13/14 Tahoe Thread -- Raddest Thread On The Internets!!!

[~mikey b]

Desert Research Institute

I heard about this in the early 1990's.

[Huck Pitueee]

I can`t figure out why people are complaining about the snow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6zMv...ature=youtu.be

That's what I want to see!! Guys doing it instead of whining about it.

[LightRanger]

Possibly a retread of something that's been posted before, but...my hippie wife was listening to NPR this morning when a story about cloudseeding came on. Star of the segment? Alpine Meadows.

Attachment 148258

I had no idea. How long has Alpine been doing this? Do all the Tahoe resorts seed? I knew some Utah resorts did it...but I didn't know any CA resorts did it.

Not the resort. It's for water supply. PG&E does it too in various places in the State of Jefferson.

[SchralphMacchio]

I can`t figure out why people are complaining about the snow.

And that is why I am learning how to get by on two planks

Well done though, when life gives you facets, make facetade. That, or invest in a fat bike.

[mmmm...pow!]

I don't think so. About 100 days touring, and I'm still alive. Never caught in a slide. Seems like that is a good measure. Oh, and my course was about 10% of $400, so I don't really think I got 'ripped off'.

Here is AIARE 1 syllabus. Nothing about snow science here.

I do think that some folks think they are learning about snow science in a three day course, but those tend to be the same folks who think they know shit about shit. Decision making skill is the single most basic tool you that will keep you alive out there, and that is basically what they teach and provide resource for.

Sure, you did a pit or two. Look for weak layers. Discuss, and even practice a little companion rescue. But you are barely scraping the surface of this in Avy 1. If you don't go out and practice these techniques, and take further courses, you don't know squat. And digging a pit is not snow science. It is observation.

Anyway, you can take away a lot from AIARE 1 with a very limited snow pack, even if that snow pack is one solid piece of ice. That said, I found plenty of layers in the snow just last week, with a rounded crust, on top of small facets, on top of large facets, on top of earth. I dug a hand pit with my son and wife, and discussed the layers. Not so hard to do if you just open your eyes, stop being obtuse and belligerent, and try using a few brain cells. But hey, this is TGR, and we don't do that around here. We just express our own superiority over others.

I agree with much of what you say here. Yes, decision making and terrain selection/routefinding are the most critical skills to have, and it does take time in the mountains to hone your skills. I've taken several Avy 1 courses in different locations (with different snowpacks), as well as an AIARE level 2. In two of the level 1 courses, there was extensive snow science study, more so than the level 2 i took, which seemed to focus more on weather and forecasting avy conditions, instead of figuring out what the snow was doing at that moment. Don;t assume all courses are identical to yours, or that AIARE is highest standard there is, or that I haven't spent hundreds of days in the backcountry and still don't know shit.
Perhaps you didn't get ripped off, especially given what you paid, as any course is likely to be better than no course, but to suggest that snow science is not an integral part of a level 1 course is not accurate. It's also inaccurate to say your course was a success for keeping you alive through 100 days in the backcountry. I can guaranty you've fucked up a few times (as have I and anyone else who has spent any amount of time in the bc), but the mountain didn't take you that day. Sooner or later, if you do it long enough, the law of averages,or just bad luck, will catch up with you. As one of my instructors liked to say, "all the experts are dead". Nothing personal, just food for thought.
Now, as is TGR custom, I will express my superiority by stating the whole idea of a rando race is completely fucking retarded, and anyone wishing to ruin what should be the most awesome, bliss-filled, one-with-nature adventure experiences by turning it into a spandex-clad sufferfest on hardpack with rules and boundaries and a shit ton of other people should be publicly flogged and condemned to ski groomers on super lightweight shitty gear while eating nothing but gu and cliff bars for eternity just for missing the whole damn point of randonee to begin with.
And finally, if anyone happens to spot Ullr, be sure to give him a swift kick in the nuts, this shit ain't funny no more.

[Ottime]

Ha. I logged on just to call you a dbag, but then I tea what you wrote. And I agree so much on the rando spandex thing that I forgot my anger and have settled back down.

That said, I made the AIARE comparison because that is what is being offered at the resorts. And while a deep, dynamic snowpack is helpful for level one I don't really think it is required. It is only a 24 hour course that covers a lot of ground, so realistically not all that much time can be spent digging in the snow and analyzing what is uncovered. And if you really want to, you can find some interesting stuff out there right now. At least you could a week ago.

Oh. And I don't make mistakes. Those were all on purposes to test my faith. I pray as well, and I just want to be sure some one is listening.

[~mikey b]

Alpenglow demo
Moment
BD
Scarpa
Scott
Volkl
Fly Low
DPS

[powdork]

level 1 - these are bad




not widespread though but often exist under a light crust that hopefully is getting beat down as we speak

[Ottime]

Turns out those suck for making snow angles. They just collapse all over the place.

[SchralphMacchio]

I'm buying you an blackberry for your birthday so that you can quit it with all the autocorrect iphone typos

[bhrindo]

Alright im new to the thread, but i ought as well let y'all know that

ITS ACTUALLY SNOWING IN TAHOE

I live across parking lot from DP, and I cannot see the mountain. Socked in clouds with a decent amount of snow coming down. Nothing sticking on the asphalt (as its still 40°) but ive got what might be considered accumulation on my deck railings.

Might have to do a afternoon session on the mountain..

[Ottime]

I'm buying you an blackberry for your birthday so that you can quit it with all the autocorrect iphone typos

Can't you just fix my current phone? Blackberries aren't hip anymore.

[powdork]

went up to thimble peak yesterday. it was fun.
sort of
http://www.powdork.com/2014/marginal...epic-in-tahoe/

[kungpow]

Alpine was cool today. Wet snow and rocks. If you had whiskey and skis you didn't give a fuck about, there was fun to be had. Put some nice dings in my skis, it was awesome.

[Driver]

Kirkwood got more snow and earlier than I expected today. Fun times.

[freebeerisgood]

Ya it snowed harder than I thought it would. The groomers off 5,6 and 11 were great until the crowds showed up.

[cranked]

went up to thimble peak yesterday. it was fun.
sort of
http://www.powdork.com/2014/marginal...epic-in-tahoe/

Good for you and Nacho staying after it...I am boycotting until it isn't shit...could be awhile.

[buildakicker]

SNOW!!!!

[Ottime]

went up to thimble peak yesterday. it was fun.
sort of
http://www.powdork.com/2014/marginal...epic-in-tahoe/

Nice trail work. Line taken from the top.

[StormDay]

Alpine was cool today.

I enjoyed Alpine today.

[TahoeJ]

I'm buying you an blackberry for your birthday so that you can quit it with all the autocorrect iphone typos

Are you going to buy him a Betamax too? ;-)

[Ottime]

My dad was always pissed off about the whole Betamax thing. I learned marketing and distribution trumps technology. And basically he just needs to teach me to prof read before posting. Yeah, right.

[skier666]

Found some untracked on Chair 6 at KW around noon today in Oops. Chamoix had a more manageable exit but still enjoyable. Had fun feeling some leg burn on natural snow, but sick of using old ass rock skis to terrorize. We need a 30ft storm like today but I digress.

[MrSmith]

NWS Sacramento says:

Earlier indications of a possible pattern change to a "wetter"
pattern during the latter two weeks of Jan seem to be waning as
the West Coast ridge diverts the Pacific jet well to the north...
while a splitting central and eastern Pac trof blocks jet energy
from undercutting the ridge as well. Thus...the 384 hr total
precip (thru the 28th) from the evening GFS is nothing more than a
tenth of an inch across the CA/OR border. Some of the GEFS members
are also indicating the formation of a cut-off (Rex) low around
20N/140-150W as well leading to more Omega-Rex blocking in the
EPAC later next week as well. JHM

NWS Reno says:

MODELS CONTINUE TO AGREE STRONGLY ON RIDGE
DOMINATING THROUGH PERIOD WITH ONLY A BRIEF FLATTENING SAT-SUN AS
SOME WEAK SHORTWAVE ENERGY SPLITS AND MOVES INTO THE INTERMOUNTAIN
WEST. SYSTEM WILL BRING PERIODS OF MID-HIGH CLOUDS WITH SOME
INCREASE IN RIDGE LEVEL WINDS. THAT IS ABOUT IT. AFTER TYPICAL
COLD NIGHTS, DAYTIME TEMPERATURES WILL WARM INTO THE 40S AND 50S.
LOOKING TOWARD THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF JANUARY, UPPER RIDGE WILL
LIKELY HOLD WITH NO BIG WEATHER SYSTEMS SHOWING UP AT THIS TIME.
WH

Expletive. I guess hope is still at least two weeks out. I actually had fun inbounds this weekend, but this is getting really old.

Back to the topic of ski races, I would ask if anyone knows whats going on with the Bear Valley Freeheel Festival/Race, but we obviously have bigger concerns.

[TahoeJ]

Had fun feeling some leg burn on natural snow, but sick of using old ass rock skis to terrorize.

On the gear note, you should really tell your buddies over at Moment to re-design the "Tahoe" to something like 65mm underfoot. It would be more appropriate. Marketing pitch could be about how well it carves up that man-made snow.

Meanwhile, chances for a storm next weekend look pretty much dead at this point. Is anyone surprised?