Looks like a couple big dumps headed for the Sierras in the next couple weeks.
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*** Official Snow Surfing Thread ***
- Thread starter 92122
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On my wave to kirkwood myself RG, should be a great time to be in tahoe!
you’re a bit of conditions whisperer at the moment, aren’t you. Lol.
please visit my home break.
4wd with snow/AT tires absolutely mandatory. Do not fuck around on this. Don't be the guy driving 25 mph with rattling chains and 80 cars behind you. There are already plenty of those people.
Much needed snow. Be wary that coverage has been thin so that early accumulation may be hiding trouble just underneath. ESPECIALLY true if you ride The Wall at Kirkwood.
Check the road conditions regularly, especially in the mornings. Not sure of your ability level but if you are anything over intermediate, do not bother with Northstar. Parking is terrible, you need to take a shuttle from the lot, then a gondola to the main mountain and then a lift to get to another lift and so forth. You'll spend a couple hours in line before you even get your first run - you'll regret leaving Hunter Mountain as it is also far more advanced.
If the roads are open to Kirkwood, plan to leave SLT no later than 7:15. If it's windy (and it will be), The Reut chair is your friend. A lot of really fun terrain off that chair and powder everywhere, much of which stays unmolested for a few days after a storm. Cornice may be open but I would count on the Wall and backside to be closed. But when they open, do not mess around and go straight to those two areas. Start at The Wall and go right from there to Caples Crest, up and over to Sunrise. It will be very good over there on the backside. You can cut back over from there through Thunder Saddle if you want to get back to the mountain without taking Chair 3 back. If you take Thunder Saddle, DO NOT speed check near the bottom - straight line it and there may be a drop of several feet to the cattrack out but stick it and maintain speed - otherwise you walk and you walk a lot.
Cliff Chutes are absolute virgin right now just begging to be defiled.
If the roads to Kirkwood are closed, Sierra-at-Tahoe (up Echo Pass) and Heavenly are your options. S-a-T is an extremely fun mountain on a powder day (or any day for that matter) but isn't covered by EpicPass. If you go to Heavenly, do not bother with the California side. Disavow its existence. It is trash and full of kooks, think Cowells + Mondos + Blackies + Sunslop but with less awareness and 100 times more people.
Take the extra time and drive to the Nevada side, make that your base of operations. All the good terrain (Mott/Killebrew/Milky Way) is on that side and there are far less flat spots. It will keep you stocked all day long.
You may also get very, very lucky with the storms if you are in SLT and Highway 50 and Carson Spur (the other way into Kirkwood) are closed. You'll have it pretty much to yourself.
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Snow Valley is the SoCal comparison but I wanted to keep it familiar for him. It's hilarious how they try to dress it up to look like Aspen. Like pouring Meister Brau into an empty Pliny bottle.
I make it a point to tell every kook at Kirkwood (whether they speak English or not) to go to Northstar and tell their family/friends. Weekdays are mostly chill but the weekends are an absolute nightmare.
If you goto Kirkwood you have to smoke weed in the cave at least once.
Awesome info kento
Thanks!
As far as the 4wd and snow tires, I’m picking up a rental in Reno. They don’t allow you to specify 4wd but I’m praying that a premium suv has that
Last time I was in Tahoe, I rented an armada in San Francisco. I found out there was no 4wd when I actually needed it. We didnt make it up the hill to our ski in/out at heavenly and had to leave it in a lower lot and pick it up the next day
Been lucky every year since with getting a 4wd, but it’s been in utah. Hopefully Reno is prepared for snow
No prob - glad to help.
In the event that you are screwed on that 4WD front and need chains, just know that the road you take into S. Tahoe (Hwy 395/580 to 50) will be well traveled and plowing should keep up more or less unless it's absolutely puking snow.
Don't worry though, even if you get everything dialed or not, you'll still get stuck behind a flock of struggling Siennas and Teslas.
Utah has their sh!t together when it comes to regular and mass transit in snow.
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Whatever you end up getting if you’re not hip to it already, anything awd or 4wd the drive modes are your friend. Snowflake or Subaru DmX Mode etc. It really can make a big difference when you select the right one.
Mega snow dump coming over next six days. Prepare accordingly.
4-5' expected at higher elevations.
4-5' expected at higher elevations.
just don't be the dingbat needing to pull out their floor mats to use as recovery traction boards. I'm betting lots of folks will be driving up ahead of and after the storm.
S-a-T was my goto for pow day strike missions growing up. love that spot.
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Love Sierra too. Havent been there after the caldor fire though. West bowl has no trees anymore right? Is avalanche bowl still the same? What about huckleberry gates?
Anyone familiar with Brian Head, UT? Its been on my radar for awhile as the terrain and vertical look impressive and they're supposed to take the cake with highest snow totals once the storms moves SW out of the Sierras. I'm looking for an alternative to the maddening crowds at Mammoth this weekend into early next week. Tuesdays storm is looking even better with higher snow totals and colder temps leading to drier fluff pow in Southern Utah.
It's no mammoth but a third of the price and the snow can get really good. We've done it a few times with the kids with no regrats. I say go for it, especially with a good forecast. Last time I was there it was during a light storm and there weren't the hords of people rushing for fresh tracks like you find out here. It was kinda nice.