April 26, 2009, Patricia Bowl,Eastern Sierra

With the snow pack below normal in the Buttermilks and south, we headed north to Rock Creek Road at the top of Sherwin Pass.   The Eastern Sierra trout opener was on April 25 so most high elevation roads were plowed to provide access to the fisher folks.  These folks spend a lot more tourist dollars than backcountry skiers.  The road is plowed to 10,300€™.  Can you believe it €“ it€™s like driving to Camp Muir.  So we drive to 10,300€™, put on the skins and shuffle out and up.  Well, that€™s in a normal year. This year the snow pack is the lowest I€™ve seen in awhile and there are no big snow banks at road€™s end.  Plus there is spotty coverage on the lower peaks.  The east facing gullies of Pointless Peak are already melted out. 

Patricia Bowl is one of our favorite roadside tours with steep granite walls, glades and a couple of lakes.  But this year we had to actually walk on dirt and boulders for half a mile to reach the bowl.  A few days earlier, the area received 3-6€ of new and that snow had remained unconsolidated and not matured into Sierra corn.  So although the skiing was only OK, the beauty and solitude of the enormous bowl made the hike bearable.  From road€™s end at 10,300€™the Inner Canyon tours are now accessible with a shorter approach such as Mt. Starr, Abbott, Gabb, Dade, and Treasure Peak, Pipsqueak and Bear Creek Squire plus all the couloirs.  What a great place to setup a base camp and tour.