4 part TR - Sierra Summer Skiing

[Vets]

I recently enjoyed 4 consecutive summer skiing days in the Sierras.
Day One was a "dog patch" day. My friend Carl and I skied the "Left Patch" along with my three dogs (Sputnik, Baka, and Makisha) and his two dogs (Mica and Ely). Some of the dogs got pretty excited and almost too close.
Baka and Mica running toward me while Makisha is nearly under me:

Carl, Mica, Ely, and Makisha:

Carl without dog interference:

This was a good warm-up for the next three days.
Day Two was a trip to Roundtop/Sisters with my friend MJ. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera that day. Good corn turns were to be had in the saddle between Roundtop and The Sisters as well as the chute below The Sisters and above Roundtop Lake.
Day Three, Saddlebag Lake/North Peak/Kook Chutes will be posted next.

[Vets]

After Friday, July 29 at The Left Patch and Saturday, July 30 at Roundtop/The Sisters. MJ and I headed south to Saddlebag Lake on Sunday July 31. We took the boat across the lake and headed toward North Peak in search of Kook Chutes. First we skied the chute closest to looker's left.
Here are a couple of MJ:


and MJ looking back up:

Next we headed up to the chute closest to looker's right. It was an interesting boot pack up the chute.
Here are a couple of me:


and the view looking back at Kook Chutes and North Peak:

Since the boat's last ride leaves earlier on Sunday (4:45 instead of 6:45) and we stayed later, we had to hike back to the other side of Saddlebag Lake. The quality of the turns made it worthwhile.
Day Four, Hiram Peak/Highland Lakes will be posted next.

[Vets]

Day Four, Monday August 1 involved a drive west on Highway 4 over Ebbett's Pass. Jack, another friend of mine (non-skier) was heading up from the other side of the pass and helped spot some skiable snow patches for us. Like Col. John "Hannibal" Smith of the A-Team says, "I love it when a plan comes together!" This lead us to Highland Lakes below Hiram Peak. The hike up involved some loose-rock boulder hopping.
Here is a picture of MJ skiing the highest patch of snow available there:

It was amazing how nearly perfect the corn snow was on August 1st. Just somewhat soft enough on top and still solid underneath.
Here are a couple of me skiing down toward the upper Highland Lake:


Hiram Peak, snow patches, and the upper Highland Lake:

Four great days of skiing. I'm definitely looking forward to more turns in August, September, and October.
Here is a link to these pictures along with a few others if you are interested:
Photos 37

[pube-in-my-taco]

Loved the TR & pics.

Question: after normal snow years, is all that snow melted by August?

[Vets]

Loved the TR & pics.

Question: after normal snow years, is all that snow melted by August?

Thank you.
I hope that this past winter becomes the new normal snow year.
Last summer I skied near Roundtop/Sisters into October. However, the amount of snow was less. I heard from others that Kook Chutes were still good last August. I also skied the patches into August last year. This was the first time I skied Highland Lakes, so I don't have a way of comparing it.

[Powder Seeker]

Great TR and pics! Your dogs are really cute!

[XtrPickels]

That pic is friggen sweet.
Thanks for rockin on with some summer stoke while i'm burning in hell...

[This End Up]

Instead of Kings and Corn you've got Dogs and Corn.

Nice Vets!!!

[Trackhead]

Dog slalom.

[Vets]

Powder Seeker,
Sputnik, Baka, Makisha, Mica, and Ely all say thank you.
XtrPickels,
Thanks. And I hope I'm not rubbing it in to much when I let you know that there was a steady cool breeze all day that kept the snow from getting too soft on August 1st.
Walter,
Highland Lakes is on my to-do-earlier list for next year. Along with a few other places.
This End Up and Trackhead,
The dogs and I say thank you too.

I'll be skiing again somewhere on Sunday.

[gimpy]

damn, way to stay after it vets. sooo, is the skiing better (smoother, amount of vert, etc) at the kook chutes or the sisters??? thanx and keep on keepin on.

[Barnballs]

dude, you're the east-side king this year.

[Vets]

damn, way to stay after it vets. sooo, is the skiing better (smoother, amount of vert, etc) at the kook chutes or the sisters??? thanx and keep on keepin on.

Right now they are both good. I thought the vert was about the same, but MJ thought that there was more vert at The Sisters. There were some parts of northwest facing (skier's far right) runs on The Sisters that were very smooth. Kook Chutes are just starting to show a few little icy ridges in the snow that I noticed on the way up, but didn't real feel skiing down. In terms of approach, if you get the boat roundtrip, the hike to Kook Chutes is more gentle (though the hike up the snow is steeper). The hike to The Sisters is more effort, but then the hike up the snow is easier.

Click here to see a post of a panoramic view of Saddlebag, Greenstone, and Conness