. Pretty much a trail hike until just short of Gibbs Lake, then continuous coverage (except 100 yards just east of Kidney Lake). Some of that will get worse soon, though.

Way funky snow between the two lakes. The lack of a pre-March base is definitely causing issues now in some areas; sudden collapse-to-ground situations.

[retsalb]

Saw something similar on the North Chutes on Goethe two weeks back. A small faceted layer ~20 inches down a few layers, below the big rain crust. Not super reactive ECT 28 and ECT 30, but did break quite cleanly once they went. Decided to ski something else with less exposure.

Last Tuesday I went out to ski the N face of Darwin and hopefully Lamarck on the way back. We did it as a single overnight. We thought we might find some soft snow up high in between 2 small weather systems.

It was sunny for the approach. Most of the approach was pretty firm, an inch or so of snow on a crust. We got down to Darwin canyon from Lamarck Col, dropped the overnight gear, and went up to look at Darwin. It was pretty damn icy most of the way up. Ice mixed in with firm wind affected snow. Not inspiring. Ski crampons were mandatory. The apron was mostly ice and wind funk. It eventually transitioned to pretty decent dust on crust which I was OK with, but at about 13K it suddenly got deep and we were wallowing. We were getting spooked by a facet layer sitting below a crust about 12-18 inches down. We weren't seeing any hard evidence of instability, but a weak layer was enough to cause us some trepidation. We decided to turn around about 500 feet from the top. The snow was pretty good until we hit the icy apron.

It got cold as hell that night but we managed to stay warm enough in the tent. We awoke to cold temps, overcast skies, and howling winds. The wind was moving a good amount of snow so we decided to get the hell out of there. The hike up to Lamarck Col was pretty brutal. It was blow-you-over wind. The N couloir of Lamarck was being actively wind loaded so we bailed on that one as well and skied down the mellower E face back to the car. We were unsuccessful but it was an adventure. With a couple days left to ski, another small storm rolling in Thursday, and less-than inspiring conditions up high, we decided to head back to Tahoe.

Hiking the North Lake Road:

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Approaching Lamarck Col:

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The view from Lamarck Col:

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Skiing down from Lamarck Col. It was a couple of inches of dust on a bulletproof crust, mixed in with some patches of ice:

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[jorion]

Woke up near va lakes to a non-operational car, so touring plans were scrapped. Got a tow to mammoth lakes and skied the resort while the car was miraculously made operational by the mammoth chevron for just $40.

Decent snow was found, mostly lower and on groomers. Wind was kicking. Seems best to stay lower and east facing given temps and wind direction. Some friends apparently had a good time on mt Olsen. Haven’t heard specifics on conditions yet.

[bluesbrother49]

I had a bit of extra time today and I drive to McGee trail head, looking for a way to cross the Creek into the esha canyon.

I walked the Creek for about half a mile, couldn't find a way across, and I was running out of time.

Where did you cross?

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There is several log crossings (some better than others) about 100-250yds before you hit the main trailhead parking lot. Close to the pack station cabin. We parked and walked down the road to them.

[bobz]

A couple of pics from yesterday's Kidney Chute trek...

[rod9301]

There is several log crossings (some better than others) about 100-250yds before you hit the main trailhead parking lot. Close to the pack station cabin. We parked and walked down the road to them.

Thanks

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[zion zig zag]

Yeah buddy. I need to meet you out there some day.

I'll split gas. This thread blows me away every year. Seriously, I'm in.

[mr. hankey]

it sounds like 120's open to the park entrance up high. can anyone confirm?
http://www.uniondemocrat.com/localne...open-by-friday
https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wroads.htm
The Tioga Road closes due to snow, usually from sometime in November through late May or early June. The road closure extends from the Tuolumne Grove, just east of Crane Flat, to Tioga Pass Entrance Station.

[Dantheman]

I'll split gas. This thread blows me away every year. Seriously, I'm in.

Cool, let's plan on it for next year.

[CS]

Cool, let's plan on it for next year.

Ok then.

I'm planning on both of you coming out next spring.

[pajamas]

Caltrans says it is still closed

[BGnight]

Caltrans says it is still closed

Snow is coming so even if it is, it'll probably be closed at least for Tuesday-Thurs if I had to put money on it.

[Jack Burton]

received a text this AM that Aspendell got a foot overnight

[BGnight]

received a text this AM that Aspendell got a foot overnight

I just made sure I had my verts packed

[mr. hankey]

I wonder if it might be localized(?). most of the sensors i've looked at show 3-6inches.
VA lakes ~4-6":
http://www.esavalanche.org/sensors/#/station/VGAC1/
Mammoth pass: ~3"
http://www.esavalanche.org/sensors/#/station/MAMC1/
But these are 9-10k, so higher elevations probably got more. Were they saying that it's 1ft at Aspendell or at where they skied higher up?

[rod9301]

Also Mt Dade got more than a foot, at least it was supposed to compared to less North of there.

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[zion zig zag]

Ok then.

I'm planning on both of you coming out next spring.

Alright, hold us to it. I'll be pulling this thread up for motivation!

[sfskier]

Anyone have recent beta on snow line up horse creek or generally in twin lakes area?

[bobz]

But these are 9-10k, so higher elevations probably got more.

This link seems to suggest that a number of areas got around a foot or more, with a few areas more like 1.5 to 2 (that sure does look like a thin strip of magenta between Tioga and Virginia). Not sure how this map, put out by some Euros, is on data accuracy.

[CaliKid]

Anyone have recent beta on snow line up horse creek or generally in twin lakes area?

Went up to the Matterhorn area on Saturday. Skinnable snow was around 8500’ or so. There was one small patch immediately before this pic as well.

[Jack Burton]

Skied bloody today, there was anywhere from a few Inches to a foot. Snow in very north areas was still noice at -~ 2:30, there was a quick heat up ~ 3 but at laurel lake elevation, betting shaded north will still be good in am. For my money stability was no issue. , great view of red slate , couple panoramas

[meter-man]

May the season of Liberty be upon us,
tho it not be the Solstice,
Climb and ski the Pillar,
And feast on thy Banana,
should the Cocaine not be upon thee.

Whether yer name be Dana,
Ellery, or God knows,
Tioga.

In the name of the Powerhouse,
Conness, and
The Holy Unknown,
May the finest of corn be upon thee!

http://www.uniondemocrat.com/localne...open-by-friday

[rod9301]

And 108 is open

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[mr. hankey]

Skied Esha today. Thanks to the old avy debris low in the gully great coverage for skiing down to 8000ft. only ~20min or so walk to the car. 1-6 inches of powder on crust from 11k to the top. below that all corn. All of the powder slid when we skied it (central gully) or slid on its own 10 min after we skied (left/right gullies). Now that it’s exposed down to the old crust, I’d bet it will be great corn in the following days. Pretty warm today, but there was a really good freeze even down to 8k where we started skinning. We skied at ~11am and it was good top to bottom, no mush at all.
Gonna drive up to 120 to see if it’s open up high yet, maybe do Solstice, etc tomorrow if so.

pics:


pano looking south:

looking west - Redslate and it's "unmarried man summit traverse entrance" visible in the center.

looking north down our line and canyon

Sherpa1 enjoying the dust on crust/ice up high:

and some nice powder for some sections before returning to the crust left after it slid.



both gullies on the left and right slid on their own 2 minutes after i got to this spot.


There was discussion of where to cross. go past the pack station and cross right here where i'm pointing. there is a path down to the river.

[mr. hankey]

Tioga pass is open to the park entrance. lots of folks skied Solstice and ellery, etc. Some folks i talked to said Solstice has an overhanging cornice - everyone rapped into it today, no one skied into it.
lots of tracks in ellery/chute out. Saddlebag road still has ~1ft of snow on it. powerhouse doesn't go to the bottom anymore.