MAKE TAHOE DEEP AGAIN ~ 2016/17 OFISHUL SNOW/FOOD/WHINE & STOKE THREAD

[FormerKnuckleDragger]

If you're wondering who SV's target clientele is-
https://wheelsup.com/campaigns/squaw-valley/
direct private flights from San Jose.
Thing is--if you have that kind of coin, why would you be going to Squaw Valley? Maybe after KSL turns it into a members only resort and gets rid of the crowds.

Blackbird's $125/person/each way fare sounds outrageous, right up until you spend 8 hours just getting to Auburn.

[TahoeBC]

We skied it today. Found ice near the choke(s). Upper portion and lower half were great though.

Nice! you guys the first ones in or where there tracks already? I think I counted at least 11 folks checking it out after we left. If I had had crampons I would have gone down a bit to check it out to see if the snow got better.

[gnarbro365]

Nice! you guys the first ones in or where there tracks already? I think I counted at least 11 folks checking it out after we left. If I had had crampons I would have gone down a bit to check it out to see if the snow got better.

It looked like a set of snowboard tracks were there before we arrived. We met a party of two that beat us to Echo summit and we convinced them to drop in. We heard a bunch of scraping, but saw them ride out the apron after a while. So we dropped in. If I would have booted up it, I doubt I would have skied it.

The ice layer in there has me intrigued. I'm guessing it was from our rain event. It was on both sides/the middle, and wasn't very deep. I didn't think it would be steep enough to naturally slough 3+feet of snow off during the end of the storm. I didn't find it on any other shaded aspect.

[Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer]

Let me add to that.

Attachment 197553
Attachment 197552
Attachment 197555

P.S. snow is still good, things are still super filled in.

I think we got a pic or two of you or your buddies dropping in both from the primary entrance and where you dropped in to skiers left. I'll dig through our photos tonight. Pretty sure it was you guys.

We had been up there earlier for a lap on the scratch (we dropped in skiers left of where you entered, basically next chute/drainage over to skiers left when looking down at the lake from the top). We had just come up again to ski the N-trees for a second lap and were at the side vantage point to the skiers right where some members of your group had just skied down to.

[Paul Blart]

Got out to Chickadee Ridge for a little while before work this morning. Not the gnarliest lines I've seen on here today but it was nice to get out for a bit. Decided to keep it mellow since I was solo and didn't have a ton of time but still found some amazing snow and amazing views. Gotta love it out here.

[Huck Pitueee]

My vote for photo of the year!

[Huck Pitueee]

Let me add to that.

Attachment 197553
Attachment 197552
Attachment 197555

P.S. snow is still good, things are still super filled in.

Photo of the year! ^

[TheK12]

Sorry to interrupt the awesome flow of skiing pics BUUUT... who's the best bootfitter at Cal Ski Company in Berkeley? Looking to get some new boots and unfortunately, can't wait till I'm back in Tahoe.

[Huck Pitueee]

Tamarak area Sunday.

[skier666]

Our accommodations fell through on the West Shore due to the lengthy power outage, so I called an audible and stayed at Squaw and never left. Unfortunately it was a family of 5 in a single hotel room but we remain married if ever so slightly.

Rolled up on Thursday afternoon and had a great drive until .9 miles from the Squaw light on 89. Quick check on Twitter said power lines blocked the road...and hour later we started moving and then came to a stop. Just 20 cars up from us, a tree killed a driver and smashed the Tesla behind her. A bit unnerving in our car of 2 kids and baby so after hearing that the scene in front is 'not good, not good at all,' we got the hell out of there and had dinner in Truckee. With the road still closed at 8pm, 267 bypass was the call. An hour later due to spin-outs on the summit of 267, we make it to Squaw. Crazy how much snow around the base of Squaw for mid-January.

Other than getting a hippy untracked pow lap on the Granite opening of the season, to me Squaw was all about KT, Olympic Lady and Red Dog this past weekend. Was it crowded? Surely, that's a dumb question. Ultimately, the fog and low-level clouds remained pretty constant Friday - Sunday (days that I skied) and kept the lower mountain in phenomenal condition.

Friday - on and off flat light with only Shirley, Solitude and Gold Coast providing the upper mountain terrain. Stuck to KT and Red Dog trees especially around Poulsen's Gully. Lines on KT didn't diminish until after lunch. Funitel laps with the kiddos until it was beer 'o' clock. I was incredibly tempted rolling into some of the more exposed lines in the fingers, but with the flat light and me not knowing every little nuance in there, I stuck to the edges and yet still found some fun.

Saturday - Friends said it took over an hour to get to Squaw from Tahoe City prior to 8am, gGorgeous upper mountain weather with fog sticking around the mid-KT level for most of the day. Granite opened and was spectacular except for the line of course. Reverse Traverse opened up via Siberia and most of Broken Arrow but due to my limited schedule I stuck mostly to KT for more laps. Rumor that it took almost 2 hours to hit 89 from Plumpjack if you left at 4pm.

Sunday - another gorgeous upper mountain day with Headwall opening just before lunch. Being that Reverse Traverse opened the day prior, I continued poking around KT including Rock Garden, The Nose & Alternates. With Olympic Lady open, I took 8 laps in no time by skiing right onto the lift. The bulk of the skiing population was on the upper mountain anyway, Some more Saddle laps with the kids, laps on the Funitel, and ended the day skiing Poulsen's Gully with my 8 year old just as we did Friday and Saturday,

Had a blast and my body is shot...working on some pics & video but my instagram has the pretty pics.

[lepistoir]

Sorry to interrupt the awesome flow of skiing pics BUUUT... who's the best bootfitter at Cal Ski Company in Berkeley? Looking to get some new boots and unfortunately, can't wait till I'm back in Tahoe.

Paul.

[StormDay]

ditto on Paul

Cali Ski is usually super busy with boot fitting. So make an appt and go early in the day if you can.

[Wobby]

Photo of the year! ^

Well thanks, I'm flattered

[Wobby]

I think we got a pic or two of you or your buddies dropping in both from the primary entrance and where you dropped in to skiers left. I'll dig through our photos tonight. Pretty sure it was you guys.

We had been up there earlier for a lap on the scratch (we dropped in skiers left of where you entered, basically next chute/drainage over to skiers left when looking down at the lake from the top). We had just come up again to ski the N-trees for a second lap and were at the side vantage point to the skiers right where some members of your group had just skied down to.

Hmmm, if there were more than two of us dropping in to the scratch then its probably someone else. Lot of people hit it after the storm. We got to the top just in time to be joined by a party of 4 and then a party of 2. It turned into a real summit party! Saw your tracks to the left. Looked good over there too

[neufox47]

Damn, models showing wave after wave coming in again.

[TahoeJ]

Pressed for time this am since I still have a shit ton of snow to shovel before the next wave comes in, so I skinned up to the top of Prosser Hill peak since I spend a lot of time on my MTB in that area and always thought the terrain would ski well if there was enough snow. Was looking pretty grim on my way up but descended the W / SW glades and found preserved "powder" turns most of the way down to Carp Valley Rd. Thanks to whomever put in that skin track, which was a pleasant surprise in sledneck terrain.

[TurxSki]

The good kind of "bs"
It is snowing & windy at Alpine.

[pajamas]

I can't remember a better stretch of perfect conditions. Got 5 days in -

T - great day at Sierra at Tahoe, finding untracked most of day with staggered lift openings

F - corkscrew lap and bonus run on tallac in limited vis but deep light powder

S - Steven's Peak with a skin track freshly punched in - 3 really good laps. should have hit comma but it had sluff debris in it and didn't look ideal so I left it for you gimpy.

Su - Red Lake Peak with few people and tracks - run off the top down to crater, then bonus lap off "lost glove face"

M - return to Red Lake to hit "peace train chute" off east ridge bowl, sketchy lap on hanging face/Christopher cross chute and lap above crater lake off east ridge.

Many observations of natural avalanches both small and big around Stevens and Red Lake. Quite an impressive avalanche cycle last week.

Thanks for all the stoke everybody.

[reid]

Blackbird's $125/person/each way fare sounds outrageous, right up until you spend 8 hours just getting to Auburn.

Or until you look at the wheelsup link and see $17,500 initiation fee and $800 per seat to Truckee.

Then again, a friend with a ski lease in Truckee was talking about 1.5-2h to go 7mi to Northstar on Sunday so he just bailed.

Yikes. No thanks.

Got out to Chickadee Ridge for a little while before work this morning. Not the gnarliest lines I've seen on here today but it was nice to get out for a bit. Decided to keep it mellow since I was solo and didn't have a ton of time but still found some amazing snow and amazing views. Gotta love it out here.

Wait... who took the pic?

[powdork]

went up and poked around becker this morning snow felt awesome on the way up but then it began to drop ice pellets on us which turned into a rain snow mix right at the top. horrible skiing down but the dogs got a nice walk and then it started dumping for real on the way out.
And who can argue with

[TheK12]

ditto on Paul

Cali Ski is usually super busy with boot fitting. So make an appt and go early in the day if you can.

Thanks all!

[Paul Blart]

Wait... who took the pic?

Gopro .. I have no problems with setting it up for a shot. I need a real camera though

[Marshall Tucker]

i thought he had really long arms.

[FormerKnuckleDragger]

Or until you look at the wheelsup link and see $17,500 initiation fee and $800 per seat to Truckee.

Then again, a friend with a ski lease in Truckee was talking about 1.5-2h to go 7mi to Northstar on Sunday so he just bailed.

Yikes. No thanks.

They're...different companies. I just downloaded the Blackbird app to see actual pricing. Looks like it's between $225 and $350 each way for peak tickets (Friday up, Sunday down), and $125-$150 for off-peak.

I don't live in Palo Alto, nor would I consider something like this for regular transportation. But if I had to get to work and the family wanted to stay up to ski for a couple extra days, $125 is a screaming deal, compared to Amtrak ($68 for unreserved train/bus combo) or the ill-timed Megabus (3:30 PM departure from Reno).

[bodywhomper]

That's cheaper than southwest.

Are there rumors circulating that sugarbowl is prepping for a sale?