SierraDescents | 2009
March 18, 2009
Avalanche Rescue Course – Overview
Last Sunday I participated in a one-day avalanche rescue course offered by the Southern California National Ski Patrol. This course was specifically intended for rescue personnel (more)
March 14, 2009
Mount Baldy – North Face & Dare Chute
Well this was a fun day! For today's ski agenda, I thought I'd climb up Mount Baldy, give the north face a look-see, ski a piece of it if feasible, then climb back up to the (more)
March 2, 2009
Memory Lane: Arizona Snow Bowl
Well we're working our way back home now, with a stopoff in Flagstaff for a few days. I'd kind of hoped to do some sort of backcountry tour out here, but a week of record temps (more)
February 27, 2009
Gold Hill No. 9
9:44 am atop Telluride, elevation 12,570'. A cold wind blasts across the ridge as my brother and I hop off the Revelation Lift and check the signs near the patrol hut. The (more)
February 22, 2009
Revelations
It feels like Europe says my brother. We are traversing into Telluride's newest terrain addition: Revelation Bowl. And yes, I think to myself, that's exactly what this is (more)
February 21, 2009
The San Francisco Peaks
If there's a prettier mountain in the world, I don't want to know about it. Here's my hometown mountain, the San Francisco Peaks (Arizona's high point), as seen from the north. (more)
February 19, 2009
Snow Camping – Sleeping Pad Comparison
We're here in Flagstaff, AZ, en route to Colorado for our annual family ski vacation, and I've got my tent set up in my parents' yard. No—it's not that my folks are driving (more)
February 15, 2009
Baldy Bowl – Hourglass Chute
Maybe Yes Maybe No was kind of the theme today. I was looking for an excuse to stay home, but with our ever-changing forecast pushing the expected storm one more day yet again, I (more)
February 9, 2009
San Jacinto Peak: East Face
Can this possibly be Southern California backcountry (more)
February 7, 2009
Snow!
It feels like the SoCal ski season just got a last-minute governor's reprieve. As of Saturday morning, this series of storms has left a reported 36" of new snow at Mt. Baldy Ski (more)
February 4, 2009
Mingori-Greenberg: “Backcountry Skiing”
Mammoth Lakes climber/photographer Dan Mingori and Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center co-founder Nate Greenberg have released a new backcountry skiing guidebook, Backcountry Skiing (more)
January 30, 2009
Winter Back on Vacation
Well last week's storm cycle didn't last long! Long range forecasts suggest a return to our non-winter winter: warm and dry. Conditionally locally look pretty bleak. I haven't (more)
January 16, 2009
On the Beach
Well, after last weekend's adventure, I figured I'd take some time off from skiing the backcountry. Sue at ESAC reports marginal conditions. Apparently the Sierra is on track to (more)
January 13, 2009
Mount Harwood — Northeast Ridge
My first official trip report of the winter season is a bittersweet one. In fairness it might be best to call this a climbing trip report, rather than skiing—though we did (more)
January 9, 2009
The Ski Pole Belay
Over the years I've learned a few tricks and tips that can make life a little easier in the backcountry. I've been doing some of these so long they seem obvious to me, but they (more)
