August 6, 2005, Lassen Peak

CA represent!  Lassen still has good snow.  My brother Jonathan S. and I skied 1,000 vert on the SE face Saturday August 6.  The top half was smooth, quality corn, but the lower half was a bit bumpy and littered with tiny rockfall.  Very easy access -- we hiked the trail to within a few paces of the snow on the plateau below the summit cone, and had a brief cross-country walk from our last turn in the gully back to the hiking trail.  The north side above the Devastated area is also holding skiable snow, but for a quick August strike the SE face couldn't be beat.  Plus, it was Family Fun in the Park Day, so all the hordes of kids and moms and pops got out their cameras to watch "the crazy skier guys."  Gotta love BC skiing as a spectator sport ...  As an added bonus, Lassen was having a major butterfly spawning and a blanket of painted ladies covered the mountain in all directions.  I almost swallowed one on my run down.

Here I am near the bottom of the snow:



Action shot up top:

http://biglines.com/photos/blpic44365.jpg

Jonathan has some beta shots of the north side.