June 12-15th, 2014

Locations: Carson Pass & Lake Tahoe, California

Round Top Peak & The Sisters

The Patch

Weather: Bluebird conditions with the Round Top/Sisters day entertaining us with 50mph sustained winds

Riders: Slaythegnar, Vets & Holden

Slaythegnar pointing to our objective…

Vets (patchskiing king)

Holden – breaking out the winter one-piece

Photographers: Slaythegnar & Vets

POV VIDEO Triumph of Tahoe Turns @ Carson Pass, CA – 06/15/14

Triumph of Tahoe Turns @ Carson Pass, CA – 06/15/14 from SlayTheGnar on Vimeo.

Music: Critical Sound | Rinse FM | Kasra & Hyroglifics | 4th June 2014

Java Porn: Starbucks morning runs shall do…using my usual name

Synopsis:

What a year in these parts! After one of the driest years on record and in midst of a drought…would my June turns even come to fruition?

It has almost become a yearly ritual in my household…come mid-June, to climb and ski around the Carson Pass area off of Round Top Peak at 10,381 ft and then continue up and the down the chutes of all the Sisters Peaks (10,153 ft) down to Round Top Lake.

The funny thing is that we actually found all the chutes not only to be skiable and holding glorious corn the entire day.

Woods Lake (8,232 ft) is my usual starting point because its a quick 45 mins up to the snow line at Winnemucca Lake. However, this year THAT snow line was a couple hundred feet higher. The temperatures were fairly warm and probably in the 50’s but due to a sustained 30-40mph wind, the snow stayed completely the same for the duration of the day.

After a few days of boating and soaking up the sun on the shores of Lake Tahoe, we headed to the legendary Patch off HWY 88 to not only test the SUV but also to get some Father’s Day fun in the snow. The kids made snowballs, my 5 year old took a few June laps, and dad got his carve on which ended up being a blast of a morning.

Bottom line…Tahoe delivers in even the worst of years and for that I am stoked.

READY…FIGHT!

June 12th, 2014 – Round Top Peak & The Sisters:

Clear roads and minimal snow on Stevens Peak…

After meeting Vets at Woods Lake…we quickly reached the Winnemucca Lake log crossing…

After a quick snack and transitioning into ski boots and attire, I made my way up the sunny line of Moon Crescent…

Perfect time for a shadow selfie…

On the hidden flat spot lookers left of the true summit of Round Top Peak, I took some photographs of Deadwood Peak and beyond…

Always fun to eat a snack near death…

The Central Sierra – if you look closely you can see the Y Couloir of Leavitt Peak in the distance…

Alright, I think its time to make some stunning drought turns…

HELLO FACESHOT!

So ridiculously smooth through here…like OMG.

Its time for Vets to make some turns…

This is more real skiing than ‘patchskiing’ if you ask me…

Slaythegnar gathers speed for a carve with his previous line above…

So casual…so relaxed…one would never know he’s been hiking for hours

Vets hikes up to our groomer lap prior to heading to The Sisters…

Late season skiers be like…

Slaythegnar gets ready for a quick carving session…

Caples Lake saying hello while we play in the snow…

On Sisters summit…Summer on one side, Spring on the other

For some reason, suncups hesitate to form on this line…doesn’t really bother me

Sister Summit Panorama…

POV from the ski…

Vets took an alternate route and found glorious corn…

We traversed over to Sisters #2…

Next stop is the summit of that chute…

Snow down to Round Top Lake…

Slaythegnar burning more calories…

MADE IT!

After a perilous situation attempting to step into my bindings, its time to ride…

Steep and carvetastic…

Not bad given the drought eh?

Warm temps and strong winds helped keep the snow in the most ideal state…

Vets POV…

Earlier in the Spring, you can ride the gnar on the right…

Final stop is to boot up Sisters #3…

At the summit, you can view the hidden gem, 4th of July Lake…

Backside of Kirkwood can be seen from here…

Vets continues his way up near Cock Rock (that’s got to be the name AM I RIGHT?)

There’s actually more snow in this line than the same day last year (hint: we had less snow this season)

PERFECT DIRTY CORN CHUTIN’

Rippable steep corn on the exit…

WOOO HOOO!

A bit bumpy near the lake…

Our line…

Our last two lines…

Close up of Sister’s #2…

With ski boots still on…I played the patch game until I was able to ski the last suncupped pitch down to Winnemucca Lake (yes, it was horrible)

The next morning was all about Lake Tahoe…

Said hello to a friendly massive raccoon on the boat…

Tallac stil showing some signs of winter…

PINNED at 52mph…

Water temperature is stuck in winter mode

Standard lunchtime spot via boat, West Shore Cafe…

A little afternoon golf with the Mrs…

The next day…Sunnyside for lunch!

Warm weather and Rose…the hardcore skier’s drink of choice

Tahoe sunsets can get crazy in the summer…

Father’s Day morning the family and I took a trip to The Patch…

Parker is keen…

Snowball making device being used in June…STOKED!

The little man takes his first backcountry run…

THE PATCH PANO!

Getting low in shorts…

Another lap? Why not?

June drought spray…

One last lap from the summit…

Ravine turns…

A little cornice drop…FUN!

Carvetown on the Patch…

Perfect Father’s Day!

Forestdale Rd made the Mrs. nervous….the SUV was stoked though.

Aspen trees in California…

Time for some stupendous pie at Hope Valley Cafe…

And a quick trip to Markleeville to chceck out buildings from the 1800’s…

Next stop for real skiing…NZ?