Marc's Public Blog - Skiing / Snowboarding / Snow


All | Aquariums | Arduino | Btrfs | Cars | Cats | Clubbing | Computers | Dining | Diving | Electronics | Exercising | Festivals | Flying | Halloween | Hiking | Linux | Linuxha | Monuments | Museums | Outings | Public | Rc | Sciencemuseums | Solar | Tfsf | Trips

This is a collection of my blog entries about snowboarding.
You can find all the pictures I've taken here, and read below for the more recent trips that I have recorded in blog entries:

Table of Content for snow:

More pages: February 2024 January 2024 May 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 April 2022 February 2022 December 2021 November 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 October 2020 March 2020 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 November 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 April 2015 March 2015 December 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 December 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 March 2011 February 2011 December 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 December 2009 March 2009 February 2009 December 2008 April 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 December 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 December 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 November 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004



2017/04/21 Spring Skiing at Heavenly
π 2017-04-21 01:01 in Nsnow, Snow
Neither Arturo nor Johannes had gone to Heavenly this year, and it was about to close most of its lifts after this week, so Arturo offered a day trip there, which we both graciously accepted. We left around 05:30 and arrived by the nevada border by 09:30, parked, and took the gondola up because the connecting california lifts were already closed.


how's that cindaquil?
how's that cindaquil?


we actually stopped at mid station for a look, which I had never done :)
we actually stopped at mid station for a look, which I had never done :)



We then had to follow the sun and started down at stagecoach and went up to dipper as things got warmer, and eventually moved to sky express. The snow was spring snow, we had to avoid the ice in some places and sticky slush in others, but overall the snow was good on groomers and ok elsewhere. And for snow, there is lots of it.






lots of things were closed of course
lots of things were closed of course


Thanks to Arturo for getting us there, that was fun.

See more images for Spring Skiing at Heavenly
2017/04/09 Flight to Mammoth and Attempted 2ft Powder Day
π 2017-04-09 01:01 in Flying, Nflying, Nsnow, Snow
It had been several years since I last went to Mammoth, and I was looking forward to finally going there with fresh powder. I carefully watched the forecast several days early including saturday when the storm was hitting the resort, to make sure that the top of the mountain would stay closed and I'd get fresh tracks the next day if I went. I got up early (actually I woke up before my alarm) and by 04:45 started getting ready. Got to Palo Alto Airport at 05:15 and then started loading up the plane, parked the car, and got in the air by 06:00 for a beautiful easy flight:







By 07:15, I landed at KMMH, taxied to parking, found my rental car waiting for me on the tarmac (courtesy of Hertz), but sadly it was a 2 wheel drive with crappy tires (the front tires were not even M+S, they turned out to be crappy summer tires). Driving up to the resort, blowing past several chain control signs, took virtually all the driving skills I had. While I was barely able to drive up in the snow, I knew if I ever had to stop, it would be super unlikely that the car would get traction to restart at all (especially uphill), so I drove slowly with some distance with the car in front of me so I never had to stop when the traffic slowed down. Maybe in hindsight I should have gone to Eagle Lodge at much lower altitude, but powder-wise this was not a good idea, it was the wrong side of the resort and the top connecting lifts would be closed for a while. Yes, I should have had chains, but Hertz refuses to give or rent you chains because they're worried you may put them on wrong :(

Despite the driving challenges, I arrived at the main base around 08:15, had to find a far away parking spot and walk to the ticket counter to get my pass. I eventually got to the slopes around 08:40, which wasn't too bad.

snow all the way up to the base
snow all the way up to the base

the top of the mountain stayed closed until about 11:00
the top of the mountain stayed closed until about 11:00

strangely, there was no line at the gondola
strangely, there was no line at the gondola

that's because everyone got out at mid station waiting for the top to open (that took 2H)
that's because everyone got out at mid station waiting for the top to open (that took 2H)

every other lift had 15mn+ lines
every other lift had 15mn+ lines

and lines
and lines

and more lines
and more lines

while the gondola to the top wasn't open yet, but that's a lot of tracks down for a few ski patrol runs. Mmmh...
while the gondola to the top wasn't open yet, but that's a lot of tracks down for a few ski patrol runs. Mmmh...

sadly, the 2ft of powder were pretty packed by the wind
sadly, the 2ft of powder were pretty packed by the wind

line at the mid station gondola. It was better go to all the way back down and get it there
line at the mid station gondola. It was better go to all the way back down and get it there

Gondola towards top of cloud nine had a bit of powder (only enough for one run though)
Gondola towards top of cloud nine had a bit of powder (only enough for one run though)

snow was good up high, but by 9000ft the powder quality went way down :-/
snow was good up high, but by 9000ft the powder quality went way down :-/

hike up the ridge to santiago bowl/hemlock bowl and chair 14
hike up the ridge to santiago bowl/hemlock bowl and chair 14

The next morning, driving up was easier, the road was mostly clear. I also only drove up to Mill's Café, which put me at the lifts I wanted and is actually easier to get back to, than the main lodge. Some people actually camped there:


The next morning was already spring skiing. Not bad, mostly no ice or slush, which is good, but virtually no powder left anywhere:



During those 2 days, I got some nice pictures of the surroundings:


airport I went to
airport I went to

looks nice to ride :)
looks nice to ride :)


this reminds me of heavenly]



On the way back, saw one of the Alaska planes bringing in a load of passengers:



good way to see the mountain
good way to see the mountain

Mill's Café where I parked, and main lodge at the end of the road
Mill's Café where I parked, and main lodge at the end of the road

Facelift Express
Facelift Express


I hiked up the hill to ski down that face a couple of times
I hiked up the hill to ski down that face a couple of times


More pages: February 2024 January 2024 May 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 April 2022 February 2022 December 2021 November 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 October 2020 March 2020 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 November 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 April 2015 March 2015 December 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 December 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 March 2011 February 2011 December 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 December 2009 March 2009 February 2009 December 2008 April 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 December 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 December 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 November 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004

Contact Email