Tahoe Weather, Conditions, Stoke, and What's Up Thread...

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Originally Posted by GiBo

When did you take that? The pools look pretty high. Were they heating up ok?

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Last Sunday, i'd say temps were around 105-107 in the 1st pool, 100 or so in the 2nd & the 3rd was cold ass river water. It was perfect. We went sat night & it was full of naked hippies. Luckily for us they were almost all women & not dirty stinking hippies as most were shaven. Wanted to get some pics but I got dirty looks when I pulled out the phone.

On 2nd thought I should have anyways because hippies are usually non confrontational & it would have been hilarious to watch naked chicks try to chase me down.

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Totally Bridgeport, Maine though. I have a super fast car & it only took 1 1/2 hours from my house.

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Originally Posted by GiBo

When did you take that? The pools look pretty high. Were they heating up ok?

Unrelated: Anyone know how far Forrestdale goes right now? To the creek yet?

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Is the creek the creek with the bridge? if so, well past it. Last weekend (Saturday) it went to the first switchback. Hasn't been too warm so i doubt it goes much further yet. the patch is still way more than a patch.
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/a...1&d=1369370118

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/a...1&d=1369370118

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/a...1&d=1369370118

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/a...1&d=1369370118

^nice photos.
and danke gracias for the beta on Red Lakes Road/"The Patch"/Forestdale Divide.

was up at Blue Lakes Road today and skied the "B-Cup Chute" that's on the ridge in front of "The Nipple". It was brisk and windy whilst I was there.
BLR is still closed, but some contractor came through and unlocked the gate (then re-locked it behind them). They said June 13th as a possible opening for the rest of the road.
still plent of goods to be had in that area and there's still a lot of snow down low (I had to break out the avy shovel and dig out a trench in some snow covering the access road to "B-Cup Chute").

Haha. I see the pools are in mid-summer hippy form.

Thanks powdork. Ya, looking to camp by the bridge and explore back in there. Sounds like it's good to go!

Noticed what looked like fresh tracks on Monument Peak/ Milkyway Bowl today
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.n...99883778_n.jpg

Appears to be some pretty smooth snow out towards Jobs Sister and Freel for those of you that are VERY motivated
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.n...80250803_n.jpg

skied a couple of chutes off of FSR 86 (the frontside road to Meadow Lake). The road itself isn't fully open yet as it's still got quite a bit of snow on it (skunks out about 6 miles up, unless you have an ATV).

the back road to Meadow Lake (around Jackson Reservoir), however, is very much open.

snow I skied was solid spring corn.

and the backside of Mt. Lola is looking amazing; several wide, top-to-bottom runs still clinging to the mountainside. Like TBC stated in regards to the Jobs Sister/Freel stuff, you'd have to be pretty motivated to score the backside of Lola.

I'll lay claim to upper tracks on monument and the lower traverse tracks into the the bowl I'll give to my wife...

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Originally Posted by TahoeBC

Noticed what looked like fresh tracks on Monument Peak/ Milkyway Bowl today
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.n...99883778_n.jpg

Appears to be some pretty smooth snow out towards Jobs Sister and Freel for those of you that are VERY motivated
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.n...80250803_n.jpg

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Figured it might have been you, that dynafits rig is quite a bit lighter eh?

The dynafits are lighter than the Marker F12's I had with out a doubt. Best thing is you don't have to lift the binding every time you take a stride. Went back into Kent's shop and now I will be leaving there with a bike sometime today...

My AT progression started with Alpine Trekkers back in 2003 then Fritschi's in 2004 then to a pair of Baron's in 2009 only to get the F12's back in the fall. I should have gone with a pair of these a long time ago.

Sweet! Just ordered a bike from Kent on Friday, only bummer is it's gonna take till the end of June to get it. Got snowed on during my ride today on the north shore, but it made for sweet conditions for the way down.

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Originally Posted by TahoeBC

Appears to be some pretty smooth snow out towards Jobs Sister and Freel for those of you that are VERY motivated

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I don't know. Seems like from the top of Fountainplace, one need not be all that motivated. No moreso than Monument from Stagecoach anyway.

Not Tahoe...but Mammoth was damn fun on slalom skis and with a 4 year old.

http://distilleryimage11.s3.amazonaw...0a1fa50c_7.jpg

Did they open the gate, have not looked recently?

If the road is clear the gate should be open post-Memorial Day. Got plans for Friday?

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Originally Posted by powdork

If the road is clear the gate should be open post-Memorial Day. Got plans for Friday?

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Well last year they opened them late, I think something to do with some kind of nesting bird, have not been over there in a couple weeks as other things have opened up for bikes, easy enough to find out though.

But really even from the top of the road, it is a long haul, its close to 4 miles to Armstrong pass alone. Accessing from the the Luther pass area from the road that heads to horse meadows is the way to go, you can drive up that sucker and get to the Rim trail access parking and it's only like 3/4 mile hike to Armstrong pass, so your gonna save around 6+ miles of hiking. The first 50 yards on that road can be a bit tricky with a low clearance vehicle, but the rest is cake.

http://mountainbiketahoe.org/wp-cont...ps/Map_SLT.pdf

That said, I'm probably out for Friday as I just took several days off work.

pffft! you were planning on using the trail. as the crow flies armstrong pass is under 2 miles from the top of fountainplace, and bushwhack is my middle name.
i just hate going up via horsethief canyon. once you hit the 6" deep decomposed granite it feels like one step up, two steps back, plus you gots to do the hike back up to get out.

though i'm betting the decomposed granite skis pretty well.

I'm not talking about horsethief. Talking about the fireroad about 1/2 mile down on the left once you start descending down Luther. Even if you bushwack that's a 4 mile round trip to Armstrong pass verses a 1 1/2 mile round trip on a trail to the same spot. BTW, in case you did not know from Freel pass there is a new trail as of a few years ago to the summit, makes for an easy hike to the top, done it a few times after stashing the bike in the trees.

my bad. Horse meadow, not horse thief. But I meant the same thing that you're talking about. And I also didn't mean Armstrong pass, but rather bushwhacking straight up the creek bed to the ridge (Armstrong ridge?) The three options are shown here. The one straight up the back side is the shortest to get there, but requires climbing back up to get out. My way is a short cut, but could have long delays
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/a...1&d=1369897446

Ok gotcha, yea that area is not to bad to cross country in, there are some spots with thickish brush.

This is not the greatest video, but 15 seconds to around 121 seconds gives you a good view of the terrain in that area.
https://vimeo.com/44499201

I think there are better options in the Desolation or Carson area right now anyway, I have never skied Freel and thought, dang that was worth the effort. I'd be shooting for Jobs sister which of a few days ago still look like it went from the top but probably will not for much longer.

Have fun if you go give it a shot!

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Originally Posted by EastCoastPDR

The dynafits are lighter than the Marker F12's I had with out a doubt. Best thing is you don't have to lift the binding every time you take a stride. Went back into Kent's shop and now I will be leaving there with a bike sometime today...

My AT progression started with Alpine Trekkers back in 2003 then Fritschi's in 2004 then to a pair of Baron's in 2009 only to get the F12's back in the fall. I should have gone with a pair of these a long time ago.

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Keep it on the DL! We don't want everyone to realize that going backcountry with Duke/Fritschi is like driving through snow with chains on. Once they realize how much better Dynafit/4WD is, they'll be mobbing the hills! Hopefully you won't evangelize too much and dabblers like TurxSki will continue to babystep into the BC starting with the heaviest, least efficient method available, limiting the range of their tours and discouraging them from doing it too often.

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Originally Posted by TahoeBC

Ok gotcha, yea that area is not to bad to cross country in, there are some spots with thickish brush.

This is not the greatest video, but 15 seconds to around 121 seconds gives you a good view of the terrain in that area.
https://vimeo.com/44499201

I think there are better options in the Desolation or Carson area right now anyway, I have never skied Freel and thought, dang that was worth the effort. I'd be shooting for Jobs sister which of a few days ago still look like it went from the top but probably will not for much longer.

Have fun if you go give it a shot!

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That video is great, brings back memories. I rode that in '89 with some friends all on full rigid bikes. I think we started off Pioneer Trail and made our way up past Starr(?) Lake and onto the TRT and then followed the route you took in your vid. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by TahoeBC

I have never skied Freel and thought, dang that was worth the effort.

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I always rationalized not doing cocaine with that sentiment. i've never woken up the next day/night and said "damn i'm glad i did that".

I've done Freel and thought it was very worth it. But only in certain conditions. Early season when there's little snow since the scree fields only require about 12"-18" for good coverage. The fire road has to be open, and the snow starts at about 8,000 so skinning is possible from the fire road. much like this

intrigued by all y'all's Freel beta.

out of curiosity, the peak on the opposite side of Luther is Waterhouse, right? (I mean the one that is holding a lot of snow, but looks like a long slog from 89). So, then, what is that long-a$$ ridge that is slightly to the northwest of Waterhouse, again, the one that is holding a ton of snow (at least as of a week ago)? You see it really well when you are about 1/2 up Luther off to the right (if you are traveling toward 88).

also, have any of y'all SLT folks ever hit up Crater Lake area?

Guessing your looking at the back of Stevens and that long Ridge is Miess Ridge (which can be accessed from a fire road that starts near the Caples lake maintenance station, park up near Schneider Camp, there is a trail that heads right up there maybe 1 1/2 miles, the wild flowers on that trail in the summer can be mind blowing.