Lake Tahoe Skiing Conditions

Powder Alert:

The Lake Tahoe powder ski season is here

Alpine Meadows 2/28/12

With some large storm systems entering the area over the next few days, the ski and snowboarding conditions are sure to be great. 

Check out the conditions at Lake Tahoe's most popular resorts:

Squaw Valley

Alpine Meadows

Homewood

Diamond Peak

Northstar

Heavenly

Kirkwood

Sugar Bowl
Sierra at Tahoe

If your headed out into the backcountry, don't forget to check the avalanche forecast:

Lake Tahoe Sunrise, Speedboat Beach

sunrise at Speedboat Beach, Lake Tahoe

Cave Rock Lake Tahoe

Cave Rock Lake Tahoe

Cave Rock: post climbing ban

Movie Recommendation: Steep

Movie Recommendation:

Steep

Photo: Chris Noble/Sony Pictures

Steep, the 2007 film by Mark Obenhaus is a magnificent documentary about the development of modern day big mountain skiing.  Containing interviews with notorious athletes like Doug Coombs, Glenn Plake, Shane McConkey, Ingrid Backstrom, Seth Morrison, Chris Davenport, Ian McClean, and Bill Briggs the film does a wonderful job of portraying the lives of people living on the edge.  Their first hand accounts of some of the most daring adventures experienced on the some of the steepest mountainsides is breathtaking to say the least.  Much of the footage from the film is the kind of stuff that'll give you goose bumps and make your palms sweat.  With an underlying message promoting the pursuit of adventure the film is a must see for anyone passionate about big mountain skiing.  Along with the beauty and grandeur that's a part of the visual experience, Steep will leave you thinking about the uncountable adventures possible in mountains.

Also available at Netflix

Devil's Tower, Wyoming

Devil's Tower

The amazing Devil's Tower

Yosemite Trip Report: Virginia, El Capitan

Yosemite: Virginia, El Capitan

El Capitan, start to Virginia marked with red dot

      The weather was looking to cooperate, so a trip down to one of the grandest pieces of granite was in order.  El Cap is something that when you drive closer, it makes you feel more like the size of an ant.  I've found a similar feeling of grandeur in other amazing places, but because the Captain is so unrelentingly steep and directly next to the road it possesses a completely unique and powerful vibe.  Approaching El Cap with the intention of climbing one of it's routes can cause a person's mind to think up all types of things.  A feeling similar to what one experiences before a public speaking engagement is my best way of describing what goes on looking up from the base of a long climb.

arranging gear for blast off in the morning

       Merging with the well traveled Tangerine Trip route around halfway up the face, Virginia is found on the overhanging southeast wall.  Scotty and I have climbed El Cap a few times together and we've gotten into doing the routes in a push (meaning climb until your on top without stopping to sleep).  It can be trying at times to keep moving despite the exhaustion and caffeine is mandatory.  The urges to sleep are very strong, but standing on top after quickly climbing such a large steep face is a very fulfilling experience.

Starting off the day.  photo by: Tom Evans

Luckily, Tom Evans of the famous El Cap Report was in the area and captured the ascent with his artistic eye.  Much thanks goes out to Tom for not only shooting fantastic photos while climbers are up on El Cap, but he is also a sort of guardian angel in that he'll call 911 and initiate a rescue if he witnesses any accidents.  Thank you Tom.

Scotty cleaning before he takes over the lead

Switching over the lead.  photo by: Tom Evans

Since the route doesn't have any good ledges, we were psyched to have a Fish One Night Stand portaledge.  The ledge was super light and gave us a nice spot to change leads and an even better spot for the belayer to get some much needed "horizontal time."  I've used a full size ledge for these types of 2 man ascents before and while their more spacious, they really do add a little too much weight and bulk.  

Scotty taking the lead as I'm lounging comfortably.  photo by: Tom Evans

Scotty leading.  photo by Tom Evans

Scotty led through the afternoon and into the night leaving me to some nice early morning climbing as we neared the top.  

Nearing the top of Virginia, El Capitan.  photo by: Tom Evans

The summit

After something like 26 hours we made it to the top.  Time for a quick summit shot and we're off down the east slabs descent and on our way to pizza and beer.  Another memorable El Cap route with a good friend.

Slacklining on Lake Tahoe's East Shore

Slacklining on Lake Tahoe

Commuting?

Lake Tahoe Hidden Beach

Beautiful East Shore of Lake Tahoe

Mt Tom's East Ridge

East Ridge Mt. Tom, Sierra Nevada

Lake Tahoe Sunset

Sunset from Tahoe City

Reno Pub Recommendation: The Craft Wine and Beer

The Craft Wine and Beer 

   

      Known for it's remarkable selection of beer and wine from around the world, The Craft has become an extremely popular spot for people in the Reno area to get delicious beverages.  Boasting a large walk-in refrigerator, the huge selection of the finest foreign and domestic beers is ready to be consumed at any moment.  

 There's usually 3 beers on tap and are always changing so your assured another variety of draft pretty much every time your in there.   The Craft doesn't charge a corkage fee on any of their beers or wines and encourages patrons to enjoy their beverages on-site.  

For being such a unique bottle shop/pub with such a great variety and such a knowledgeable staff, The Craft's prices are actually lower on the few things I've found at other larger stores.  The variety is great and the turnover is high which means they've always got different fresh stuff.  With a number of whites in the walk-in, the selection of wines is expansive and there's something there for most any wine enthusiast. 

Enjoying a fine Belgian wild ale by the innovative Mikkeller

For those Americans that have become bored with what commercial breweries have been making for some time now, The Craft is the place to go to try something completely new or different.

Next time your in Reno check out The Craft

Movie Recommendation- 180 Degrees South: Conquerers of the Useless

Movie Recommendation

180 Degrees South: Conquerors of the Useless

A movie about lifestyle and perspective, 180 Degrees takes a look at a small group of people experiencing different types of adventures stemming from the desire to achieve the second ascent of a little known South American peak.  The trip to South America via sailboat, inspired by the well known adventurers and businessmen Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins portrays the group in a modern day light while drawing comparisons to the early days of mountain exploration.  The story shows the fulfillment derived from the journey and experiences along the way and not so much the end destination.  A good amount of footage from Chouinard and Tompkin's original 1968 van powered voyage to Patagonia sets the stage for the level of adventure and fun the modern group is looking to experience.  An entertaining movie with good humor and beautiful scenery from numerous destinations across the Americas, 180 Degrees is a great film for adventurous individuals seeking something more or different from life.

Available on Netflix

Backcountry Skiing Lake Tahoe



View of inversion clouds over Lake Tahoe from Rose Knob Jr.



 With an abundance of ski-able mountains in the Lake Tahoe area, there's tons of options for beginners and experts alike.  Access to many of the mountains is as easy as parking on the road side, making the area more than just scenic, it's very convenient.  Here's some info on three of Lake Tahoe's popular backcountry ski areas.

view of Tahoe from Jake's Peak on the west shore 

Lake Tahoe's west shore is loaded with great skiing terrain.  The Rubicon Crest, a group of mountains along the roadside just north of Emerald Bay holds a bounty of powder in it's trees and large open bowls.  Right on the roadside, access to these peaks couldn't be better.  Skinning straight from the car, a couple hours is a normal amount of time spent gaining the summit ridge.  Known for it's tree skiing, the Rubicon Crest is a good place to check if any avalanche danger exists in other areas.

For the adventurous, the South Face of Jake's Peak offers some rewarding turns 

Arguably the best ski mountain in the Lake Tahoe area, Mt. Tallac offers the backcountry enthusiast a myriad of routes to ski in the intermediate to expert range.  The approach to Tallac is a bit longer than the roadside attractions on the west shore, so be sure to bring a lunch.  With roughly 3,000 feet of vertical gain your legs will feel the ascent and descent, but the wonderful view and fresh snow make it all worth the effort.

Mt. Tallac's bountiful east face

A view of Lake Tahoe from Mt. Tallac

Tahoe's north shore offers a variety of great skiing, and at a high altitude it's known for having a good snow pack early in the season.  The north shore backcountry skiing consists of a number of peaks near Mt. Rose pass.  Many great runs can be accessed easily from Nevada highway 431, and the road allows for the possibility of shuttling cars.  With the terrain difficulty ranging from beginner to expert, any skier or snowboarder is sure to find something appropriate.  With easy access from the road, the Mt. Rose area is also renowned for its wonderful snowshoeing.

Snowboarding in the Mt. Rose Wilderness

Since these photos are meant mainly as a means for stoke and not necessarily a guide, a great resource for maps, routes, and directions is "Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding Lake Tahoe."   The book does an excellent job of detailing the mountains, routes, approaches, and potential hazards; a must read for anyone interested in exploring the Tahoe backcountry.  Please be safe out there and don't forget to check the avalanche report before heading out.  The website http://sierraavalanchecenter.org/ is an invaluable resource for every person entering the backcountry.  

Yosemite in Panoramic Black and White

Yosemite in Panoramic

Black and White

Cathedral Rocks

Half Dome

Climbers on Sea of Dreams, El Capitan

Olmstead Point

Tenaya Lake

Toulumne

All works copyright Chip Snyder 2012 

California Environmental Conservation: State Parks

California Environmental Activism

Here in California and across the rest of the US, the health of our environment is being put at risk for a number of short term benefits.  Although the various regions across the country have different issues to deal with regarding protecting the environment, an effort to show we still believe in taking care of the earth's native beauty among all the current financial difficulties remains important.  Here in California, the State Park System is being confronted with the idea of closing 70 of it's parks, or 25% of the system.  In 2009, governor Schwarzenegger tried to close 220 of the parks, but because of an overwhelming public our-cry they were saved.  This type of action is needed once again.  Not only would the parks be in-accessible, uncountable local businesses would be negatively affected.  One group working hard to help protect our beautiful natural places is Environment California.  They're involved in many of California's environmental protection fights and helped prevent the closing of the state parks last time around and are here again.  Any way you can lend help to this cause is greatly appreciated, but right now you can add yourself to a growing list of Californians against closing state parks.

Sign the list of Californians against closing state parks

A Photographic Salute to The Minarets

A Photographic Salute to The Minarets

A majestic set of mountains begging to be traversed

The Minarets

Sunrise, starting the Minaret Traverse

Clyde Minaret summit register full of famous names.  The other summits have old tin cans as registers.

Minaret Traverse photo: Chris Lamme

The beautiful Amphitheater Lake high in the Minarets

Access to the Minarets along the scenic John Muir Trail 

Yosemite Matthes Crest

Yosemite: The Matthes Crest

Lake Tahoe Sunrise

A morning view of Lake Tahoe

Tahoe Ice Climbing

Tahoe Ice Climbing

This winter's cold and dry conditions so far have led to a number of rarely formed ice climbs around the Sierra and Lake Tahoe.  The waterfall below the Emerald Bay overlook was completely frozen and climbable for weeks. 

Ice climbing Eagle Falls

Eagle Falls Emerald Bay

Ice climbing Eagle Falls in Emerald Bay, photo by Paul

  Ice climbing in Desolation Wilderness seemed like a great idea and we could see "le gran blu" from highway 89 miles away.  The walk up to Snow lake above Cascade lake was gorgeous.  The ice skating on Snow lake looked really nice, but we were there to climb the wonderful "Le Gran Blu."

Hiking above Snow lake

Almost to the ice climbing

cruisin'  le gran blu, photo by Paul

Nearing the top of the ice climb 

To get to Snow lake and Le Gran Blu, we hiked past the fully fat Cascade falls.  Another beautiful piece of Tahoe ice climbing.

Cascade Falls

These ice formations are so amazing, even non-ice climbers can enjoy their beauty.