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

[Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer]

Scott side, visible from the Chalet deck. We just did a quickie lap down the main bowl from the summit. Good times. UCL had some fun with multiple burial scenarios ... he rescued me in quick order but MapleLeafGillies was definitely unconscious, CO2 poisoned and hypothermic by the time UCL gave up on the multiple signal flagging function of his beeper. I guess Gillies and I shouldn't have been standing next to each other in a slide path taking pictures of UCL dropping in ...

Yeah, I had something come up on my Orthovox 3+ that I have never seen in approximately 20 multi-burial scenarios (likely 1/2 of which were close multi-burial scenarios). I plan on going back to the same location when we get more snow and trying to re-create this issue ago, although I suspect I will not be succesful.

In any event, if anyone has run into this before, please let me know:

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...11#post3790511

And Schralph, despite all of the issues I still got Gillies dug out in 9 minutes as Victim 2.... Given he had an avalung, I am sure he was just fine

On a serious note, I don't think that area will be re-useable again for a debris field until we get more snow. It was extremely hot up in Tahoe yesterday and at least at my house at base of the Alpine access road the snow was completely melting out and a gloppy mess by 9 AM.

[The Dad]

Scott side, visible from the Chalet deck. We just did a quickie lap down the main bowl from the summit.

So down Scott Chute, under the lift?

[Nuthon]

An I wanna know more about thunder saddle.

Coverage was great. One man & two man are good to go. Snow was a variety pack. Heavy & wet in the trees, punchy down low. Crust on the skiers right of the tree chutes & cold pow on the skiers left. It was good fun turns. The snow on the top of the saddle was definatly starting to corn up. Hope the storm this week cools down a bit. High rain would be devastating. The snow is forming a perfect base right now. We almost went for 99 steps but it looked a little thin & burnt out. Covered Wagon looked great.


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[Driver]

Hopefully Wed and Thursday shape up for another layer... would 12" be too much to ask for?

[Flexon Phil]

11/2- Blizzard of Aahh's at The Start Haus at 4:00 then Legend of Aahh's at the Squaw Valley Institute at 6:00 with a round table of Robb Gaffney, Gregg Stump and Scot Schmidt.

[dookeyXXX]

Figured it's about high time I get my Avy 1 cert.

For those who have done it on the North Shore, what's the word on the following outfits:

ASI
they are asking $450 for the 3-day AIARE cert

NASTC
they are asking $425 for the 3-day AIARE cert

Donner Summit Avalanche Seminars
they are asking $350 for the 3-day AIARE cert

I've heard about ASI (actually thought they were the only game in town until I dug around the Webz). I am familiar with NASTC from their skiing courses. But I've never heard of the Donner Summit Avalanche Seminars outfit. Any recommendations (I'm leaning toward the cheaper option because it's $100 I can throw around elsewhere).

[Max Archer]

Hopefully Wed and Thursday shape up for another layer... would 12" be too much to ask for?

As long as it doesn't rain and ruin what we've already got I'm not gonna complain.

[Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer]

Driver - as of Sunday morning stuff was melting super fast and it seems that this latest event is going to be rain pretty high up.

Some shots from Saturday - none of us had a camera so these are all from my phone (which, surprisingly, is the first time I have ever tried to shoot pictures with it). Worse, we accidentally had it in video mode most of the time, so these are screen stills from one second videos. Hence, took a good amount in time in Lightroom to be able to get these to a post-able form. But regardless...

Schralph on the skin up to Alpine Summit



MLG working up with parts of Keyhole off in the upper left - coverage looked thin in there.



UCL and MLG - was actually a great day and didn't get ridiculously hot until around 10 AM.



The snow up top was still soft and not too sticky, although the lower mountain by 10AM was getting pretty heavy. MLG at the summit.



The Schralph official snow depth measurement. On a serious note, I measured it "officially" at 100 cm in a slightly wind-loaded zone on the summit line.



Not bad for October 27th.



The snow in the upper bowl was fun and good coverage (even though it looks like I am going right at the only visible rock).



MLG dropping in. FWIW - the Sherwood side was entirely bare rocks, as expected.



UCL getting some of the softer turns of the day.



A couple of MLG in the lower mountain.

[~mikey b]

Dookey

DSAS is run by Randall Osterhuber who runs the Central Sierra Snow Lab. He was the papers chair for ISSW. Active in SAR. A good guy to take a course from fo sho. You'd like him.

[dookeyXXX]

^thanks for the intel TM. I've driven by the CSSL more time that I can recall over the years and always wondered about that place. Plus, the price is nice!

[Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer]

dookey - I have had good experiences with Asi for both Level I and Level II, although for Level I I am sure any of the choices you noted will be good. It seems TeleMike's guy would fit the bill as well.

Although you obviously mentioned North Lake, also consider LTCC in South Lake, as it is a cost-effective option and I know a lot of folks on this board have had good experiences with them for Level I. Would require you to stay down there for the 3-day course (rather than the drive each day from TD). But I have heard good things . Finally, Geoff Clarke teaches Level Is at Kirkwood and he is a great guy and an excellent instructor as well. Not sure about pricing.

Note: This may be stating the obvious, but wait to take the course until late January or February so we have a deeper snowpack to work with (e.g., don't take a course offering in December or anything).

[~mikey b]

but early snow can provide some wonderful funkness that we do not always see in the Sierra - you can take a course any time and get the idea - a deeper snowpack is good, but you can learn A LOT from a shallower snowpack - when I did Level 2 in UT we had 8' to work with, but it was still quite a bit different than the 40 we had in Juneau - take the class when it works for you

[Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer]

Fair point - although Level I is less about snowpack analysis and more about rescue scenarios, basic snowpit tests and tour planning. I just thought it is easier to learn Level I digging techniques and companion rescue when there is actual snow to work with.

For Level II, entirely agree with you the thinner, funkier snowpack is more fun.

[dookeyXXX]

Thanks UCL. Was hoping you'd chime in. I've heard about LTCC, but given where I'm living (T/D) and working (plus my work schedule), it makes more sense financially and logistically to take the course in/around Truckee (i.e. the money I'd save on the cheap course in SLT I'd spend on gas, food, and lodging). And yeah, I was looking at Jan/Feb, again due to work, but also giving forethought to snow conditions. Plus I should have an AT set-up (again) by then!

[SchralphMacchio]

^ 2nd that.

[dhklauer]

dookey - I have had good experiences with Asi for both Level I and Level II, although for Level I I am sure any of the choices you noted will be good. It seems TeleMike's guy would fit the bill as well.

Although you obviously mentioned North Lake, also consider LTCC in South Lake, as it is a cost-effective option and I know a lot of folks on this board have had good experiences with them for Level I. Would require you to stay down there for the 3-day course (rather than the drive each day from TD). But I have heard good things . Finally, Geoff Clarke teaches Level Is at Kirkwood and he is a great guy and an excellent instructor as well. Not sure about pricing.

Note: This may be stating the obvious, but wait to take the course until late January or February so we have a deeper snowpack to work with (e.g., don't take a course offering in December or anything).

Thumbs up for Geoff Clark. Took it with him at kirkwood 3 years ago.
*****Note for LTCC: classes fill quick, so plan on registering the day they open. i think they used to guide part of the course at carson pass for on snow/companion rescue. last season the on snow portion was at angora.

[Ottime]

I took a LTCC class years ago and we did our snow work around Red Lake. Class do fill quick, but there are also a lot of no shows. Worth showing up the day of. Our class was booked, with 4 no shows and 2 walk ins. So we still had room for 2.

[CaliKid]

Finally did my Level I last year with LTCC, the two instructors we had were awesome and I would highly recommend this option. The first two days we did the on the snow portion at Waterhouse. On the 2nd day we tried to go elsewhere but there just wasn't enough snow anywhere close enough. The 3rd day we ended doing a tour by Echo Lake. We had talked about going out to CP but if I recall correctly there was a potential issue with their permit area so we decided against it. As far as no shows and walk ins our class was booked solid.

[TahoeJ]

Sounds like we have a good base layer to work with, even if it rains a little. "Supportable snow surface on all aspects and in nearly all locations. The existing snowpack in this area is in good condition to handle new snow loading or rain."

http://www.sierraavalanchecenter.org/node/2870

[SchralphMacchio]

potential issue with their permit area so we decided against it.

Yeah I talked to McP (one of the instructors) about this in April. They're technically not allowed to do the Red Lake thing again because of their permit area, which is too bad because it's a great instructing zone and it's also more reliable snowpack depth than in the Tahoe Basin. He said they'll do most of their stuff at Waterhouse in the future.

McPartland is a solid dude and since I took AIARE 1 with him he's gotten his Level 3 and applied for guiding work in AK. I think he'll continue to teach for LTCC, so I'd give a thumbs up. They have stepped up the field work a lot since 2008, so I think their program is on par with the other AIARE options.

[AltaAstroTeam]

What's up Tahoe mags? The GF and I are relocating from SLC to Tahoe area for the season. Planning on skiing Squaw/Alpine, and living as close to the mountain as possible. Anyone on this thread have any beta on jobs and housing? Looking to fill a room for the season? Preseason stoke looks awesome - hopefully we'll be skiing with you all soon

[lepistoir]

Naked pics or gf doesn't exist.
1234

[~mikey b]

double thumbs up to Geoff Clark yo!

[Flexon Phil]

TOMORROW.....

11/2- Blizzard of Aahh's at The Start Haus at 4:00 then Legend of Aahh's at the Squaw Valley Institute at 6:00 with a round table of Robb Gaffney, Gregg Stump and Scot Schmidt.

[powdork]

on kirkwood's web cam, is that the beginning of an rfid scanner in front of chair 5?