As it was finally starting to get a little ugly around here we got just what we needed. Somebody hit the refresh button, and just like that we've got six new inches of good quality snow to smooth everything out. With a bit of a nagging foot injury I can't really ski anything but really smooth snow, so I headed up to Mt. Tallac today to see how the snow was. The recent snow has made the skining conditions much better and more grippy making for a much easier climb than you would have found out there a few days ago. Only three people were out there in front of me today, and I thank them for a great new skin track. I was also impressed by their especially gnarly drop-ins to the top of the cross, way to get after it whoever you are. Luckily for me, two of my favorite ski runs in the world were completely untracked... While the new snow was very stable it was sluffing pretty fast, not deep, but fast. The sluff made me a little tentative, but I still had a great time up there today. I toyed around with a new GoPro POV set up today and I was pleased with the results. I basically mounted the camera on the top of a telescoping ski pole which I securely strapped to my pack. In the future I think I might try and put it up a little higher, it was a fun experiment nonetheless. I must warn you that the video is a little long...

Labels: Columbia Sportswear, Elan Skis, giro, Jeremy Benson, Lake Tahoe Backcountry, Mt Tallac

Comments:

 Dave
SWEEET. CS looked money!

# : February 23, 2010 1:25 PM

 

 Nicky B son, aka Turka Lurk
I like that alternate angle loo9ks pretty cool

# : February 24, 2010 9:40 AM

 

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Labels: Jeremy Benson, Lake Tahoe Backcountry, Mt Tallac, Powder

Comments:

 Tim
Sick.

# : March 9, 2009 12:10 PM

 

 Gaines
Bad ass, nice Benson.

# : March 9, 2009 12:32 PM

 

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I was lucky enough to get the chance to head up to Oregon this pas week to check out a place called Cat Ski Mt. Bailey.  Mt Bailey is located in the central Cascades of Southern Oregon, just north of Crater Lake National Park.  I went there for a Columbia Sportswear photo shoot, and we spent two days skiing out of the cat and exploring the diverse terrain.  They've gotten some good snow lately, not as much as Tahoe, and we found some sweet pow stashes to do a little ski acting for the camera.  There's a solid group of guides up there, and I had a great time.  Here's a b-reel sunset shot with a sun flare on the lens, as you can see, it was pow.

Labels: Cat Skiing, Jeremy Benson, Mt Tallac

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I did.  There is nice cold north facing snow all over in the Tahoe Backcountry.  Today my buddy Oscar and I hiked Mt. Tallac.  We skied just to the skiers right of the "cross".  While a lot of the really gnarly lines up there still need coverage there are still plenty of great spots to get yourself into.  Other than the first 5 or so turns our run was completely smooth sugary pow.  You can feel the bottom a little, but the freshies were plentiful and the weather was awesome.  A great day to explore some nooks and crannies that I've otherwise ignored for years.  

Labels: Mt Tallac, Powder, Tahoe backcountry

Comments:

 Karilyn @ The Stoke
Looks like a sweet line!

# : February 2, 2009 9:50 PM

 

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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...

Labels: Desolation Wilderness, Mt Rose, Mt Tallac, Snow

Comments:

 Zak.Shelhamer
Holy poo that was a good find chappy!

# : October 4, 2008 5:18 PM

 

 Anonymous
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...

# : October 14, 2008 5:04 PM

 

 Porters Tahoe
Anonymous: 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.

# : October 14, 2008 6:15 PM

 

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