Backcountry Skiing -Southern California

Did a few laps at Kratka Ridge this afternoon with my dog.   Plenty of snow but highly variable conditions.   Still lots of fun.   Waterman has plenty of snow and I am sure they could open if they really wanted to.   I don’t think they want too.  

Snow report for Big Bear area. Last Saturday Pierre Jony and I did San G area again. Good coverage with just a couple bald spots on the logging road. The snow was much more variable this time but skied nice on the north aspects. Yesterday I did a lot of hiking to the sidecountry/slackcountry west of Bear Mtn in Big Bear. Coverage remains excellent; any snow that is sheltered/treed was ~8 in of very soft snow on top of a crust, skied/rode great as long as you didn't try to carve super hard. There is now a well established skin track going from the top of chair 8 (Geronimo) at Bear west to Sugarloaf area, another option for those interested. 

Robertson Pearce wrote:

Snow report for Big Bear area. Last Saturday Pierre Jony and I did San G area again. Good coverage with just a couple bald spots on the logging road. The snow was much more variable this time but skied nice on the north aspects. Yesterday I did a lot of hiking to the sidecountry/slackcountry west of Bear Mtn in Big Bear. Coverage remains excellent; any snow that is sheltered/treed was ~8 in of very soft snow on top of a crust, skied/rode great as long as you didn't try to carve super hard. There is now a well established skin track going from the top of chair 8 (Geronimo) at Bear west to Sugarloaf area, another option for those interested. 

Did you ski back to Bear Mountain or go down to the trailhead? Thanks!

Chris Owen wrote:

Did you ski back to Bear Mountain or go down to the trailhead? Thanks!

A few back to the ski area (runs from first two peaks or so) but as I kept pushing out I ended up at the trailhead at the end of Ridgecrest Dr. Relatively easy walk back to the ski area from there (around 15 min)

Thanks for the intel, Robertson! I've been interested in checking out the Sugarloaf area lately and was eyeing the traverse from the top of chair 8 this weekend. I saw some fun looking tracks going down the canyon just outside of the ski area boundary. Here are a few pics of the traverse from the top of 8 I was able to grab. I also spoke to ski patrol up there and they spotted a few slides from the top of Mt San Gorgonio on Saturday with their binoculars

Toured up in San G with Pierre last weekend. Almost able to skin from the car which is pretty sweet.

Headed up Charlton to ski down E-SE facing trees. It softened up, but the winds kept it from becoming good corn.

Then poked around in the drainage between Jepson and San G, as you got higher it only got firmer with wind board.

Down low and on the way out - soft, crusty, and variable with the exception of some nice creamy turns in super sheltered areas.

Any true backcountry skiers that would rather ski than watch some guys playing ball? Looking for a partner for the eastern Sierras this coming weekend. 

Pierre de Malliard wrote:

Any true backcountry skiers that would rather ski than watch some guys playing ball? Looking for a partner for the eastern Sierras this coming weekend. 

I would but I'm inexperienced.  Looking for someone to show me the ropes!

Pierre de Malliard wrote:

Any true backcountry skiers that would rather ski than watch some guys playing ball? Looking for a partner for the eastern Sierras this coming weekend. 

I'm looking for someone to tour with from North Lake to Rock Creek in March so I don't have to go solo.

Thinking to check out Charlton or San Gorgonio tomorrow if anyone is interested in touring 

Ryan G wrote:

I'm looking for someone to tour with from North Lake to Rock Creek in March so I don't have to go solo.

Interested in the project. Looks mostly like a backcountry traverse?

Ryan G wrote:

I'm looking for someone to tour with from North Lake to Rock Creek in March so I don't have to go solo.

Would be interested too. How many days were you planning for this?

I'll shoot you DMs.  actually more like early early to mid April to let things clean up a bit.  if I had a partner I'd like to spend an extra night or two and ski lines.  thinking three days for the traverse.

Skiied from the summit of Baldy on thurs… great springtime conditions however there was blue ice near the summit and frozen wind slab in the shade .. Ski crampons and regular cramps were a must … skied fm the summit , through  the ice, and off the summit snow field to the notch … then traversed the bowl to the left side and skiied down all the way to the hut w/o having to remove my skis once.. great day… hope this helps ! 

In memory of Mike Fitzgerald.. RIP buddy. 

Anyone interested in skiing a Charlton couloir (or something in the area) this Saturday? 

I skied the chute second from looker's left yesterday, and there was some decent windblown snow. Fast firm conditions on the trail on the way up. Headed up the left ridge, switched to boots at 9500 and had punch crust the rest of the way up. I was glad to put on skis and get some good snow on the way down.

James Eckhardt wrote:

Anyone interested in skiing a Charlton couloir (or something in the area) this Saturday? 

I skied the chute second from looker's left yesterday, and there was some decent windblown snow. Fast firm conditions on the trail on the way up. Headed up the left ridge, switched to boots at 9500 and had punch crust the rest of the way up. I was glad to put on skis and get some good snow on the way down.

Getting my boots punched or id likey offer to go .. Why did it it take until 9,500’ to put boots on? Was that  the snow level?

George Hayduke wrote:

Getting my boots punched or id likey offer to go .. Why did it it take until 9,500’ to put boots on? Was that  the snow level?

He means he switched to booting i.e. bootpacking instead of skinning.

Thinking about heading up to Charlton or Jepson tomorrow. socalsnow.org mentioned “reports of sensitive windslabs” in the San Bernardinos since the storm on Tuesday but there isn’t actually anything in the observations. Anybody have any info?

Robertson Pearce wrote:

He means he switched to booting i.e. bootpacking instead of skinning.

Lol.. thx … ahaha .. 

Been up several times through the south fork this year into Charleston. Usually just w my dog and/or wife. She hurt her knee and this week is looking like a nice storm rolling in. If things are looking good to go i would like to poke around up the san g drainage with a partner Sunday and/or monday. LMK if that sounds like your idea of a good time 646-7O6-2048 - stew