Frog Cliffs Beta Needed (Behind Tahoe-Donner)

[Lane Meyer]

Has anyone been back to the Frog Cliffs found behind Tahoe-Donner? The access point, I think, would be through the Euer Valley, which is private, and as such might require skinning to be low-profile instead of sledding back there, but the bowl/face looks like it has some National Geographic Bowl (N. of Granite Chief @ Squaw) type terrain. Actually, it looks a lot like tram face at Squaw...I'll try to post a pic later today when I go up there to TD. It's clearly visible from Sunrise Bowl and Ski Slope Road in TD.

Anyone?

[freshies]

hey lane,

i can't make out that topo, but is this area behind TD, heading towards like Castle Peak/Donner Summit area?

[Telenater]

Frog Lake
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=10...95&datum=nad83

Looks like it could be really cool. Those are some pretty serious cliffs though.

Granite Chief:
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=10...83&layer=DRG25

[Lane Meyer]

Freshies -

Sort of. The black lines in the bottom right of the topo I threw together in about 45 seconds are the parcels on Ski Slope in Tahoe Donner. So you'd drive up there on Alder Creek, head down towards 89, then turn left between the TD campground and Fjord, before you come to Scussing intersection with Alder Creek. This is the trailhead intot he Euer Valley.

TN - they cliffs are serious, it looks just like tram face at Squaw, and even has the same aspect. And I've definately NEVER skied Tram face, that would be against the law ....and besides, it's way too for me.

[freshies]

got ya! yeah, have hiked a bit back there in the summer, as it's fairly close to mi casa. i am off skislope on herringbone way....

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Hey Lane --

I've never been to the Frog's Lake area, but beta on the area can be found in George Hurchalla's guide to backcountry skiing/snowboarding around the Tahoe Basin (can't remember the name of it off the top of my head). I'm traveling for work right now, so don't have the book in front of me, but I'm fairly certain that there is a description of this area in there.

You should pick up the book if you see it around.

[britney]

Hey Lane - I asked the usual suspects and got this (not from me, but I can get more details if you need). Names have been altered to protect the guilty:

[Trick Willy] and [Crazy Pete] skinned back there last year from the rest stop on the summit. [CP] had scouted the area in the summer and during the previous winter, from TD, there are some pretty serious cornices (20ft + when we were out there) that build up on the summit ridge, these stopped us from dropping in on the main face as we couldn't find a way in around them and we didn't have the means to cut them loose, so we opted for the diagonal chute on the lookers left of the face, fun,off angle, with some interesting variations at the bottom. Once we were at the bottom we studied the face for a good half hour, most lines are non continuous and at a serious angle (50-60+), there did appear to be a line that might go in the middle, it would require either cutting loose the house size cornice at the top or roping in and skiing below the thing, then a series of linked airs with a zig zag exit, skiing the face looks possible but the consequences of a fall (death or serious dismemberment) and the cornices at the top give one pause, as for access, I think the lake and lodge at the bottom are private prop, so no sleds there, but I think you could sled most the way from the Donner lake interchange and stop at the summit ridge (we saw tracks all the way out) then drop in and hike or skin out,

hope this helps.

-b

[bcrider]

Hey Lane --

I've never been to the Frog's Lake area, but beta on the area can be found in George Hurchalla's guide to backcountry skiing/snowboarding around the Tahoe Basin (can't remember the name of it off the top of my head). I'm traveling for work right now, so don't have the book in front of me, but I'm fairly certain that there is a description of this area in there.

You should pick up the book if you see it around.

This is the link to George’s book…it has some good info in it. I’ll check my copy at home later for specific Frog lake beta too.

http://www.spotxguides.com/

[Lane Meyer]

Thanks B! I figured it'd be pretty gnar balls/sickety sick, which is why I usually just carry the camera. But Alkasqualik and Oldtimer and Totals (non-poster) can handle that type stuff since they possess the necesary bc skillz.

[britney]

Thanks B! I figured it'd be pretty gnar balls/sickety sick, which is why I usually just carry the camera. But Alkasqualik and Oldtimer and Totals (non-poster) can handle that type stuff since they possess the necesary bc skillz.

yeah i figured alka was going to be a perpetrator on this one. if you guys do it, i want to see the footage!
-b

PS that TR was from 2/14/04.
PPS when asked if he wants to do it again this year, Crazy Pete said he didnt think the "risk/reward" calculus made it worthwhile to try again. and this guy weighs the risk/reward scale WAY towards the risk (but dont tell his wife).
PPPS he is looking for photos, so i will post if he finds them

[Lane Meyer]

I drove up there to Pinnacle Loop and took a few shots over lunch. When I get home, I'll stitch them together and post them here.

[Huckwheat]

The cover shot on that guidebook looks fun too. It is the alternate chute coming off The Cross on Tallac (hard skiers left). I havent gotten it, but the aforementioned "Crazy Pete" has ticked that one off too.

[Kellie]

The cover shot on that guidebook looks fun too. It is the alternate chute coming off The Cross on Tallac (hard skiers left). I havent gotten it, but the aforementioned "Crazy Pete" has ticked that one off too.

not to hijack this thread, but Huckwheat, are you who I think you are?!?

If so, WELCOME!

[Telenater]

not to hijack this thread, but Huckwheat, are you who I think you are?!?

If so, WELCOME!

Yes, he is.

(Both who you think and very welcome)

[Greydon Clark]

Yes, he is.

(Both who you think and very welcome)

Shit, where is the decoder ring?

[Huckwheat]

Hi Kellie and Telenater, yup....this was my first post.

Goodbye productive worklife......

Did you recognize me from my Avatar?

[Lane Meyer]

Here's a picture of what I'm talking about. Shitty quality, I know, but I was in a hurry and it was the best I could do.

Anyway, I thinik what Britney's buddy was tlaking about is the couloir to the left side of the peak, angled down and to the left. With about 6 feet mor esnow, lines will open up al lover this face. A few good wet Sierra cement layers to stick to the 50/60 dgeree stuff, and we'll be all set.

http://www.grantkphoto.com/frog_pano.jpg

[Alkasquawlik]

Fucking Schweet! I've been back there on my sled before. But it was in May and looked like the picture above. I believe some of the most exposed, gnarliest lines in all of Tahoe are here midwinter.

[Lane Meyer]

All the more reason to plan an attack for the next time we pass the 200" mark and get some wet ones. It's gonna be so easy to get back there, I bet it takes us 15 minutes on sled or MAYBE two hours skinning up the valley/ridge. Watch me eat my words, though.

So how long til you download my pic and re-post it with your proposed "recockulous" lines on it?

[britney]

But Alkasqualik and Oldtimer and Totals (non-poster) can handle that type stuff since they possess the necesary bc skillz.

I'm just psyched that Huckwheat's appearance has gotten more attention than Lane's discreet mention of Oldtimer.

(But now I really want to know who Totals is!)

Lane: I will circulate your photo and see if I can get any more details...
-b

[Lane Meyer]

I'll give you a clue - Totals used to work at the Tahoe City Chevron, has a huge black afro (until very recently), and was best known for saying "Totals!" at the end of every sentence....behind Miles D, one of the most enthusiastic people on earth.

[Alkasquawlik]

I'll give you a clue - Totals used to work at the Tahoe City Chevron, has a huge black afro (until very recently), and was best known for saying "Totals!" at the end of every sentence....behind Miles D, one of the most enthusiastic people on earth.

Now its "word". Word. Word. Word.

Probably the next time it snows and the next pic comes up. I see one line down the middle that I count as a.......um..12 stager. That one is super duper Recockulous Until next time.

[chill winston]

There's a sweet pic on p98 of george's book of k.barta ripping that diagonal chute. yum.

[britney]

Here's a picture of what I'm talking about. Shitty quality, I know, but I was in a hurry and it was the best I could do.

Anyway, I thinik what Britney's buddy was tlaking about is the couloir to the left side of the peak, angled down and to the left. With about 6 feet mor esnow, lines will open up al lover this face. A few good wet Sierra cement layers to stick to the 50/60 dgeree stuff, and we'll be all set.

http://www.grantkphoto.com/frog_pano.jpg

Heres Crazy Pete's response to Lane's pic:

"the line i thought might go in midwinter (we looked at it last feb) if you look at Lanes pic about an inch
to the left of the peak and an 1/4 inch to the right of the knob is an entrance that cliffs out, drop in,
traverse left at bottom, enter a series of drops (might be what alka is looking at) that go straight down,
then your at the zig zag, not much to it, right? actually it looks a lot better mid winter,
the main issue we saw was the cornice that blocked the entrance, one plan of attack might be
to sled out there and cut the thing loose before a big dump, then when its primed to go you will
only have to deal with a smaller one."

-b