March 19, 2006, Signal Peak,CA
3/19/06
2128
0
This was the tour that I had been waiting to do for 6 years. I had read and saved a couple of trip reports about the skiing on Signal Peak dating back to March 2000 on the old rec. skiing backcountry (RSB) newsgroup. In 2004 and 2005 there was NO SNOW at the trailhead when we arrived in early April. March 2006 was different; there was a great snow pack, recent cold temperatures and 12 inches of new snow from a few days ago that would handle any bare spots. We spent the evening in the Donner Summit Sno Park and had to listen to some local youths play on the snow banks till 11pm. It was a perfect morning, temperatures in the teens, sunny with a slight breeze. We drove west on I80 to the Cisco Grove exit (about 10 miles west of Donner Summit), drove north to the Cisco Grove Campground and paid $10 to park in their lot. A cheaper alternative is to park on the south side of I80 at or near the Valero gas station and walk back to the trailhead. Cisco Grove Campground at 5700 feet is the starting point for snowmobiles so we shared the snow covered Fordyce road with them. After a quarter mile the view of Signal Peak was encouraging with treed terrain and some rockbands on climbers right. We continued along the groomed snowmobile road for 1.5 to 2 miles as it follows Rattlesnake Creek. I was confident someone would have put in an up track on Saturday. Sure enough, after an hour of shuffling along on the road and gaining about 400 vertical, we found an up track. The track meandered through the trees towards a saddle to the west of Signal Peak. As we climbed, I kept poking the surrounding snow pack and kept piercing a thick sun crust all along the climb. There were no tracks descending the slope so I was confident the trail breakers knew of the powder descent run.
Once at the saddle, we could see the summit ridge and quickly approached the old abandoned stone structure. The small structure at 7841feet with one rounded side with windows was once a lookout and signaling location for fire spotters. From our lunch spot, we heard a train and finally spotted the slow westbound train about a mile in length creeping along the snow canopy part in the sun, part in an avalanche protected structure and the remainder crossing a bridge. A unique site. Just behind the stone structure is a large west facing bowl with trees and about 800 vertical of 30 degree slopes. Unfortunately it was wind affected. We followed the summit ridge to the new signal buildings and communications dishes. Behind the buildings was the northeast bowl that I had read about. The bowl is enormous with slopes from 35 to 40 degrees and about 1300 vertical to the drainage. It is a thing of beauty but it was all wind hammered. OK, where are the trailbreaker tracks? Unfortunately they disappeared along the wind blasted ridge but seemed to go further east and away from our climbing track. The day was getting short and instead of continuing our tour further from the start we decided to descend our climbing route. BIG, BIG, BIG MISTAKE. Unfortunately, we encountered breakable and unbreakable crust. It was the most unpleasant ski descent I have ever had. The short story is that we survived without injury. We just decided it would be best not to talk to each other for awhile. Once down to the snowmobile road, we had the joy of skiing the frozen, rutted, miserable route back out. The site of the van was pure joy. Once at the van, a fellow asked how the snow was – Jill just provided a look of disgust. We had climbed about 2900 vertical feet and, unfortunately, we had to descend the same amount of CRUMMY CRUST. The only problem with Signal Peak is that it is south facing so at this time of the year the snow develops a crust very quickly. If we do it again, we will do it in spring snow conditions. OK Jill, we will probably never do it again. Zap & Jill
Jill inside the deserted stone structure at the summit
The Northeast Bowl of Signal Peak
Once at the saddle, we could see the summit ridge and quickly approached the old abandoned stone structure. The small structure at 7841feet with one rounded side with windows was once a lookout and signaling location for fire spotters. From our lunch spot, we heard a train and finally spotted the slow westbound train about a mile in length creeping along the snow canopy part in the sun, part in an avalanche protected structure and the remainder crossing a bridge. A unique site. Just behind the stone structure is a large west facing bowl with trees and about 800 vertical of 30 degree slopes. Unfortunately it was wind affected. We followed the summit ridge to the new signal buildings and communications dishes. Behind the buildings was the northeast bowl that I had read about. The bowl is enormous with slopes from 35 to 40 degrees and about 1300 vertical to the drainage. It is a thing of beauty but it was all wind hammered. OK, where are the trailbreaker tracks? Unfortunately they disappeared along the wind blasted ridge but seemed to go further east and away from our climbing track. The day was getting short and instead of continuing our tour further from the start we decided to descend our climbing route. BIG, BIG, BIG MISTAKE. Unfortunately, we encountered breakable and unbreakable crust. It was the most unpleasant ski descent I have ever had. The short story is that we survived without injury. We just decided it would be best not to talk to each other for awhile. Once down to the snowmobile road, we had the joy of skiing the frozen, rutted, miserable route back out. The site of the van was pure joy. Once at the van, a fellow asked how the snow was – Jill just provided a look of disgust. We had climbed about 2900 vertical feet and, unfortunately, we had to descend the same amount of CRUMMY CRUST. The only problem with Signal Peak is that it is south facing so at this time of the year the snow develops a crust very quickly. If we do it again, we will do it in spring snow conditions. OK Jill, we will probably never do it again. Zap & Jill
Jill inside the deserted stone structure at the summit
The Northeast Bowl of Signal Peak
Reply to this TR
Please login first: