Nature Shop recently gave us the chance to test out some quality wool clothing from Icebreaker. The New Zealand based company carries everything from underwear to coats for kids and adults. Our whole family got outfitted and we were all thoroughly impressed.
I tried the Bliss Hood (Blizzard Stripe) and it quickly became my go-to shirt for everything from a camping/skiing trip to Mt Lassen to a weekend in San Francisco. Warm, soft and lightweight, the buttoned v-neck and casual stripes disguise this highly technical garment, making it suitable for everyday use.
Our son also scored a hoody. It’s not often that two-year-olds get excited about clothing, but this was one of those rare times. As soon as we got his LS Hoody out of the box and he spotted the skateboard print, he couldn’t wait to get it on. I have to admit that I was a little nervous to put it on him for fear of the dreaded “Itchy!” scream, but I didn’t need to worry, the hoody was as soft as a baby blanket and he loved having it on. His second favorite part of his new shirt was the booklet that came with it, including pictures of the Merino sheep that were sheared to make the shirt. He walked into school that morning and proudly announced, “My shirt was made from the fleece of a sheep!”
Rob switched from ski touring and bike riding in cotton boxers to Icebreaker’s Relaxed Boxer w/Fly and there is no turning back. The excellent moisture wicking and soft, relaxed fit make a huge difference on long rides and tours.
Aside from the comfort and style of the products that we tried, we were impressed by the ethos of the companies who provide them. Every Icebreaker product that Nature Shop ships is accompanied by a green tag that says “trace me.” By entering the “BAACODE” from the tag on your garment at icebreaker.com, you can find out info on the sheep station(s) from which its fibers originated.
The pass linking the south side of Mt. Lassen to the north side opened for the first time last Friday evening. A Ranger told us that, because of trail erosion, July 17 is the last day that the mountain is open to skiers.
Our party exiting the northeast side of Mt. Lassen via the devestated area.
South side of Mt. Lassen.
No shortage of snow in Lassen National Park. Unfortunatly skiers are no longer permitted to get after it.
Skiing-blog.com now offers a hit list of preferred links located on the left side of the home page. We have chosen sites that are Tahoe based and feature quality content ranging from weather and avalanche conditions to equipment sales and rentals.
Real Deep Snow and Tahoe Weather Discussion are weather blogs authored by North Lake Tahoe locals. Both sites analyze a variety of weather models and forecasts and combine them with personal knowledge of conditions in the region.
The Sierra Avalanche Center reports daily on snowpack and avalanche conditions. SAC forecasters dig pits daily and report results from a variety of aspects and elevations in the Tahoe basin. Reports are frequently accompanied by video and photographs especially during active cycles.
Grant Kaye is a local photographer with a brilliant portfolio of Tahoe landscapes and beyond. Dr. Robb Gaffney is a frequent contributor to SBDC and the author of Squallywood, a guidebook to Squaw’s rowdiest lines. Tim Konrad and the Unofficial Squaw crew keep tabs on the daily radness going on in Squaw Valley and other resorts with the newly launched Unofficial Networks.
The BackCountry, located on Donner Pass Road in Truckee, sells gear and supplies for all things backcountry with a strong emphasis on ski touring and mountaineering. The BackCountry features a huge fleet of rental gear including skis, snowboards and snowshoes. The BackCountry’s website has a free guidebook and allows users to post all kinds of useful information from equipment sales to trip reports. The upstairs of the store hosts classroom space for AIARE level one, two and three avalanche courses. Field time for the courses is typically held in the Donner Peak, Mt. Judah backcountry. The BackCountry also sponsors the Adventure Slide Show Series held one a month at Plaza Bar in Squaw Valley. Renowned climbers, skiers and mountaineers share their adventures, show great photography and yuk it up with fellow adventure seekers.
Last week a college friend of mine emailed me from Colorado, “Have you seen the storm that’s headed your way? I’m thinking about flying out for it.” So I started checking the forecasts.
He arrived Friday night and the waiting game began. Snow, rain, rain, snow… the precipitation was there, but the resorts couldn’t open anything good.
A late start this morning proved to be painful, as I could see KT loading when I pulled into the parking lot at 9:15. KT, Red Dog and Exhibition were mobbed. I headed over to Far East to try to find some pow while lines at KT died down.
There I met up with some friends and traversed from the top of Far East to the Resort Chair. People at the top said it could not be done. We proved them wrong. And the turns were deep.
The face below Far East was mostly soft, but we could feel the rain layer underneath. We banked into the glades and were greeted with soft, deep snow all the way down to the cat track. After a few runs of low-angle pow, the Funi opened and we headed up the mountain.
From there, we hiked up to Tower 16 to find plenty of soft stuff mixed in with some of the crispy rain-affected snow. Several steep, soft runs later, we headed over to Shirley. Looking down, we saw a few tracks on the Shirley groomer, but no one was on it. We asked patrol if the lift was open because there was a sign that said “Shirley lift closed.” Apparently, they were low on signs because the trail was open and the lift was spinning. But the patroller warned, “there’s a bunch of debris down there.” Even though it wasn’t steep, the fresh snow with no rain layer felt blissful under our skis. Then we hit the debris.
The avy debris was disguised under four inches of snow and flat light, so none of us hit the breaks until we saw the the first of our crew flailing after he hit one of the ice chunks. Most of us remained upright, but we all realized why patrol had warned us. We headed down for one more Tower 16 lap that became two. Although the fresh was gone, having the rain layer broken up and mixed into the rest of the snow, evened out the consistency for more predictable, smoother skiing.
My buddy from Colorado didn’t hit the perfect storm, but he did get a great day of skiing. Here’s to more snow later this week!
I am a Squaw Valley pass holder and work in the Valley so I rarely visit other Tahoe ski areas. This is a shame because Tahoe has many little ski areas with quality snow and terrain. One such gem is Mt. Rose. I always suspected the Chutes on Slide Mountain offered legitimate terrain but never motivated to ski them. When Mt. Rose added the formerly out of bounds Chutes to their in-bounds menu a few years back, it was significant news for serious skiers. Last Monday two friends and I made the trek from Truckee to check out what Mt. Rose has to offer. Not only were we stoked on the caliber of challenging terrain and lack of crowds, the service and amenities far exceeded our expectations.
After a hearty breakfast at the Log Cabin in Kings Beach we headed up the Mt. Rose highway into heavy fog and wind. I didn’t worry too much as the forecast called for the system to blow out after noon. What had amounted to torrential rainfall and about a half inch of glop in Truckee translated into 7 to 9 inches of new snow at Mt. Rose, which has a base elevation of 8,200 feet. To put this in perspective, Squaw’s mid mountain High Camp complex is located at the same elevation. This means Rose receives more snow and less rain than most Tahoe ski resorts.
After buying a Bonus Mondays lift ticket for $39, the special tickets agent told us the Northwest Magnum Chair was on wind hold and the only way over to the Blazing Zephyr Chair and the Chutes was via shuttle bus to Slide Lodge. She said to ask one of the guys in the orange jackets for a ride. We walked about 200 feet to the parking lot and asked an orange jacket wearer if we could get a ride. “Of course,” he replied, “I’ll pull the shuttle out so you don’t have to walk through the snow to put your skis in the carrier”. 20 seconds later we were aboard the shuttle heading to the eastern base facility. “The Chutes should open in about 30 minutes”, said the driver as he let us off. About a minute later we were riding the Blazing Zephyr Chair to the summit. The terrain below us looked like wind buffed sweetness so we opted for a quick run down Big Bonanza to warm up and kill time until the Chutes opened.
After another quick ride on the Zephyr we headed over to the Chutes, which were now labeled “part open”. The first access gate was closed so we entered through the next gate and dropped into virtually untracked, wind buffed pow. We found exposed spiny ridges separated by powder filled chutes that opened up to a lightly gladed apron at the bottom. After one run in the Chutes we had already found what we were looking for…steep, fun terrain with good snow and nobody around. We continued one satisfying lap after the next exploring different access gates along the way. Between runs we took in surreal views spanning from Lake Tahoe all the way down to the dessert of the Reno/Carson Valley. Mt. Rose proper, Mt. Haughton, Relay Peak and a cornucopia of tasty backcountry terrain loomed right across the highway.
Eventually we hit the Main Lodge for a late lunch. Adorned with vintage ski photography and other memorabilia, the lodge and cafeteria are simple, clean and very user friendly. We grabbed one of many empty tables by the window and studied ski lines in the Chutes while hoarking down the best Chili Cheese fries imaginable. After that it was up the Northwest Magnum Chair (now open) and back to Chute lapping. Guess what we discovered on our last two runs of the day? Untracked snow and no other skiers in sight!
In addition to great snow and terrain, we found the service and amenities Mt. Rose to be exceptional. Resort staff including parking attendants, ticket agents, lifties and bartenders were extremely friendly and helpful. Nearly every time we got on or off a lift we were greeted or waved to. And it did not seem forced, but rather that this team really enjoyed what they were doing. The parking lot had nicely labeled Mt. Rose trash cans. The path to the lodge and chairlift loading stations had slip resistant mats. The urinals and toilets had stainless steel baskets for gloves, hats and other personal items. The lift system is simple and efficient with two high-speed six packs providing access to the summit, one from each base area. The Timbers Bar in the Main Lodge is swanky by most ski area standards and offers a variety of draught beers and a nice assortment of Scotches and other libations.
Mt. Rose also has ticket specials that make it worth checking out even for pass holders at other areas. If you present a previous Saturday or Sunday ticket you receive a $29 ticket on Bonus Mondays. No weekend lift ticket? Mondays are still only $39. Two fer Tuesdays offers two lift tickets for the price of one. On Wednesdays guests over 50 and students with valid college ID ski for $35. Women ski for $35 on Ladies Day Thursdays. Buy a three-day consecutive ticket and the third day is free. Present a season pass from another resort on midweek days and receive a $49 ticket.
Mt. Rose provides a stellar experience from start to finish. The Chutes are dynamic enough to keep strong skiers interested all day long. The lack of crowds and minimal competition for powder makes you realize not all ski areas are raped by 10am. The amenities and staff make pulling yourself away from your home area seem like a breath of fresh air. Put simply, Mt. Rose rocks!
Mt. Rose Proper across the highway from Mt. Rose Ski Area
Vintage ski photography in the Main Lodge
The Chutes as seen from the cafeteria and sun deck
Rob switched from ski touring and bike riding in cotton boxers to Icebreaker’s Relaxed Boxer w/Fly and there is no turning back. The excellent moisture wicking and soft, relaxed fit make a huge difference on long rides and tours.
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