SierraDescents.com

SierraDescents | 2015

A Blue, Blue Christmas

A Blue, Blue Christmas

If you can't be in Mammoth today, I guess Los Angeles isn't too shabby right now either. :) A very Merry Christmas to you and yours—and a Happy (and snowy) New (more)

Back To Snow

Back To Snow

I am pleased to report I got back into ski boots and successfully carved GS turns on the groomers at Snow Summit yesterday. What a magical thing it is to return to skiing after (more)

It Could Be Worse!

It Could Be Worse!

Some of you out there may at this point be wondering who is this Andy character and does he in fact ever do anything outdoorsy cause, you know, I'm not seeing a lot of action (more)

Cottonwood Camp Strikes Again

Cottonwood Camp Strikes Again

Those of you who read about my rim-to-rim day hike a few years back may recall me mentioning the 1978 overnight I did with my parents to Cottonwood Camp, from the North Rim. On (more)

Notes For A Film

Notes For A Film

(characters will interact/argue with narrator) Opening shots of Death Valley. Stark. Bleak. Desolate. SUPER: "If Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, what then is (more)

San Francisco

San Francisco

How bad is California's drought? San Francisco Bay is now a wide, grassy plain, completely devoid of water. Desperate locals seeking affordable housing have already begun (more)

Atop The Peaks

Atop The Peaks

Hiking to the top of 12,633' Humphreys Peak is easily one of Northern Arizona's marquee attractions, though in summer it's also typically a hike you want to avoid, as the monsoon (more)

SP Crater

SP Crater

SP Crater is perfect: that is the lead. A gorgeous, perfectly-formed, symmetrical, aesthetic cinder cone volcano, SP Crater sits just north of Flagstaff and the San Francisco (more)

Flagstaff

Flagstaff

Back in my other hometown of Flagstaff now for some R&R; maybe some hiking on the agenda, maybe not. Monsoon mostly quiet right now, which is I suppose the Arizona equivalent of (more)

Is It Time to Buy El Nino Insurance?

Is It Time to Buy El Nino Insurance?

Well, the El Nino predictions for this coming winter seem to be firming up, just when I was starting to kick my Howard Sheckter addiction. Now, I say we don't start celebrating (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.