ski touring at mount charleston

I go touring 2-3 times per week in the Wasatch mountains in SLC (across the street from Alta). Doing a weekend trip to Vegas and I am tempted to do some early dawn patrol on Mount Charleston Saturday early or Sunday if anyone is interested. I do this all the time so I won't be slowing anyone down or limited what terrain you might want to get on. I also have crampons and verts if there was something steeper someone wanted to try. Ideally, I would top out at sunrise and ski down back to the car so I can be back into Vegas in the morning. Thanks!

Oh, it doesn't have to be mount Charleston either, that is just what I was calling the area (noob here). If there are better places to go I'm open to them. Probably looking for more aesthetic views than anything.

-Ben

Ben - not sure if dawn patrol will be worth the effort. I got out there around 9:00am last Saturday for some lower angle touring and condtions were bulletproof since there hasn't been any new snow in a few weeks and given the rapid freeze / thaw with the cold night temps and warm day temps. Conditions finally softened up and were enjoyable by noon. Perhaps someone with more recent beta can confirm if that is still the case.

Correction to my post from the other day - given the heavy rain today, climbing Red Rocks won't be an option but most likely Charleston will be quite good tomorrow. Can't speak for avy risk at this time. I'm planning to get out tomorrow- worst case lift serve at Lee.

anyone go out lately ? snow evaluations?

Heading up tomorrow for some touring in the morning to Lee Canyon if anyone is interested. Going to try to hit the summit and ski the coulior if conditions are good enough. Let me know.

Cheers, CT

headed up soon should be to the upper bristlecone by 7ish!!!

Thanks for the photos....is that a huge avalanche berm filled with debris. Scary

There was a pretty big slide in Griffith cirque, that happened on sat night sometime. Looks like I toured a very similar run to what you did ta hui.

Hi, anyone been up around Lee lately? I was hoping to hike and get some turns this weekend, and was wondering what conditions are like? 

slushy, its not even refreezing at night... lows have been in the high 30's. Id be wary of wet slides

Wanting to ride some slush on 5/14. Anybody know if there's any left? 

Mike Peterson wrote:

Wanting to ride some slush on 5/14. Anybody know if there's any left? 

Still lots of snow above 8500. This poorly shot photo shows an avi shoot that is north facing on the cathedral peak trail...still gonna be a while before this melts off. If think you'd need to be real desperate to want to put up with this when SLC and Denver resorts are still picking up freshies.

Thanks Klimbien! I am traveling to vegas to see family and have long wanted to scope out Charleston Peak and environs. Stoked to find out there's some snow left! As a fan of suffer fests and ludicrous hikes with s***ty payoffs I'm thinking this is right up my alley. I'll report back with what I find. 

I was up there last night, and on  Mummy Mountain, all of the trees have large swaths of snow, still 3 feet deep, but random dry patches that stretch for 10 feet. that was at 10,000 fee though, so as you go higher, there will be more snow, mostly confined to the North facing aspect. Good luck! Ps there were a few snow flakes that landed on me yesterday as it was stormy, but mostly just rain.....

I thought about grabbing a photo to post up here, but then thought, naw, nobody cares anymore....my bad. Good chance I'll be back up soon and will post what I see. Here is one photo I shot, near the Rain tree, looking South across the valley, this is looking at the slopes in Kyle Canyon, above the lodge and Cathedral Peak. 

and this live cam show how much the South faces have melted off. 

http://legacy.weather.weatherbug.com/weather-safety/online-weather-center/OnlineWeatherCenter.aspx?aid=6032

Skiing in the Spring Mtns sucks, don't bother!

super dave wrote:

Skiing in the Spring Mtns sucks, don't bother!

LOL :)

Spring 2018

Is there snow up there?

I skied lift service at Lee on 3/11 after receiving 4 inches. Only half of Lee was open due to lack of snow and it was melting quickly. I haven’t checked out Kyle Canyon this winter but my guess is there isn’t much coverage there. Just checked the camera at Lee and looks like the current weather event isn’t bringing fluffy white snow - a mix at the best.

Sierras or Tushars are looking like a much better bet.