Badger Ridge Ski Tour- Dewey Pt. to Sentinel Dome, 3/18 - 3/21/2024

[Harlen]

Thanks for the nice comments. Gogd, you wrote:

Your photos made me realize I forgot what winter from atop Sentinel Dome looks like. I've gotta get back there! Despite your wind chilled remark, it looks like you had great weather. Are you on a new ski set up. What are the boots you ski?

Haven't changed for at least 2 seasons. Here's a description of my gear written a while back:

A lot of gear for this short trip. Voile Objective waxless skis, with Backland Tour AT bindings; full skins and the new set of ski crampons (not shown); Scarpa F1 AT boots; crampons and ice axe. Much of the gear, and all our food fit on the funky "pulk." The dog is happily free of his usual backpack. A note on the boots: I like them for their lightness [less than 3 lbs.each"(size 29, ~11), and their warmth. They have a flat, vibrum-like sole, and are flexible enough to actually climb in them, unlike my giant, stiff old Tele boots, which made me look and walk like Frankenstein's monster! They easily fit with my aluminum crampons,...

I didn't take a lot of that gear for this easy trip, though the pulk would've been a boon. The worst loss was of course, the dog-- Bearzy stayed home.
I will adjust my claims about the Scarpa F1 boots; they are really not very nice to hike in-- okay in the snow, but awful for climbing on the rock.

What is your favorite gear Ed? Still rockin the 3-Pins and stylish Italian leather?

[Harlen]

Gazelle, you really don't want me to slow you down, unless we could say Hello, and then meet hours later at, say- Lake Aloha. It would be fun to climb Pyramid, and the others to the north, but I'll bet you have already done that twice? Any longer trip, and I'd just be like an anvil in yer backpack.

[Harlen]

Phil, skiing to Dewey in 1972?! I was still in Little League. Were you a very precocious skier? I'd think that skiing would be easier on your plantar fascitis feet than hiking. Have you skied lately?

[maverick]

Snake Dike was my first climb decades ago; it is a fun route and still one of my favorites.

[wildhiker]

Phil, skiing to Dewey in 1972?! I was still in Little League. Were you a very precocious skier? I'd think that skiing would be easier on your plantar fascitis feet than hiking. Have you skied lately?

I did my last backcountry skiing and snow camping in my 30s. Still cross-country ski every winter, but only at resorts with groomed trails!
-Phil

[Harlen]

wildhiker wrote:

I did my last backcountry skiing and snow camping in my 30s. Still cross-country ski every winter, but only at resorts with groomed trails!
-Phil

You probably know this, but Badger Pass is groomed all along the Glacier Point road; it even has those paired slots on either side of the wide road. I've heard it called "slot-car skiing." 10.2 miles to the end at Glacier Pt.

Wandering Daisy, you asked about the plowing- it's plowed right to Badger Pass for cars. After that, it's just the summer roadbed, groomed very smooth, including those two pairs of slots. Those are set for average narrow cross country ski widths-- my skis are too wide for them. Out to Dewey Point was a mess of snowshoe craters, and shite. It may be very nice and smooth now, after the recent 4-6" of new snow.
And you ask:

What is your guess at when the snow will be ready to walk on without skis, assuming no more new snow of significance? I am hoping to do a late April trip- do not mind walking on snow just do not want to have to use skis or snowshoes.

Your guess is better than mine. I've noticed, from your helpful comments, that you take comprehensive notes on your trips, which I generally, do not.
I've taken snowshoes on a 50 mile December trip, and hardly used them, and then have needed them in May.

[paul]

WD - I will chime in on the snow consistency/consolidation thing, just based on many trips in the Sierra about that time frame, late April or early May. Generally it is all about what has happened recently . If there has been recent snow then you will have soft stuff on top. If there has not been recent snow, then things should be pretty firm and good walking most of the morning, unless it has been warmer than usual, in which case it could be a sloppy mess even in the morning. So I would keep a close eye on the weather leading up to your dates. You want a week or so with no new snow, with temps below frrezing every night and not above the 50's in the day, and then you should be okay as long you are rolling out of camp bright and early. And of course shadier and more north facing areas will be your friends.

[Gogd]

What is your favorite gear Ed? Still rockin the 3-Pins and stylish Italian leather?

Still on 3-pins, no cables.

On a trip like this one I'd go with my Asolo-Scarpa double boots. The Asolos were practically designed for a route like your trip. But if I were on a trip with steep passes and other technical terrain, I'd go with my Scott Excursion duck bill plastic boots (equivalent to the Scarpa T4).

asolo tele touring boots.jpg

I got the Asolo-Scarpa touring boots back in the 1970s. The design was a collaborative project by Scarpa and Asolo. Old school, one piece leather uppers with felt liners and laces, these double boots are among the most comfortable footware I've ever worn. They are good walkers, and fit a variety of crampon designs. The low tops make them light; the vibram soles make them torsionally stiff. Resoled them in the early 2000s.

My BC boards since 2016 are Atomic Backland 95s @ 180 cm, mounted with the Voile 3-pin mountaineer bindings. Theses were among the lightest non-carbon AT skis at the time. So easy to control, the mere thought of turning makes them change direction. I also still have my very first pair of XC skis, a pair of Bonna 1800 "light touring" skis from the 1960s. Classic old school, and in good shape, too! They are laminated ash, have lignostone (laminated, resin impregnated, compressed beech wood) edges, and hickory soles that are prepped with pine tar, prior to waxing. They are good for gentle terrain, and fire roads, but the lack of a side cut makes telemark turns a skidded affair, and are hard to traverse the steeps due to the lack of metal edges. But the double camber affords a great kick and glide, while the light weight makes them fun for wine and cheese picnics in forest.

Lite Akvavit min vän!?

Ed

[Harlen]

Gogd writes:

Lite Akvavit min vän!?

I reply:

Mycket akvavit tack

I envy your leather boots Ed. Mine de-laminated, and worse-- the duckbill broke off! I wonder if there is an expert who could fix this problem; I failed with a piece of tire rubber, and gave up. Cheers... or is it "Skol?" Ian.

[Gogd]

I envy your leather boots Ed. Mine de-laminated, and worse-- the duckbill broke off! I wonder if there is an expert who could fix this problem; I failed with a piece of tire rubber, and gave up. Cheers... or is it "Skol?" Ian.

My boots also delaminated. My luggage/shoe repair shop was able to order the vibram duckbill soles, and effect the repair in their shop.
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My favorite: Bareksten Botanical Akvavit

Ed