Winter Ski Tour: Mammoth to Tuolumne to Lee Vining: Feb. 23-28

[Harlen]

We've just had a pretty amazing December, with near record snowfall.  I read that 202 inches fell around Mammoth Mountain, for upwards of 16 feet--True?! So it's time to plan winter trips, or to dream up some spring travels when the days are longer.  For this Trip Report I have gathered up some of Frank's photos from a 2016 ski tour from Minaret Summit to Lee Vining, with a 2 day stop in Tuolumne Meadows.  We began our trip by stashing our car high on the road across from the ski slopes.   Be careful with this parking area, as some staff told us no, some said go ahead and park there.  We left the car for 7 days with no problems.  We skied in late in the day on February 23, and used the River Trail to Thousand Island Lake, then generally followed the JMT over Island and then Donohue Pass.  We skied the Lyell Fork down to the T.M. Ski Hut, then all the way out to Lee Vining on our last day via Hwy 120.  It was a memorable trip, with perfect weather, perfect solitude, but challenging skiing, and awful heavy slogging back down the road.  There were also miles of full moon night skiing, and some crazy coyotes and booming owls thrown in.

 

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Day 1 was just the late afternoon slog up the frozen road to Minaret Summit, and a mile down the other side to camp.  We threw our bags out on light tarps- no tents with us, and laid there laughing at the coyotes.  No $hit, two young coyotes soon showed up, and ran all around, seemingly excited to meet us there.  One bounded up to within 15 feet of our camp!  Then they chased each other up the slopes-- just curious, not threatening at all.  We thought that was a fine start to the trip.You can see a bit of our gear here: Frank's Karhu "Lookout" skis 175 's with a modest sidecut, mounted with NNN- BC bindings.  I've got B.D. "Miras," @ 162 cm, shaped: 110-78-100.  I was using absurdly heavy "Hammerhead" bindings, as I was still in my early Telemark turn, learning phase.  All my gear was based on that phase (which I never really graduated from), so you also see big, heavy plastic boots, and the short, heavy skis.  Supposedly they turn easy, I don't know about that, but that they glide like shite I'm sure!  We had just the 1 shovel, which I carried, so we agreed that Frank would be the one to get buried in an avalanche.  It is usually recommended that each partner carry a shovel and probe, but one shovel, and no probes saves a lot of weight.  One's ski poles can serve as a rudimentary probe, and if Frank gets himself buried deeper than 4 feet it's his own damn fault. 

 

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On Day 2 We skied about 9 miles up the River Trail to a viewpoint over 1000 Island Lake.  For years, I had imagined the wonder of ski touring all around that iconic lake, and gazing up at the snowy Ritter Range.  The peaks in snow were everything I had hoped for, but perhaps because of all the islands, the famous lake just blended into the flatland.  Some lakes are beautiful in snow-- big, open lakes like Tenaya, and the Cathedral Lakes, and other lakes just aren't so scenic.  

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Morning of Day 3, with 1000 Island Lake below Ritter and Banner.  We toured around the lake a bit, and hung out on the broad top of Island Pass for the amazing views. We only made about 4 or 5 miles, but this was a great day for us.  

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Banner and then Ritter in this shot, with North Glacier Pass to the right.

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"Franko."   
      

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A great day on Island Pass!

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Mt. Donohue and the upper basin of Rush Creek.

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Our third camp was on the north side of Island Pass.  It was below 10,000' so we had a small fire to save fuel, and enjoy the long night.  We searched out downed trees for firewood.  Honestly, sometimes our camps are chosen according to available firewood.  Fires become far more important to us in winter.

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Full moon morning.

[Harlen]

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The weather was clear and cold. Frank slept in his old bivy sack, and I slept out happily in a giant down bag.

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Day 4 began with a really fun ski descent. Across the valley is the Koip Crest.

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Frank with light, waxless gear. [Note- I've told my friend to get himself more stylish ski pants, but he just doesn't care. He says he's ready for waist-deep snow.]

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And me too damn heavy! I had to use these full skins a lot due to iciness. I reckon my skis with full skins weigh 5 lbs., and the big boots are the same. So I am swinging 10 lbs. at the end of each leg! As long as they get me in there was my thinking, but now I have gone with lighter AT gear.

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The tail end (south) of Koip Crest is nicely pinnacled.

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We're nearing the top of Donohue Pass. It was 5 miles to the pass from our camp, and then another long way to the ski hut for me-- nearly 20 very slow miles.

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As you can see here, the east side of Donohue is dead easy, at least in beautiful still weather like we had. The west side of the pass is the challenge. The very top section has a wonderful, north-facing bowl to ski, but soon we were booting carefully down the steep, loose snow slopes. Frank had the only camera this trip, and we were too focused on making a safe descent to shoot pictures. I do remember really nice mountain views across to the great wall of Mt Lyell and McClure. We made the valley floor late in the day, and I was keen to carry on down the Lyell Fork in the light of the full moon. Frank chose to make a nice fire camp by MacClure Creek. I had a heck of a time making good progress over the icy cold surface. It was very cold, and I tried skiing with and without skins, over and over again, and finally just accepted the slow but sure movement with the skins on. I was pulled on by visions of a woodstove and the warm hut. I reached the ski hut very near dawn, having skied all night with the hooting of Great-horned Owls and the singing of Coyotes. It was pretty grueling, but I was glad I did it, as the moonlight was fantastic.

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Per usual in winter, I found the hut empty. I slept, read, and poured hot water over my head out in the snow... and stoked the woodstove. Frank showed up late in the afternoon, in very good spirits after his long ski down the valley in the daylight. He says he enjoys seeing the mountains in the light of day.

[sekihiker]

Wow. Quite a trip. Looks like you're in pretty good shape with that overnight leg.

[Harlen]

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Frank arrived "pretty knackered" as he would say.  And said he would need a rest day.  We enjoyed the fine food and drink we'd stashed up there last Fall.  Behind Frank's pants, and only slightly higher, is Mammoth Peak and the Kuna Crest to the south. The valley to the left is Parker Pass Creek.  The big mountain wall to the left hangs over Helen Lake, and Parker Pass to the north.  To the south this wall joins 13,002' Kuna Peak, one of the three 13,000' Yosemite mountains.

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Frank took some nice photos in the Lyell Fork valley.

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Just beyond Tioga Crest, with the first four peaks of Kuna Crest in view to the south.  Mammoth at 12,106' , then the no name rocky peak at 12,160'+, then two more above 12,080.'The north slopes of these provide some of the best downhill skiing.  As you can see from the sign, it's a 48 mile ski to Crane Flat, plus about 10 miles from the start of the snow on Hwy 120, above Lee Vining.  And it's 8 miles from Tioga Pass to Tuolumne Meadows, and the ski hut. 

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Though there was a good amount of (icy) snow up high, between the melting on the road, and all the snow-cat and plowing activity, we had to pack our ski gear (20 lbs. of it for me!), and hike down for much of the way to Lee Vining.  I wore soaking wool socks under Frank's giant pair of crocs.  This isn't ideal footwear with a big pack, on a slushy, icy road, but still better than walking in the tele boots. We were down and out just before dark.  It would be great to do this again in perfect spring snow.  You could ski the whole way down in a few crazy hours.  It was very nice to enjoy another section of the JMT; this connects with our ski from Tuolumne to the Valley the year before.  I'd like to ski or snowshoe a piece of the John Muir Trail each year. Good luck out there.

[rlown]

Nice!

[wildhiker]

What an adventure in perfect weather. In fact, much better weather than I had last summer in some of the same area! It's been a long time since I was tough enough to do any backcountry skiing, so I appreciate the vicarious enjoyment of your trip. Thanks for sharing.
-Phil

[Wandering Daisy]

Great photos/great trip. This year's snowpack, to date, is almost the same as 2015-16 (89% average at Tioga Pass) so very applicable for this year. A week with perfect weather! Is that lucky or normal late February? The creeks were running so evidently fairly warm for winter. What was the reason for River Trail vs. High Trail (PCT)?

[Harlen]

Wandering Daisy asks:

What was the reason for River Trail vs. High Trail (PCT)?

I don't know, agoraphobia I suppose. When I see a PCT sign, I run away.

[tahoefoothills]

This is just an incredible trip report. I am speculating that most who are on this forum (including me) don't have the skill set required to undertake what you did. Thank you for sharing.

[gary c.]

Very nice trip and report. I would love to do something like this but my thoughts always go back to to the scene in Jeremiah Johnson when he breaks the rifle from the frozen trappers hands. Afraid that would be me.