Lake Tahoe 2015/16 - Year of Godzilla Baby Jesus

[TahoeJ]

Because I just read a bunch of forecasts about it and even just read a couple news articles how the California Water Board is telling people that this strong El Nino should not make everyone excited because they expect warmer temps so the precipitation will not equate snowpack. Am I the only one that knows how to use Google???

Well then! I guess it's as good as over! A long term forecast said so... because they've been so fucking spot on for Tahoe in recent years. Hell, even the near term forecasts are difficult to figure out lately. Everyone around here remembers when they shut down all of the schools last season for what amounted to about 2 inches of snow on the south side. Storm of the century was it?

Again, we've all been paying attention and know what's possible - and we all know better than to expect anything one way or the other - are you slow or something? It's a skiing / boarding forum for christ sakes.

Maybe you should head over to mtbr.com and tell everyone about these new wheel sizes that have come out in recent years.

[TahoeBC]

Job's group pleasantly dusted :-)

By the time we rolled up there most of it had melted, Round top from afar looked nice and wintery



Roundtop in the background

[TahoeBC]

Edited for simplicity: sell me on fat bikes in the winter. Actually useful for ski touring or just fun when the skiing sucks?

Really its both depending, if it's glacier conditions with a unbreakable crust it's super fun to free ride around in the mountains. Ski access for me works best with gated road access especially if there is little snow coverage which sucks for skinning. Packed snowmobile tracks are fun to ride on also. They can be frustrating in the wrong conditions though.

I don't spend long editing my vids, but here are a couple of examples if you can get though them.

First day I picked up my bike I used it to access a ski line via a closed road.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZq-jyDT7dQ

I rode then skied Red Lake peak in the same day, got it via bike while it was firm, then went back up and skied corn.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjXkLs4R-Ds

[UTaho']

I am one of those guys who has been using those turnouts at the bottom of Jake's since the 70's (I don't even think it was called Jake's then). I just emailed all the addresses listed expressing my concern.
Took me about 5 minutes.

[emcee]

Does somebody know the backstory about the ridge road Neverland creephouse? I saw it was for sale last summer but not a ton of takers I don't think.

[LightRanger]

The place with all the iron sculptures in the field in front of it? I mean, I suppose you could find it creepy...

[lepistoir]

I have mandatory work stuff on the 23rd. Doh.

The 23rd is not a firm date at all. The meeting is just an idea at this point, but just is working on it and I will post any developments here.

[TahoeJ]

Really its both depending, if it's glacier conditions with a unbreakable crust it's super fun to free ride around in the mountains. Ski access for me works best with gated road access especially if there is little snow coverage which sucks for skinning. Packed snowmobile tracks are fun to ride on also. They can be frustrating in the wrong conditions though.

Thanks - yeah, I was thinking mostly for access but the free riding looks fun too. Or later in the spring when the trails are half dirt / half snow. I've seen people ride them into Squaw while cruising past a long line of cars on 89, which seemed pretty clever but I'm not sure I'd want to ride anywhere close to a bunch of shitty drivers in snowy / icy conditions.

[powdork]

so the reports here and pictures from powdrhound's facebook page planted the seed about hitting the shoulder of round top for some turns.
late saturday night after work i was watching the radar, which was showing a wintry mix there


sunday morning i woke late and contemplated what to do for the day. the seed sprouted. it was already 10 and i had to be at work at 4 so i had to hurry. left the trailhead at carson pass at 10:55. an hour later i had started up the trail from winnemucca lake. snow was mixing in with the rain at this elevation, i hadn't caught even a remote glimpse of any peaks to know where any sort of snowline would be


we finally hit accumulations at the saddle, where the trail divides with the left going to round top and the right going to the sister.
nacho doesn't look pleased



we hadn't hiked in 3 miles through the rain to not make turns though


i made it back to the car by 2 with plenty of time to make it to work. if nothing else it was good to push the knee with all the downhill walking in ski boots.

[smallies]

Nacho not pleased. What's that sexy radar?

[alfajores]

Finally my dream of owning a backcountry access rickshaw company will come to fruition, parking lots can't stop me, no one can, mwaa ha ha ha.

I'll drive for pennies on the dollar

[raisingarizona13]

Last very strong El Nino was 97-98...

Check my old video at 17:19 to see what can happen around Tahoe when it rains above 12000ft after 10 feet of snowfall...

Nice. We had similar flooding here in Flagstaff during the 04/05 winter. People were kayaking in 6 feet deep of water down streets.

That brings back good memories of my Steamboat days. That's me barely holding it together on skinny skis coming out of Chute One and a Half at 6:10

[The Dad]

No matter what El Niño brings, I have done my part to guarantee a killer winter!!!

That is a sadly familiar contraption. Just ACL or more? Heal quickly and well.

[skier666]

@RaisingArizona...

Haha...memories!

That was probably the last year I visited Steamboat.

[4matic]

The place with all the iron sculptures in the field in front of it? I mean, I suppose you could find it creepy...

They have added old carnival rides to the cornucopia of wtf.

[meter-man]

Maybe the Jake'spocalypse outcry worked?

Sorry for the link: https://www.facebook.com/stateoftheb...type=3&theater

[LightRanger]

No skiing, but I saw some snow in California in the last day or so.

[CaliBrit]

No skiing, but I saw some snow in California in the last day or so.

great pic, where is it?

[4matic]

great pic, where is it?

Convict Lake near Bishop.

[old goat]

Convict Lake near Bishop.

http://articles.latimes.com/1990-02-...-skating-party

[Scooter65]

Jesus, hell of a story goat...

[2FUNKY]

Last very strong El Nino was 97-98...

Check my old video at 17:19 to see what can happen around Tahoe when it rains above 12000ft after 10 feet of snowfall...

Great video, brings me back! Was the dude who was concussed at the 29min mark ok? It looked horrible. Was that a helmet rolling down down or a rock? The last crash at the end was fucking awesome! Got spit right the fuck out! What year was that? Pretty sure I was in Tahoe then.

[smallies]

That big chunk at the bottom blasted off the helmet it seems.

[TahoeJ]

Holy shit - that was quite the rag doll. Just when you thought it was over he kept going.

[jahoney]

subscribed..

let's hope for a good year boys