TR: Saddlebag Lake, 6/18/12

Gone2Alpine and I went to Saddlebag Lake on Monday in search of some sustained vert and smooth corn.

Gone2Alpine on the boat taxi:
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG1972cr.jpg

Vets starts up...
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG0489cr.jpg
...and continues up with a bootpack...
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG0494c.jpg
...starting down...
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG0497c.jpg

Gone2Alpine follows:
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG1985cr.jpg
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG1986cr.jpg

The snow in the chute above Lower Greenstone skied a lot like Hangman's at Mammoth in the spring with flowing surfable slush sluff.

Vets continues down into Lower Greenstone:
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG0500c.jpg

Gone2Alpine follows quickly:
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG1987c.jpg

Vets:
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG0504cr.jpg

Gone2Alpine finding the smoothness and sustained vert we were seeking:
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG1998cr.jpg
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG2009c.jpg
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG2011cr.jpg

Lower Greenstone area:
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG2021cr.jpg

Gone2Alpine points out the chute we skied on our first run of the day:
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG2025cr.jpg

Vets walks back to "catch a cab":
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG0521cr.jpg

Then we topped off the day with a trip to Mo Mart/Whoa Nellie Deli.
More good stuff there too.

And we met JimW on the boat too. Nice TR Vets.

You are making me want move to the Eastside.

My boys.....:)
Hey, it's been three and a half weeks since I broke my arm, Vets.
I think I'm ready to get back at it now.
Lassen still holding?

Very nice. It has been a bit more than a month since I skied, good to see there are still turns to be had.

^
Thanks.

Splat, I don't know about Lassen. It is still on my to-do list.
I do know that Dunderberg looked real good on the drive to Saddlebag.

Lookin' pretty thin; August is going to be dismal.

nice work.


just coming back from yosemite, and having been to lassen recently; lassen has WAAAAY more snow. the eastside had a much worse year than tahoe and points north

Nice! Driving up tonight for some of those lovely turns still to be had.
Can`t wait:)

Cool running into you guys on the boat! Sorry I missed you at the Mo-mart. I had to go get a shower first and wash my stanky self. :)

Here's Vets and gone2alpine on the way to the boat. I was in power-hiking mode coming back from North Peak and just made the boat:

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u...w/IMG_6518.jpg

On the boat:

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u...w/IMG_6519.jpg

It's true that coverage is pretty thin... but what a lot of folks seem to be missing is that what's there is in really good shape for this time of year! Normally the coverage out at Saddlebag may be better now, but usually we're dealing with man-eating suncups by now... but this year, the suncups are really minimal. Pretty much everything that is there is still in good riding shape. The North Peak chutes were in probably the best spring shape I've ever seen. Conness glacier and stuff above Conness lakes are all good too. Plus the dirt hiking doesn't suck either, the view are awesome.

Oh yeah, there is one man-eating thing out there now though... that's the MOSQUITOS! (Unless it's windy, which it was on 6/18).

headed over Sonora Pass in a bit

Travertine
MoMart?

Saddlebag water taxi Monday @ 0700 yo

vets,
you keep the flame alive in summer! Thanks for posting and keeping people inspired and informed about the conditions. Helps me get off the couch and go!

^
jimw, thanks. Great meeting you.

Returned on Thursday and skied Greg and Paul's Chute with TWINS, Big Tim, and Mitch. Great photo on telemarktips.

Going back again tomorrow, Monday. Meeting telemike at 9.

More to come later...

Saddlebagged with Vets today

my first time on the boat - I've always been there before they open and have always walked

an excellent day

my camera broke

Vets is tired

pics later

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vets

^
Returned on Thursday and skied Greg and Paul's Chute with TWINS, Big Tim, and Mitch. Great photo on telemarktips.

---

Here is your money shot:)
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...onrd/199-1.jpg
Fun Times...

camera sorta works...

Vets yesterday

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/a...w/DSC07350.jpg

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/a...w/DSC07354.jpg

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/a...w/DSC07358.jpg

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/a...w/DSC07359.jpg

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/a...w/DSC07360.jpg

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/a...w/DSC07361.jpg

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/a...w/DSC07362.jpg

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/a...w/DSC07363.jpg

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/a...w/DSC07382.jpg

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/a...w/DSC07384.jpg

an excellent day

TWINS and telemike, thanks for the additions.
I'll add more in my next two posts.

Saddlebag Lake, Greg and Paul's Chute, 6/21/12

TWINS starts down at the top of Greg and Paul's...
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG2048cr.jpg
Big Tim drops a knee and drops into Greg and Paul's...
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG2056c.jpg
TWINS:
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG2065c.jpg
Big Tim:
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG2073c.jpg
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG2075cr.jpg
At the bottom, Big Tim goes skier's left...
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG2076cr.jpg
...and TWINS takes a skier's right line...
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG2085c.jpg

Saddlebag Lake, Lower Greenstone, 6/25/12

telemike...
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG2161cr.jpg
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG2162cr.jpg
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG2168cr.jpg
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG2169cr.jpg
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG2012062500488cr.jpg
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG2205cr.jpg

Lower Greenstone:
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG2211cr.jpg

A model marmot:
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG2218cr.jpg

telemike on the boat taxi:
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG2219cr.jpg
Yes, that is Dana in the backgraound.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vets

Saddlebag Lake, Lower Greenstone, 6/25/12

telemike...
http://www.patchskiing.com/IMG2169cr.jpg

.

---

Nice one, Vets! Thanks!


And quote Krystal Kartwright: "I hate that god damn shirt."