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The Granite Lakes Cirque

The Granite Lakes Cirque

I just need to get lost more often. While attempting to ski False White's east face a few days earlier, Dave Braun and I veered off course but got a surprise look at False (more)

False-False White

Matthew Testa Approaching False White's East Face

False White is of course the marvelously obvious mountain that pops into view up Tioga Pass Road at Ellery Lake. For backcountry skiers, False White's looming east face is an (more)

University Pass

University Pass

On June 6 I returned to Onion Valley, intending to ski the "official" University Pass. But as it turns out, there is some disagreement as to which col is actually UP. So which (more)

University Peak – Hourglass Couloir

University Pass, atop the Robinson Lake Drainage, and the

I am a Southern Sierra skier; I know there are interesting parts of the range northward, but it is the south, with its towering spires, epic cirques, and preposterous (more)

Mammoth Crest – Crystal Chute

A big smile just after skiing Crystal Chute, Mammoth Lakes, California

Crystal Chute is one of the closest technical objectives in the Mammoth Lakes basin, and probably a solid entry point if you're looking to dabble in steep skiing along the Mammoth (more)

Throop Peak – North Gully

Matthew Testa skiing Throop Peak's north gully

Believe it or not this is the first time I've skied Throop Peak from its 9142' summit; I've come close previously, but always ascended/descended the big northwest face over Lily (more)

Rosie’s Alley

Al Preston Skiing Rosie's Alley

On various adventures past I vaguely recall noticing a possibly-skiable line through Baldy Bowl's east buttress—but somehow I never got around to actually trying to ski (more)

A Very Wet Waterman

Skiing in a blizzard at Waterman Ski Lifts

With weekend snow levels forecast to dip as low as 4000', it was possible to believe there'd be cold April powder turns in the mountains this weekend. The reality was quite a (more)

Skiing Kratka Ridge

Skiing SoCal's lost ski area, Kratka Ridge

Yesterday I took my daughter to ski Kratka Ridge, one of Southern California's "lost" ski areas. It was her first official day backcountry skiing in Southern California. I do (more)

Wright Mountain via Heath Canyon

Matt Dixon contemplates the crux on Southern California's Wright Mountain

Here's Matt D earning his handle in Wright Mountain's Heath Canyon. 8505' Wright Mountain is the highest point along Blue Ridge, which we traversed yesterday from Mountain High (more)

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About SierraDescents

When there is snow, SierraDescents is Andy Lewicky's California backcountry skiing and mountaineering website. Without snow, sierradescents becomes an ill-tempered hiking and climbing blog.

Pray for snow.