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The snow doesn't seem to want to melt this year. After a week or so of warmer temps, things cooled back down this week and the snow is, once again, freezing at night.

Leaving a little before 7am we started up the Saddlebag Lake road and off towards Conness. The first bit was fairly suncupped, but as we started to climb the suncups smoothed out, even on S/E aspects.

Climbing the ridge:


A few hours of walking, skinning, and boot packing and we were on the plateau that is just below the summit.
Powderjunkie pulling the last few moves:


big, gaping crack above the Conness Glacier:


Going to the summit wasn't in the cards due to a lingering patch of snow on the sketchy part. So we buckled in and rode our snowboards....

bcrider:




powderjunkie:




looking back up:


bcrider:


over to the second half of the descent, bcrider dropping in:




looking back:


from there a short skin brought us up to the second run of the day.
climbing the ridge with North Peak in the background:


and riding down:


and from there across the semi-frozen lake, past the Kool Aid Canal....

...and a long ski down the road and back to the car.

stay tuned for more photos.

Nice work crew!

Was the lookers right entrance to the S gotten?

Nice work. PJ must have been one tiered chap on the ride home. Looks like conditions were much better on Conness than Leavitt. Did you guys start climbing from Sawmill Campground or boot the Greensmoke Bowl to the plataeu?

Anybody heading back this weekend? Overnighter?

Damn, Powderjunkie you should change your name to Iron Legs.

After, Leavitt I thought I was done w/ this season. The snow actually looked somewhat decent back in there though for you guys.

Long trip for a 1 day...way to hustle.

BCD...not quite rock climbing season yet for ya

Right on bcd!

Sweet pics! I'll get mine added tonight.

That was a sweet day and a bit of a tradition for me (5 years now). I'm stoked I was able to show you something for a change. That area is really awesome. We scored some great conditions too. I trust that you'll be heading back for more soon. Get some for me!


Ps. mmcpheet…sweet “you rockâ€Â

Awesome. Pic of canal demands a pond crossing. Let's see that in the next tr.

Good Day.

some more visuals
mtns.


bcr climbing to Conness


I don't think you can see Half Dome from Dana. But I could be wrong.


Conness


bcr in the Y


bcd in the Y


bcd


bcr from another angle


next


Greenstone Lake


Couldn't ask for better spring conditions. Thanks for the great day guys.

We shoulda after looking at bcd's picture.

Cool pics PJ! I'm stoked you came with us this day.
I know you got some more pics though…where is the rail jib on the dam?

Here are mine.

The moon as I pulled into the TH at 12:30am.


I didn't take many pics of the approach. The beginning of this tour starts on snow covered road for about 1.5 miles. We walked the road to the Sawmill Campground and then started aiming towards the summit plateau.

Here is a pic of the route (without snow)


PJ on the way up.


Last year we gained the plateau on the looker's left side, this year it was the right.

PJ at the crux.


Once on the plateau, we took a look around.

bcd likes the birds eye views.


Looking down from the middle section of the Y couloir.


Big cracks in the Summit couloir. They were just begging to be aired over but we opted for the Y.


Looking down the skier's right entrance to the Y.


PJ drops in.








bcd goes next.











The snow was PERFECT, soft enough to instill confidence for ripping but not too ripe to cause wet slides.

On the way over to the S couloir bcd get all-layback-surf-stylie on us. Not bad for a dude from the ice coast.


As I guessed (and hoped) the S couloir was still good to go from the top.

bcd felt right at home.
















PJ is next.








BOOYA! More great couloir skiing and snow.

From the bottom we skinned over to GPS bowl. Can you say ripe?


Looking down to Greenstone and Saddlebag lakes, still frozen.


And over to North Peak…look at that coverage!


PJ likes it.


PJ airs into the bowl.


and proceeds to “rip the shit out of itâ€Â

Y - S - GPS - Waterfall and out!! With several fancy airs to boot. What a day.

Friggen beautiful pics guys. That area is awsome. Can't believe how much coverage is still left on the southerly faces like north peak. fantastic year!!!

p.s. PJ. I still gotta find my other flash card and post the pics for sonora of you, knucklesplitter and puff nat. will try to look for it this weekend.

cheers

Hey BCD -
Did you get an eyeful of the West Ridge route on Conness? Is there any snow on the climbing route? We've got a multisport mission planned and could use any beta you've got.

This is a very envy inducing TR you bastardz!