Echo Lakes patch skiing and Whippet hunting 6/30/06

Date: June 30, 2006

Location: Desolation Wilderness, CA

Weather: Sunny and warm.

Participants: Geoff, bcrider

Gameplan: Late season turns, Whippet hunting

Duration: 7-8hrs

Vertical: ?

Distance: ?

Beta: hiking shoes, deet, start sooner than 10am

Pics: bcrider, Geoff

Intro:
Friday was one of those days at work where you basically just have to make an appearance, take care of a few things, and you can leave. The wife and kids were out of town so naturally my mind started thinking about the mountains and NOT doing work around the house. I've be meaning to go look for the Whippet I lost with gimpy back in January and wanted to make some more late season turns too…with a little luck I was able to do both. Thanks for coming along too Geoff! 8)

************************************************** ***************************************
I left work at 8am after getting in at 6:30am and met Geoff at Echo Lakes around 9:30am. This was our first blind ski date and after a quick introduction we were on our way to boat taxi.

And on the water.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/1.jpg

http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/2.jpg

Then it’s through the channel between the two lakes.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/3.jpg

A few minutes later and we were on the public dock at Upper Echo Lake.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/4.jpg

From there we stayed on the fisherman’s trail along the shore to the picnic area and hung a right.

Lots of snow melt, creeks running, and soggy ground.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/5.jpg

Pretty flowers.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/6.jpg

Now the Ralston Creek comes into view. The log crossing is in the middle of a mini-gorge section that stretches a hundred yards or so.

Geoff makes his way across.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/7.jpg

After crossing Ralston Creek we scrambled up a few hundred feet and finally see snow.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/8.jpg

I switched over to skin mode.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/9.jpg

Friggen skiers booting the skintrack. ;)
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/10.jpg

Tamarack lake with Dicks and Jacks peaks in the distance.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/11.jpg

Soon we were on top.

Looking towards the bowl between Baldy and Ralston with the Crystal range beyond. This bowl offers some steep lines but requires a good amount of rock hopping to get there along the ridge from Baldy. If this is your objective aim towards this drainage from the lower snowline.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/12.jpg

Lake Aloha still frozen. You can also see 1500ft of continuous snow on the flanks of Mt Price. Its only 5 miles of dry trail each way. :)
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/13.jpg

Getting paid and enjoying every second of it.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/14.jpg

Time to drop.

Geoff cuts some nice tele turns.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/15.jpg

This one should be a Desolation Wilderness postcard.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/16.jpg

Tamarack and Cagwin lakes below.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/17.jpg

http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/18.jpg

http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/19.jpg

http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/20.jpg

bcrider’s turn.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/21.jpg

http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/22.jpg

http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/23.jpg

http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/24.jpg

http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/25.jpg

http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/26.jpg

Back up for another, CHEERS! (no really we had to pick up after some litter bugs)
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/27.jpg

Let’s try this patch, Geoff.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/28a.jpg

http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/28b.jpg

http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/28c.jpg

http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/28d.jpg

http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/28e.jpg

I think he likes it.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/29.jpg

http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/30.jpg

http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/31.jpg

http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/32.jpg

bcrider in hot pursuit.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/33.jpg

http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/34.jpg

More surf-the-earth-bottom-turn-steeze. :D
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/35.jpg

And how about a skateboard “ollie”. (snowboarding is so boring!)
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/36.jpg

http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/37.jpg

Looking back at our graffiti.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/38.jpg

Geoff is having fun too.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/39.jpg

Now is off to hunt for a Whippet. Here is the TR where I lost it.

Hmmmmm…I think its somewhere in between those rock out croppings (aka Stonehenge chutes ).
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/40.jpg

After 30 minutes or so looking in the wrong chutes I see something that looks familiar. This one is it I can feel it! A little dry-tooling with my ice axe and newer Whippet over rock and mud and I was in the right chute.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/41.jpg

Ah-hah! Come to papa. It was in remarkably good shape for being on the mountain for almost 6months. :eek:
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/42.jpg

If I was smart I would have referred to my own TR to get some beta. Notice the dead tree in both pics? :nonono2:
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/stonehenge/15.jpg

Now we gotta get down this mess.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/43.jpg

Geoff makes the most of it.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/44.jpg

Now its back to the woods and skeeters.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/45.jpg

Our plan was to get to the shoreline and take the south side back to the cars. Its only 2.5 miles and we should be able to make good time.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/46.jpg

http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/47.jpg

Well, I forgot about the cruxy area near Dartmouth Cove that takes some patience to navigate and get past before the trail gets good again. Although it was longer we were starting to wish we had taken the more established trail along the north side of the lakes. Around this time one of the cabin owners must have heard our whimpers and offered to give us a ride across the lake.

Can you say karma.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/48.jpg

Stoked.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/49.jpg

http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/49a.jpg

Our new friends dropped us on the other side just as the taxi was dropping off another party so we decided to be lazy and take the easy way back. (it was well worth it ;) )

The skiers always load the snowboarders gear. :)
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/51.jpg

Back on lower Echo.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/52.jpg

A few minutes later we were on the dock with smiles.
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/50.jpg

And a luke warm beer to celebrate (the store just closed :( )
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/54.jpg

All in all it was a great and successful trip. Thanks again for the company Geoff! :yourock:



PS- Happy 4th of July!
http://www.splitboard.com/TR_PICS/baldypatch06/55.jpg

Another amazing TR. Thanks Dude.

The Water Taxi is a nice new addition to the trip.

Fucking right on.

i have spent so much time camping and hiking around that area, nice job bringing back some memories!

Another classic Tahoe TR. Well done, Sirs.

Summer Sweetness.

Another great job BCRider! This again really makes me want to take some turns with you next year (unfortunately must be next year) But my new split is on its way!!!

Awesome day!

I like it!!!

You come up with some really great action shots.

Beautiful! Great TR and photos! I wish I was there. It looks like it will still be good for at least a little while longer. I'm adding Echo Lakes to my to-do list. Let me know if either of you are up for a return trip.

Schweet pics and TR! Way to whippet into shape.

Nice...no jacket too!

Way to get after the gnar gnar.

And I'm sitting just below that at the Alpina....reviewing essays... :(

This TR is the best I've seen in a while..... very very nicely done!!!!! Way to git some mid-summer love!!!!

PS - litter bugs suck dick and should be {insert punishment here} ...