Tag Archives: winter

Winter is back – really!

After what could optimistically be described as a disappointing ski season last year, it appears that Mother Nature is trying to win back Lake Tahoe’s affections.  She succeeded this month, with a series of big storms that left up to 94 inches of snow before and after Christmas.  The ski resorts couldn’t be happier, and frankly, neither could I.

The timing has been awesome, as many local’s season passes are blacked out during this holiday period, reducing the bum rush to get the untracked powder.  We’ve enjoyed relaxed days at our favorite ski resorts, lapping areas that typically are tracked out in minutes. Despite the holiday crowds, we also found untracked snow and few people at some of our favorite backcountry stashes as well.

While the snow volume appears to be slowing down for now, cold temperatures are forecast for next week, ensuring great mid-winter snow conditions will stick around.  At least until the next storm shows up.

Need proof of the awesomeness?  See below.

Trimmer bonus run from TahoeJenn on Vimeo.

Le Retour de Winter

Backyard furniture under snow | Lake Tahoe

Guess it’s time to put away the patio furniture. Photo: N Miller

It’s back.  At least for this week.

(Old Man) Winter made his entrance in grand style this week, leaving a LOT of snow in his wake.  This morning my little Subaru got hood shots as I drove through the untracked snow on my street.  The ski resorts have been excitedly posting photos and updates as the snow totals mount (1-3 feet, if you’re curious).  Heck, one’s even going to open this Thursday for the day, clearly breaking some sort of California record.

Considering Winter didn’t really show up last year, it was good to see him, even if some might argue mid-October is a tad early.  Sure, the mountain bike trails are now covered with up to three feet of new snow, but you know what they say about making tracks while the snow falls, right?  So we did just that today, getting out for some kick ‘n glide in the local meadow and golf course.

Xc skiing near Lake Tahoe

First tracks of the season.

While this may only be a preview for the time being, I’ll take it.  Even if I still can’t locate my car snowscraper.

Dreaming of snow

It’s been a very slow start to the ski season this year.  While this high pressure system isn’t unusual, it’s hard coming off such an amazing winter last year…one that continued well into spring.

So while we pray for snow, dance for it, and hope that it comes soon, we’re consoling ourselves with videos.  Last night N and I went to a friend’s place to watch the Art of Flight and All.I.Can., two exceptionally well done ski & snowboard films.  It made me remember this video that I saw on Facebook last week.  Filmed by a local last month, it captures the awesomeness of Lake Tahoe…even without snow.

So even without the typical blanket of white here at the moment, I’m still very grateful to live here.  But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop praying for snow anytime soon.

More signs it was a big winter

May...or July?

It may be the last day of July, but given the amount of snow I encountered in two totally different places this weekend, it’s clear that the winter of 2010/11 is still having repercussions.  Typically at this time of year the wildflowers are peaking and trails are mostly melted out.  This year, not so much.

On Saturday, my friend C and I decided to see if one of the higher elevation sections of the Tahoe Rim Trail between Star Lake and Freel Pass was clear enough to ride.  It’s a section of trail that allows you to connect some terrific longer mountain bike rides, either to Armstrong Pass, Saxon Creek (Mr. Toads), or the Big Meadow trail head.  Usually this time of year, there’s few if any patches of snow.

We learned firsthand that this is not a typical year, what with snow patches that started less than a quarter mile from Star Lake.  Patches large enough to require some maneuvering to get a leg up, say nothing for a mountain bike.  Oddly enough we saw few footprints on the snow, and no tire tracks.  Highly unusual for this time of year, but perhaps indicative that it’s not as well traveled a mountain bike trail as, say, Mr. Toad’s.  No matter, for there were still ample trail options, and we decided to descend to High Meadow and then down the Cold Creek trail.  The Forest Service is building single track from High Meadow to Star Lake, but it’s not accessible just yet, so if you do ride down from there as we did, be prepared for some steep and rocky fire road action, interspersed with some fun (read: deeper than normal) stream crossings.   But the newly redone Cold Creek trail more than makes up for the wet feet.

This morning N and I headed to the Mokelumne Wilderness at Carson Pass to get the dog out and check out the snow to wildflowers ratio.

Round Top Carson Pass Snow

Wishing he'd brought the skis

From our starting point at Carson Pass, the hike to Winnemucca Lake isn’t long – 4 miles round trip – but offers great bang for the buck with the proliferation of wildflowers, and is usually very popular at this time of year for that very reason.  The flowers were blooming (though probably won’t peak for few weeks), but despite that, there was still quite a bit of snow.  Definitely enough to ski on, were you so inclined.  We didn’t continue on to Round Top lake, but based on the hikers we saw further on, the trail looked to be more snow than not.  Which means a) that backcountry skiing is still very much on out there right now and b) that the wildflowers up there should peak around Labor Day.

Wildflowers & Snow capped mountains

Skiable lines & summer wildflowers

Oh, and that ratio of snow to flowers? Probably 50-50 right now.

Winter may be over, but La Nina is still having her last laugh.  Which should make for great trail conditions well into October. As well as an extended wildflower season.

My Dream Winter

May snow...and a puzzled dog

…is one where it pretty much stays winter all year round.

Looks like I’m getting my wish.   Squaw reported 13-20 inches of new snow on Monday, and while the sun peeked out briefly, the clouds moved in again and are supposed to stick around a little while longer.

My dawn patrol plans this morning were scuttled, but I’m hoping to get out to product test tomorrow.  After my reconnaissance walk with the dog in a very wet meadow, I realized that it’ll be a long while before the lower trails will be suitable for mountain biking.

So call it my version of making lemonade.

Old Man Winter Returneth…

This week there has been much ado and anticipation about this week’s big storm.  There was a small taste earlier in the week, but not enough to invoke the six-inch rule.

With lots of buzz over its arrival yesterday afternoon, I was beginning to wonder on my drive home from derby practice last night at 10.30.  I saw a few snowflakes, and heard lots of wind, but where was the two inches an hour fury?

Oh little grasshopper.  Your skepticism after all these years in the Tahoe basin?  This is what I woke up to this morning.

Yep.  Over a foot here. I’ve never been so excited about shoveling snow.  There’s another storm expected to hit Thursday night into Friday, which should make for some hilarity with the hordes that are descending upon us for the holiday weekend.

Because I live in the mountains

A storm ‘of substance’ hit Lake Tahoe yesterday, bringing with it a few feet of wind and *hopefully* up to 2 feet of snow at the higher elevations.  Because the word ‘blizzard’ was bandied about, it made the news, further exciting people.  Since it’s come after a few weeks of mild weather, many people weren’t ‘ready’ for it, and I’ve heard a surprising number of complaints today.

I’m gobsmacked because while it may technically be spring here, any ‘local’ knows full well that snowstorms aren’t unusual in late March, mid April, heck even mid May.  I, for one, love the surprise snowstorms,  even if it brings with it the requisite snow shoveling, driving chaos and delays.  It’s a welcome sacrifice when powder snow is involved!

Snow angelSo, for all the unhappy people living at Lake Tahoe who want sun and warm temps and refuse to let history be their guide, instead of telling you to quit yer bitchin’ or move to Sacramento, which is what my cranky side would tell you, I’m going to try to be nice and put a positive spin on things by sharing a snow angel with you.  I made it especially for all you snow-haters this afternoon, as I was out in the snowstorm skiing in untracked snow with the mutt.

Enjoy it, as it was not easy to make while wearing cross-country skis.

Winter, she returns

Winter appears to have returned to Lake Tahoe, with 3-5 inches of new snow locally. Due to some cosmic screwup, Reno and the Carson Valley got more snow than the Tahoe area did – upwards of a foot.  So while folks down there were digging out, we headed to Luther Pass to look for some wind-deposited winter snow.

Despite it being a holiday week here, with everyone and their mother’s uncle on the roads, we encountered very few fellow backcountry skiers today – just a group from the local community college taking an avalanche certification class.  And even after a week of springlike weather, the snow today bore none of the crusty and firm characteristics I’d expected.  Just boot to shin deep fluff.

No photos were taken today (bad light, too cold, and having WAAAY too much fun to stop), but we did get home to find that the dog, apparently grumpy that we left her and her aging hips behind, had decided to clean all the dishes in the sink for us, leaving detritus all over the kitchen.  While admittedly post-haste, we thought the muzzle might serve as a reminder why impromptu kitchen cleanup isn’t such a good idea.

Why Tahoe rocks

Because we measure storms in feet, not inches. This latest storm dumped another 5 feet in the mountains, and it’s now GAME ON for the ski resorts.  This latest storm came in a bit wetter than the last one, building a base and covering a lot of the rocks and other obstacles. Note that there are still a few lurking about, as we found on Heavenly’s Face run yesterday, so you still need to be aware of things under the surface.

It’s been a few years since we’ve seen this much snow this early in the season, and my legs are definitely not yet in shape.  After 3 consecutive days of skiing powder, I’m walking a bit stiffly.

But it is SO worth it!