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

[BGnight]

A friend of mine actually got his first pow turns in upper Beaver today. He said the snow was pretty good in there. He said he was creative getting back there in a way where he wasn't technically hiking past closed signs He thought Estelle would be worth checking out but the exit would be a bit tricky.

[Aussie_ripper]

I do enjoy a good billygoating. The only time I have thought about impact clothing was right after this line, when a guy clapped me on the back and was then surprised I didn't have a back protector. Usually its just impact with snow though...in a good year. That being said, be careful and play it safe. I have two past broken collarbones to attribute to "pushing the limits"
Attachment 149293

Took a spill over some rocks billygoating at Kirkwood yesterday. Remember it may look like pow but it's more likely to be bombproof ice right now.

[Wobby]

A friend of mine actually got his first pow turns in upper Beaver today. He said the snow was pretty good in there. He said he was creative getting back there in a way where he wasn't technically hiking past closed signs He thought Estelle would be worth checking out but the exit would be a bit tricky.

I can verify that Estelle is good. (don't tell anyone). Stick to the north facing trees, there is a bootpack we already set so you can lap it without having to deal with the exit everytime. Also, Alpine Patrol doesn't seem to care too much about closures, just bomb past the sign and don't make it too obvious. Lower Beaver exit is tricky willow/shark country though

[lepistoir]

Attachment 149293

Where did you take that picture? Must be somewhere it snows, like New Mexico.

[lepistoir]

NWS had this to say about weather this week:

[TahoeJ]

Also, Alpine Patrol doesn't seem to care too much about closures, just bomb past the sign and don't make it too obvious. Lower Beaver exit is tricky willow/shark country though

I got the impression that if you look like you know what you're doing they don't mind. I took a few laps over that way on Friday morning (and was not alone) - although I suspect they might have a different reaction on the weekends? Definitely sketchy though - after a close call and yet another core shot, called it quits and stuck to the groomers / bumps for the most part. Can't get hurt right before my trip to Utah. I really hope we get more snow than rain when I'm gone... you never know with a Pineapple Express and those high temps in the forecast are a concern.

[jahoney]

Panties officially moistened after they updated the winter storm watch

SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: NEAR TWO FEET ABOVE 8000 FEET ...ONE FOOT OR MORE ABOVE 7000 FEET ...AND AROUND 6 INCHES AT LAKE TAHOE LEVEL. SNOW FORECASTS BELOW 7000 FEET ARE LOW CONFIDENCE DUE TO UNCERTAINTIES WITH WHEN SNOW LEVELS DROP THURSDAY.

[frorider]

it's going to be a feeding frenzy out there, complete with sharks.

mebbe I should buy a fatbike and snow ride w/ kidwoo instead.

[Huck Pitueee]

Hey take care out there if we get some snow on top of these facets. This little slide in Truckee last Saturday would be a real beat down. Short slomo edit.

[Wobby]

I got the impression that if you look like you know what you're doing they don't mind.

Thats exactly how I feel all the time, although I haven't tested the theory yet. Patrol often gets on the chair behind me though (at summit), and I sometimes wonder if they are just trying to catch up and can't quite pin me down after all the rope ducking. Never wait around at the top to find out though...

[powdork]

video from recent trip to colorado. lots of pics here

[Ottime]

I got the impression that if you look like you know what you're doing they don't mind. .

That is a pretty lame policy if that is that case. Judging people on there looks is pretty lame in general. Why not just adjust the boundary line at what is open and consider what is beyond as BC? They have an open gate policy.

I dunno, but consistency in applying rules is pretty high on my list. I hate to be wearing so uncool coat one day and then get busted after skiing terrain for a week in my radgnar jacket with no problems.

But what ever.

Bring the rain to kill the facets and then copious snow. Please. The surf has dropped and the winds are increasing in shore.

[TahoeJ]

That is a pretty lame policy if that is that case. Judging people on there looks is pretty lame in general. Why not just adjust the boundary line at what is open and consider what is beyond as BC? They have an open gate policy.

I dunno, but consistency in applying rules is pretty high on my list. I hate to be wearing so uncool coat one day and then get busted after skiing terrain for a week in my radgnar jacket with no problems.

I meant look like you know what you're doing based on how you're skiing or traversing, not what jacket you're wearing. You can tell pretty quickly if someone looks capable or in over their head. What is closed and what is open at AM is kind of a grey area right now... for example, if there are a few routes to get somewhere the most obvious ones may have closed signs but some of the others do not.

[Wobby]

That is a pretty lame policy if that is that case. Judging people on there looks is pretty lame in general. Why not just adjust the boundary line at what is open and consider what is beyond as BC? They have an open gate policy.

I dunno, but consistency in applying rules is pretty high on my list. I hate to be wearing so uncool coat one day and then get busted after skiing terrain for a week in my radgnar jacket with no problems.

But what ever.

Bring the rain to kill the facets and then copious snow. Please. The surf has dropped and the winds are increasing in shore.

Yeah, its not what you wear. Its just obvious if you know where you're going or don't. No one is going to bomb a traverse and step up over some rocks if they're not sure they want to be down there.

[The Dad]

Why not just adjust the boundary line at what is open and consider what is beyond as BC? They have an open gate policy.

Because there's a difference between BC and closed in-bounds. (And I believe that they can close the BC access; they just rarely or never do.)

There are many hills where closed is the default, but Alpine isn't one of them. My understanding is that if something is closed -- if patrol actually goes out of their way to put up "stop" or "closed" signs -- there's a good reason, even if it's not obvious. Right now, I'm guessing that it could often mean that there's no way to get a toboggan there if something goes wrong.

FWIW, I've seen patrol at Alpine pull passes for skiing in a closed area, or for hiking up under a sign line.

[skier666]

Some Kirkwood stoke before the MASSIVE storm....

The lake was ridiculously calm...



Father and daughter...let do this!



First day with poles...has no idea what to do with them.



No snow? Tell that to the 2 year old....



Still a bit of fun on Oops, but need this storm to deliver thats for damn sure...

[TahoeBC]

Facet destruction has started to commence...

Feeding Frenzy for sure there will be blood!

[Ottime]

My remarks about the coat were sort of sarcastic. Just because some one looks like they know how to ski, or traverse, or are adventurous, does not mean they will not get into trouble. The Dads remarks make sense to me. It seems if there is a Closed sign, it should be closed. Just because you can ferret out another way into a zone does not mean it should be "sort of open for those in the know." Unless of course that is at a lower spot on the hill. Otherwise you are just opening yourself to litigation.

The Dad, I hear you about te difference between OB an closed in bounds. I think Canada has different laws, as Whistler moves their boundary during low snow. You can still leave the resort while still being inbounds, if that makes sense. As the boundary moves, different rules apply.

Anyway, like I said, what ever. Still like consistency, but then again, I guess that is why I prefer touring for the most part.

[SchralphMacchio]

What does everyone think - rip and reset, or persistent slab setup, or both? I'm guessing (wildly) that we see widespread rip and reset during the storm but that in some places with supportable crusts we could get highly localized lingering persistent slab danger.

Where are those places???
http://www.sierraavalanchecenter.org...-red-lake-peak

Just remember folks, that after the storm clears, let's be conservative with terrain choices off ze piste. Apart from the thin cover hiding neck-breaking rocks and logs ... persistent slabs are just nothing to fuck with. If a persistent slab is listed as the primary or secondary problem of concern, I'd strongly encourage you to respect it in your terrain choices, regardless of the danger rating (i.e., MODERATE). Remember what that setup did for us at the start of March 2012, when we lost two brothers from the tribe?

I had the unfortunate experience of learning firsthand to respect persistent slab danger last month in Jackson Hole ... the first fatal avalanche accident of this season claimed a north shore Tahoe skier.
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...the-JHMR-ropes

Regardless of how the storm plays out, just remember this piece of wisdom from Doug Coombs - we should nibble at the edges for a few days before jumping into the gut.

[lepistoir]

Report two seconds ago from buddy at Alpine says dumping rain. No word on whether they are following Sugar Bowl's lead and shutting down due to excessive precipitation.

[SchralphMacchio]

Report two seconds ago from buddy at Alpine says dumping rain. No word on whether they are following Sugar Bowl's lead and shutting down due to excessive precipitation.

Did he say how high up??

[LightRanger]

Did he say how high up??

Looks like about 8K, as predicted: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/rev/remotedata/

Edit: Or maybe even 8500, because the High Camp Cam doesn't show anything sticking yet.

[rod9301]

Got really wet mountain biking in nevada city, raining hard now over summit on80.
great news actually, maybe this rain wil percolate thru the facets to the ground and heal everything.



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[Ottime]

KW reporting rain up to 8200'. Wish it were higher.

[powdork]

^^really wet snow will work just as well on the facets as rain. and keep in mind that kirkwood might just fudge it downward a bit anyway