SierraDescents | Category | Current Conditions
January 16, 2009
On the Beach
Well, after last weekend's adventure, I figured I'd take some time off from skiing the backcountry. Sue at ESAC reports marginal conditions. Apparently the Sierra is on track to (more)
December 24, 2008
A Christmas Storm
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you! Looks like we'll be enjoying a white Christmas in the mountains this year. Heavy snows (18-36") are forecast in the High Sierra, plus (more)
November 16, 2008
Smoke at Sunrise
Here's a look at the sunrise from near our home this morning: that's a lot of smoke. The Yorba Linda/Anaheim area fires are about sixty miles east of us, which gives a sense of (more)
July 16, 2008
Whitney Fish Hatchery Destroyed
Sounds like it was a wild weekend in the Whitney Portal region, with heavy storms closing the portal road (due to mudslides) and even Highway 395 (which remains closed at (more)
July 11, 2008
Lone Pine Peak: Another Look
When I skied Lone Pine Peak's East Couloir this spring, I forgot to photograph LPP's northeast face in its entirety. Here's a recent shot of the line from Highway 395 near (more)
June 4, 2008
March, April, May: ‘Driest Ever’
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that March, April, and May 2008 were the driest winter months on record for California and the Sierra Nevada mountains. I suppose that (more)
May 29, 2008
Sierra Snow Update
SMS Leader Alvin Walter sent me a few photos from the Sierra's Rock Creek drainage over Memorial Weekend. Alvin encountered 'full winter conditions' with up to a foot and a half (more)
May 22, 2008
Rain, Hail, Lighting, Snow…Tornado?
I was walking today around 5 p.m. on the way to the grocery when the sudden rumble of thunder stopped me. Hmm...I guess those black clouds on the horizon weren't fog, after (more)
March 29, 2008
Whitney Portal Road: ‘Closed’ vs. Closed
Well, I drove up to Lone Pine yesterday with big plans for some climbing and skiing in the Whitney Portal region, only to discover the road, which is normally "closed" for winter (more)
March 20, 2008
Route 2 – Mt. Waterman Report
But is there snow? That was the question, so I packed up the skis and the boy and hit the road. Figuring I'd try to find snow a little closer to home, I drove up Route 2 from La (more)
