While winter continues in Tahoe the faith in some semblance of spring skiing remains. Here’s a few shots of some Route 395 roadside classics taken Memorial Day Weekend before yet another storm rolled in.
Southern elevations down on the Eastside are as burnt as you’d expect for June, but up high is a different story. The Bridgeport area was mostly socked in on my cruise south last Friday, as was Dunderberg, but the Green Creek Couloir was fat and should hold up well for snow sliding for at least a few more weeks.
Mt. Dana was also socked in, but I was able to get this shot of the Dana Plateau. We had hoped to ski off the newly opened Tioga Pass Saturday, but with the weather that came in Friday night we left Bishop, passed on Tioga, and just skied pow at Squaw. Nonetheless The Plateau and Dana should be solid for a while. In this shot you can see Coke Chute, the top of Ripper, Gutter (it still goes according to recent reports), Liberty (looks like the rappel may be bigger than usual), and Third Pillar (apparently as wide as it gets right now).
Bloody might be worth skiing well into July this year. The hanging snowfield line still goes (middle), and the often neglected lookers left couloir is looking super worthy.
Mt. Tom is pretty burnt at the bottom, but there’s enough coverage to ski off the summit which is amazing for June. The Tungstar bowls off to the lookers right are also looking pretty good.
One of my favorite views on the Eastside as you roll into Bishop- the view of Basin Mountain, Mt. Humphrey’s, Peak 13,192’, Mt. Locke, and Mt. Emerson.
Here’s what they looked like in the morning on our way to ski Peak 13,192’.
Here’s a close-up in the morning of Basin,
the North Couloir of Mt. Humphrey’s,
and Mt. Emerson showcasing the stunning Zebra and North Couloirs as seen from top of the Checkered Demon Couloir on Saturday.
Here’s a shot of Peak 13,192′ and the horribly named Kindergarten Chute (skis much better than the name).
I know I keep saying this, and every time I do the weather changes, but maybe after this next round of snow…we’ll get some decent spring skiing conditions. Until then you can always join the climbers bouldering in the Buttermilks if your get bagged on skiing down south,
or just hit up Mono Cone after an epic meal at Whoa Nellie Deli in Lee Vining and ski powder in Tahoe.
More conditions reporting in this week’s State of the Backcountry coming shortly. FYI, it’s dumping right now in Tahoe…the spring that never was continues…