by Mike | May 11, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra, Featured Adventures
This year has been a record snowfall year. 900″ at Mammoth Mountain. Over May 6-9, 2023, Dan from Mammoth and I went to explore Taboose Pass. Neither of us had been over the Crest in this specific area, or even up this trail. My perception for Taboose pass as a...
by Mike | Apr 30, 2023 | Not CA or Volcanos
le Another magical BC Ski Lodge week in the books! I got 7 of our BackCountry staff plus another 5 friends to join me last week in the Northern Rockies of Canada at Mistaya Lodge. I had never been there, and I will certainly be trying to go back in the future. We went...
by Mike | Apr 17, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra, Featured Adventures
First draft, excuse my late night first try at this. On April 14-16 2023 I had an insane experience touring through untracked wilderness with my new friend Javier. We met each other earlier this year by flying 40 miles north of Donald, near Golden BC, to ski tour for...
by Mike | Apr 9, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra, Featured Adventures
Here’s what I know about this beautiful peak. The summit of Mt. Walt isn’t easy to get on, the snow can be tricky, and it is generally overlooked. The funny thing is Mt. Walt is right above your car at Twin Lakes Campground and looks exciting, and even...
by Mike | Mar 23, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Not CA or Volcanos
I love these BC Hut Trips. You just ski, eat, and sleep for a week. Maybe a little firewood and dish chores too. You make strong friendship bonds with like-minded people, while stretching your boundaries for vert you can climb. No getting up at 5am to schlog from your...
by Mike | Jan 24, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Not CA or Volcanos
Sorcerer Lodge BC – April 18-24, 2022 description...
by Mike | Jan 24, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Not CA or Volcanos
Rogers Pass 3-days Touring April 2022 Last year the snowfall was pitiful in Tahoe. Until I left for Canada of course. Luckily Canada had a big year too. Marty and I drove up to the promise land so i could see if my old friend Roger’s Pass remembered me from 15...
by Mike | Jan 22, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Not CA or Volcanos
will write up...
by Mike | Jan 21, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Not CA or Volcanos
Boy this was fun going through my pictures from this April 2007 trip to Selkirk Mountain Experience (SME) with Roger and Chris. The food was amazing, and our guide dan lead us through beautiful glacier skiing all week in shin deep powder. I’m going back to SME...
by Mike | Jan 18, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Tahoe Area
Mt. Price 9975′ – Crystal Range Elevation Change from Glen Alpine Trailhead – 2700′ and 12 miles Here are a few picture stories to try and sell you on going out to Mt. Price. This peak is the most northern summit of the Crystal Range, which...
by Mike | Jan 16, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Dana Peak 13,061′ and Dana Plateau – Tioga Pass Tioga Pass was the most anticipated Ski Touring zone every spring in the 90’s and early 2000’s due to TPR (Tioga Pass Resort), which closed about 15 years ago. You were fed, you slept in a warm...
by Mike | Jan 15, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Not CA or Volcanos
Alice Lake Wilderness 3-day Ski tour April 9-12, 2021 Sawtooths near Stanley, Idaho My second ski tour in Idaho will be hard to top. My friend Craig Wolfrom and his friend Baldwin invited me on their spring ski tour to Alice Lake in the Sawtooths. Henry and I drove...
by Mike | Jan 14, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Not CA or Volcanos
3 days Skiing near Stanley, Idaho In the beginning of March 2021, Marty and Danny joined me on a road trip to ski around Stanley Idaho. We didn’t have much snow in Tahoe, and I had never put skins on in this area. I have been out here over 10 times on mountain bike...
by Mike | Jan 11, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Volcanoes
South Sister 10,358′ – Oregon Elevation change – 5500′ You’ll research a bit more than here to ski the Three Sisters Wilderness, I have only been in this area twice. These photos are from the late 90’s when I skied a few Volcanos...
by Mike | Jan 11, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Volcanoes
Mt. Adams 12,276′ – Oregon Elevation Change – 6600′ I skied the popular southwest chute of Mt. Adams in June 2008 with Roger. We did it in a day and enjoyed the long fall line skiing right off the summit. This is a great peak. It’s a...
by Mike | Jan 11, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Mt. Locke 12,500′ elevation Change 4000′ This was one of my first East side Peaks following Jim Harper. I see Will Richardson in these old photos, so I assume we skied Mt. Lewis in this same trip. Jim is in those photos too. Will was my first employee. A...
by Mike | Jan 10, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Mt. Langley 14,042’ Elevation Change 6500’ This could be your first 14er ski descent. Mt. Langley is big and remote, but easy to navigate and not skied very often. This is the most southern California 14er, far enough from population centers that it gets...
by Mike | Jan 10, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Mt. Tom 13,652’ Elevation change – 7500’ In Mid-March of 2003 I skied from the summit of Mt. Tom with Scott Shield and John Crus. It was Scott’s 30th birthday. We are all the same age. 20 years later I’m sitting at home creating this website post and I feel...
by Mike | Jan 10, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Mt. Lewis 12,342’ Elevation change – 5000’ Here are a whole bunch of poor-quality shots from an exciting and fun day I had in April 2011. Kind of a greybird day, and my point and shoot camera skills had not yet been refined. I think I finally started framing...
by Mike | Jan 10, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Mt. Humphreys 13,986’ Elevation Change – 5500’ The Sierra Crest above Bishop is an impressive and attractive ski mountaineering panorama. As high as they are, however, they are only the beginning. Climb to the top of any of them and the magnitude and beauty of the...
by Mike | Jan 8, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Featured Adventures, Not CA or Volcanos
I’ll have to find the time to describe this April 2008 tour. Bela, Dave Riggs, and two of Bela’s Clients were setting out to do a tour Bela Planned. I was about to launch into a 5-day High Sierra Ski tour by myself, being unable to convince anyone to go...
by Mike | Jan 8, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Mt. Wood 12,637′ Location: silver Lake, near June Lake Elevation change: 5500′ Mt. Wood is one of the first big Eastern Sierra Peaks that people usually go for. I have skied the east side a handful of times. You can see it from hwy 395 near the North June...
by Mike | Jan 8, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Mt. Williamson 14,375’ These photos are from 3/6/2010. John Crus and I went for the ultimate one day East Side suffer-fest in the Moynier book. John had a cold and didn’t tell me until we were a few hours in, so he really wanted it. The snow was so bad we didn’t make...
by Mike | Jan 7, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Mt. Gabb 13,471’ – Mt. Hilgard 13,361’– Julius Caesar 13,200’ On May 4 2010 Greg Loring and I returned alive from this amazing 3 day ski tour. I had seen internet pics posted by a South Tahoe snowboarder BCD who posted about Mt. Gabb. I think he went down it, I’m not...
by Mike | Jan 7, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Pyramid peak 11,728′ If you are really into ski touring, just move to Mammoth Lakes. This is the epicenter for Sierra rock climbing, hiking, backpacking, and backcountry ski touring. I like to think of Tahoe as an ideal “center” position in...
by Mike | Jan 5, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Mt Mills1#image_title Mt Mills2#image_title Mt Mills3#image_title Mt Mills4#image_title Mt Mills5#image_title Mt Mills6#image_title Mt Mills7#image_title Mt Mills8#image_title Mt Mills9#image_title Mt Mills10#image_title Mt Mills11#image_title Mt Mills12#image_title...
by Mike | Jan 3, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Mt. Ritter – 13,143’Banner Peak – 12,936’ In May of 2002 John and I skied Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak in a 3-day tour. We tried to go up the North side of Mt. Tom in the dark, behind some of his friends, and bailed due to the chaos of a big group and...
by Mike | Jan 3, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Volcanoes
Mt. Jefferson 10,497′ – skiing is below 8500′ Trailhead elevation 4100′ The guidebooks I have at home are Oregon Descents by David Waag 1997, and Backcountryski Oregon by Christopher Van Tilburg 2001. You’ll also find some pics and home-made...
by Mike | Jan 2, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Volcanoes
brokentop17#image_title Broken Top – high point you’ll get to is 8500′ Location: Three Sisters Wilderness – Oregon The guidebooks I have at home are Oregon Descents by David Waag 1997, and Backcountryski Oregon by Christopher Van Tilburg 2001....
by Mike | Jan 1, 2023 | Backcountry Ski, Volcanoes
Mt. Thielsen Trail windy and cold cold and windy but it softened that side slope faces west ski crampons trying to warm up that slope didn’t soften Shasta North Side view from Thielsen view from Thielsen view of Mt.Bailey boot crampons cold day steeper than it...
by Mike | Dec 31, 2022 | Backcountry Ski, Volcanoes
from Fish Lake Boat Ramp look at the roads on map Skis on pack will not work Need to carry and throw them just thrash your way through Who’s crazy idea was this? happy to be done with the rock piles happy to be done with forest SE Side is the longest Now where...
by Mike | Dec 29, 2022 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
North Peak 12,242′ Location: Saddlebag Lake – Tioga PassElevation Change: 2200′ I don’t remember when I skied North Peak, but I won’t ski it again. It was late 90’s with John, Aaron and Tony. Same excursion where we skied Morgan South. This is a...
by Mike | Dec 29, 2022 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
boots University peak 13,632′ Elevation change: 4400′ These are some mixed pics from two days I skied University Peak in 2003 and 2004. The ski descent line I did was the North Face, described in the Moynier High Sierra Guidebook. This is a great...
by Mike | Dec 29, 2022 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Mt. Tyndall 14,018’ Location: Shepards Pass – Sierra Crest Elevation Change 7500’ On March 24, 2004, I skied one of my biggest day ski tours with John. We had skied 3 days on this east side excursion. We day skied Mt. Starr aka Pointless Peak, and Birch Mountain...
by Mike | Dec 29, 2022 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Mt. Gould 13,000’ Location – Onion Valley Trailhead above Independence, CA Elevation Change 3800’ I’m going to have to go back to this one soon. I’ve skied Mt. Gould a few times by myself. It’s a friendly east facing corn run to me that is skiable in late...
by Mike | Dec 28, 2022 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Skiing th Mt. Lyell 13,114’ Elevation Change: 4400’ but 9-mile flat approach Location: Tuolumne Meadows On June 9, 2010 Eric Ongerth and I skied Mt. Lyell with a one-night stay, starting from the parking lot at Tuolumne Meadows Lodge and the John Muir Trail. Lyell is...
by Mike | Dec 28, 2022 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
insane right? Approach to Norman Clyde Norman Clyde Couloir 13,500’ – Middle Palisades Elevation Change: 5700’ These pics are from May 18, 2019. Ben Mitchell, Christian, Nick Bliss and his dog Owen all made it up to the top of Norman Clyde Couloir with me. This was a...
by Mike | Dec 24, 2022 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Mammoth Peak & Kuna Crest – Tuolumne: 12,112’ Elevation change: Not a ton, but some miles May 13, 2009 was a great solo overnight tour for me. There is a short window where Highway CA-120 gets plowed to the entrance of Tuolumne and they let you drive in to the...
by Mike | Dec 24, 2022 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Mount Bolton Brown: 13,538’Balcony Peak: 13,840’ Location: Big Pine Creek Trailhead 7800’ Map: The Palisades – Tom Harrison I have explained some other ski tours from Big Pine Creek Trailhead on this website like Kid and Slide Mountain, right above the car. Norman...
by Mike | Dec 21, 2022 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Buck Mountain: 12,861’ Location: Big Pine, CA Elevation change: 5061’ Map: The Palisades Trail map – Tom Harrison The date on these photo files says February 18, 2008. This peak isn’t in the guidebooks and somewhere I heard it called Slide Mountain. Check it...
by Mike | Dec 9, 2022 | Backcountry Ski
Location: Tioga Pass – Saddlebag LakeElevation Change: 5,600’Length of Tour: 35K or 22 miles not included ski area lifts and groomer return In the late 90’s I skied the Spearhead Traverse route with Norma and Dave Bowers, and Steve Reynaud. This classic...
by Mike | Dec 8, 2022 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Ed Cesnalis Photo Ed Cesnalis Photo Conness_steelman2 Conness_steelman1 S Couloir below Y ara Conness from Biglines.com Location: Tioga Pass – Saddlebag LakeSummit Elevation: 12,590’Elevation Change: 3,050′ I used to ski Tioga Pass area a lot but haven’t...
by Mike | Dec 8, 2022 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Big Slide Canyon end of Big Slide Canyon heading up Little slide Looking back at Victoria crossing Robinson Creek Kettle Peak in Little slide Little Slide Canyon Hulk Couloir on left of peak Kettle Couloir pass on top left reaching the top somewhere Perfect day at the...
by Mike | Dec 4, 2022 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Mt. Starr – aka Pointless Peak Location: Rock Creek near MammothSummit Elevation: 12,832’Elevation Change: 4,000′ I’m reposting an old one from sometime in the early 2000’s. I was knocking out the ski tours in the John Moynier Guidebook...
by Mike | Dec 4, 2022 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Location: Little Lakes Valley – Rock Creek near MammothSummit Elevation: 11,732’Elevation Change: 4,700’Recommended Map: Hoover Wilderness by Tom Harrison I skied Mt.Dade with a customer named Tucker maybe around 2000. The Moynier book called it an...
by Mike | Dec 4, 2022 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
mt. Location: Little Lakes Valley – Rock Creek near MammothSummit Elevation: 13,754’Elevation Change: 4,800′ This was another peak I skied with John, Tony, and Aaron Martin in maybe the late 90’s. It was just before Aaron died skiing off the...
by Mike | Dec 4, 2022 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Location: Bridgeport, CA – Twin Lakes CampgroundSummit Elevation: 11,732’Elevation Change: 4,700’Recommended Map: Hoover Wilderness by Tom Harrison These pictures are from an old website post when I skied Victoria Peak first around 2004 with John...
by Mike | Mar 1, 2021 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra
Location: Dragon PeakSummit Elevation: 12,955’Elevation Change: 3,800’Recommended Map: Kearsarge Pass/Rae Lake by Tom Harrison These pictures are from a 5 day Ski Tour with Dan Molnar in May of 2011. The Dragon Peak North Couloir was a highlight we looked...
by Mike | Feb 28, 2021 | Backcountry Ski, Eastern Sierra, Independence
Location: Independence PeakSummit Elevation: 11,744Elevation Change: 2,700 This is a great introduction to East Side skiing at a moderate difficulty. With no approach time and a few hours, you can knock out a really cool looking and pointy mountain with awesome views....
by Mike | Jan 12, 2020 | Backcountry Ski, Bishop, Eastern Sierra, Featured Adventures
Location: Carson PeakSummit Elevation: 10,909′Elevation Change: 3600′Map: Tom Harrison – Mammoth High Country Carson Peak is the beautiful crown-like mountain above June Lake, and very nearby to June Mountain Ski Resort. You could even traverse over from there, but it...
by Mike | Jan 12, 2020 | Backcountry Ski, Bishop, Eastern Sierra, Featured Adventures
Location: Basin MountainSummit Elevation: 13,240′Elevation Change: 5500′Map: Tom Harrison – Mono Divide High Country Basin Mountain was one of my first Eastern Sierra Ski Descents in the early 90’s. A common story. It’s the most inviting big peak in a chain of big...
