Lake Tahoe 2015/16 - Year of Godzilla Baby Jesus

[smallies]

call your mama Ryan's going off

[powdork]

This thread is getting me incredibly stoked. I haven't had a chance to use my Mountain Collective passes for Squaw/Alpine in the last few years, but I figure now's the time to do it.

I'm aiming to spend 4-5 days in Tahoe the week after xmas (taking the long way back from SF to LA). Any beta on what to hit/avoid? Since it's a holiday week, I'm assuming that crowds will be a shitshow, and that any powder will have been mostly skiied out, but maybe there will be some spots left over? The Squaw website is advertising buy 2 get 1 lessons, I'm considering signing up just to skip the lines (and get a form check before I start another season with bad habits). The alternative is offering up a few six packs to any mags willing to show me around the mountain, if that's appealing to anyone...

You could buy someone a keg, and still come out ahead.

[Ottime]

KW will be pretty slow from XMas until the 30th or so. Assumptions based upon experience. I might be up from the 26-29. Feel free to PM if you head that way. If I'm skiing inbounds, always happy to show a mag around.

[plustwobonus]

You could buy someone a keg, and still come out ahead.

I think the most i could fit in my bag is a growler, but where there's a will there's a way.

[Nkane]

What is coverage looking like down at lake level? Is it reasonable to get into some zones with approaches starting around 6,200? Or is that just going to be adventure suffering?

[shakyknees]

Some folks have apparently skied to 6300', but most are still waiting for it to fill in below 7000', and the last two days of warm weather at lake level haven't helped.

[TahoeJ]

What is coverage looking like down at lake level? Is it reasonable to get into some zones with approaches starting around 6,200? Or is that just going to be adventure suffering?

Definitely do-able depending on the specific zone. Just have to ski light and take it slow at the bottom. More of an issue on the way down than up, but there's a few feet of snow at that elevation - at least in the Truckee to TC area. The fire-roads along 89, for example, have nice coverage all the way to the highway... or did a few days ago at least. May be a bit worse now with temps rising. I would assume the same for most of the west shore but I didn't go any further south than Ward Ave.

[powdork]

What is coverage looking like down at lake level? Is it reasonable to get into some zones with approaches starting around 6,200? Or is that just going to be adventure suffering?

Totally unreasonable without a self contained underwater breathing apparatus, even with the lower lake level.

People have been hitting tallac

[Nkane]

Totally unreasonable without a self contained underwater breathing apparatus, even with the lower lake level.

People have been hitting tallac

New for next year: DynaFin tech flippers.

[Fish Rider]

so not quite Minden mile time?

[Eastern Sierra Skier]

Awesome sunset over Mt Rose on Thursday. Shot this with the iphone. Wish I had been better prepared and had my DSLR at hand. Still came out good.

[LongShortLong]

Vail kirkwood image link Might require epic membership. Shoot I've outed myself.

I'm guessing epic image is reversed (zoom on the longissoR boot), and this is near the Covered Wagon boundary, with Emigrant Lake down in the corner.

[Ottime]

Yup. Sally Alley looks real filled in.

[TurxSki]

Big fat flakes, chaining up on the way to Sierra

[lepistoir]

Just arrived in east bay. Snowing good on summit. Kept up to Baxter. Some heavy bands of rain still through Fairfield and now clearing in east bay so that should be all of it

[Skier1975]

Just got back yesterday from four days at Heavenly. The highlight for the trip was being the first person through Gate 4 at Mott on Thursday. The snow was nice to about noon when it got really heavy. Made seven laps before heading elsewhere.

[P-ville Madman]

Freshies all day at kirkwood! Snow never let up. Still sharky here and there...

[lepistoir]

Anyone from the b&t crowd that isn't too busy with aprés or the Dem debate care to recommend a place for chains between the east bay and the lake?

[LightRanger]

Buddy's dad owned the chain shop at Baxter. Pretty sure they're still in business.

[climberevan]

Rose backcountry was better than expected today on most aspects. It was kind of cold & dreary but the rime just added to the fun.

[Ottime]

KW was so very nice today. No one around and Freshies all day. Might have had my best run off Vista ever. Good stuff. Snowed till past 5.

[SchralphMacchio]

Freshies all day.

Grilled, blackened, jerk, buffalo, or fried?

[4matic]

KW was so very nice today. No one around and Freshies all day. Might have had my best run off Vista ever. Good stuff. Snowed till past 5.

Truth. Kirkwood got a lot of snow. I went to the well once to many in saddle. Need a tune now. Worth it.

[SchralphMacchio]

Also, found that SH layer at West Shore today @ 8600' elevation, north facing. ECTP 15 SC at 40cm below surface.

The collapse wasn't much vertical distance, but the sound and feeling was unmistakeable. I had a hard time finding that SH layer by doing glove and card layer ID, but it was obviously there after we pulled out the slab and investigated the underside of it. 5-10mm glassy feathers that were all flattened out ... probably compressed by the storm but still there and not completely flattened out.

Well anchored terrain isn't a bad idea. That, and it's supposed to be gusting to 95 mph above treeline after noon tomorrow.

[lepistoir]

Buddy's dad owned the chain shop at Baxter. Pretty sure they're still in business.

Thanks. Looks like won't need them now. Getting a non-4wd over the summit.