November 28, 2004
Powderhouse Dawn Patrol - Dog Deep and Cold, Cold, Cold
Joe, Toby, Buddy
A surprisingly healthy Thanksgiving weekend snow storm left 1 to 2 feet of fresh over Christmas Valley and Echo Summit, as viewed from Powderhouse Peak
The small storm forecasted for Saturday, turned into a bigger and colder creature than originally expected. Much to our surprise and delight, the storm hammered away all day Saturday and deposited a healthy 12" at my house in Meyers. After several weeks of dry weather, Toby and I both had to have some of this fresh blower powder. However, family responsibilities take precedence (especially when we both have pregnant wives at home), so it had to be a Dawn Patrol on a Sunday morning.
I picked up Toby and Buddy at their house just a bit after 6:00 AM. At 17 degrees, the temperature was not as cold as we had anticipated......that would change. We cruised up the frozen roads and parked in the neatly plowed Hwy 88 turn out for Powderhouse ventures. We felt the cold as we donned our boots and threw on our backpacks. After Toby dumped his coffee, we were on our way. Fortunately yesterday's skin track was still present, albeit a meandering one, but it kept us from breaking trail in the 18" to 24" of new snow.
View Towards Tallac
The morning offered several beautiful views towards the north, where Mt. Tallac donned a cold and puffy cloud cap.
Much Appreciated Skin Track
The skin track was somewhat long and round about, but it sure beat breaking trail. By the looks of this, you may think enough people had preceded us that the best lines would be tracked out. Not the case. We didn't cross another track on our tree line descent just north of the big bowl.
Waterhouse clouds from Summit of Powderhouse
At the summit of Powderhouse we rested briefly in the sun and relatively light winds. It was an oddity to watch the clouds blow rapidly by in the saddle between us and Waterhouse Peak, when we sat in light breezes only hundreds of feet away. Although we had no real way to gage the temperature, our hands and toes were telling us it was hovering around zero on the top.
I snapped a few more pictures of the surrounding mountains and lingering storm clouds before we pushed off into the knee deep bliss. Picture on the left is a view West towards the Showers Chutes. Picture on the right is to the North towards the West Shore of Tahoe.
Dog Deep
The knee deep blower pow was so damn good, I didn't bother to stop to take many pictures. I did manage to snap this one of Buddy who valiantly kept his chin above the surface as he bounded down after us.
Toby in the Mid Mountain Pow
Conditions were superb top to bottom. The top was nearly bottomless light and dry cold smoke. The middle was shin to knee deep blower. The lower areas were boot deep light powder with only occasional base botttomings.
Toby and Buddy
Get that dog a snorkel!
Toby and I definitely showed maturity by resisting a strong urge to take a second lap. We spoke to a few other lucky souls heading up the skin track, who were all elated to hear of the epic conditions. It took quite a while for our toes and fingers to thaw out as we drove back down Luther Pass (12 degrees) and into a busy and clustering Sunday in Meyers, where the tourist exodus had already began. Definitely the deepest and sweetest run of the year......so far.
Click the links below for other Waterhouse and Powderhouse Dawn Patrol Images:
Waterhouse Dawn Patrol - 11/16/04
Powderhouse Dawn Patrol - 12/2/04
Powderhouse Dawn Patrol - 12/29/04
Powderhouse New Year's Eve Epic - 12/31/04