Wow. Utah is amazing! Zion National Park was the first stop on our roadtrip last month and the weather was prime for hiking and camping. Cool nights, not too hot days, I highly suggest a spring visit to this park. It took us about 11 hours to get to the park from our home on Tahoe’s West Shore, but we stopped for plenty of photos.
We arrived to the park at sunset and chose the Watchman Campground to set up our tent. It’s more set back from the main road than the South Campground, with newer amenities. Our site was on the outer rung of the campground, providing great views of the towering Watchman right from our tent. We couldn’t secure the site for two nights though, so night 2 we set up camp at the walk-in site the next night. You have to walk in your gear, but bear boxes keep your food safe for the night, and some communal campfire spots make the walk-in sites great for groups. An extra bonus was a short, steep trail up the knoll behind our tent to a historic Indian storage site with great valley views.
Day One we got right into hiking, choosing to tackle the famous Angels Landing first. A rocky cliff that juts up from the valley floor right smack in the middle of the park, it’s a one-of-a-kind hike that provides views of the canyon from every angle. You start at the Virgin River, near towering Fremont cottonwoods, on a very pedestrian friendly trail (mostly paved) trail. There are tons of switchbacks but the hike is very easy due to the mostly paved terrain.
At the top of the most-traveled trail is a fork: Left leads on the West Rim Trail, along a trail affording views of Moonlight Buttress (one of Chris’s climbing goals so we made an excursion out here after Angels). Right leads the rest of the way (1.5 miles) along a spiky ridge to the top of Angels Landing. This part is not for the height-sensitive. Or is it? I am pretty afraid of heights but was so happy that I did this hike, or scramble. Lots of chains are installed to help you up the tricky sections. The slickrock topped with sand is a bit fear-inducing if you’re not used to it but you’ve just got to trust your feet. It’s amazing the amount of people that do this hike despite its difficulty. As we were going up, an older couple from Florida was behind us and made it to the top. I kept watching all the flatlanders around me and told myself that if they could do it, I had no excuse to be afraid.
After descending we treating ourselves to lounging by the Virgin River in the sun, shoes off and bare feet in the frigid water.
Day Two we set off for a full lengthwise hiking tour of Zion. We took the park shuttle to the end of the canyon and hiked the 1 mile approach to The Narrows. The water was too high for The Narrows to be open but when it is you can continue up canyon to ultra-narrow walls as you walk up into the Virgin River.
Though not advertised, there is a small riverside trail that runs most of the way down the park. It’s a beautiful way to see the park outside of the shuttle; we were even treated to a deer herd running by us and crossing the river. Big Bend was one of our favorite stops as it’s just north of our previous day’s hike and has great vistas as the river takes a huge turn around Angels Landing. From there, we continued down the small river trail to Weeping Rock, where we hiked up to the Weeping Rock and to Hidden Canyon, for more chain-assisted hiking to a dark hidden canyon. As you can see in the below photos, the trail wraps along a cliffside for some pretty cool hiking terrain.
From Weeping Rock to the next shuttle stop down canyon (The Grotto, where you get off to hike Angels Landing), there is not a good riverside trail, so you’ll need to take the shuttle. We tried to do that hike but had to hike on the road for half of it, so take my advice and shuttle it!
At The Grotto, we crossed the river to the Kayenta Trail that follows the riverbank up to Emerald Pools. This trail was awesome, with great river views, mellow hiking and a cool section that goes through a split rock. This trail is definitely one of the best Zion hikes that the whole family can do.
After two full days of hiking (and a big backpacking trip ahead of us), we treated ourselves to afternoon ice cream and then dinner at the Whiptail Grill in Springdale, the town just outside the park. The chicken enchiladas with chile verde sauce are a must-order!
Day Three we headed on our next adventure, toward Escalante, which afforded us a great opportunity to see the rest of Zion National Park with a drive on the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway. While you can’t drive up the main canyon, you can drive on this part, and the road takes you through a long tunnel and then out onto a dramatically different landscape that looks a lot more desert. Then it was off to Escalante for slot canyons and backpacking… which I’ll tell you all about in Part Two of this adventure.
The Tahoe Mountain Sports Adventure of the Week blog series takes a walk, hike, bike, or Zion National Park hike in someone else’s shoes, from pro athletes to local Tahoe adventurers. Let us know if you’ve got an adventure to share.
This Adventure of the Week comes from TMS owner, Dave, who ventured down to the Eastern Sierra to salvage this crazy, low-snow season for some high elevation, alpine fun!
Who: Dave, Andy from Sierra Descents, Zach, Sara and Molly the dog
What: Backcountry spring skiing
Where: Tioga Pass Road, the Eastern Gateway to Yosemite National Park
Caltrans doesn’t take a big liking to skiers I don’t think, but when fishing season is due to open, you can rest assured that means most of the roads on the Eastern Sierra are going to try and open. And luck just has it that every year, the fishing opener coincides with some of the best spring skiing the country has to offer. Yup, right in our own backyard, the Eastern Sierra is a spring skiing mecca, and when the roads open up to 9,000 ft+, you can’t really go wrong.
View of False White from the parking area on Hwy 120
Being a horrible snow year in this part of the Sierra, we were quickly turned around from a lower route on Mt. Koip due to miles of hiking that would have had to be done on dirt, and instead opted for the snow start and end. We parked at the intersection of Saddlebag Lake Rd and Hwy 120 both days. False White is a pretty easy and straightforward 2.5–3 hour climb from this parking area. Saturday was super warm with almost no wind, so we opted to explore a bit as the regular descent (southeast face) was a bit mushy already. Instead, we headed to this notch we spotted that would drop us on the north side into the Skeleton Lakes Basin.
The shoulder on False White by which we accessed the North Bowls
This proved to be a great choice as the skiing stayed wintery over there and gave us an extra long tour to get out. We were still off the snow by 2pm as the warming was getting extreme and the snow was turning quickly. Our views and ideas just as quickly turned to Sunday and the idea to bag one of the couloirs on Mt. Conness.
For Sunday, Andy from Sierra Descents and Sara (Zach’s wife) met up with us for what was sure to be an epic. I had never traveled in the winter back to Saddlebag Lake and Conness in particular so I was extremely excited to see this new terrain and ski some of the best stuff we could find. We started at 6:30am to ensure the midday heat would not be as much of a problem as it was on Saturday and headed out towards Saddlebag Lake. Once rounding Saddlebag, getting overtaken by some super fast and crazy backcountry Nordic skiers (see this photo album), we pushed on to the Conness Glacier and eventually the Y-couloirs on another route to the ridge.
The Conness Basin as seen once rounding Saddlebag Lake
It took about 4ish hours to reach the base of the Y-Couloirs and based on the look of them and the possible bergshrunds that we could see in the shorter, Summit Couloirs, we decided this was the way to go. Crampons and axes out, we headed up. Andy lead the first half and then I took over for the second on some pretty steep and exposed terrain; we sure were happy to have those crampons on. After about an hour in the chute, we pulled up and over and were on the ridge with a view out into the rest of the Sierra that can’t be beat.
The snow in the chute was perfect, edgeable and carveable with even a little pow thrown in for fun. And then, the way out was just perfect soft, corn snow and we were able to kick and glide our way back to the car without donning skins again. This video from Andy at Sierra Descents pretty much sums it up. Can’t wait to get out there again!
See the rest of the pictures from this Tioga Pass skiing trip on our Facebook Album.
The Tahoe Mountain Sports Adventure of the Week blog series takes a walk, hike, bike, or Eastern Sierra backcountry ski trip in someone else’s shoes, from pro athletes to local Tahoe adventurers. Let us know if you’ve got an adventure to share.
This Adventure of the Week comes from Max Neale, Review Editor for Outdoor Gear Lab, which was recently named Best Gear Website by Outside Magazine. Max regularly contributes reviews and tales from the road on our blog. He took us climbing in Turkey in February, and now we head down California’s Lost Coast…
If backpacking trips were like dinner dates, the Lost Coast Trail would be a seaside French bistro. It doesn’t get much better than this: the logistics are simple, the terrain is mild, and the views are spectacular. Whether you’re looking for a romantic weekend outing, or a peaceful solo hike, the Lost Coast Trail could be one of the best coastal walks in the world.
Looking south from the Punta Gorda Lighthouse
The Lost Coast is a mostly undeveloped section of the California coast. It lies far up north, just south of Eureka. The terrain is mountainous and wet; this is the land of Redwoods and pristine aqua-blue rivers. Lost Coast can be done anytime, but summer has best weather and winter has the lowest tides (so you may be able to pass through some sections that would otherwise be impassible at high tide). The trail that bears the area’s name stretches roughly eighty miles from where Route 1 cuts inland, south of Garberville, to Fortuna where it rejoins 101. Though this whole stretch is walkable, most people do a 26-mile section (from the Mattole River to Shelter Cove) along the water. This is a rare slice of beachside wilderness. Sea otters and sea lions chatter as you walk along deserted beaches scattered with polished rocks and driftwood. Camp wherever you like: anywhere is a five star site.
Lost Coast Logistics
Park at the Mattole River Trailhead, where you self-register for free permits. “Mandatory” bear canisters are available at the Petrolia General Store (707-629-3455) for $5 plus deposit. Hike south for two nights, being mindful of several sections that can’t be passed at hightide, and hitchhike back from Shelter Cove or leave a car there. This Lost Coast map shows start and end points, particularly good campsites, and tide-related information.
The Tahoe Mountain Sports Adventure of the Week blog series takes a walk, hike, ski, Lost Coast Trail backpack in someone else’s shoes, from pro athletes to local Tahoe adventurers. Let us know if you’ve got an adventure to share.
How can a guy top off a week of skiing, eating, libations and laughter with three of his best friends? He goes climbing! And in Bend, Oregon, Smith Rock is where you head in the winter. I met with my friends Ashley, Mollie, and Shauna who live in this amazing Central Oregon town. We spent 2 days at Mt. Bachelor, toured Shevlin park by way of trail running, sampled lots of great beer, woke up late for coffee meetings at local spots in funky brick-lined alleyways, dressed up for neon-bowling, wined, dined, danced, and laughed ourselves to death. Did I mention that it was a spectacular week?
Ashley had asked me to bring some gear with me. Since she’s starting to rock the local indoor bouldering scene at Bend Rock Gym, she wants to begin tackling outdoor routes. Sweet! One more bag of gear to shuffle into the pickup. So on Sunday morning, Shauna, Ashley, and I headed about 25 miles northeast of Bend over to Smith Rock State Park to scope the scene.
From the parking lot, it’s a short, scenic walk across the river to the two most popular sections of rock: The Dihedrals and Morning Glory Wall. We had belay school for a bit, and then hit a fun easy climb: Five Gallon Buckets (5.8), which consists of a tafoni-pitted rock face. We then moved to a 5.9+ route just left of the Peanut, a spot between Morning Glory and Dihedrals. The name escapes me, but it was a great climb forcing you to use some jamming, stemming and some teeny, crimpy little holds. What I noticed most about Smith is how well developed this wonderful climbing location is. Belay pads have been built with rock retaining walls, and in some spots there are beefy wooden stairs leading up and down the pathways, or directly up the rock to a belay. I was extremely impressed with the work they’ve put in there!
In Bend, you could literally ski Bachelor all morning, then head to the rock in the afternoon and have less than an hour commute between the two. Additionally, most of the climbing at Smith Rock faces south, which means you’re taking in the sun the whole time. The scene here on a warm day is pretty busy. Smith is definitely a popular location, but worth going because of the mellow vibe and beautiful view. And there’s so much climbing, that even with the weekend crowd, we were able to find climbs without waiting. There are plenty of routes on both ends of the difficulty spectrum. From 5.7 to 5.12 and above. How can you beat this in the middle of winter?
The Tahoe Mountain Sports Adventure of the Week blog series takes a walk, hike, ski, climb in someone else’s shoes, from pro athletes to local Tahoe adventurers. Let us know if you’ve got an adventure to share.
In this Adventure of the Week, we hear from Kendra Wilson, a University of Nevada, Reno, student who is serious about snowskating. Follow her from competitions to powder runs in this exclusive report on the Tahoe snowskating scene.
WHO: Kendra Wilson (pictured above at the Minus 7 Melee comp)
WHAT: Ralston Cup and Minus 7 Melee Snowskate Competitions, and the best Powder day of my life.
WHEN: March 10-18 2012
WHERE: Tahoe ski resorts Sierra at Tahoe and Donner Ski Ranch
My passion is riding snow… without bindings. I’m a snowskater, which means I’m the person on the mountain having the most fun. Snowskating is like skateboarding on snow. We don’t use bindings. We don’t use uncomfortable boots. The top-deck of a snowskate is shaped like a skateboard with grip on top for traction. Snowskate-specific trucks attach a ski to the bottom of the top-deck. Just like skiers and snowboarders, we can ride all mountain terrain, and we can grind rails. What we can do that you can’t are flip tricks and one footed and no footed grabs.
I went through a Transworld Snowboarding magazine several months ago and counted the number of pictures of guys doing tricks with one foot unstrapped, there were more than 10. Think about it. It is possible to ride snow without straps… all the time… on a snowskate. I fell in love with a snowskate the first time I rode one, and I don’t even snowboard anymore. I’d rather step on a snowskate and be challenged to progress at something new than… actually anything!
I competed in my first snowskate competition with other female competitors on March 10, 2012, at Sierra at Tahoe. I’ve competed in other snowskate competitions, but never with other females. It was a total new experience riding and competing with women!
There were five ladies registered: Randi Rettke, Mathilda Spiers, Tara Atkins, Michelle Hickman, and myself. These ladies are some of the most talented women in the sport, and it was such a progressive experience to ride with them. These women stepped up to the most gnarly features and made them look tame. Randi really stepped in up and stomped several hits of the spotlight Neff feature.
The day was sunny, and perfect for a competition. The Ralston Cup is the event to meet up and hang out with snowskaters from all over the US and Canada. The vibe was mellow, everyone was cheering for everyone. The thing about snowskating is that the community is so small still that everyone knows each other and is super stoked to see anyone on a snowskate. Snowboarders can get a little brutal if you’re not going super big or if you eat it. You’ve got chairlift critics who can be just plain mean. It’s not like that when you are on a snowskate. You’re instantly “in” and you don’t have to put up with all that negativity. It’s just pure stoke.
I ended up placing 3rd in the competition to Randi Rettke (1st) and Tara Atkins (2nd). We each got a trophy. Then, it was off to the “Bonser Pipeline,” which is the most well-known backyard setup and after party for the Ralston Cup.
The following weekend was the Minus 7 Melee, which is held at Donner Ski Ranch on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2012. This competition had more of a homegrown feel. We watched the features get built that day by Minus 7 team members, and features were brought from all around to build the park. There was the famous Donner Ski Ranch log jib, a kinked rail, a few flat boxes, and a rooftop feature. Everything was very hittable for almost all skill levels, which made it very fun.
I squeaked out a 1st place in this competition followed very closely by Mathilda Spiers in 2nd place and Tara Atkins in 3rd. I won a case of Guinness, a homemade hat, and some wax.
Then, everyone met at the top for the very last run of the day: the Irish Downhill Race. Rules were: No rules. Any line is a go. First one to the bar wins. Pat Bonser made it to the bottom, ordered, and received his beer before 2nd place even rolled in. He won an awesome, custom Minus 7 Longboard.
A misconception about snowskating is that it can’t be done in powder. Well, yes it can! It is the best feeling in the world to ride powder without being restricted in the confines of bindings! It’s so free and flowy. It feels like surfing!
March 18, 2011, was my first powderskating experience and I’ve been jonesing to get back at it ever since! It’s completely addicting.
Conditions were perfect! Snow was dumping and every single run at Donner Ski Ranch was freshies! There were no lift lines and we had a snowskate posse six people deep! We took runs from 10am all the way until last chair and we still wanted more of the fresh goods!
Well, that’s the short of it. My snowskate adventure, which included the very best parts of snowskating: the community, urban-style skating on man-made features, and powderskating. For more information on the sport visit ProjectSnowskate.com.
The Tahoe Mountain Sports Adventure of the Week blog series takes a walk (or snowskate) in someone else’s shoes, from pro athletes to local Tahoe adventurers. Let us know if you’ve got an adventure to share.
Zack recently asked me if I feel like a Nevadan now that I made the jump across the state line. The first thing that came to mind was guns and I did go shooting last weekend.
Up until a couple years ago I’d never shot more than a BB gun. Then I took a clinic at the Northstar Biathlon range and got a feel for what a .22 can do. What could be more fun than skiing with guns?
I showed up in Mammoth with rusty skills and no practice and got to talking with folks to see what I could relearn in short order. The first thing I was told is that they are called rifles and not guns. They are really like big BB guns with no kickback, but I don’t care either way if that makes me less of a Nevadan or not. I’ve lived in Tahoe for 12 years and am still not sure what makes you a local. Biathlon made its Olympic debut here in the 1960 Squaw Valley Olympics so maybe having some biathlon experience now qualifies more as a local.
I was to go off in the 5th and final wave of the day around noon and it had been snowing steadily since about 8:00 a.m. The rifles were staged in the shooting range (they provided loaners) and I had no time to practice. I didn’t even touch a rifle prior to my start so I wasn’t sure how this was going to go down.
It took 2 chairlifts to get to the biathlon range in Reds Lake Basin at Mammoth Mountain. The course was a 1.5k loop (1 mile) with short steep climbs, hairpin turns and a long gentle grade around Reds Lake. The penalty loop was 75 meters for every missed shot. We were at 9500’ and my lungs were challenged during my warm-ups so I made a conscious note to back it off a bit so I could see and shoot straight. The range was impressive and could handle 20 biathletes at a time.
The first 2 waves were pro/elite and National Guard athletes. The last 3 waves were for the rest of us. After some delays and at least a few inches of new snow I shed a few layers and got to racing. The sent us off with a non-climatic GO! The steep climbs and hairpin turns were all with the first minute or so of the loop so I took it easy to avoid a blow up or crash. By the time we rounded Reds Lake I had a narrow lead and just hoped I would not blow it all with bad shooting. We would shoot twice – once laying down and once standing up.
I arrived at the range, laid down next to a gun and just tried to relax my breathing and remember the routine to shoot. I hit 3 of my 5 targets to my surprise so I guess I was doing something right. I’ll give yoga some credit for the disciplined breathing. 2 penalty laps later I was back out on course alone with foggy glasses and even heavier snowfall. The next time in we shot standing up. It was much harder and my breathing was labored so I managed only 2 of 5 targets this time. But my skiing was strong and I made up for the penalties out on course and won my race a distance ahead of the next competitor. We were also being timed against the last 2 waves of competitors.
Winners got medals which made it very Olympic. Final results posted later put me atop the podium but they sent me home with a silver medal probably because they took me for a Nevadan. Am I no longer worthy of the Golden State? Honestly it makes to no difference to me because I live and race for fun and to support great causes so don’t get too hung up it the details.
The full event spanned multiple days and the Eastern Sierra Nordic Ski Association (esnsa.org) deserves credit for all the planning and hard work put into the event.
The Tahoe Mountain Sports Adventure of the Week blog series takes a walk (or ski, shoot, biathlon race) in someone else’s shoes, from pro athletes to local Tahoe adventurers. Let us know if you’ve got an adventure to share.
Three years ago, I was working as the manager for a photography company at Squaw Valley. Our office was in a corner of the Olympic House, within good proximity of the best food in the valley. I was leaving the office one evening, when my friend Alan, the proprietor of Northern Lights (the best soup and chili shack on both sides of the Mississippi), asked me, “Did you hear that Shane McConkey died today?” I had not. And honestly, at that time I was only mildly familiar with him. I knew he was a big hucker on skis, and I had read about him in the book “My Favorite Place,” but my familiarity with Shane was unexpectedly about to grow tenfold. I’m only sorry that it didn’t happen while he was still pulling ripcords and slashing huge lines.
News in the valley spreads quicker than in most podunk Midwestern towns. By the time I arrived for work the next day, the mood at the mountain was heavy, and the heft remained until well after Shane’s memorial service a week later. I found myself wondering why he was so important, and being that this was my second winter in Tahoe I knew I had some work to do getting up to speed with my facts. After reading some articles, hearing stories from locals, and watching some more ski flicks, it was pretty apparent who Shane was to the local ski community. He’d molded skiing into what we know it as today—comparable to how Elvis Presley rocked the music world into a new way of playing (and dancing). More importantly, Shane was funny. He hardly took himself seriously. Really, he was only serious about living fully.
Fast forward two years: I’m working here at TMS, I’m a WAY better skier, I feel settled in Tahoe, I know my bartenders as well as my high school buddies, I am fully familiar with GNAR, I have my favorite hot tub poach spots, along with all the other eccentricities of living in a mountain town. I’ve also learned a lot more about not taking myself too seriously. And what do you know, last year I qualified for the Chinese Downhill at the Pain McShlonkey Classic. An event coined from a little stunt Shane pulled with some buddies one night at Squaw. 30 pros and 30 amateurs were to go head to head (actually side by side) from the top of KT-22 to the bottom of Exhibition. The race, was a spectacular display of crashes, costumes, busted egos, cracked skis, and lots of laughs. One guy even ended up with a broken arm. By the end I was panting, bleeding, and grinning from ear to ear.
It was not only the Chinese Downhill that left an impression on me, but also the positive attitudes, the immense camaraderie and ability of everyone involved to let go of the seriousness of skiing. You could actually feel Shane’s influence on the entire event. I was so psyched to be a part of it that I wrote Sherry McConkey a short letter, and gave it to her after the awards, along with a big hug and a “thank you.”
This year I was invited to the spectacular “Moulin Rouge” themed Shane McConkey Legacy Gala, and I was also invited back as a VIP to compete in the Pain McShlonkey. I always assumed it was a once in a lifetime event, and I was stunned to get Sherry’s invitation. At the Gala, I re-introduced myself to her, and asked, “Do you remember me?” She smiled, “Of course I do.” Greeting me with another hug. I asked her why I was invited back. Sherry answered very simply that people who love Shane are what make the event, and that the whole weekend, for her, is about good friends. I am humbled.
What I have left with, after both years at the PMS Classic, is an endless positive feeling and “get after it” attitude that this group of people embraces. Shane had no hesitations with the amazing things he did, and he built an amazing world for himself. Every time, I feel a bit out of it, or down, I put on my Big Truck McConkey hat and I repeat to myself Shane’s line from the movie Claim: “Now ski down there and jump off something for crying out loud!”
So you wanna know the nitty gritty? How the race went down? I’ll leave that to the Contour video and the photos. I can’t wait to totally crush the competition in 2013!
Well, our thirst for snow was finally quenched in a big way this past weekend. Sugar Bowl reported a 114 inches for the storm, so there was much powder to be had. The brunt rolled in Friday night, making powder day #1 a busy one since it was Saturday. Here, a few TMS folks report on the goods:
WHO: Dave, Greyson, and Lis
WHAT: Alpine skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing and sledding
WHEN: March 17–19, 2012
WHERE: Alpine Meadows, Paige Meadows, Kings Beach, Mt. Rose
Finally the snow came back and made Tahoe feel like winter again. After a few backcountry outings on Friday and Saturday, Sunday was time to spend some time at home with my daughter and not rush off to ski so much. But, back to the skiing first. Randomly met up with Craig Dostie, author of EarnYourTurns.com, and we had a great hike and ski in the Mt Rose area on Saturday. It was still snowing lightly but the skiing conditions were perfect. Here are a couple of shots of Craig on the way down and then a great one that Craig shot of me (orange jacket).
On Sunday, it was time to take my daughter out sledding in this great snow, and she was a total trooper. She even carried her own sled up the luge run that we built with our neighbors. I couldn’t get any of her huge smiles from her runs down because I was too busy making sure she didn’t crash into stuff at the end!
Then, took the dog for a walk down on Kings Beach and caught these other 2 great shots. In one, you can see the snow hanging over the west side of the lake and quickly approaching Kings Beach; the other is showing just how much fun everybody was having with this new blanket of white, as these 2 guys from Europe were so happy they were skiing on the Kings Beach pier!
GREYSON
The temptation of a true powder day was too much to pass up, even if I was coughing and sputtering my way out of a cold on Saturday. I wasn’t the only one who rallied for new snow at Alpine Meadows, so I decided to be content with lapping cut-up-but-still-soft powder on the lower mountain, leaving the longer lift lines for the bigger chairs to everyone else.
Sherwood, the backside of the mountain hadn’t yet opened, and there was no indication of when it would, but I got a feeling late morning that I should be ready in case it did. I got into a long line for Scott chair, which puts you into position to get to the back side, and ran into Justin, our Mountain Hardwear rep. He, I and a few others started traversing toward the back. And like magic, the word came that Sherwood was opening, and the handful of us in position went into a full-on stampede, landing us on the first few of chairs up above the still-untouched slope.
The next five laps were the best of my season — fresh tracks, long, arching turns that my new K2 powder skis had been aching for all season — until the rest of civilization rushed over to join us. So one more steep line that drops from back to front through blower powder spraying up to my chest, and I was content. Back to nursing the cold, and wiping the huge grin off my face.
LIS
As for me, I got out to Alpine Meadows Saturday and Monday and had two great days, Monday by far being the best. Funny to hear Greyson’s tale of Saturday because I must have been a turn or two in front of or behind him that day. We too were hoping for Sherwood. We were lapping Scott and timed it perfectly, getting to the top of Scott right at the patroller flipped the sign. Our first two runs were beautiful! A pretty much vacant slope all to the few lucky ones. Then, on my third run, it began. Little ants covered the slope… and another run later and the Sherwood line was 10 minutes long. We pretty much called it a day after that, and I took this parting shot of Promised Land from the parking lot.
Sunday, I took the day off and went cross-country skiing with some friends and dogs. It was a winter wonderland! Light winds and a good dosage of snow made for some spectacular scenery. My Mountain Hardwear Effusion Jacket (in orange below) was perfect for the half-snow/half-sun conditions. And check out the difference between the trees on Saturday (above) and then the trees on Sunday (below).
But Monday, oh Monday! I got to Alpine around 8:45am, and spent the whole day seeking out pow with some lady friends. Our first run was a quick Roundhouse lap because the Summit line was daunting from all the waiters, and there was so much fresh that it didn’t matter. Back down to Summit (no line this time) we shot straight over to High Yellow for amazingly light untracked powder. Here’s a peek from the High Yellow hike, looking toward F tree above Sherwood.
We then hiked over to the just-opened Beaver Bowl but it was a hot mess with the sun baking the goodness out of it already. Hey, Alpine, how about opening at 8am in March?!
We spent the rest of the day hanging around High Yellow and Arts Knob, and sneaking in some mellow low angle turns around Lakeview. It was a beautiful day… so sunny! Felt like a Tahoe spring day, with Colorado powder thrown in. I topped it off with $1.50 PBRs at Crest Cafe, then some hot-tubbing. Caught this snow bunny on camera by the hot tub.
Thanks Miracle March! Tahoe snow was back! At least for a day. Yesterday’s warm temps put the Tahoe ski conditions right back where they started more or less.
I’ve had a strange few weeks of adventure, quite unique from my camera’s standard set of shots (Lake Tahoe, my dog in the snow, skiing. snowboarding, climbing…), so I thought I’d take the TMS Adventure of the Week series on this little trip with me. Enjoy the weirdness. We’ll be back to our regularly scheduled outdoor adventures next week!
WHERE: Reno, Nevada; Chicago, Illinois; Chicago O’Hare Airport
WHEN: February/March 2012
GEAR:Patagonia Aliso Down Jacket, Keen socks, Smith Optics shades (who knew Smith sponsored Arenacross?!), Patagonia MLC bag, great for all your airport-running needs, and a slew of outdoor clothing to deal with Chicago’s temperamental weather
Atypical adventure #1 hit on February 18th, when Chris scored us tickets to the Arenacross event in Reno. His friend works for the tour so we took full advantage and got finish-line seats for the action. I’m no motorhead—this was my first motocross/arenacross event—and I’ve got to say it was pretty exciting to watch. Those guys (and a few gals that competed) go HUGE! It’s amazing how in control they are with the competition right on their heels.
Next up was Chicago. I went to the windy city for a conference but found myself footloose on Leap Day, a meteorological anomaly that had us outside in 60-something temps, sunny skies and light wind. And luck was with us again on the Navy Pier, where they were offering up free Ferris wheel rides to celebrate the 29th. We got some amazing views of the city, though I may or may not have had a 15-second panic attack on the way up. It was tall and abnormally windy in that little box!
Towards the end of my Chicago sojourn, it was proposed that we visit the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower), which at 1,450 feet and 110 stories high is the tallest building in the western hemisphere. We of course headed straight for the Skydeck on the 103rd floor where you can walk out onto this pocket of glass that juts out of the building’s side. If you didn’t guess by my Ferris wheel reaction, I’m afraid of heights, so I almost threw up as I stepped onto what looked like my death 1,353 feet below. The view was amazing though; we were right on level with the clouds breezing by. On a clear day you can see up to 50 miles away.
My final adventure hit unexpectedly. We had arrived at Chicago O’Hare airport 1.5 hours early. After a failed attempt to check our bags on the curb (computer down), we waited in the ultra-long line inside to only face another computer failure (we were not showing in the system). United had just merged with Continental two days before so we probably should have read the news and got there 3 hours early! After waiting in the designated “problem” line, we were finally helped by a human, found (very slowly) in the system and sent on our way. But a long security line had us delayed again. Nice security man told us we were in trouble time-wise so he had us go back to United to get an escort to the front of the line. Once through the scanners and shoe tying, we had mere minutes. I knew what had to be done. I RAN LIKE THE WIND! Bags bouncing all over the place, dodging children and the elderly, bypassing escalators for stairs both up and down, speeding past the lazys on the moving sidewalks. But when I got to our gate, I was a few minutes too late. The doors had been shut, so I had to watch our plane reverse and fly away without us.
And that concludes March’s first Adventure of the Week. No, luck was not with us at O’Hare if you want to know how that ended. We were esentially stuck there all day, and shoved on a Delta flight at the end of the day. I was joyfully seated in the very last row of the cramped, four-seat-wide plane, right next to a 6-month-old who threw up the entire last hour of the flight. And he pooped in his shoe.
The Tahoe Mountain Sports Adventure of the Week blog series takes a walk (or motocross spectate, Ferris wheel ride, skyscraper gape, airport run) in someone else’s shoes, from pro athletes to local Tahoe adventurers. Let us know if you’ve got an adventure to share.
I’m thirty-four days into a two-month trip to Turkey. Traveling with a college friend, Anna, my mission here has two parts: one, get into rock climbing shape for the upcoming season in Yosemite, and two, immerse ourselves in a foreign country that neither of us have previously been to. We’ve dividing our time roughly equally between the two.
Turkey is a dream for American tourists and rock climbers alike. The Anatolian peninsula—which lies at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, and comprises most of Turkey-is one of the oldest continually inhabited regions of the world. Historians say that people have lived here since 2300 B.C. Ruins are scattered across Turkey like cheese on a pizza. Perhaps the most famous site in Turkey is the ancient city of Troy, the setting of the Trojan War. Other newer buildings are equally impressive. In Istanbul we toured the Hagia Sophia, a church built in 532 AD, and the opulent Topkapi Palace, which was home to Ottoman sultans from 1465–1856.
Combine ancient history with Western influence and you get modern Turkey, the ultimate juxtaposition of old and new. Electric trams emblazoned with corporate logos whizz by two-thousand-year-old buildings. iPhone-bearing teens wearing skinny jeans walk the same streets as their grandmothers in headscarves. Religion and culture clash. As do the small market vendor and giant supermarket. The difference between new and old is stark and ubiquitous.
Geographically, Turkey is large and diverse. It’s slightly bigger than Texas, produces most of its food, and is well known for producing ornate handwoven carpets. As a tourist, it’s hard to decide where to go. The western half of the country hosts the greatest number of ancient sites, the Mediterranean and Aggean have sunny sand beaches, and the farther east you go the drier and more rural it gets. We’ve focused our traveling efforts on the country’s western half.
Outdoor recreation is relatively new in Turkey. Mountaineering got started several decades ago and continues to become more popular. (At 16,800 ft., Mt. Ararat, in the far east near the Armenian and Iranian borders, is the country’s highest peak.) Technical climbing is going full swing now. The largest and best-known climbing destination in Turkey is Geyikbayiri, which lies near Antalyla on the Mediterranean coast. Geyikbayiri boasts a warm climate and long limestone cliffbands. With nearly 500 sport routes this is an ideal winter destination. Drippy stalactite tufas, pockets, and small edges cover the red, orange, and grey walls. The climbing here is gymnastic in style and steep—the antithesis of Yosemite’s polished granite. Yesterday I teamed up with an Iranian climber, Nasim, to climb 32 routes graded 7a (5.11d). Dubbed the “7a Marathon” we started climbing by headlamp at 4am and stopped at 8pm for a massive dinner.
starting the 7a marathon
Did I mention the food? It’s fresh, tasty, healthy, and cheap. The world’s best baklava goes for only $4 per pound.
Logistically, Turkey is easy. Flights to Istanbul come direct from New York and are inexpensive. From there, an air ticket to Antalya costs a mere $35, and an hour in a bus or shuttle will bring you straight to Geyikbayiri, where one can choose from a variety of lodging options. With tenting, bungalows, and a communal kitchen, Climbers Garden is my top pick. Whether you’re looking for a sport climbing, cultural, or Mediterranean beach destination, consider Turkey for your next trip.
