Sierra Snowshoe :: Feb 2013

[Jacob D]

When:
Feb 22-24

Where:
Grubb Hut Vicinity
Last minute change due to weather and yet more parking problems. We'll be out near (not in) the Grubb Hut. A few (most?) of us going will be headed in on Friday afternoon.

Who:
This is open to anyone who wants to join up. Newbies to snow camping are welcome -if you have the gear for snow, zero degree weather, and you're fairly confident with your abilities it should be a good learning experience. However, unlike the recent Dewey Point trip, we're not going to be within a 3.5 mile hike of a warm ski lodge; it's just a caution.

[Kattt]

Hi Jacob, and all. I am up for either trip.
FWIW, I would prefer the earlier date, only because the following weekend I have tickets for the Banff Mountain Film Festival.

[David Lutz]

Thanks Jacob.

I should be ok for either weekend. But it would be best for me if the date was finalized sooner than later.

Dave

[Jacob D]

Let's plan on finalizing the date on Monday following the GGG.

[Bradley Attaway]

I'm quite interested if you end up going on the latter date.

A ride from SF would be appreciated if anybody's leaving from the Bay Area, but I'll find a way to the trailhead either way.

[Chris S]

Both options sound good to me and I could make either weekend work.

Bradley, I'll likely be driving and I live in SF, so I should be able to give you a ride.

[Adam Criswell]

Interested, I think I can do either date. But the earlier weekend is less likely to get interfered with by work obligations.

[Jeremy and Angela]

Hi all, my gf and I would be able to make the first weekend. Both options look good; we have a slight preference for the Tahoe one.

[Bob Gross]

I may be one of the few who knows where the Devils Dance Floor is found.

I think you want to look at a different route. Drive from Crane Flat toward Yosemite Valley. When you get around the turnoff to Foresta, there is a trailhead. I think the eastward trail may be called the El Capitan Trail. Now, there is a certain amount of up and down, but the trail might be a more direct way of getting there, as opposed to Crane Flat. Honestly, I'm not sure how you would get there from Crane Flat. You could go east on the Tioga Road (unplowed) past the gate and up to the turnoff to Tamarack Flat, then down the unplowed access road to the campground, and then through the woods to the Devils Dance Floor.

I'm not sure that the Devils Dance Floor would be that great of a place to camp in the winter. It is a bald granite dome.

You might try going from the Valley up the Snow Creek Switchback Trail. You could could camp in the woods near the Snow Creek Cabin.

–B.G.–

[Richard Niemi]

I'm interested in either trip for either weekend. It all depends on what is happening at work if I can make it. I won't know until we are closer to the actual date.
I would be on skis.

[Jacob D]

Bob, thanks for the insight. The route to the DDF from Crane Flat is summarized in the link I gave in my original post, it sounds very similar to what you described.

As far as camping, if we do that trip I'm not proposing we camp on the DDF proper, we'll have to find a suitable spot. Similar in the way in which we didn't camp on Dewey Point proper, just near by. I don't think anyone will be keen to pitching their tarps on an open exposure, unless they are insane winter backpackers perhaps ;)

[Andrew F]

I'm interested too. I could do either weekend.

Andrew

[Jacob D]

I talked to everyone who was interested in this at the GGG. There were only a couple of people who wanted to do the earlier date, most were leaning towards the later date which should also work better for me, so let's roll with that.

[Marc Eldridge]

I'm in +1.

[Chris S]

Sounds good to me. Looking forward to it!

How many people are planning on heading out there on Friday? I don't think I'd be able to get out of work early enough on Friday, so I'll probably head out early on Saturday morning.

[Andrew F]

I'll probably head up Saturday, too. Carpooling would be good.

[Kattt]

Wrong weekend for me. Really sorry to miss this.

[David Lutz]

I'm in, almost for sure…….

[David Lutz]

I have an extra set of skis and boots that I might be up for lending out for the trip.

I mean, I'm definitely up for lending them out but I just want to gauge interest.

Otherwise I might put the boots up for sale. Or I might not get around to it.

Like I said, gauging interest. If you are going on this trip and want to try skiing and wear a size 11-11.5 boot let me know. The skis are good probably up to about 180-190 pounds of skier.

Thanks,

Dave

[Andrew F]

Dave, I was originally planning to rent snowshoes from REI but it would be more fun to be on skis if you are thinking about loaning them out. I am a size 11 but have kinda wide feet- do you think the boots would fit me?

[David W.]

I'm in.

[David Lutz]

Andrew – They are Alpina 1575 boots. Not sure about the relative fit. I think my feet are "normal" despite what my wife says.

[Philip Kovacik]

Hey Ya'll,

UC Berkeley Grad Student UL'r interested in potentially joining everyone +1 or 2…are we digging snow caves or are people bringing proper 4-Season tents? Also, it's not clear what the finalized dates are…lastly several of the Sierra huts near Tahoe appear to have openings that weekend…could be cool to do a hut and camp…Thoughts?

Thanks,

Phil

[Bob Gross]

A good way to work it is to organize gear such that there are enough good tents to be able to shelter everybody, and also enough shovels that everybody can take a crack at building a snow shelter. The reason is that sometimes the snow is really bad, too thin, or otherwise difficult to use for any sort of snow shelter, and also that sometimes it is intensely cold, and the tents might be uncomfortable.

So, prepare for both and then see which method works best for the conditions that you run into.

I led a beginner snow camping trip once about thirty years ago, and we put seven people into a 3-person tent. They stayed awfully warm.

–B.G.–

[Eric Lundquist]

I'd like to go, so put me down as a tentative yes. I'll either be bringing my SMD Wild Oasis (Hoping the netting doesn't freeze with the snow), or a waterproof breathable bivy and digging a snow trench. I'd be interested in digging a Quinzee hut if the conditions are right.

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