So Cal backcountry buddy

[pluckmyeyeout]

Whatup ya'll? I'm looking for someone in Santa Barbara (or LA, or San Diego) to head out into the backcountry this year. I don't have that much experience in the backcountry, but I am an excellent tele skiier and I'm really motivated to get out this winter. I just moved down to Santa Barbara from Tahoe and I don't know the So Cal scene at all - if you live down here and want a ski buddy let me know!

[CS]

Most of the people down here do the Mammoth thing. Just keep checking out the Mammoth threads and get your ass up there and meet a bunch of us. Also, I've heard tell of some BC goods up around Tejon Summit and Mt. Pinos and am going to look into it a bit more. I'm interested in doing some BC stuff up and down the East side so keep in touch this winter.

Edit:
Oh, and I'm in Thousand Oaks, just down the 101 from you.

[vinzclortho]

I just moved to Ventura. I don't have any BC experience, but I would be excited to learn. I would however be stoked for some carpooling to Mammoth or Tahoe in the upcoming season. I can't believe these places are open already!!! OOHRAH!

[Pura Vida]

Right on... a fellow Santa Barbara maggot. I'm just up the road in Goleta. Mammoth and surrounding areas is pretty much the staple if you live down here. The drive is not "too bad" and I usually head up every other weekend at least. Also planning a Hotlum\Wintun Ridge trip on Shasta with maybe a side trip lassen for the spring.

[Pura Vida]

hey man im a squaw skier of 7 years, i was a racer and grew up skiing in alaska since i was 2 so not to sound conceided, but im a pretty damn good skier, and i just moved down to san diego a few months ago for school. i also have mountaineering experience so i know the mountains pretty well, but not a lot of backcountry skiing experience. it would be sick to find some good backcountry down here and go make some turns.

As far as so cal BC, there looks to be a intresting route on Mt. San Jacinto. Needs a big year to make it worth it I'm sure, was bummed I missed the oppurtunity a few years back when the southern california mountains got an epic dump, I think Baldy had a base of 80-100in or something insane for the region.

[hucksquaw]

hey pura vida. i did the hotlum/wintun ridge 2 years ago and last year i did the west face. im heading back early summer to do hotlum/wintun again in prep. for rainier that same summer.

[hucksquaw]

hey pura vida. where can i find info on mt. san jacinto? (conditions? routes? etc.?) what route is pictured in your post? and what time of the year was that?

[Pura Vida]

hey pura vida. where can i find info on mt. san jacinto? (conditions? routes? etc.?) what route is pictured in your post? and what time of the year was that?

Beta on San Jacinto seems to be hard to find. Those pics were from this site San Jacinto 1998 was a big snow year and I have a strong feeling this route would not be worthwhile unless it was a big year. I've searched the web before looking for any info on the route and din't find anything too detailed. I believe there are a few backcountry skiing in so cal type books out there, but I am unsure if they feature this line. Looks like it would deifntely be worth checking out if this turns out to be a good year for Southern California. So how was your Hotlum/Wintun trip? Looks to be one of the better descents on Shasta. Our plan is to hit it up this April.

[hucksquaw]

ya it was sick. the route is definately one of the nicer on the mountain. its nice because you see almost nobody on the backside. april is pretty early though i dont know if the trailhead is even open that early and if it is theres gonna be a lot of snow and thats not going to be that enjoyable of an approach.

[Pura Vida]

ya it was sick. the route is definately one of the nicer on the mountain. its nice because you see almost nobody on the backside. april is pretty early though i dont know if the trailhead is even open that early and if it is theres gonna be a lot of snow and thats not going to be that enjoyable of an approach.

I thought April may be pushing it. From the beta I recieved it sounded like the approach out of the North Gate parking area isn't too bad, a skin up the summer trail route. When did you hit it? how was the approach?

[hucksquaw]

i went in july via the brewer creek trailhead. its the most simple way to approach the route. in july it was really good. snow started at around the 8,000 ft level and the route was in really good condition.

[Pura Vida]

i went in july via the brewer creek trailhead. its the most simple way to approach the route. in july it was really good. snow started at around the 8,000 ft level and the route was in really good condition.

Yep Brewer Creek looks like the obvious best access, North Gate is actually for the Bolam/Hotlum route (got the two confused) Anyways... did you end up scrambling up the mixed snow/rock section towards the top or make the traverse? On another note have you climbed the Shastina/Cascade Gulch route? sounds interesting, but the crevasse factor seems to be signaficantly higher then other areas on Shasta.

[hucksquaw]

when you get near the top the more logical route, and the one i did, was making the little traverse just under that little nose and skirting the rocks to the left. northgate would be a treck to get to the hotlum/wintun ridge route, and definately not advised. the drive into brewer creek trailhead is not that smooth, need 4x4, so its usually one of the last approaches to open, which is why i dont think it will be open in april. when i went the first time there had been a mass flash flood and had taken down trees and boulders the size of vw bugs and washed out part of the road just a few days before, so it was a pretty harry drive in, but the road is better now, its been graded since. ive never done cascade gulch route. were you thinking of summitting shastina via cascade gulch or taking it to summit of shasta? its fairly low in technicality and is a bit longer than most routes because you have to treck to shastina saddle and dogleg right to summit shasta. i have done west face gully however which is just over the ridge to the right (looking up the mountain) and this was a sweet ascent! i dont think theres much of a risk of crevasse on cascade gulch however b/c it is solely snow fields. the big areas for crevasses are the bolam, whitney, and konwakiton glaciers. plus, more snow = less visible crevasses. via hotlum/wintun ridge or west face there isnt even really a need for glacial travel equipment, so you can move alpine style ascent light and fast, unless youd rather play it safer, and the fact that at top of west face there is a little section of glacier you have to cross to get to "true" summit that would be smart to rope up on. how long were you planning on being on the mountain, whats your timeframe?

[crashnburn'd]

blah, blah, balh, blah, etc, etc

.............................

[hucksquaw]

hey crashnburn'd why are you comin in sayin stuff like that? if you dont want to read it then dont. im tryin to help pura vida out so if it doesnt concern you you dont need to post. if you have something good to say than say it otherwise dont bother.

[Pura Vida]

when you get near the top the more logical route, and the one i did, was making the little traverse just under that little nose and skirting the rocks to the left. northgate would be a treck to get to the hotlum/wintun ridge route, and definately not advised. the drive into brewer creek trailhead is not that smooth, need 4x4, so its usually one of the last approaches to open, which is why i dont think it will be open in april. when i went the first time there had been a mass flash flood and had taken down trees and boulders the size of vw bugs and washed out part of the road just a few days before, so it was a pretty harry drive in, but the road is better now, its been graded since. ive never done cascade gulch route. were you thinking of summitting shastina via cascade gulch or taking it to summit of shasta? its fairly low in technicality and is a bit longer than most routes because you have to treck to shastina saddle and dogleg right to summit shasta. i have done west face gully however which is just over the ridge to the right (looking up the mountain) and this was a sweet ascent! i dont think theres much of a risk of crevasse on cascade gulch however b/c it is solely snow fields. the big areas for crevasses are the bolam, whitney, and konwakiton glaciers. plus, more snow = less visible crevasses. via hotlum/wintun ridge or west face there isnt even really a need for glacial travel equipment, so you can move alpine style ascent light and fast, unless youd rather play it safer, and the fact that at top of west face there is a little section of glacier you have to cross to get to "true" summit that would be smart to rope up on. how long were you planning on being on the mountain, whats your timeframe?

The Shastina/Shasta route we were looking at I believe heads up Cascade Gulch --> Hidden Valley ---> lakes near the col --> along the whitney glacier --> up the ridge. Thanks for the info. We have a week to play around in the area. Thinking of doing a route on Shasta and also head To Lassen (pending if roads are open). May have to come back closer to the summer by the sound of it.

[hucksquaw]

hey pura vida what kind of info can you give me on any climbing down in socal? baldy, etc..?

[hucksquaw]

as for shasta some routes are definately doable when your headed there but it will be a little more work, and if the brewer creek trailhead is closed than hotlum/wintun ridge is out of the question unless you want to hike in for days. summer is definately a more logical and enjoyable time to be there.

[Pura Vida]

hey pura vida what kind of info can you give me on any climbing down in socal? baldy, etc..?

What are you intrested in? The only socal BC type stuff I've done is the areas directly adjacent to the baldy ski area after an epic storm a few years back. There's actually some excellent terrain up there. The problem is always lack of snow and the window to hit is pretty small. I haven't been up Baldy proper during the winter, but there is a sierra club hut near the main bowl and the route is non technical. Looks like it would be fun in a good snow year. As I'm sure you know good snow in socal is rare, you spend most of the time heading up to the Sierras to get anything decent. As far as climbing, I climb quite a bit up here in Santa Barbara area. Some fun routes, nothing too long, but killer views. Never really looked much into spots down near LA or SD as I'd reather head the other direction.

[hucksquaw]

thats what i figured youd say but it was worth a try. ya i was stoked when i saw those pics you posted b/c i just moved down to sd and had no idea anything looked like that anywhere near here and i thought i might be able to take some day-trippers until next summer rolled around but i guess theres nothing really worth it. but give me a few good ideas about sb area and i might have to take some trips up there (pics would be good if you have any). i have a lot of friends goin to school in sb so i might just have to pay 'em a visit and steal a room.

[FreakofSnow]

Don't forget about Mt. San Gorgonio, never done it in the winter, but man it looks awesome in summer. Huge bowls, nice vert, pretty long approach.

[pluckmyeyeout]

Thanks everyone for your replies! I haven't checked this forum in a while - I didn't realize I'd get such a strong response... I guess those of us that are stuck away from the mountains have the most time on the computer? Anyway, thanks again... I went out to Snow Summit yesterday for the first time - man that place suuuuuuuucks. But I was teaching my little brother how to tele, so we had fun anyway? Does anyone know what the mountain that you can see from the top of Snow Summit is? It's facing the backside. It looks pretty decent whatever it is.