Lake Tahoe 2-12/13/14-09 (Squaw, Heavenly, Kirkwood)

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(Too many pics and verbiage for a single post)

Part 1: the arrival and Squaw (2/11 & 2/12).

This trip is an annual guys only trip (which changes location) with the core of the group being one of my brothers and our 3 cousins plus assorted friends and other relatives that drift in and out. This year we had 8 - 2 from san diego, 2 from just outside NYC, 1 from Rochester (NY), 1 from Pittsburg, 1 from Vancouver (BC), and myself (Colo). Location and timing were chosen last August and was looking like a bad choice right up until about a week prior to the trip. Mother Nature finally intervened and started dropping snow on Tahoe. The new worry became - would we run into road difficulties and avi closures on the slopes.

Half the group arrived on Wed into Reno (the second half was to be Sacramento on Thurs, but the NYC'ers got hosed by AA and ended up in San Fran). Unfortunately for some, the Reno flights were staggered all day and by the time I arrived (last) one had already 'bought' himself a craps table :shock: . A quick grocery stop (with lift tickets) later and we had no trouble getting to our 1970's special condo in Stateline. For guys, no problem, but good thing several of the wives were not along to stay in that place. Not disastrous, just beat into the ground and no improvements other than maybe paint for many years.

Among the group much BS'ing occurs and lots of razzing as well. The "Reno 4" consisted of the 2 strongest skiers and the 2 um, mellowest, skiers in the group who show up as much for the camaraderie as anything else.... They made the call to tour around Tahoe and not ski on day #1. They were kind enough to drive the other 2 of us to Squaw.

Stateline had some snow on the ground – but not much and only got ½ inch overnight, so expectations for powder were non-existent - and quickly shattered \/ \/ . The west side of the lake had several inches overnight at lake level and boot top to knees up top at Squaw. After riding the Tram up we headed straight for the Palisades like kids looking at a candy store. As it was the first run of the day we ‘bailed out’ by taking Main chute with it’s wide open entrance and lesser pitch.

After which we shuffled over to the granite chief area, first dropping in a chute from emigrant and then getting multiple laps of both untouched and partly cut up powder. There were enough people (and more than I ever expected for a Thursday) to have short lines on Granite Chief. At one point my brother and a woman ended up colliding - hard. He coming down a ridge with a spot of 15 foot wide on skiers right (cluster of trees to the left) and she coming from (our point of view) behind the trees from skiers left. Both ended up being OK, but quite the scare and with my brother having gotten thrown over the edge of the ridge onto the slope below (fortunately not too steep or rocky/cliffy in that exact spot). He had another good one later on a traverse hitting a whoop-de-doo too fast and landing in soft snow for a double eject and full somersault through powder.

After a while we both ended up hungrier than expected and hit Gold Coast by ~12:45 for a quick bite before hitting the Palisades one more time. This time hitting 1st chute (I think that’s the name).

Then starting a long progression back toward the base. Hitting Headwall chair 3 or 4 times and eventually KT22 a couple of laps before calling it a day around 3:45. Not sure of too many place names of the runs but we did hit the Headwall/chute a couple times and backside of KT. By then much of the pow was either cut up or skied out, but still sections of some untouched in the limited trees areas (given the wide spacing of the trees relative to what I’m used to, I find it a bit funny how those were so untouched on KT between the runs/chutes even at the end of the day.

After hitting the buffet at Harrah’s and way overeating #-o , the others arrived and we stayed up until something like 1:30am (nuts of a logistical effort for just two days isn’t it? That’s why some of us have moved up to 3 days on site).

Sorry for the lack of action shots. Took some video for that (put together by next week?).

Also more segments to come... (tonight?)

 

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Part 2: Powder pigs at Heavenly (2/13).

Much, much debate on where to start the day at Heavenly. With most pushing for using Harrah’s parking to ride the gondola (not that you are supposed to do that). But with a couple of us pushing for a Stagecoach, NV start – which eventually won out. And what a good thing too. A predicted storm front that was supposed to give a few inches overnight came in late – just as we were driving up the Kingsbury grade O .

Now getting 8 people that have just shown up together organized is no small feat, but we made it up on the hill by probably 9:30. The ticket folks were giving $10 off since 4 lifts were shut down due to wind – including the Gondola, Dipper, Sky and Tamarack. The proposition was we could make it over to CA side if we really wanted to, but not get back to NV without riding shuttle busses.

For those that know, NV side has two very small base lodges/parking lots. CA side has a much bigger base and shuttles would primarily be taking Gondi passengers over to that side. Up we went and traversed our way to Comet which I knew would have good blue’s for the mellower portion of the group. The wind was in our faces going up the lifts, cold temps (for Tahoe, basically typical for say Breckenridge back home) and pounding snow. We took several runs as a group off Comet in the thickening creamy powder including a couple of tree runs. I’ve always felt that Heavenly has the best tree skiing of any area I’ve ever been to (Mt Bachelor coming in #2 on my list).

Lo and behold after just a couple of runs they opened Dipper chair to the top of NV side. So a couple more runs as a group including Milky Way bowl, before we split up into sub-groups. With 3 of us heading to Killebrew. Given that Sky chair was not yet open there were not many of us on the NV side skiing the ~5” or so of new snow (by then). Turns out that Killebrew especially and a bit less so Mott’s were protected from the wind and the snow was much deeper. Probably as much as 18” in Killebrew and 10-12” in Mott’s \/ \/ . And very light & dry pow for Tahoe . It could have passed for Colo or even Utah snow.

The 3 of us hit a completely untouched Stateline chute . In fact there were very few tracks in Killebrew at all. After traversing we lapped Mott’s a couple of times to spread out the traversing pain and to eat up the untracked powder there as well. Hitting Bill’s and the Y among others with perhaps 1 or 2 tracks prior to ours. I do like Mott’s though it’s a bit short and the lift was installed with a poorly thought out top point. The HSQ for Dipper makes it sooooo much easier to lap Killebrew now compared to when I worked here in the early 90’s.

Hunger had set in and the sun was trying it’s best to be out (mix of sun & cloud/flurries the rest of the day). After a quick stop at East Peak Lodge our 3rd dropped out, so back to just my brother & I for a few more laps in Killebrew where despite Sky now being open, hardly anyone was in Killebrew and the few that were, were mostly taking the least interesting route – Boulevard. We looked the Fingers and Ramarrah’s over intensely, but decided they were still a bit too sketchy (I do wish we had time to do pipeline – it looked very choice).

Speaking of which, there are still rocks to be found and one or two on the traverse to Mott’s lift, but not all that many. I scraped my edges up a bit but no real shots to the bases. I’d guess when I left, Tahoe was still a bit low for ‘normal’ snow base but at least starting to get close to normal – especially above 7,500’ or so. But then that assessment is changing daily right now.

After the run down in around 4pm we enjoyed a brew in the Stagecoach lodge. Something I don’t recommend after finding out the beers are $8 per :!: :shock: :shock: :shock: Found out that most of the others had hit CA side for a run at some point and that they loved the tree skiing.

We hit the cheap steak dinner in Lakeside Casino before heading to Harvey’s to meet a local friend of one of my cousin’s and do a little gambling (‘little’ being the key word. Gambling can be fun and all, but it’s mostly a tax on the mathematically challenged). Everyone burnt out, tired and crashed for some zzzz’s by ~10:30.

Just another Heavenly day in Tahoe.

More non-action pics. My camera acted up a lot that day and finally got it resolved late in the day. hopefully some good video for later though.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

Nice scenics.

What's the deal with you and action shots? 8-[

 

[ski-the-face]

nice picture of tram face. not sure how the freeriding championships are gunna use that

 

[EMSC]

What's the deal with you and action shots?

As in the lack of them? or my fascination with them?

I love scenics, but I find them to be somewhat easy to get. & too many pics of people standing around just doesn't cut it for me. I like the challenge presented by trying for good action shots.

 

[tseeb]

I think the chute at Squaw you call Main is actually less difficult National. Main is almost a chimney with mandatory air unless it is really filled in.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

the lack of them

Not that my pix are going to win any awards, but an action shot or two would be swell. Throw us a bone. :snowball fight:

 

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Part 3: Debate, more debate and eventually lots more powder (2/14).

Even more snow came in and fell overnight. But we had planned to hit Alpine meadows and rte89 around the west shore was closed. Where to go? We discussed Kirkwood, Sierra, and Mt Rose – ad nausea. Sierra just doesn’t interest experts. Rose could be great - reporting 16” of new, but on a 38 – 50 something base with ‘some’ of their chutes open. Kirkwood though was reporting 22-25” of new on a 80-something to 100-something base. Eventually we convinced the blue skiers that Kirkwood, despite reputations, actually does have blue slopes.

Chain signs were up for basically every road, but no controls to Kirkwood (we were in 2 SUV’s anyway. Echo summit did have checks going on). We didn’t arrive until ~10:45 and parked in the TC lot. We knew it would likely be crowded being a major holiday weekend. One of the reasons we didn’t even consider Heavenly as an option for Saturday.

We immediately split up and while trying to take a run off Cornice in Sentinel bowl with 6, we ended up shattering the group into 1’s & 2’s. Easily 2 feet of new snow and quite dense. Not wet cement, dry milkshake thickness stuff. I really could have used reverse camber, fat powder skis. Instead I was on 166cm SL skis (good for quick turns in chutes & trees. Not so much for this kind of pow). So easy to have the ski tips submarine it wasn’t even funny. It took a run or two to adjust so that I didn’t come to a grinding halt while still pointed downhill.

A couple more runs on Cornice which was getting pretty chopped up in the main trails and we attempted to re-convene at the Wall & Reut. It took two runs for that to happen partly because the Wall went down due to mechanical issues ](*,) . The Reut line got um, rather large. Once we were all together we noted that Chair 2 was finally open (Backside had been closed the day before and all morning so far).

So we went over to find #4 still not running and lapped #3 once for good measure. Getting lucky in timing it so that as #4 opened about 1:15pm we didn’t have much of a wait. We were about half way up when the very first skiers got off the top. Much hilarity ensued as something >50% of everyone augured in or flipped over due to the dense nature of the very deep powder :lol: . Snowboards which are usually good in pow, were a liability as they had to lean so far on their back foot to keep from crashing and then be hosed once they hit flat runouts trying to get to the one groomed run after the pitches.

The mellower skiers in our group stayed on the one blue groomer while the same 3 of us from Heavenly hit a couple of laps of untracked \/ \/ (cold shoulder, larry’s lip). It’s not particularly steep which added extra challenge to things. We found the few ridges of trees to be less dense, easier to ski snow which no one was hitting (no longer surprised after Squaw). Eventually ending back at just my brother & I again while the rest of the crew headed back to the frontside while we hit several more laps including 2 man chute into the cirque (I think it was 2 man chute – doesn’t matter it was steep & fun).

By the time we hit 2 Man chute again to fully return to the frontside, we barely made Cornice chair at ~2 minutes of 4. With a run in Sentinal/Palisades bowl(s) where things were still only partly tracked up in some areas (Why do so many ski areas repeat each others trail/area names?).

With dinner in the condo and the annual crash award given out, we woke at 4:30am to get people to 7am flights with a HUGE storm about to move in. Fortunately for us it literally started snowing up there again about an hour after we crossed Spooner Summit (the cars going the other way left an hour later with a dusting on the roads by they time they got to Echo summit).

Finally let me just say how many tattoo shops, pawn shops, payday loan shops, piercing shops and adult entertainment places Reno has on it’s south side. Not to mention the bums all over the streets in downtown. Blech. Can’t imagine wanting to live there with a family. It’s the big Tahoe drawback – no good cities with good jobs within easy driving that you’d ever WANT to live in IMO. (this rant stemming from 2 of us having to kill 3 hours before heading back to the airport).

A great trip with a fun crew. Lets do it again next year.

 

[EMSC]

I think the chute at Squaw you call Main is actually less difficult National. Main is almost a chimney with mandatory air unless it is really filled in.

Sounds right. I spent my time primarily at south shore areas (esp Heavenly since I worked there) when I lived in Tahoe. I know the lifts & general areas of Squaw but individual chutes & run names not so much (esp after 16 years!).

 

[Tony Crocker]

Great call to base in Nevada for the powder day at Heavenly. That was the scenario the first day I ever skied powder successfully back in 1980. With the upper mountain connection severed the Nevada side was absolutely empty, so I had the time to ski untracked in terrain I could handle without much competition.

This report really highlights Heavenly at its best. The Saturday of the holiday weekend if weather was nice could have been the opposite: thundering hordes, bottlenecks getting on/off the hill and on those connector trails, etc.

at least starting to get close to normal – especially above 7,500’ or so.

Below that I have to believe it's still way down. Was that noticeable at Squaw? I notice Silverado is still closed. There are quite a few lines in many places at Squaw that need ~8 feet of base. What percent of Squaw is still not skiable in your opinion?

 

[tseeb]

It sounds like you hit Heavenly better than I did the previous Saturday when Killibrew was closed. We found close to a foot near the bottom of Mott's. I'll have to ask the guy across the street from our cabin if Firebreak is skiable to the gondola base.

Kirkwood, with 7800' base elevation, is reporting 24-28" new in last 24 hours with 92-124" in the last 7 days and the total for the year is 224-286". It may have been drier than EMSC experienced as chain control on 50 is 4 miles east of Placerville. 88 is closed West of Kirkwood at the Carson Spur due to heavy snow. My friend was going up for today so I hope he knows that it's closed and has an alternate. I'm hoping that it keeps snowing and they can't open the whole mountain today and as I'm going up early tomorrow. Today I'm going to watch the start and te 1st hill of the Tour of CA bike race in San Jose and then take my son to his driving test,

 

[EMSC]

Below that I have to believe it's still way down. Was that noticeable at Squaw? I notice Silverado is still closed. There are quite a few lines in many places at Squaw that need ~8 feet of base. What percent of Squaw is still not skiable in your opinion?

I'll have to ask the guy across the street from our cabin if Firebreak is skiable to the gondola base.

My guess is no way on Firebreak (otherwise I might have tried it O ). Upper portion is probably good, but lower down it'd be a rocky mess. The snow when I left was both a bit more elevational than normal and also more western vs eastern than normal. Tahoe always is both elevational and Sierra crest dependent, but even more enhanced effects of both this year IMO. Lake level snowpack in stateline was probably only 8-12" when I left. By Squaw/Homewood/etc... on the NW shore they probably had ~3-4 feet at lake level on Thursday (prob a bit more for both by now).

So upper lifts were good, lower down quite a bit thinner - true for both Squaw and Heavenly, though Squaw had more lower down to the point of being reasonable to ski without much issue. I'd say Squaw is ~90% to ~95% there for complete skiability. Some of the biggest chutes are not quite there or have one or two annoying rocks, Fingers on KT not doable, etc... but even lower down most things were reasonably skiable if you paid attention to pick your lines to avoid the remaining rocky areas.

 

[Tony Crocker]

Tahoe always is both elevational and Sierra crest dependent, but even more enhanced effects of both this year IMO.

You got that right. Much more sensitive than normal on both counts this year.

 

[hayduke]

kirkwood 2 17...............at least knee deep everywhere, jacket deep in many spots. the line on cornice down to just a few minutes. the wall and backside closed today. should all be open tomorrow . bring your powder boards

 

[pointpeninsula]

Fantastic TR, Thanks!

I spent a week at Heavenly two years ago, when the canyons were closed for lack of snow, and Oswego, NY was on CNN getting 8 FEET of snow. Go figure.

If your Rochester crewmember would like a traveling buddy from the Roc, just give me a shout. I'm not a well-practiced powder skier, but I'm sure willing to learn. Sunday River three weeks ago was a wonderful introduction to fresh powder in the trees, even if it was East Coast powder. Even on Sierra Cement (tm), Heavenly's trees sure were fun.

Tom

 

[Tony Crocker]

wonderful introduction to fresh powder in the trees....Heavenly's trees sure were fun.

As noted above, Heavenly's trees were my introduction to fresh powder in 1980, highly recommended.

 

[EMSC]

Too much work when you take a lot of video! In that sense, a good thing that my helmet cam batteries died on day 3 at Kirkwood with no usable footage yet. I tried to be objective with cutting footage out, though tough to do when you authored most of it (heck the vid started out @20+min!). Still, a rather long video though - I had to split it into two segments to post to the web in all its 11 1/2 min glory.

Part 1 (~7 1/2 min):
[skitube2]http://www.firsttracksonline.com/modules/crpVideo/pnmedia/videos/1235503630_Tahoe_Feb09_-_Web4.flv[/skitube2]

Part 2 (~4 min):
[skitube2]http://www.firsttracksonline.com/modules/crpVideo/pnmedia/videos/1235505678_Tahoe_Feb09_-_Web4_001.flv[/skitube2]

 

[mikesathome]

Nice shots with the camera.
I like the boot cam, i have done that a few times on the snowboard, but looks like it would work a little better with my skis.
that hard part is keeping the snow off it, in all that pow :mrgreen: