Big Pine Skiing Recon

My strained calf is healing well but I'm still at least another week from skiing again. Cabin fever is setting in but I did manage to get out of the house to check on the skiing options above Big Pine. 

The last storm cycle was a real heavyweight starting with heavy rains up to and above 10,000' and ending with several strong, cold impulses which brought snow levels down below 6,000'.

Mt Sill back left and Slide Mountain right center.

Mt Tinemaha (left) and Split Mountain (right).

The north slope of Split is often stripped bare but looks skiable for now.

Kid Mountain, at the end of Glacier Lodge Road is looking great. The north slopes always catch a lot of wind but sheltered trees and chutes were stellar. The road is plowed to the normal winter closure at 7,300' where the coverage is good right from the trailhead.

The east side of Kid Mountain is completely white.

Big Birch

Tinemaha

The Thumb.

Drove up the McMurray Meadow Road. At around 6,000' the road was a layer of ice under a skiff of snow. Very slippery! Could have proceeded with chains and/or more determination, but I did not.

Coverage down this way was everything I hoped for - and more!

Red Mountain

After a couple of stormy days I met my friend Jason to ski up at Red Mountain near Lake Crowley. 

Lucky for us there was a decent skin track set and the other parties skied the slopes center and left and we had our eyes on the glades far right.

Crystal clear views out to the White Mountains.

Long Valley and frozen Crowley Lake

Jason snapped this photo of me just before we headed down. The temps were cool. Probably mid to high 20s at the most, but it sure felt warm in the sun!

Jason enjoys the powder!

Just had to head up for another!

Unfortunately I rolled over a wind lip awkwardly, went over the bars, and tore my calf muscle. Not severely but probably out of action for a bit here. Can't complain too much. It's been a heck of roll!

Table Mountain

Talked my buddy Chris into ending a three year ski touring hiatus today! Ben joined us for a tour up Table Mountain in the Bishop Creek drainage.

Looking up Bardini Canyon.

Really nice view of Mt Humphreys.

Ben skins into the sky.

Chris cruises up with the big valley behind him.

Snack break on the summit was delightful. Totally calm and comfortable despite some pretty cold air temps.

The head of Jawbone Canyon, on the right, looking enticing.

The High Sierra from Mt Darwin on the left to Mt Emerson on the far right.

Basin and Tom

Ben thoroughly enjoying the upper canyon.

Chris lower down. Spectacular skiing!

Our handiwork.

Perfect weather, ridiculously good skiing, and great friends. It was so much fun seeing Chris enjoy himself up in the mountains! A truly special day.

Bishop Bowl III

Was planning on skiing Table this morning. Turns out my buddies Ben and Ann were thinking the same and we bumped into each other on the way up.

County Road Department crew came by as we parked for Table and told us that there was going to be avalanche control work (i.e blasting) in that zone and if we went up it would foul up their plans. So we headed over to Bishop Bowl.

Coyote track. Must've been a lot of work.

Skinning was easier than anticipated. Except for the odd hollow bush, ski pen was only 20 to 30cm.

We topped out on the knoll far left and took two runs through clearing in the trees just down and right.

Ann skins up.

Great views from the knoll.

Ann wiggles in the low angle zone below the trees.

Heading up for our second run the wind picked up a little. Didn't take much to loft the cold, dry snow.

Skiing here was quite nice.

But the skiing was even better on the moraine where the north winds hadn't affected the snow at all.

Cold! Probably in the teens all day. We did not experience any collapsing or cracking and we did not observe any natural avalanches in the area.

Didn't quite get the deep powder day we were hoping for but sure had a great tour nonetheless.

Habeggar's

After a stormy Saturday, the forecast predicted a bit of a lull in the weather for Sunday. With avalanche danger high I decided to head up to the low angle Habeggar glades.

The sweet little hamlet of Habeggar's (now usually referred to as South Fork).

It snowed lightly throughout the day with winds coming and going but never too strong.

Friends had been up the day before and although I could not see their track I could feel it beneath my skis. Definitely helpful in the 20" or so of new snow.

Once I got higher I lost their track and broke trail up to the glades. Looking good!

Took one run on the "outside" and ran into my friends Ashley and Chris. Great to hook up with them and I most certainly was glad to have a little help with trailbreaking inside the glades.

Took a run with them here. Sweet skiing for sure.

Took another on the outside where visibility had improved. Super fun run. Tracks from my first run.

The winter weather and scenery was fantastic. The skiing wasn't too shabby either.
More snow on it's way. Bring it!