holiday skiing/climbing

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bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 24, 2008 - 01:15am PT
I get new cross country skis Dec 31st and wanna go skiing close to the Bay Area.

Lovers Leap (Pony Express Trail) and Wright's Lake seem like cool ideas for both skiing and climbing.

Am I'm wrong? Chains on Wright's Lake Road, is it passable with 4WD and chains?

Ideas? Probably an overnighter, my wife's b-day is the 3rd and Strawberry Lodge may be cool, so Lovers Leap? Phanton Spires?

Ideas? Maybe hit SLT with casinos and stuff but we got the little boy too, so that's out.....he's 7 months old, they prolly won't take him in.
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 24, 2008 - 01:25am PT
That looks cool, that's a maybe.

http://www.tahoebackcountry.net/hiking/desolation/tallac.htm

Why don't I know of this place.....anyway, looks good, fits the criteria too.

more.....
Dr. Rock

Ice climber
http://tinyurl.com/4oa5br
Dec 24, 2008 - 01:51am PT
Badger Pass, then rap down G Point.

Hey, you goin to Snoop Dog and Warren G at the Catalyst?

We be bumpin.
And crumpin.

Over...
Maysho

climber
Truckee, CA
Dec 24, 2008 - 11:51am PT
After a bit of a clear spell, you could ski tour up to the backside of Big Chief, and enjoy some good sport climbing on the sunny west facing wall. Great descent down to the Truckee River when there is enough snow, but you have to deal with trespassing issues. Otherwise ski back the way you came.

Peter

bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 24, 2008 - 12:05pm PT
Thanks, Peter.

Rocky, yes I do know how to ski. Never made a tele-turn though. I used to be primarily a downhill skier. As I stated in another thread though, I used to jump on my Mom's xc skis and cruise around tracks in them when I was younger, occasionally going off track.
klk

Trad climber
cali
Dec 24, 2008 - 12:11pm PT
wow, yeah, ski into chief and then clip-surf. that would be really killer. easy access, too, a great outing for an early run on new skis-- nice level fire road through the trees then break out into the sun.

and then an easy escape to beers and pizza.

ok, i am jealous of all you truckee wankers. my buddy sold his cabin at soda springs, so it'll be awhile before i get back.
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 24, 2008 - 12:15pm PT
Same to you, Locker! And everybody else for that matter...

Truckee's starting to sound nice.

klk

Trad climber
cali
Dec 24, 2008 - 02:11pm PT
After a couple days of heat-and-stretch, my new Garmont excursions look a bit more like my feet.

My new skis are coming, probably about the same time Blue gets his.

The last time I did a Tele, I was wearing soccer shoes. The last time I went resort skiing, I wore leather double boots.

The plastic is gonna be weird. But I'm pretty psyched.
klk

Trad climber
cali
Dec 24, 2008 - 02:24pm PT
"Oh. . . klk. . . you're gonna go through PlastiTraumaDrama. . .

Do yourself a BIG FAVOR and the first day out (riding lifts) don't even TRY to get into the telemark position! Say to yourself, over and over again:

MAKE NICE LITTLE ALPINE TURNS"

Sounds like there'll be a learning curve. I learned pins and teles long before I learned alpine.

But no lifts for me-- miles in before I'll see turns, so I'm expecting a week or so just getting the boots/beds/blisters settled in.

Tx for the advice. I don't need skier's thumb to go with the gymnasts shoulder, climber's elbow and laborer's back.
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 24, 2008 - 02:41pm PT
eKat, what is an Alpine turn, is that similar to a 'stem-christie' type turn? I'm serious here, all this new lingo...

What is skate-skiing on xc skis?
klk

Trad climber
cali
Dec 24, 2008 - 02:56pm PT
Yeah, Blue, it's amazing how much the gear and gearees have changed in 15 years out of the sport. There were like three turns when I learned: christiana, wedeln, and tele. Only the really old guys did teles, because they were slow and loopy. That was the first turn I really learned, as a kid on wooden skis and borrowed low-cuts.

The last time I skiied, I guess around 1990 or so, teles had become hip again.

I guess I understood that "tele" now means something a bit different, but the reality didn't hit until I started looking seriously at gear the last couple of months.

We'll see how it goes-- I'd like to get some skate skis, but backcountry access is much easier than resort for me at the moment.

My Mom has a spitz-- maybe I can get in some joring.
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 29, 2008 - 08:54pm PT
I may be swinging by the Leap on New Years Eve, is it still open?

How Wright's Lake Road?
cleo

Social climber
Berkeley, CA
Dec 29, 2008 - 09:32pm PT
whoa whoa - bluering is CROSS-COUNTRY skiing, on XC skis. Not tele skiing, and he doesn't have a tele turns.

So, no Tallac. Too steep.

Some good spots in Tahoe:
--> Freel Peak: Now, I am NOT recommending skiing the actual peak, but the approach is about 4 miles of flatish terrain on a closed road that might even be groomed for skiing (it was when I was there, or maybe snowmobiles, but we didn't see any) and it ends with a nice view of Freel (which is where the AT/tele folks start to skin up for turns down).
http://www.thebackcountry.net/guidebook_detail.php?ID=53

--> Hope Valley (Hwy 88 near Kirkwood, flat) or Luther Pass Meadow (Hwy 89 between SLT and 88) The meadow on Luther Pass is also near Waterhouse, if you get bored, ski up Waterhouse Peak (it would be challenging on XC w/ no tele turn :))

--> Eagle Creek ... Climbing (ice, that is), you can ski up Eagle Creek (near Meyers, W side of lake) a couple miles to the ice cliffs... dunno if there is ice or not. But it is doable on XC skis, a bit rugged.

--> Deep Creek? Pulloff on west side of 89 halfway between Truckee and Squaw Valley. Ski up "road", starts off a bit steep, but flattens out, sort of, and you can climb up to a ridge for a nice view at the end on skinny skis. Seem to recall last time that it was also "groomed", which makes me wonder if snowmobiles go up there too (didn't see any though).


Here are some spots, mostly more telemark/AT oriented, but some (most?) have areas nearby appropriate for those skinny XC skis: you don't HAVE to go up a big hill. And/or pick up Marcus Libkind's guidebook(s).

http://www.thebackcountry.net/guidebook_sport.php

p.s. are you skiing with the 7-month old strapped to your back? if you, you might want to stick to the FLAT areas until you get the hang of it. In which case, Hope Valley (hwy 88), or Badger Pass (Yosemite) are good options. Sorry, I don't know about Wright's Pass road or the Leap, but closed roads might be very good options, if there is snow.
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 29, 2008 - 09:55pm PT
cleo, the boy is staying home with mom. I'm either going solo or not going at all. I may come up New Years Eve and it's hard to find partners for a trip like that.

New Years on skis and in a cold tent/car. Sweet!


Wanna climb/ski?????
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 29, 2008 - 10:06pm PT
Oh yeah, Cleo, thanks fot the input. Good ideas!

None of my buds are willing to to go for the New Year and my wife is basically telling me I'm gonna die if I go solo....so, I may go, I dunno. Be nice if someone was going also....
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 29, 2008 - 10:09pm PT
SS, your help is appreciated too.
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 29, 2008 - 10:11pm PT
If ya wanna do the Pie shop or LL or something I'm there, SS.

...maybe
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 29, 2008 - 10:18pm PT
So you wanna hook up and go to Hope Valley? I may be down with that. It's gotta be xc skis though, that's the purpose of the trip.

The wife still thinks I'm gonna die so I'm working this out.

What are accomodations like there? Sleep in car? Cold tent?

EDIT: oh yeah 5.5 climbs would be cool, nothing's too easy really.
John Moosie

climber
Beautiful California
Dec 29, 2008 - 10:22pm PT
Not everyone hates you TR.

Sometimes you get a little whack and we call you on it, but then most everyone here gets a little whack and we call them on it. I get a little whack at times and people call me on it. Karl is one of my best friends and he has told me to chill.

Don't take that kind of stuff personal. Learn to differentiate between the folks who are just being mean and the folks who have your best interest at heart.

It sucks when someone who you like and want to trust lies to you. I'm sorry that happened.
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 29, 2008 - 10:27pm PT
STFU, John, you fag!

hehe, see, I love John, and call him all kinds of silly names. John's a good guy..met him once, that's all it took.

Let go skiing, beeatch!

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