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It's snowing!


Man, should I jib on up to South Yolla Bolly on Wednesday?
It's been dumping up there all day. More tonight and tomorrow and Wed.
http://www.nohrsc.nws.gov/interactive/h ... 25&min_y=3

Anthony Peak (6900') is showing about 6 inches.
http://www.coveloweather.info/
And it's been snowing all day at 5382' on Weather Station Peak near Mendocino Pass.
http://mesowest.utah.edu/cgi-bin/droman ... ?stn=MASC1

South Yolla Bolly is farther north and is 8094'.
TR's:
http://www.thebackcountry.net/bb/viewtopic.php?t=1773

Coast Range info:
http://www.earnyourturns.com/3878/ccsp- ... mendocino/

South Yolla Bolly, May 2011 - north face


The gate closes on Dec. 1st...

99 pictures of/from South Yolla Bolly
http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=1174439 ... la%20bolly

Anyone got tomorrow off? Two feet of snow at South Yolla Bolly.

http://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/earth/

Hull Yeah!!

Holy shit. Good times.

Headed up to South Yolla Bolly yesterday.
Driving in on the A9 (Corning Rd.) towards Paskenta from Corning.



This is the place to be this time of year. The gate closes Dec. 1st.
The gate is located at 4000' on Colyear Springs Rd.
Also known as Forest Route M22.
South Yolla Bolly is the tallest mountain in the Mendocino National Forest.
Standing 8094' tall, it'll have the goods before the rest of the forest.

The Sacramento Valley was foggy and the Coast Range was buried in clouds.
By the time I reached the gate, it started snowing.
Half a mile later, it started to stick. A few miles later, the road was fully covered in snow.
After almost two decades of skiing the Mendo. Nat'l Forest,
I have come to equate skiing with 4wheeling.
It just doesn't seem like a complete ski experience without dropping it into 4X4 and getting the Jeep all muddy.


Drove about 8 miles past the gate to 5800'. It was DUMPING!
About 6 inches of snow on the ground here.
The snow was not consolidated.
However, the very wet snow in the Coast Range allowed me to ski over the road without sinking too low.
Just as I started skiing up the road, the sun made an appearance.

The next couple hours were sunny and snowing at the same time.
Very little wind.
I was using my Rossignol BC110's.
I was hoping to make an easy day of it, by gliding along on my scaled skis.
I skied up the road towards Bear Camp.
The first thing I noticed was the clumpage.
The unconsolidated snow was sticking to the bottom of my skis.
It was sticking to everything.
It would gather under my heel and ghost shift my heal piece to downhill mode.
As the snow got deeper, the amount of snow sticking to the bottom of my skis got heavier. At first, I was enjoying the extra effort.
It was a good work out.
But after awhile, I began to rethink my day trip plans.

I wasn't sure of the snow conditions sitting at my computer at home.
There appeared to be about two feet of snow at the top.
I knew that the new snow needed a nice freeze/thaw cycle to consolidate.
That's why I waited 'till Wed. to go up. But as I found out, the skies never cleared overnight enough to firm up the wet snow.

I made it to the main road above Bear Camp about an hour from the vehicle.
The road was perfect for skiing, as it's nice and smooth. I wasn't hitting any rocks. But my legs were killing me.
Having to lift up and forward 10-15 pounds of snow stuck to the bottom of my skis was starting to take it's toll.
I had a stick of purple wax that I used several times.
I would glide along for about 5 minutes before it wore off.
I didn't even try the skins. Figured that would be worse.

So I took a break at the upper road.
The road was fine for clumping up, but the road would soon end. And then it would be on to the summit ridge.
Tons of rocks. I didn't want to ruin my brand new scaled skis on the upper ridge and slopes with the unconsolidated, shallow snow.
Plus, if I continued on to the summit, I would be crippled for days, by the pain in my legs.
You know, that hinge at the top of your quads that takes the toll of clumping too much...

So, I decided to 'top out' at the open meadow. By the sign.
I continued on up the road. It was warming up now.
The trees that were loaded up with the wet snow, started branchalanching.
Loud WHOMPS thundered through the woods as the trees shed the weight. I could hear branches snapping. It was gorgeous!

Back on the main road










After about two hours of clumping, I made it to the open meadow just below the TH.



Luckily, the ski back was fast.
I was afraid I would have to clump my way back to the Jeep.
But the snow let me slide and glide on down the road.
Even out of my skin track in the fresh was fast.
By the time I got back, most of the snow by the Jeep had melted.
But I was able to stick to some shaded spots and made it back without having to take off my skis.

Nice and muddy for the drive back from all the melted snow.

Views of the Sacrament Valley on the way out.






------------------------------------------

I didn't think it would snow this much.
South Yolla Bolly is a great place to ski.
But as with any mountain in the Mendocino National Forest, you gotta get there early in the day.
I decided too late on Tuesday to drive up the day before. So I opted for a day trip this time.
Left my house, here in the Napa Valley, on Wed. at 5am (too late).
Foggy conditions in Lake County made for slow driving.
It took me 5 hours to drive to 5800 on SYB. 4.5 hours on the way back.

9.5 hours of driving for a 3 hour ski tour. It was totally worth it!

-----------------------------------------------
Just under 200 miles from my house - one way.
SYB is 2 hours from Corning.
15-20 minutes driving west on the A9 (Corning Rd.) from Corning.
Just before Paskenta, turn right onto Lowery Rd.
SMOOTH gravel road. Hulla fun to put it into 4x4 and drift the corners!
30 minutes of Lowrey brings you to Colyear Springs Rd.
Turn left.
This is an excellent road. Very smooth.
1.5 hours of Colyear and your at 5800'. This is where one can typically drive to this time of year.
Then it's about 5 miles to the summit.
You'll have better luck if you drive up the day before and car camp where you can skin/ski right from the vehicle.

This is the time of year to go to SYB (South Yolla Bolly)
The gate @ 4000' closes Dec. 1st.

Put together a video of my day at SYB.

Lowrey Rd.>
snow-covered (M22) Colyear Springs Rd.>
skinning up M22>
skiing down M22>
skiing down road C-19>
driving out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h22f630 ... ature=plcp

All the snow is melting!

Speaking of Hull Mt.
Made a GoogleEarth map of Hull with all the named runs and geological features.
http://www.sonomawings.com/ge/ski-hull.kmz
It'll download, then click the ski-hull.kmz button on the left.

Just found this site
http://www.northstateweather.com/

Looks to be good for Mendo/Shasta/Lassen areas.
Only got 1.5 inches of water in Angwin yesterday.
Should be lots more coming this afternoon/tonight.


Snow levels still a little too high for the southern mountains of the Coast Range.
Only the Yolla Bolly's have snow right now.
http://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/earth/

Too bad the gate is closed to SYB. It's gonna take some colder storms
to blanket Hull and Snow Mt. with the white stuff.

I like this site
http://www.intellicast.com/Local/WxMapLegacy.aspx
for showing where the precip is snow.
Check out the winds just off shore (play with the layer button).

-----------------------------

Who's got a snowmachine to get into North Yolla Bolly next week?

The new year will start off with a week long ski trip into the Mendocino National Forest.
We will be leaving the morning of the 1st
for South Yolla Bolly (Mt. Linn) - and beyond...

3 days in and 3 days back ~ give or take.
Driving up Tuesday morning and camping out at the gate.

Once again - putting out the invite.

The best way to get there is to take road A9 west from Corning towards Paskenta. Just before Paskenta, turn north (R) onto Lowrey Rd. This is a smooth gravel road. Take it to Colyear Springs Rd. Turn left (west). This will turn into road M22. Follow the signs to the Ides Cove trailhead.

If coming from the north exit the 5 at Red Bluff and Google your way to Colyear Springs Rd > Ides Cove TH.
_________________

Holy Hull man. Back home. That was crazy.
Part 2 coming up.
I'll post a TR soon, but for the moment, looking to get the Jeep fixed.

We wheeled deep into the South Yolla Bolly area. Too much snow.
Turned around.
Saw Snoop Dog in the chain gang out near Paskenta...Tons of prisoners and cops.

We slept in the Jeep and drove all the way back down to the 20 and around and up to Covelo.
The clutch started fucking up in Lake County enroute.
I said fuck it and continued on to Mendo Pass.
Jibbed up to Anthony for several days.
My air mattress failed in the backcountry. Very cold sleeping.
Got back to the Jeep - someone had broken in and poached my winch.
The cable was still layed out in the icy road. Along with some jumper cables.
Fucking rednecks! Nothing was stolen, except my jack.
Who the Hull needs a winch, jack and jumper cables on in one night.
And they thought it would be ok to poach my winch. Then steel my jack.
The Jeep was packed with a shit ton of gear.
Nothing was touched.

S T R A N G E...

AnyHull, back home for the moment. Hopefully get the Jeep fixed tomorrow and then
back on the road. We'll be Hullin' it for the next week if all goes well.

Headed up to Hull this weekend.
Will be there Fri/Sat/Sun.

I dare even one of you to show up!


Directions:
From Upper Lake, take Mendenhall Ave, or drive through downtown to Elk Mountain Road.
Elk Mt. Rd will turn into the M1.
Up the 25 switchbacks to the top of Elk Mt.
15 minutes

Follow the signs to Lake Pillsbury.
The M1 will take you by the lake and across the runway.
Don't forget to say 'Hi' to the elk.
Drive up the M1. There will be a sign for Hull Mt. just past the lake.
When the M1 tops out on Boardman Ridge, you will see the M6 and the Game Refuge signs.
Go straight. Down the M6 into the Game Refuge.
1 hour from the top of Elk Mt. to the M6.

Just after you cross the bridge on the M6, the road goes up a steep hill.
At the top of this hill is a road signed as FR19N50.
Right by a huge sign for Penny Pines.
Can't miss it.
~15 minutes on the M6, turn left onto FR19N50, another ~20 up the road


This TR will help:
http://www.earnyourturns.com/10341/hull-mt-11apr12/

Take a look at the first picture
FR20N01=M6
The M6 does not continue along the Eel River. You will drive up the hill to Little Round Mt.
Turn left onto FR19N50

I DARE YOU TO SHOW UP!!