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@@Big.D. all good adventures start with some mapping nerdery!

@@walterwilliams2473 honestly, quite splendid. The full rocker design is rather flat, not super curvy, so they grip on a skintrack almost as well as my other setups. I use the pink pomocas and the lightweight and high glide help them tour quite well. Not surprisingly, they will suffer on hard snow sidehilling, but that's not the kind of condition you get the Bananas for! They were perfect for a one-ski Japan trip and have been unendingly fun chasing storms of any size in Nevada.

Sure thing, hit me up via email and I can provide some beta! skiingthebasin@gmail.com

@@jimclean2 the man the myth the legend

Enjoy the move, and thanks for the high praise! It certainly feels liberating out in the Great Basin.

You know how it goes, those tubes are where the glory turns happen

The fella wearing that pack founded Pa'lante Packs and that white pack is a prototype for their new soon-to-be-released alpine pack. It is sweet! I was lusting after it too haha

Thanks!

Hi Ellen! We didn't get eyes on the ski hill, but I don't think there is enough snow there to skin. We found consistent snowpack above 9,000' especially on east/northeast slopes along the main ridge. I hope this helps.

@@skiingthebasin - thanks. Just figured out that the true ward Mtn isn’t the ski area!! Hah. We are passing through Ely and wanted to ski but are limited by 2WD and not wanting to walk on dirt for too long. Just needed to slide on snow.

@@ellen1231 If you are looking to slide on snow and don't mind going a bit out of your way...I highly recommend heading into the Schell Creek Range just north of Ely. Timber Creek is a dirt road, but if driven with caution can be taken all the way to the trailhead. You would be walking on dirt for a little bit, but then the drainage offers up a great low angle ramp for a long ways up to the ridge. Great spot to stretch the legs! caltopo.com/m/QVVT8

Definitely a slog-o-rama kinda outing!

Agreed, always spooky to see the snow moving. This small wind loaded wet release occurred after a ski slash, so it was fairly expected.

Our connection to a timeless world.

Thanks! We definitely found the best snow by skinning. The snow in-bounds was also splendid, but the classic Japow knee-deep, overhead waves of powder experience was all in the backcountry. We are comfortable planning and touring on our own, but if you would feel safer and have more fun with a guide I highly recommend using one to access the goods!

I haven't ridden the TCT south of San Juan Creek, in part because it eventually heads into a wilderness area which makes it tough to loop. Highly recommend the northern portion though, quite fun and super pretty.

@@skiingthebasin sounds dope

Forgive us for our trespasses, we were lured in by the siren songs of Sierra spring corn. We shall retreat to the depths of the sagebrush sea!

Agreed, even Hugemaha perhaps

@@skiingthebasin yup Yamaha indeed

Thanks Andy! At 1:29 we had to clumsily sidestep through some choss before it opened up again, good catch haha

@@skiingthebasin Looked like you came in a little hot there. Really love the camera work and you seem to have found some good mountains up there!

@@AndyLewicky I appreciate that! Sure did, scrapped more than one rock on the way down, but I suppose that's how it goes. You know how it is!

This trip took place over the first two weeks of February. We are comfortable planning our own backcountry tours and didn't hire guides, but I could imagine they would provide a wonderful service!

Haha! I edited out the part where I swam across the Pacific

@@skiingthebasin Squaw Valley (Pardon Me) $500/day.

@@skiingthebasin A New basin.

It sure was Scott! Let's get you three sometime for some tree taps and urban pow

Thanks! Appreciate the stoke, go and get it, such a fun peak. For your reference, this is roughly what we skied that day. caltopo.com/m/E28E5

Thanks for the support! Glad to hear you have caught a bit of the Basin bug yourself. I spend copious amounts of time studying snow maps, weather, and topo maps to determine the best routes. More so than the peaks themselves, the objective is to find fun ski terrain and time it with good conditions. One of the amazing things about NV is the proliferation of public lands which allows for endless and creative route planning. First descents are a fickle matter. I have gone away from claiming much of anything over the years. While I would imagine we have skied dozens of first descents, it is an impossibility to ever know for sure. You never know who might be out there silently arcing turns, part of the allure!

Nothing but filler

The gamble paid off! Thanks!

You speak truths fellow Fringe Connoisseur! I look forward to the day when the Slog Lords of the South and the North come together for a bushwhack they will sing songs about, but like the poet of the Skiing the Basin comments section said recently, “Not yet”

I will try to keep things entertaining for ya!

They are all paid actors from Craigslist

@@skiingthebasin new it

Kind words thank you! No plans to stop anytime soon haha

This is on the east side of the Ruby Mountains. Wheeler Peak is a special spot, very fun that you made it up there!

Ha, the Fringe Dwellers, I love it. The Northern Slog Lords salute you

Thanks, I appreciate that! Enjoy your time in NV, and let me know if I can provide any beta, always happy to throw together a map.

Thanks!

That's high praise, thank you. Perhaps surprisingly, it is rare we totally bungle an attempt at a new spot. Over the years I have gotten far better at knowing how to interpret snow and weather forecasts for these remote areas. Many of these zones don't need much coverage to be plenty skiable!

Thank you!