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Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Today I headed into the Lake Tahoe Backcountry with my friends Dave and Oscar. Since the past week has been off the hook, we decided to continue the trend and go big. A desolation mission was in order and our plan did not dissappoint. We started at Eagle Falls around 9:00 am. After the past week, starting a little later was no problem. We hiked to our first destination of the day, Dick's Peak. At almost 10,000 feet, it one of the highest peaks around, and only 4 hours from the car! Here's a shot of Oscar shredding windbuff off the summit of Dicks. It was wind affected, but still pretty good.
After skiing Dicks Peak we decided to head for Janine's peak. Often skied by the coolest of backcountry weenies, we figured it was right up our alley. This next shot is of the boys skining towards the summit of Janine's with Dicks in the background. Janine's peak is pretty far out there and surprisingly mellow. I've only seen it from a distance and the up close view truly showed the benchy roll-ness of the whole deal. In any event, I'd never skied it before, so it was cool to check out. There was a lot of sweet mini-golf lines around to check out some time in the future.
After skiing Janine's we strapped on the skins one more time and headed up to the south summit of Maggie's. Maggie's sits right above Emerald Bay and was the lowest of the three peaks we chose to climb today. The lower elevation provided for the least wind affected snow. We skied Pow from the top of Maggies down to the car. Not a bad way to finish a 9 hour backcountry day. This last shot is of the pillowy line I skied down to the road right above Emerald Bay. 
Welcome to spring in Lake Tahoe. Bout time to head down to the east side. Pray for snow!!!.
Jeremy
Labels: Desolation Wilderness, Dick's Peak, Janine's Peak, Jeremy Benson, Lake Tahoe Backcountry, Maggie's Peaks
Monday, February 2, 2009
I've been skiing in and around the Lake Tahoe backcountry for the past 8 years including this winter. For the past seven seasons I've looked at Crag Peak and wondered what it would be like to ski it. I shall wonder no more after putting in the huge effort to get out there yesterday. With thin cover and high pressure looming I figured it might be a now or never kind of situation.
The approach was daunting, and it involved summiting Jakes skiing the backside and then hiking to the summit of Crag. We made it up there in good time and had a nice drop in the sunshine. With super thin snow conditions we had only one option for our descent, but the possibilities are pretty endless on a big year. There is some pretty good coverage out in desolation wilderness.
The face of Crag Peak is steep, really steep. Even more exciting than the pitch of the face is the three cliff bands that you need to negotiate on a 50 degree slope. After a good ski with some really impressive exposure we were only about halfway there. We had a nice long skin back to the top of Jakes and nice corny run down the south side. Seven hours of hiking and worth every step.
Get yourself some Marker Dukes and get out and ski somewhere you've never been before. The backcountry is still skiing great, nice spring snow on the south faces and sugary cold pow in the shadows. Have fun out there and pray for snow.
Labels: Desolation Wilderness, Jakes, Jeremy Benson, Marker Dukes, Tahoe backcountry
Saturday, October 4, 2008
First Dusting of Snow - 10-04-08
Thunderstorms were pretty non-existent this summer, so last night was the first soaking rain we've had since spring that I can remember. If we would've had a little more cold air, this sucker could've produced well over a foot of snow. Instead, snow levels remained about 9,000 feet and never dropped to the 7,500 that were being advertised.
Regardless, snow is snow.....and it got me excited to go see some of it first hand. I had some errands to run in Reno, so I went the long-way around by driving up the Mt. Rose highway. I pulled over about halfway up for a quick shot across to the southwest corner of Lake Tahoe. In the picture below, you can see Mt. Tallac and the Desolation Wilderness way off in the distance.
So then I continued on up Mt. Rose highway to the pass - the highest year-round, open road in the Sierras at almost 9,000 feet. I finally caught up to some white stuff I could actually touch 'n feel...
Regardless, snow is snow.....and it got me excited to go see some of it first hand. I had some errands to run in Reno, so I went the long-way around by driving up the Mt. Rose highway. I pulled over about halfway up for a quick shot across to the southwest corner of Lake Tahoe. In the picture below, you can see Mt. Tallac and the Desolation Wilderness way off in the distance.
So then I continued on up Mt. Rose highway to the pass - the highest year-round, open road in the Sierras at almost 9,000 feet. I finally caught up to some white stuff I could actually touch 'n feel...
And then going back down the other side of the Mt. Rose highway, it doesn't quite look like The Chutes are ready to shred yet.....but it was just good to see some white on my little drive, and I can't complain.....kinda like seeing an ol' friend even if briefly
Labels: Desolation Wilderness, Mt Rose, Mt Tallac, Snow
When does skiing typically start at Mt. Rose? I'll be there on a business trip last week of October and I am hoping for some skiing action...
Porters TahoeAnonymous: If you cross your fingers and do the snow dance maybe we might start seeing resorts open but I really doubt they will be open that early. Usually Boreal is the first followed by Northstar and Squaw.
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Monday, February 11, 2008
Weatherman Joes Tallc and Desolation Wilderness Shots
Our weatherman Joe just sent me over these photo and I had to post them. Joe's Words "Looking back, we should have skied it from the top of the peak.....the first 50ft was steep but after that is was nothing crazy. Even 5 days after the last storm and all the wind we endured, Annie and I skied binding deep soft wintery snow the entire 1500' ". With some warm days here the backcountry should be running rather nicely.
Labels: Backcountry, Desolation Wilderness, Lake Tahoe, Mount Tallac, Porters, Skiing, Weather
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Holy poo that was a good find chappy!