Eastern Sierra BC 2014-15

**Shred Baron** · 03-23-2015, 04:35 PM

You can drive within about a mile of the campground. The road is mostly dry to the campground, but skinnable past it. As far as cats ear is concerned I don't think I could see cats ear, but I can say that cats whisker wasn't filled in, there was a rock band near the bottom. Most of our crew wasn't prepared to climb a couloir so I didn't look around for see how they were. I hope this helps though.

**Jack Burton** · 03-23-2015, 09:10 PM

I was up on Bloody a couple seeks ago and dropped my crampons maybe on the road somewhere, either left them clear on the road where the snow line was or on the bush whack that i mistakenly choose to take to avoid the 3 switchbacks, bad choice. So i intended to post pics but failed, and the shot of Mendenhall was depressing to see anyway - so anyone find a paid of stubai crampons - well worn?

**jenn sheridan** · 03-26-2015, 07:57 PM

Does anyone know how its skiing around Virginia Lakes Rd. area? Looking to stay at the Yurt and ski this weekend.

WestCoastPDR · 03-26-2015, 08:49 PM

Based on a few buddies face book posts I've seen. It looks like patch skiing has begun already around that area.

Latest terminology for the Eastern Sierra is "Eastern Sahara".

**Incalescent** · 03-27-2015, 02:50 PM

Anyone have the scoop on possible lower gate opening at Tioga?

**SchralphMacchio** · 03-27-2015, 04:54 PM

Jenn Sheridan go back 1 page and look at dklauer's posts from Green Creek coolie next to Ginny Lakes. And look at my photos from Lundy. I won't say that you wont' find decent snow, but I think the coverage is better at Carson Pass

**Greydon Clark** · 03-27-2015, 05:00 PM

This is dejecting. I have the next two weeks off from work and was really hoping the East Side would have something but these photos are grim.

**~mikey b** · 03-27-2015, 05:08 PM

I'm told April 18 opening for Sonora Pass. A couple feet at the top of the pass.

**Incalescent** · 03-27-2015, 05:39 PM

Whoa Nellie is not open nor is lower gate, but they are hopeful for an open soon. Projecting to open the Mobil perhaps a week prior to fishing season, typically last Saturday in April.

Devastated anyone?

**meter-man** · 03-27-2015, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by Incalescent

Whoa Nellie is not open nor is lower gate, but they are hopeful for an open soon. Projecting to open the Mobil perhaps a week prior to fishing season, typically last Saturday in April.

Devastated anyone?

Holee jeebus - is this one and only incalescent, Splitboard Steve himself??? Welcome to the forumzzzz

**Incalescent** · 03-27-2015, 06:05 PM

'tis. Metres?

**AKbruin** · 03-27-2015, 06:30 PM

Not to be too pessimistic (some good stuff is being posted here in spite of the low tide conditions), but I think a late-April opening for Tioga and Sonora is going to too late this year, unless you want to do the kind of North Peak schlep people usually reserve for June or July.

In other news, it looks like I'll be taking my backcountry talents to Colorado for a trip this late April, which gives me the sads. I wanted to set up base at the Mammoth Lakes Shiloh Inn for a week and a half and work on the tick list.

**jenn sheridan** · 03-29-2015, 05:51 PM

Found some pretty fun snow on the North East face of South Peak. Some of the approach was on dirt, but worth it. Sun cups are starting to form near the bottom. South facing aspects on Dunderburg and surrounding peaks were dirt.

**Incalescent** · 03-30-2015, 01:40 PM

Matterhorn Ski Dreams and West Couloir still look good. 4 mile approach dryland before hitting skinnable / bootable snow at 8500k or so. Lots of ridable snow on north aspects above 9500k, soft colder snow in shaded north couloirs if caught at the warm time of day. Hailing at 7500k when we left last night.

**skier666** · 03-30-2015, 01:51 PM

I'm planning on the annual Sonora trip...probably more so than Tioga given the pics I've seen, but storm door may open next week to give a high altitude refresh, er...base builder. I don't mind wading through the river at the 108 hairpin

**SchralphMacchio** · 03-30-2015, 02:14 PM

^ first time I saw you wade the river at the hairpin, your skis fell off your pack and Driver had to run down the river to catch one of them before it ended up in New Melones reservoir;
Second time ... I saw your footage of the questionable crossing from last April, it was river huck to collapsing snowbridge ...
Both times were very entertaining, let's see what happens the third time!

I'm potentially in for Sonora when it pops, although I've basically given up all excitement about skiing anywhere other than Shasta for the rest of the season.

**emcee** · 03-31-2015, 12:43 PM

This is round top at carson pass last Sunday. Best coverage outside of maybe rose area which I haven't scoped in awhile.

**TEXASS** · 03-31-2015, 04:45 PM

The snow is at Lassen and Shasta. Just got back. 3 days 13K of corntopia. Just drive more,ski more

**gimpy** · 03-31-2015, 10:01 PM

When the most recent posts in the e side thread are about tahoe and schlassenasta u know things are beyond grim

**Incalescent** · 04-01-2015, 03:58 PM

Search my instagram (stevebrezovec) for photo of Ski Dreams conditions. Apparently I'm not a good enough boy yet to get to post links.

**Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer** · 04-01-2015, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by Incalescent

Search my instagram (stevebrezovec) for photo of Ski Dreams conditions. Apparently I'm not a good enough boy yet to get to post links.

Sounds like you got good conditions like we did a couple of weeks ago. That zone was doing surprisingly well and the melt actually makes for a faster approach on the trail. Here is several weeks ago:

https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...astern-Sierra)

**bluesbrother49** · 04-02-2015, 11:30 AM

Skied Bloody on 4/31 and spent 4/1 checking out Tioga, Lundy, Virginia, and Twin Lakes area. Bottom line is snow level is 10,000 feet to get skins on.
Bloody: Was able to drive a little bit past the last switchback, walked 10 min, skins on, off, etc to base. Bootpack was good with crampons, main couloir was pretty scrapped up, so we opted for skiers right face the feeds into the main chute a bit lower. Snow was sugary, corn, chalky, hard as a rock, and ice. Variable but fun. Skied this with Nate, author of the guidebook and another buddy.
Photos here: https://www.facebook.com/nate.greenb...4974367&type=1
Next day we drove in and checked out the zones mentioned above and did some hiking around but did not put skis on, was getting really windy and cold, snow was not going to soften. Hopefully we get some goods out of the storms rolling in this weekend.
Tioga:
Gate is closed, Coke Chute is holding some snow, good luck getting to it. All other chutes off the plateau are rocks/not skiable at the exit aprons. Really, really thin.
Lundy:
Dogleg is holding snow about halfway, but your going to have to do a scree scramble from hell to get to it. Dore Cliff area might be worth it, but again you got about 1500-2000 of bare ground approach to get to the snow level.
Virginia Lakes:
You can drive all the way to the cabins, road was closed beyond that. Not sure why, it was free of snow. About a 20 min walk to the lakes/usual starting point. Snow is skiable, some tracks were seen on the North face of Olsen and Northeast face on South Peak. North facing shots off of Black looked like they went. Very patchy everywhere to say the least.
We drove up the Dunderberg road towards Green Creek and saw how far up the various spur 4 wheel roads we could get in the Tacoma. Was able to get pretty far up the shoulder towards the approach to North zone of Dunderberg. You could take this approach to ski that zone. Very patchy though.
Green Creek:
Looked to be holding snow from the view of 395, heard the bottom is pretty melted out.
Twin Lakes:
The trail up Horse creek drainage to Matterhorn/Doodade is fully clear of snow till around 10,000 feet from what we could see. Summer hiking trail is good to go, then you could boot/skin up once you hit snow line. Looked good, about the same as the trip report from mid March. If we get snow in the next week, we are thinking of heading back down and doing it. Definitely the zone that got us stoked the most. Mt Walt was completely melted out till around the top apron. Didn't look at Kettle.

Bottom line: It the thinest I have ever seen in 14 years of consecutive east side trips this time of year. Their is some stuff that is doable, but bring your tennis shoes and be ready to walk a while till you hit snow. When you hit snow, be ready to be creative to link patches. Hopefully we get some snow in the next couple of weeks and it makes it a little bit more exiting.