SierraDescents | Category | Video
January 24, 2023
Skiing The Waterman Backcountry
I admit I was at best marginally interested in heading to the San Gabriels this past weekend. There were any number of things that sounded like they'd be more fun. Riding my (more)
August 30, 2022
The Mountain Took My Phone, My Car, & My Tooth
Mountains demand sacrifices—we all know that. So when I accidentally left my phone atop Mount Baldy's west summit, I thought: Fine. Better than blood. My friend Matt (more)
June 11, 2022
Skiing the Kuna Crest
After having loads of fun skiing Mammoth Mountain's closing day in the rain, I drove up Tioga Pass, wanting to see if any promising hike-and-ski opportunities remained. The (more)
March 6, 2022
Prospect Express With and Without Storm
Telluride's Prospect Express was installed in 2001, adding a quick 5-minute, thousand-vertical-foot ride that somehow manages to be both sublime and transformative. The lift (more)
December 25, 2021
A Mammoth Storm
Well! It was a VERY stormy Christmas 2021 for us at Mammoth Mountain this past week. When we got there Tuesday NOAA was calling for 70+ inches of snow. The weather, as you (more)
June 24, 2021
Baldy via the North Backbone
I had no idea a fine hiking trail exists on the ridge connecting Pine Mountain, Dawson Peak, and Mount Baldy. Better yet: in summer, you can drive Blue Ridge Road to the (more)
June 16, 2021
Hiking Throop Peak to Baden-Powell
Of course I was dimly aware you could hike the San Gabriel Crest from Windy Gap as an alternate way to get to Baden-Powell's summit, but the route never particularly interested (more)
June 9, 2021
Ski Hut-Devil’s Backbone Loop
Connecting the Ski Hut Trail and the Devil's Backbone Ridge is one of my favorite SoCal hikes—in either direction. This time my son and I ascended from Manker Flat and (more)
June 3, 2021
Mammoth Memorial Day Weekend
It's no secret 2020-2021 wasn't exactly California's finest winter, but that didn't stop Mammoth from offering excellent top-to-bottom skiing this past Memorial Day/closing (more)
May 25, 2021
Ontario Peak
8694' Ontario Peak is easily among the most spectacular of the San Gabriels' front-range peaks. The summit offers a crazy juxtaposition of city and mountain views, making this (more)
