Lake Tahoe 2015/16 - Year of Godzilla Baby Jesus

[alfajores]

The snow gods were kind at Kirkwood all day. Ottime and MashedPotatoes got most of the goods, but batting clean up was a hell of a lot of fun.

It was stellar. I haven't seen such early season goods for years. I started to feel like an old person telling myths about Tahoe to the people moving hear.

[Driver]

Nice...first run has been decided!

Cham is indeed set up great. Without knowing how big it is or what the rock looks like, ottime and I reasoned we should explore by jumping in. Fun early season size and Buttery smooth. I think one guy hit it before us and a top layer actually slid out luckily after he was out. you will see a bit of a crown under the rocks at the top.

[FlakeShredder]

Pretty sure I got first into oops yesterday if it is the top entrance off Olympic. It was pretty sweet - the chute sloughed and I didn't know about the mandatory 5-7 ft air to skinny exit (only in preseason?). Damn fun, probably would have preferred as a later run instead of a starter, but take what you get. I second the hippy turns in lower sentinel - real nice. Solid start to the season. Keep it coming ullr.

[~mikey b]

....and I'm sick.....

grumble grumble cough grumble cough

[Ottime]

You don't need to fake call in sick to work on TGR. We understand.

[Ottime]

I guess to someone who drives 5+ hours to ski then the 71 miles from Truckee to Kirkwood is "nearby". But when there's skiing within 12 miles (which is my definition of "nearby"), I'll take it, even if it is a WROD.



...

Yet you'll drive 71 miles to ski a patch.

Dude, come on down sometime this winter. It's been a while since we shared turns. And knee deep ones are super fun.

[~mikey b]

You don't need to fake call in sick to work on TGR. We understand.

Except I'm supposed to be working on snow tomorrow. I'm calling in sick to ski today. Can't do it. I'm actually going to work from home rather than fuck off and go skiing. Oh well...

[TahoeJ]

Dookey - I think you're underestimating how much better KW is than N* right now. They might as well be in different states. I had some things I had to take care of in Truckee so I didn't double back for a second day there and ended up regretting it, even though Squaw was fun. That might be the last powder we have the chance to ski for a few weeks or longer.

Funny about the advice to take Old Hwy 40, I think he was definitely fucking with you. I was killing time watching football and waiting for things to clear up on 80 and my friends who went ahead sent me this text message: "Whatever you do, don't take Old highway 40. Disaster." haha.

Ott - I assume with the storm coming in a bit later than forecast you guys just stayed at the resort all day?

[NorCalNomad]

Except I'm supposed to be working on snow tomorrow. I'm calling in sick to ski today. Can't do it. I'm actually going to work from home rather than fuck off and go skiing. Oh well...

I know that feel, that was me this weekend

[teledad]

Old 40 advice could have been from before the shitshow (with Sugar Bowl closed there probably wasn't much traffic during the day), looks like it was spill-over as people tried to get around the chain control backup on 80. Camry without chains up the pass in a storm, WTF?

[Driver]

Old 40 advice could have been from before the shitshow (with Sugar Bowl closed there probably wasn't much traffic during the day), looks like it was spill-over as people tried to get around the chain control backup on 80. Camry without chains up the pass in a storm, WTF?

driving in the mountains in California... Good times. most non 4x4s I saw coming down 88 of course had no chains with drivers who were completely gripped.

[smallies]

Got 6 months probation I guess I get nothing this winter.

[LightRanger]

A few winters ago I was following tour buses(!) up Old 40. Somewhere in the neighborhood of The Roadcut (e.g. where the recent slide was) they predictably started spinning tires. Stopped and had to chain up in the middle of the road. I very cautiously went around them. Two Marches ago was coming down from SB to Donner Lake and there was a jacknifed semi half off the road just above the lower gate. TPD was directing traffic around. Looked like he'd come up the road and lost it. What happened yesterday evening sounded like an even bigger shitshow though.

All this being said, it's nice that we finally have enough snow for people to get back to doing stupid shit in their cars. In November.

[dookeyXXX]

Dude apparently realized he had a live one, eh?

Not this time. I was just coming off the mountain, so was still dressed in gear. Guy in line asked me where I skied and how it was. Then we commented on the mounting traffic on 80. He remarked that his daughter had "recently" driven over 40. This was around 3 pm yesterday.

Yet you'll drive 71 miles to ski a patch.

Dude, come on down sometime this winter. It's been a while since we shared turns. And knee deep ones are super fun.

You got me there, though admittedly that's when there's nothing closer to ski.
My days off are Tues/Wed, so lemme know when you're up early week and we'll make it happen.

Dookey - I think you're underestimating how much better KW is than N* right now. They might as well be in different states. I had some things I had to take care of in Truckee so I didn't double back for a second day there and ended up regretting it, even though Squaw was fun. That might be the last powder we have the chance to ski for a few weeks or longer.

Funny about the advice to take Old Hwy 40, I think he was definitely fucking with you.

I never underestimate KW. I've seen the pix posted by PD and Nuthon (and others), plus I've read the snow reports for the area. I had a work obligation all morning at the Star yesterday, so driving to KW at noon-thirty would have been pointless. This week is filled with last-minute winter prep (tires, tune-up, score remaining gear), then I start teaching rugrats how to pizza non-stop until the spring, so chances of getting to the KW any time soon will be slim.

Old 40 advice could have been from before the shitshow (with Sugar Bowl closed there probably wasn't much traffic during the day), looks like it was spill-over as people tried to get around the chain control backup on 80. Camry without chains up the pass in a storm, WTF?

That's what I'm gathering. The gent at Savemart definitely wasn't f@#king with me (I've lived here long enough to know when somebody is f@#king with you). Plus, if I'd been at Safeway he might have been more prone to presuming that I was an out-of-towner, so yeah, I could have seen the fellow local messing with me, but not at Savemart. I think dude's daughter had more than likely made it up 40, but way prior to 3 pm.

[Quadzilla]

Anybody notice how the N(clearing wind) laid waste to the new snow last nite and today? Looks like around Rose it didn't do us any favors.

[Nkane]

We're looking for a few good people to fill out a few spots in our ski lease this winter. Just at the base of the Alpine access road, early-30's-ish crowd, hot tub, recently renovated. Message me for details.

[stormyMonday]

Anybody notice how the N(clearing wind) laid waste to the new snow last nite and today? Looks like around Rose it didn't do us any favors.

I was up there this morning. No, it doesn't look like that wind helped with snow depth on any north facing terrain; at least not anywhere above tree line. It did bring some interesting cross loading across east facing slopes that helped fill in some areas though.

[emcee]

Kirkwood tried to get 6 open right at 9am today but the NE winds came up fast and put an end to that. 5 and 11 skiing really well; low angle pow turns all morning. But the top ridge is just getting scoured away to rocks. Hopefully we see that snow come back over again when the winds change.

[Ottime]

Ott - I assume with the storm coming in a bit later than forecast you guys just stayed at the resort all day?

We thought about it, and it seemed appealing too late. I was feeling weather hammered, and was concerned with the transfer time (driving, changing boots, putting on skins) would find me chilly. And then there was the whole end of the day coming. So we skied a few more inbounds, but with a little bit of traversing and side stepping. Kind of felt like we should have had our beacons on, as we found ourselves discussing wind loading, slabs and terrain traps. After a I lost a ski and had to post hole back up the side of a steep chute 40' to get it, I was encouraged to center punch the thing the next time around. Nothing like postholing through to craggy rocks to get you thinking the slope is feeling stable.

Kind of would have liked to hike just to flex those muscles, but it was so damn fun inbounds it was hard to leave. Besides, 11 did not open until about 10, and 6 popped around 11, so we had only been getting after the good goods for a few hours when it was time to make the call.

driving in the mountains in California... Good times. most non 4x4s I saw coming down 88 of course had no chains with drivers who were completely gripped.

I was not gripped at all last night. Expect for when my windshield crystalized as I went over the spur. Much of the rest of the way we crawled at sub 15mph speeds with a good 50 tail lights in front of us. Felt pretty easy at the point, especially since I had visibility by then.

My days off are Tues/Wed, so lemme know when you're up early week and we'll make it happen.

I'll likely be around the Wed before Tday and then again the Tue/Wed Pres week. I'll be in touch.


Those winds today are making me sad. Not a good thing for the top of KW, but at least the stuff that was open got packed. Good on them getting people up there the past two days. At least there is a lot of snow to blow around, so I am feeling a little hopeful.

[lepistoir]

It's nice that we finally have enough snow for people to get back to doing stupid shit in their cars. In November.

I wonder if this fits I that category: guy at Northstar yesterday driving full size truck with chains on front wheels while rears were slipping all over every time he accelerated. Was he on to something genius like extra braking or just another bit player in the shit show?

[powdork]

today was good
the frush


tahoebc

[TahoeBC]

The White Ribbon of AAHs

the frush

[Wobby]

^Dang that looks good PD

Mt Rose area got wrecked by winds today. Tamarack Peak "ski resort" was not looking too good after the north winds picked up. Hourglass was heinous.
Pray for more snow

[RogueRider]

Yep. And the best part was they only allowed uploading on the Funi for a short time, which is why it never got crowded. Shitty terrain but the snow was nice... Pretty limited crowd up there so I wonder if we shared a chair? I had some black Faction Candide's...

Could have. Had my head down most of the time bracing against the wind. I was riding my snowboard yesterday since I still have to get my skis mounted (I'm a certified procrastinator).

[LightRanger]

I wonder if this fits I that category: guy at Northstar yesterday driving full size truck with chains on front wheels while rears were slipping all over every time he accelerated. Was he on to something genius like extra braking or just another bit player in the shit show?

Hahahahah. That's awesome. I've seen that a handful of times too. Has to be an area where the driver hasn't passed through a chain control checkpoint though. CalTrans would've made him pull over and do it right.