May 6-7,2009, Dunderberg Peak, Sierra Corn
5/6/09
US elsewhere
1126
2
After being sidelined to biking and birding due to a big snow and wind storm along the Sierra Crest, we finally had a chance to tour one of our favorite peaks. Tioga Pass received about 2 feet of snow during the storm, and the road has been gated for the past 4 days. While about 12 miles north of the Tioga Pass road is the Virginia Lakes road, and it has remained open. The winds were bearable on the 6th and 7th so we were finally about to get out and do some touring. From the Virginia Lakes side, Dunderberg Peak has a southeast exposure which was ideal after the storm for changing all of the new snow to corn. Our plan was to ski SE gully # 3(yeah Richins book identifies them by numbers) on the 6th and SE gully # 2 on the 7th. SE gully #3 starts at 9400 and meanders up to 12,000. The gully provides excellent wind protection and a nice cooker to turn new windblown snow into Sierra corn. We stopped short of the upper ridge due to strong winds above us. The descent was in an inch of cream along a serpentine gully and through the trees back down to the campervan. It was a perfect day that warranted a stop for a buffalo meatloaf dinner at the Whoa Nellie Deli at the Mobil Mart.
On the 7th, it was another sunny day with a slight breeze that kept the climbing comfortable. We ascended SE gully #2. It had a few lines from the previous day, but there was an adjacent, untracked gully with about a 38 degree pitch in the upper section that was isolated from the main slope. The ascent required a 30 foot boot pack through a melted out area in the lower section, but then we had good coverage to the east summit around 12,300. We skinned to 11,600 and enjoyed another creamy corn descent. Skiing in Sierra corn is what draws us back here yearly. The coverage at Tioga Pass and along the Virginia Lakes road is excellent. They reopened the Tioga Pass road on the 7th.
Photo 1 - Jill with Mono Lake in background
Photo 2 - Dunderberg with SE Gully #2 on left and SE Gully #3 on right
Photo 3 - Close up of SE Gully #2 and our lines in center
On the 7th, it was another sunny day with a slight breeze that kept the climbing comfortable. We ascended SE gully #2. It had a few lines from the previous day, but there was an adjacent, untracked gully with about a 38 degree pitch in the upper section that was isolated from the main slope. The ascent required a 30 foot boot pack through a melted out area in the lower section, but then we had good coverage to the east summit around 12,300. We skinned to 11,600 and enjoyed another creamy corn descent. Skiing in Sierra corn is what draws us back here yearly. The coverage at Tioga Pass and along the Virginia Lakes road is excellent. They reopened the Tioga Pass road on the 7th.
Photo 1 - Jill with Mono Lake in background
Photo 2 - Dunderberg with SE Gully #2 on left and SE Gully #3 on right
Photo 3 - Close up of SE Gully #2 and our lines in center
Nice Zap... that looks great. We've been lacking in sunshine this week.
Corn 8's.
Very nice Zap and Jill.
Very nice Zap and Jill.
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