I got up at the crack of 4am and got ready. Heading up the Wheeler Scenic Road it became apparent that Wheeler wasn’t in anymore. Oh well Jeff Davis it would be for today. I geared up and started skinning through the trees loosely following the Bristlecone Trail. It was stunning. The East Face of Wheeler dominated the views. The bristlecones gave the basin a primeval feeling. I snapped a ton of pics with a new(used) medium format camera that I recently won off ebay. The Mamiya 645 afd is about 1.5 lbs more than my Nikon but I thought the Snake Range would deserve it. I think that I was right.
I skinned over to the North Slopes of Jeff Davis and booted straight up. When I got to the top I was happy to see the condition of the Northwest Couloir. I had been planning to just ski the North Slopes but I was jonesing for something steeper. And oh boy was it good, though I wish it had gone to the valley floor it was still really nice to ski.
On the way back to Colorado I found out that my Mother-In-Law was sick so I blew off the next 2 days and headed home. 7 out of 10 days of great days in the mountain. Who could ask for more. Now it’s time to get focused on the kitchen. It’s been a great season for sure.
Wheeler Peak sunset shot from US 93
Sunrise
A look at Jeef Davis and Wheeler
Alpenglo on the the peaks
This one and the rest from the mountain were shot with the new Mamiya. I like it.
A look at the gully on the north slopes and the top of the NW Couloir
Making it into the basin
Sweet trees
Looking north to Mt Moriah
Skin Track Stoke
The top of the line. MMMMM
Looking down the line
Perfect creamy corn. So sweet
These skis are so fun. I love them
Lehman caves
This place was so cool
My kid thinks it looks like the snot cave
Kind of reminds me of the art/sets from Alien
Though snot might be about right
It was otherworldly
My son thinks this one looks like a monster city
I think its awesome
The famed Parachute Sheid formation
A beautiful good bye from the Great Basin.
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We headed up through the ski area and hooked up with doogleg. I’m sure there’s a name for it but I don’t know it. Once on the ridge we connected with the trail. The going was pretty easy until we got to the Devils Thumb area. Here we encountered steep sidehilling and eventually put crampons on. The entire way I was a concerned with the temps. It was approaching 80* and I was a bit concerned with the level of melting that we were seeing. Once at the hourglass we opted to climb it to inspect the snow. About 700 vert from the summit we called it due to waist deep post holing. I just couldn’t risk getting my brother slid. I’d never hear the end of it from my parents.
The ski was great and I look forward to going back to get it from the summit. These mountains are really cool. We headed down to the end of the snow and began out hike out. We got to a 40 footer and set up a rap. That was fun. Further down we encountered a waterfall. We couldn’t see the bottom from a couple aspects and realized that we didn’t have enough gear for another safe rap station, with the available anchor points.I think 2 55m ropes would be needed to make this route happen. The painful was reality. Time to add on another 2000′ of vert. We climbed back out to the trail. The bonus however was a really fun 1500 vert of extra skiing down the Dogleg chute we ascended in the morning.
Not too worried about missing this one. Las Vegas had temps up to almost 120* that day. I suspect the mountains topped 80*. I’d turn around again if I had to do it again.
Way to step up Bro. It was a hard day for sure but you handled it like a champ. I really enjoyed seeing you and it was a day I will remember for a long time.
Entering the dogleg gully
Good climbing snow
Such a beautiful range
The trees are pretty cool too
The Hourglass Couloir
I really like this shot Bro
Steep sidehilling Yuck
Looking at the entrance to Hourglass
Heading up
Decent skiing
Checking my sluff
At the choke
Looked like a fun glissade
This was a really fun line
Moving fast
Looking back at the route
The Rappel
Nice form Bro
Such a beautiful place. I'll be back for sure
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The skiing was great and it was really nice to get the highest peak in Southern California done. I was actually pretty fast considering the distance with a summit time of 4:50 and 8:40 for the round trip. If your in the area this is a fun trip. The San Bernardino Mountains are beautiful. The next time I’m in the area I plan on trying to get Baldy or San Jacinto.
I shot video of this line but my hard drive failed yesterday. It’s at geek squad for recovery so if I get it back I’ll post it up.
Traffic. It's part of any vacation experience.
I guess the smog makes for nice sunsets
Nice
Hotel 4Runner
I like this tree
1st view of the peak
View of San Gorgonio from Dry Lake
San Jacinto from the summit
A view from the top
Good looking stuff
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W hiked and skinned back to the apron of the couloir where we eventually called it due to boot top slush. Neither of us wanted to see what it would be like in corn that deep on a 42 degree slope. we still managed about 3000′ of gain. Not to mention the fact that it’s wicked beautiful back there.
It was great meeting you John. Too bad the weather didn’t let us get this one done. It would have been a nice ski for sure.
After dinner I was heading out of town and got a call from my wife. Turns out my kids and myself had strep throat. Sweet, no wonder I was feeling like such shit. My plans for Langley were dashed. I needed a day off and some antibiotics. Off to Bishop I went.
As high as you can drive
I was captivated by this multi colored mountain
Laurel Lake
A look up the Bloody Couloir
As high as you can get when you start at 2:15pm
The skiing was decent, what we got of it
John photo slut extrordinaire
A Look at White Mtn Peak from Nevada
Getting Ready at the Top of Tioga Pass
On the way
Looking back
This is a cool looking peak
Me
Not Much Further
A Look at the Dana Couloir
Range of Light
This should be fun
Looking South
The Beautiful Couloir was nice and spicy. Id say the steepest section was about 52 degrees with an average of 45. I didn’t have crampons or an axe and was a bit gripped with just a whippet. But the bulk of it was soft enough to put in a good step. Once on top we hiked to the summit and met up with some crusty locals. The views were great. It so strange being in different mountains. Even the pine trees smell different. After snapping some pics we hiked down about 50 vert to the snow and strapped them on. We skied over to the entrance of the line and enjoyed nice turns down to the down climb to the Diagonal Couloir. This was also spicy. But the limestone of the Spring Mountains provided great purchase over the 80 foot cliffs. Once in the Diagonal it was sweet corn at about 42 degrees at the top and in thehigh 30s the rest of the way.
It was so fun getting out with you again Chris. Looking forward to next year. Great meeting you Oscar. Come visit sometime and I’ll show you around some Colorado mountains.
Such a cool zone
Heading up to the waterfall section
Looking up at the Beautiful Couloir
Oscar leading the way.
Such nice views
Sporty climbing in the couloir
Looking back down the coolie
Looking down the couloir from the top
Mt Charleston is on the hit list for this trip 
Griffith Peak looks very nice
OK lets go skiing
The skiing off the top was good.
This was a fun section leading to a downclimb into the Diagonal Couloir
Some exposure on the downclimb
Oscar dropping into the Diagonal Couloir
I think this one came out pretty cool
Chris getting some
Diagonal on left and Beautiful Couloir on right.
Sunset on the way up
Mount Sherman's East Side Looking good
On the way up
Looking back at the dam
Getting there
Dan Turns it Loose
Dobish drops a knee
Dobish with Clinton in the background
Dan enjoys the corn
Hans looking good
Dan having a blast
Hans feeling the groove