FROG LAKE MISSION WITH TRAVIS GANONG & DR. ROBB GAFFNEY

(View from ridge North of Donner Lake)

Recently, I got a chance to go out Sled Skiing with Dr. Robb Gaffney & Travis Ganong. Our goal was to sled out to frog lake and hope to ski something off Frog Cliff Peak. I've learned to to expect the worst and hope for the best when embarking on new adventures. I've found that by looking at missions with this approach you are able to think positively through out your journey.

We began our day just outside Truckee at the Donner interchange exit just off I-80 at Sunrise. Fog surrounded us in all direction which made figuring out were we needed to be a bit difficult. None of us had ever been back to Frog Lake in the winter, so finding the safest route up a mountain you had never been to was kind of sketchy. We new once we made it past the fog layer we would be able to successfully figure out our route. With careful and wise decision making we made it past the fog layer with relative ease.

(View of Frog Cliff "What we came to ski")

Once we made it to the top of the first ridge above the fog layer we got our first glimpse of Frog Cliff. Above the fog layer now we noticed that it was still very low tide out here as you can see from the picture above. Not only did this mean that skiing the face would be more difficult, but also getting to the frog lake zone by snowmobile was almost impossible. We decided that it would be best to leave our sleds behind and skin up to the 9,000ft Peak. Although the skin up proved to be rather difficult I was happy to ascend the mountain by foot. I enjoy the exercise and I find that hiking makes the mountain experience complete.

(Travis & Robb on top of Frog Cliff Peak Psyched!)

Standing on top of Frog Cliff Peak we new there was only one route down that was somewhat skiable. We skied the narrow couloir down in marginal snow. Although the condition were not ideal we still managed to find pockets of nice snow & we were successful descending the couloir in probably the lowest snow level it's ever been skied. The adventure was a success in my mind. We skied the peak we set out to ski, got first hand knowledge of a one of the more interesting backcountry zones in Tahoe, & we had a blast. I'm looking forward to returning to Frog Lake when the snow level is much higher.

(Travis Skiing Through The Crux of the Couloir)

(Dr. Gaffney Dropping In)

(Travis getting some in a mini golf zone we found near Frog Lake)

(Dr. Gaffney grabbing a little early season air time)

California Dreaming In The Sierra Buttes

Yesterday, my buddy Charlie Berg and myself successfully hiked and skied the prominent Couloir lookers left of the central spire in the above picture.  We started our ascent at 5000ft off highway 49 in tennis shoes. We proceeded up a well maintained hiking trail that was built to access some really interesting bouldering rocks.  After about 800ft of dirt trail we reached snow and began our skin to the base of the Couloir we had set out to ski.  It took us about 2 hours to reach the base of the Couloir from the road.  

Once we arrived at the base of the Couloir we chilled out for a bit, and took in all the beauty that the gut of the Sierra Buttes has to offer. After our brief break we continued straight up the 1000ft Couloir.  The boot pack was steep, but surprisingly easy and fast.  It took us about 45 minutes to charge up the Couloir and summit out at about 8200ft.  We kicked it under the towering rock faces for a good 1/2 hour enjoying the warm California sunshine and beautiful scenery surrounding us.

Eventually, we decided it was time to ski the Couloir.  So we gathered our gear and began our 1000ft descent down the Couloir.  The pitch of the Couloir varies between 30 degrees and 40 degrees.  The conditions were a bit variable, but for the most part the snow in the Couloir was picture perfect corn snow.  We both cruised through the Couloir and continued down some more low angle corn snow back to the trail that would lead us back to the truck.  It was a good long fun descent.  

We arrived back at the truck psyched and proud of our accomplishment.  It was 1:00pm and 65 degrees at 5000ft.  Since we had a little time to kill before we both had to be at work, we grabbed a quick beer at Bassetts.  It was a rewarding beer and one that will not be forgotten along with the spectacular spring day spent in the Sierra Buttes.

The Buttes Couloir from the bench

Charlie cruising up the Buttes Couloir

Me dropping in!