Patchskiing TRs - Spring, Summer, and Autumn Stoke - 2017

[Stev]

The Nipple, September 17, 2017

Recent overnight temperatures dipping below freezing helped us in deciding to ski the sun warmed, somewhat softened, south facing slopes on the backside of The Nipple.

Penny and Stev skiing above Lower Blue Lake.

Spence tries out a new form of kiteskiing.

Penny leaps after kiteskier Spence.

Penny follows Spence on another run.

Penny and Stev heading down the "Boreal Patch."

Spence spraying smooth corn snow above Lower Blue Lake.

Skiing the backside of The Nipple was the right call.

 

[Stev]

Roundtop, September 23, 2017

After a few days of snowfall to start the fall season the weather cleared up, so we headed up to Roundtop for our first powder day of the new season. Knowing that the Wu-Tang patches were still holding snow made us confident to have a base of snow under the fresh powder. The Method Man patch would be our first destination.

Spence skiing above Winnemucca Lake.

Stev skiing above Winnemucca Lake.

Since there was still plenty of soft snow to float through, we took some more runs.

Chris and Noalani.

Noalani runs out to greet Spence.

On the way back down it looked like the U-God patch was also holding some snow.
Stev taking a run on the U-God patch.

The new snow sure felt good!

 

[luliski]

Roundtop, September 23, 2017

After a few days of snowfall to start the fall season the weather cleared up, so we headed up to Roundtop for our first powder day of the new season. Knowing that the Wu-Tang patches were still holding snow made us confident to have a base of snow under the fresh powder. The Method Man patch would be our first destination.

Spence skiing above Winnemucca Lake.

Stev skiing above Winnemucca Lake.

Since there was still plenty of soft snow to float through, we took some more runs.

Chris and Noalani.

Noalani runs out to greet Spence.

On the way back down it looked like the U-God patch was also holding some snow.
Stev taking a run on the U-God patch.

The new snow sure felt good!

That looks awesome!

 

[TonyC]

Looks like a new season vs. old season report to me!

 

[Stev]

Jack's Glacier, Dunderberg Peak, October 1, 2017

A new month was started with a trip to an old favorite, Jack's Glacier, Dunderberg Peak. I was joined by my wife Michele, and our dogs Makisha and Penny.

Makisha

Looking up at the jackalope tracks on Jack's "Glacier"

Penny

A view from the top of Jack's "Glacier" including a closeup of jackalope tracks.

Stev skiing down Jack's "Glacier" with a Kavanaugh Ridge view in the background.

Stev briefly considers this rock slalom run.

Stev skiing Jack's "Glacier"

Looking up at my tracks in the creme brulee-like snow (an inch of variably breakable ice crust over a foot of leftover powder.)

This fun day was a fun way to start my 168th consecutive month skiing.

 

[dbostedo]

This fun day was a fun way to start my 168th consecutive month skiing.

Wow... 14 years this month. Happy Ski-iversary!

 

[Stev]

The Nipple, October 7, 2017

We wanted to see how the snow around The Nipple was holding up. Makisha and Penny were happy to offer their opinions.

Before bootpacking up I saw a butterfly on some flowers.

Stev shadow skiing.

Penny and Makisha let Stev know that the snow patch is about to end.

While I was heading up another snow patch, my wife Michele found this frozen waterfall.

Stev standing in the shadows while Penny sits in the shadows at the top of another snow patch.

Penny leaps the way on another run with Stev.

It looks and feels like the snow left at The Nipple will last until Mother Nature covers it with another winter's snowfall.

 

[Philpug]

@Ziggy is jealous...So cool.

 

[Stev]

The Nipple, November 5, 2017

A new month with new snow. While the storm didn't deliver the predicted 1 to 3 feet above 7,000 feet, it did snow a bit. I needed to go on a recon mission to find it. Penny and I returned to The Nipple and found 2 to 3 inches of whipped cream cheese "powder" covering the access road.

Penny ponders the "powder."

Stev skiing our first run (self-timer photo taken from a tree stump.)

Stev and Penny on our second run (self-timer photo taken with the camera clamped sideways on a branch.)

Penny with The Nipple in the background.

Stev and Penny on our third run (self-timer photo taken with the camera hanging upside down from a branch.)

It was fun for us to play on the new snow.

169th consecutive month skiing.

 

[Stev]

Dunderberg, November 19, 2017

A recent snowfall that came in with a high snow level meant that a location with high elevation would be desirable. The turnoff for Dunderberg, Green Creek Road, starts off at around 9,500 feet. When we arrived there was over a foot of snow covering the road. This would provide good crosscountry skiing for my wife Michele, a solid skin in for me, and plenty of fun for our dogs Makisha and Penny.

Previous winds did an interesting job of filling in the lower shoulder area of Dunderberg Peak. The one foot plus of snow could be anywhere from zero to three feet deep depending on where the wind moved it. The snow texture was also very variable. There was wind packed snow that felt similar to a freezer that was overdue to be defrosted, breakable crust over a foot of dust, and even a little fluffy powder in the protected tree areas.

Stev skis the lower shoulder area of Dunderberg...

...then skis toward Penny...

Further down Stev is gliding past the glade.

On the way back we noticed that there seemed to be snow coverage in some areas below Green Creek Road. So I picked a line that would take me down to Virginia Lakes Road.

Stev skiing further down.

It felt good to ski fresh winter snow in an area I had skied previously during the springtime.