Thursday:
SLC to Tonopah. Drove the PoserMobile™ across the Salt Flats and down through the NV desert. Winding through lonely highway 6 amidst the vast desert/mountain interface, the landscape is magnificent in its stark beauty. The two-lane roads and tiny towns take you back some 40-50 years in time.
Friday:
Left Tonopah to make it to the Tioga Mo-Mart, arriving just in time to meet up with tarkman, chunder and the Tahoe Daves (including Kevin Andrews ex-roomie Dave O).
We headed up Lundy for a project off Mt. Scowden that tarkman had been eyeing for a couple of months. It's not in The Book, but certainly is a fine line, perhaps one Moynier wanted to keep to himself. Forgoing skins, we parked, crossed the stream and started booting straight up the couloir, some 2500vf to the ridgeline.
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Lundy Project #1. Arrows at top and chuteout (photo chunder)
Although the lookers left line is a bit longer and more continuous, we gave it a pass, as we were seeing some natural sloughing activity coming from the top as we were heading up. Watching the natural run in the lateness of the sunny day was almost enough to make me turn back, but I realized I was in the Sierra rather than the Wasatch, and continued upwards with a few minor misgivings.
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Looking up at chunder, Dave O and tarkman
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Downcouloir to Dave 2
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It didn't take too long, and was pretty pleasant.
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Nearing the ridgeline
After a brief stop for snacks and pics, we headed down through the heavy glop down the ridge into the chute.
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chunder drops down
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Slow telemarker bringing up the rear. (photo tarkman)
Some nice mid-elevation turns were had and cold Spatens were waiting in the snowbank by the trucks. We headed back to the Mo-Mart for Fish Tacos and Seared Ahi Tuna… mmmm…
We then drove down to Mammoth to clean up and join the crew hanging out at LuLu. Unfortunately, I missed out partying with the Rockstars Mitch and Big Tim. Nonetheless, good times were had with fine company and many more libations were consumed.
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ReaktorKorps local rep, Barbie and splat. (photo yogachik)
On the bar TV, I watched the Warriors kick the Mavs butts. All was well in the world.
Saturday:
The next AM, tarkman, chunder and I got a leisurely start, cruising to the Looney Bean for coffee before heading up to the lifts. The crew was easy to spot, ripping down Climax beneath G2 and moving over through Hangmans to DropOut and WipeOut chutes beneath #23.
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The crux at Hangman's required some negotiation through rocks at the choke.
The snow was heavy and getting gloppier as the sunny day wore on. Cruising under chair 23, I ripped my binding out of one my lovely db Tabla Rasas, likely ending its career – Absof*kkingloutely Tragic. :(
After switching out skis and dealing with worsening grabbier conditions, I headed downmountain where the party was gathering at the base of #2.
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MTT holding forth as many in the crowd check out the vestigial pondskimming action.
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Hanging with bklynT. (photo bklyn)
Later in the evening, dining and drinks continued at Hennessey's.
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snowsprite and Twins, with tarkman in the background.
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chunder carb-loading with fizzy malt beverages for the next day; sprite in the foreground.
Sunday:
Not too hung over, tarkman, chunder and I stopped by the Looney Bean before heading up Tioga Pass road. Our original plan was Ellery Bowl. We'd checked out the lines on Friday afternoon - ChuteOut looked like it didn't go, Banana and S- seemed marginal, but Poop Chute looked clean, albeit thin. By the time we arrived Sunday AM, we noted that some wet sloughing activity had occurred in the interim. Intermittent cloud cover after an inconsistent refreeze the night before left us wondering how narrow the window between slide-for-life and wet slab potential would be. Bearing this uncertainty in mind, we decided to take a more cruise-y hike to the beautiful and imposing False White.
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tarkman topping out False White.
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tarkman ripping GS turns down lovely corn conditions.
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chunder doing the same.
Conditions worsened downmountain, and a bit of trailfinding ensued.
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chunder – "goddammit, whose idea was this anyway?" He's at the arrow in the right panel.
Afternoon respects at the MoMart preceded the long drive back to SLC.
Thanks to tarkman, erica_z and Jeff for putting us up and thanks to all for a great weekend.
