Trail Conditions 2012, look at first entry for updated conditions!

[R290]

Originally Posted by targa3859

Was Forest Service hassling people at Airport flats or Wentworth? or just people that went around or over gates?

Looking at the web site
it's closed for the season.

SEASONS
Open Seasonal: Yes
Open All Year: No

Seasonal Comment:
Open Memorial Day weekend through October 15 - weather dependent.

Not sure if the gates are open or closed. Call the Ranger station and get the current scoop. I do know they have extended the winter road closer by 2 weeks April 15th

[resqme]

Originally Posted by targa3859

Was Forest Service hassling people at Airport flats or Wentworth? or just people that went around or over gates?

Nope, we have a commit from the District Ranger to leave one bathroom open and not hassle resectful campers at Airport. They've been ticketing at the Loon camgrounds, specifically North Shore. Of course they can't really get in there now unless they snowshoe

[92crawler]

From the Tahoe side, 3-27-12. Went for a day trip and conditions were good, just had to get over the snow wall.

[atvobsession]

Well...I went up Saturday morning to meet Scott and Desmond. No snow at all when I got to the Chalet.

By the time I got my ATV to the kiosk....it was coming down! 2+ feet later, the next morning, we un-buried ourselves...so it was time to play.

Loon Lake after a storm - YouTube

[Curly]

"Like"

[chainrnng]

Went to the chalet from uncle toms sat as well only a inch on the ground going up and got a powder lesson on the way back. As well ran into a tow festival of rigs trying to pull a stock looking rig back over the summit.

[atvobsession]

Here's just a few pics...

[steveh]

Originally Posted by Curly

"Like"

x2

I have some Go Pro lens "Automatic" nano wipers just for you

[Jes]

Originally Posted by atvobsession

Here's just a few pics...

Awesome!

[atvobsession]

Last video from the weekend, from during and after the storm....

Rubicon - During and After Snow Storm - YouTube

[jethrodeg]

Good vid! The snow looks awesome.

[atvobsession]

Originally Posted by jethrodeg

Good vid! The snow looks awesome.

Thanks..A lot of people either don't like to go snow wheeling (but like looking at pictures of others..LOL) or they like to go snow wheeling, but don't have the equipment required to do it safely. So I like to capture it for others to enjoy...without the snow in your face or down your jacket collar.

[Kodiak 4x4]

nice pic Pat that snow wall looked fun

DANG Ken that was a ton of snow where did you guys sleep?

[jethrodeg]

Originally Posted by atvobsession

Thanks..A lot of people either don't like to go snow wheeling (but like looking at pictures of others..LOL) or they like to go snow wheeling, but don't have the equipment required to do it safely. So I like to capture it for others to enjoy...without the snow in your face or down your jacket collar.

It's not easy to truly capture snow wheeling/camping in pictures or video. I liked the video of the wind on the dam....that's what I'm talking about. Nothing beats winter wheeling like being on the trail during a Sierra storm. (properly equipped of course )

[jethrodeg]

Does anyone have a report, from this last weekend 3-31-12, on the snow going over Hartless?

[resqme]

Originally Posted by jethrodeg

Does anyone have a report, from this last weekend 3-31-12, on the snow going over Hartless?

Multiple rigs went over Hartless without a problem, there's a good track.

[chainrnng]

Originally Posted by jethrodeg

Does anyone have a report, from this last weekend 3-31-12, on the snow going over Hartless?

I went over just fine in my lifted honda ridgeline. The new pro comp extreme all terrain 33's were awesome.

[jethrodeg]

Originally Posted by resqme

Multiple rigs went over Hartless without a problem, there's a good track.

Cool

Originally Posted by chainrnng

I went over just fine in my lifted honda ridgeline. The new pro comp extreme all terrain 33's were awesome.

[resqme]

Got back this afternoon from a quick in and out to Spider. Lots of big hard drifts with holes to the roadbed inbetween. Fair bit of winching, laid the rig into a snow bank at Soup...big and nasty!

Traction better this weekend than last, but the wheeeling harder.

[FJCruisin_Wa]

Originally Posted by atvobsession

Well...I went up Saturday morning to meet Scott and Desmond. No snow at all when I got to the Chalet.

By the time I got my ATV to the kiosk....it was coming down! 2+ feet later, the next morning, we un-buried ourselves...so it was time to play.

Loon Lake after a storm - YouTube

Thanks for reminding me why I like wheeling with Desmond! That rig is awesome, and he is a blast to wheel with, although it is a bit of a challenge at times to keep pace Great vids, thanks for sharing!!

[cruzila]

Made it in to the Little Sluice this weekend. There is a ton of snow, more than any so far this winter. Tires narrower than 18" were not working to break trail and the holes were off the hook. I think I technically flopped 4 or 5 times, but laying on a snowbank does not count?? Even if you push snow 1/3 of the way across the window?

The tree is resting across the trail and will take a big effort to remove and preserve for the sake of history.

The weather cooperated but there is another storm system headed this way, so time will tell on when the melt will really happen. Snow conditions are sugary powder with a crust forming at night which breaks back to sugar in the track. Not quite spring conditions yet.

We trekked across Hartless and went in through Wentworth, staying on the old County road the whole way and made it up Postpile and across to the Intertie. Spent the night at the top before Soup before heading in to the Little Sluice on Saturday. I headed home Saturday and the others came out today.

[papacasey]

Sad to see that tree down.

[resqme]

Look at the north states checkin' in!

No melt yet, as Scott said. The holes were huge, but it was a bunch of fun.

[atvobsession]

Went to Little Sluice and Spider on snow tracks. There are some nasty holes between Ellis and the top of Walker. It took 4 hours on tracks to get there. Most of that time, spent there.

Gatekeeper..just past the Ball Rock...we'll just refer to this section as Barb's Rollover section.


The bowl. We had no problems here at all, thanks to snow tracks.


Nobody had been there since John, most likely.


A little winching.


Spider still frozen


Obligatory shot of the bathroom at Ellis


Ellis required cable. No point is chewing up the entry trying to get up.

[resqme]

Good update, Ken, thanks. FWIW, I used the winch probably 5 times last weekend in each direction, and one of them was Ellis on the return...that's a big hole where that secondary creek comes in!

This is a great quote:

No point is chewing up the entry trying to get up.

So right, USE THE WINCH, especially in the transition between water and snow. It saves wear and tear, outright damage, and most importantly, the trail.