Echo Lakes patch skiing and Whippet hunting 6/30/06

[bcrider]

Date: June 30, 2006

Location: Desolation Wilderness, CA

Weather: Sunny and warm.

Participants: Geoff, bcrider

Gameplan: Late season turns, Whippet hunting

Duration: 7-8hrs

Vertical: ?

Distance: ?

Beta: hiking shoes, deet, start sooner than 10am

Pics: bcrider, Geoff

Intro:
Friday was one of those days at work where you basically just have to make an appearance, take care of a few things, and you can leave. The wife and kids were out of town so naturally my mind started thinking about the mountains and NOT doing work around the house. I've be meaning to go look for the Whippet I lost with gimpy back in January and wanted to make some more late season turns too…with a little luck I was able to do both. Thanks for coming along too Geoff! 8)

************************************************** ***************************************
I left work at 8am after getting in at 6:30am and met Geoff at Echo Lakes around 9:30am. This was our first blind ski date and after a quick introduction we were on our way to boat taxi.

And on the water.




Then it’s through the channel between the two lakes.


A few minutes later and we were on the public dock at Upper Echo Lake.


From there we stayed on the fisherman’s trail along the shore to the picnic area and hung a right.

Lots of snow melt, creeks running, and soggy ground.


Pretty flowers.


Now the Ralston Creek comes into view. The log crossing is in the middle of a mini-gorge section that stretches a hundred yards or so.

Geoff makes his way across.


After crossing Ralston Creek we scrambled up a few hundred feet and finally see snow.


I switched over to skin mode.


Friggen skiers booting the skintrack.


Tamarack lake with Dicks and Jacks peaks in the distance.


Soon we were on top.

Looking towards the bowl between Baldy and Ralston with the Crystal range beyond. This bowl offers some steep lines but requires a good amount of rock hopping to get there along the ridge from Baldy. If this is your objective aim towards this drainage from the lower snowline.


Lake Aloha still frozen. You can also see 1500ft of continuous snow on the flanks of Mt Price. Its only 5 miles of dry trail each way.


Getting paid and enjoying every second of it.


Time to drop.

Geoff cuts some nice tele turns.


This one should be a Desolation Wilderness postcard.


Tamarack and Cagwin lakes below.








bcrider’s turn.

[bcrider]

Back up for another, CHEERS! (no really we had to pick up after some litter bugs)


Let’s try this patch, Geoff.










I think he likes it.








bcrider in hot pursuit.




More surf-the-earth-bottom-turn-steeze.


And how about a skateboard “ollie”. (snowboarding is so boring!)

[bcrider]

Looking back at our graffiti.


Geoff is having fun too.


Now is off to hunt for a Whippet. Here is the TR where I lost it.

Hmmmmm…I think its somewhere in between those rock out croppings (aka Stonehenge chutes ).


After 30 minutes or so looking in the wrong chutes I see something that looks familiar. This one is it I can feel it! A little dry-tooling with my ice axe and newer Whippet over rock and mud and I was in the right chute.


Ah-hah! Come to papa. It was in remarkably good shape for being on the mountain for almost 6months.


If I was smart I would have referred to my own TR to get some beta. Notice the dead tree in both pics?


Now we gotta get down this mess.


Geoff makes the most of it.


Now its back to the woods and skeeters.


Our plan was to get to the shoreline and take the south side back to the cars. Its only 2.5 miles and we should be able to make good time.




Well, I forgot about the cruxy area near Dartmouth Cove that takes some patience to navigate and get past before the trail gets good again. Although it was longer we were starting to wish we had taken the more established trail along the north side of the lakes. Around this time one of the cabin owners must have heard our whimpers and offered to give us a ride across the lake.

Can you say karma.


Stoked.




Our new friends dropped us on the other side just as the taxi was dropping off another party so we decided to be lazy and take the easy way back. (it was well worth it )

The skiers always load the snowboarders gear.


Back on lower Echo.


A few minutes later we were on the dock with smiles.


And a luke warm beer to celebrate (the store just closed )


All in all it was a great and successful trip. Thanks again for the company Geoff!



PS- Happy 4th of July!

[MTT]

Another amazing TR. Thanks Dude.

The Water Taxi is a nice new addition to the trip.

[Steven S. Dallas]

Fucking right on.

[soul_skier]

i have spent so much time camping and hiking around that area, nice job bringing back some memories!

[Hicks]

Another classic Tahoe TR. Well done, Sirs.

[iskibc]

Summer Sweetness.

[ridefree]

Another great job BCRider! This again really makes me want to take some turns with you next year (unfortunately must be next year) But my new split is on its way!!!

[G]

Awesome day!

[shera]

I like it!!!

You come up with some really great action shots.

[Vets]

Beautiful! Great TR and photos! I wish I was there. It looks like it will still be good for at least a little while longer. I'm adding Echo Lakes to my to-do list. Let me know if either of you are up for a return trip.

[chunder]

Schweet pics and TR! Way to whippet into shape.

[skier666]

Nice...no jacket too!

Way to get after the gnar gnar.

And I'm sitting just below that at the Alpina....reviewing essays...

[pepperdawg]

This TR is the best I've seen in a while..... very very nicely done!!!!! Way to git some mid-summer love!!!!

PS - litter bugs suck dick and should be {insert punishment here} ...