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Kratka Sunday

Kratka Sunday

Kratka Ridge may not offer the most challenging terrain in Southern California, but for entry-level touring, this ranks easily among the best choices in the San Gabriel (more)

BP: Mostly Skiing

BP: Mostly Skiing

Here's Baden-Powell Saturday, one day after our slightly-miraculous mid-March storm cycle, which put about three feet of dense snow atop the big three SoCal ranges. I admit, I (more)

Little Williamson

Snowy

Here's sunrise on a snowy Mountain Williamson near Valyermo, California as seen yesterday. This is the north side of the San Gabriels—a less traveled but very special part (more)

Waterman: Very Thin

Mount Waterman Ski Area

I was expecting thin coverage at the base of Waterman, but the big surprise was how little snow there was around 8000'. It was barely skiable at the base of the mountain today, (more)

Snow & More On The Way

Mount Baldy from Galster Wilderness Park

With snow "out there somewhere" and my long lens now long gone, I decided to look for a new city-mountain vantage point, which led me to Puente Hills and then the (more)

Lizard Head Pass

Sheep Mountain, Lizard Head Pass, Colorado

I like to imagine someday retiring to the San Juans, where I'd become known as that crazy old man from California who skis innovative and aesthetic lines that somehow skirt the (more)

All Things Must Pass

All Things Must Pass

We are working our way through the steps. One day at a time is the motto around here. We've signed a lease for an apartment, and we have a plan in place for school, which will (more)

Pacific Palisades

The 800 block of Haverford Avenue, Pacific Palisades, California

I want to tell you a secret. I've been keeping it for a long time. I wanted to tell you about it, but until now I couldn't—at least not publicly—for reasons I hope (more)

December

Sea Gulls and Sunset, Will Rogers State Beach

No surprises here: cold and dry appears to be the SoCal fate for the foreseeable future. Wax those bike chains I guess and try to keep the faith—or try some man-made turns (more)

Flagstaff Aurora

Aurora Borealis visible over the San Francisco Peaks and Flagstaff Arizona on October 10, 2024

A rare "severe" solar storm on October 10 made for visible aurora borealis much farther south than usual. I was in Flagstaff, Arizona, and raced outside to catch this image just (more)

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About SierraDescents

When there is snow, SierraDescents is Andy Lewicky's California backcountry skiing and mountaineering website. Without snow, sierradescents becomes an ill-tempered hiking and climbing blog.

Pray for snow.