Outdoors
Goodbye winter - the final Cali snow report
Truckee
After eight months of snowy bliss, I'm pretty damn sure my winter '08/'09 ended last Saturday — June 27 — on the Saddlebag Lake boat taxi.
The realization struck me as I cozied into my pontoon boat seat, caught a whiff of cat-piss wafting from my haggard boots, and looked back on the majestic cirque of couloirs and snowfields that we had just spent the day shredding on Mt. Conness and North Peak.
Deep in this alpine gaze, my eyes still saw worthy "lines", but for the first time since November, my brain, ego and quads didn't twitch nor contemplate a future attack strategy.
My body and boots both knew it — I was satisfied ...fulfilled and finished with chasing snow ...for a couple months anyway.
While the satisfaction is somewhat bittersweet, it's a welcome feeling for a guy who has been known to run winter into the ground.
Better to burn out than fade away for me lately though.
...No matter how fun it is to jump around on 300-foot patches of dirty ice granules come September.
This season's final fix was without a doubt the month of June — one of the best months of my winter.
The overcast skies of late-May kept conditions so effin amazing that every time I set out to shred in June the stars aligned for a blissful, stress-free and all-time adventure.
When the calendar flipped July 1, I had gotten out five days, hiked and rode more than 26,000 vert feet, tagged Shasta's summit three times and shared steep turns and suncup ollies with a handful of very friendly new faces.
Looking into July, I think my lingering satisfaction should hold out, but you never know.There is still plenty of glacial temptation out there in them hills.
Shasta's Hotlum Wintun route and the Conness glacier will be good to go till August easy.
Those fresh fall line feelings will be lurking, beckoning just a short hike away.
Please. Go. Get after it.
It will be worth it.
The Saddlebag Lake boat taxi leaves on the hour ($11 bucks round trip) and the right coolie of North Peak is still ridiculous.
But i'm happy to say I can't come with you.
...It's time to climb and rip singletrack for this Cali kid.
Not knowing when next I'll slash a turn or choke on pow is a bit unnerving though.
Anyone need a guide/photog for an adventure in Argentina or Chile come August?!
One month off should be enough and by then i'll have new boots.
Photos:
1) Caroline Gleich — Shasta "O" face mid-June. (Photo: Lightcap)
2) Chris Gallardo — Off-camber on North Peak. (Photo: Lightcap)
3) Chris Gallardo — Bootin' to bliss on North Peak. (Photo: Lightcap)
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