We went back to Tioga Pass on Thursday, May 14 for for another tour linking the best corn skiing we could find. The previous Saturday we started out at North Peak and finished on White Mountain. This tour, we started where we left off on the shoulder of the North Slope of White Mountain and went from there. Check the route with a topo map to get the full effect. Basically, we triied to link the best snow conditions given where we found ourselves at a particular time of day. We found great corn everywhere on all slope aspects depending on the time of day. The Tioga Pass area in prime shape now.

The early morning conference discussing the days agenda.


Climbing up the North Slope of White Mountain. The coverage is still wall to wall...with a few runnels forming here and there. The firm northfacing snow made for efficient travel in the morning.


Taking in the views on the shoulder of the North Slope of White Mountain. Check out the knife edge snow ridge going to the left. The slopes on the SE facing aspect look tempting, but most end in a rock band at the bottom. One or two places go through and are worth it. We dropped in directly off from this spot down the SE facing aspect and had a full value experience. After cruising across the bottom of the cirque, we then climbed and skiied the couloir that is directly behind the red Ski Trab ski in the photo.



From the shoulder on the North Slope of White, we dropped straight down onto the SE face of the East facing White Mountain Cirque. High quality steep corn run around 930-10. The direct fall line goes through the rock band with a small dogleg at the bottom.


Having woken up from the steeper than expected SE face, we went up this NNW facing chute, still in the East facing White Mountain cirque, and had another nice run from good corn to firm in the middle, to a money apron made for arcing GS turns.





TimFitz and Jeffk taking in the BIG views from the top of the Chute in the White cirque.



JeffK enjoying the skiing.


Devin getting down low to inspect the corn. He rated it prime time.


A little climb up and a nice corn run put us into the NE facing cirque of False White Mountain. This is an aerial shot looking down onto the bigness of the NE False White Cirque.


The North Chute of False White caught our attention right away. It is a proper couloir that drops right off the North side of the big, tracked East face of False White. If you ever find yourself on the top of the East Face of False White and are looking for something a it more spicy, this is a line to consider. It was wild climbing the last 20 feet which narrows to a ski length on width and gets steep and then suddenly popping up onto the massive tracked up East face. So snow still communicates the couloir to the top and onto the summit ridge.


Skiing across the NE facing cirque of False White at about 11400 feet.


Looking down the couloir at one of Sugar Bowls finest. Representing the SBowls patrollers in good style.



Sugar Bowl Ski Patrol represents! TimFitz getting a full value couloir experience. The snow was in great shape around 1:30.




Coming out of the North Chute and enjoying a tasty corn run down the NE facing Cirque.



NE facing Cirque of False White. This is something to watch for. Looking at the slide on the right, the slab avalanche was propagate from a benign appearing, slow moving point release slough. The point release kept moving and when it hit the covex rollover by the rocks, the weight onto the slab triggered the slab to go.


A closer shot. The slab had a foot high crown.

A fantastic day out enchaining couloirs and faces to ride the best snow.

Nicely done on the Corn Connection tour-looks BIG. Thanks for posting this trip report-very inspiring.