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Great conditions at Esha Today, which is inbetween mammoth and Rock creek. Mcgee Creek road is totally melted out, and we walked about 5 minutes to snow. Suprisingly hard snow, and cold a freeze made for perfect corn even at the bottom, on the way back. Only the two chutes that face mostly north had winter snow...which was perfect 3" deep dry snow.

No one else on the mountain today. Always a bonus.



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Mike Schwartz
www.thebackcountry.net
mike@thebackcountry.net





Edited by - backcountry on 01/16/2004 00:11:33

Skied Esha Peak on Monday 4/5/04. Road clear to pack station at 7700'. Crossed the creek and 10 minutes to snowline. Gully to 9000' was corn, above that Porn, and above 11,000' 4-6 of warm new snow on top of firm snow. While skinning above 11,000', the new snow started sliding on the old firmer snow, causing wet rollers. Also, the temps were getting really warm (mid 50's or so). As much as we wanted the summit, we didn't think it twas a good idea. Especially since the first part of April hasn't been very good to the Tahoe folk the last few years. So we found a safe rock mid slope, and hut the ejector button. I like that trailhead, it is really quiet there (at least before this post) and lots of options.

Esha is way fun. Looks like a wagon wheel. I found the same mix of conditions when I did it a few April's ago. The upper mountain was just not quite consolidated yet - but not rolling or sliding. The "spokes" of the wagon wheel are great fall line consistent chutes. The lower approach is a bunch of fun rollers and pitches - all the way back down to the little gully above the road. I love the scenery - Vast treeless bowls and gullies, with a rolling floor of sagebrush carpet below your feet.
Thanks for the trip report. Gotta get back there too.

The 2 times I've skied it, the place got hit by a huge Mammoth Posse in the afternoon. I think these guys hit Esha like it's our Tallac. They even go in there on snowmobiles in the winter. Way to go being safe Soulskier.

Mike Schwartz
www.thebackcountry.net
mike@thebackcountry.net

skiied Esha on saturday (4/24).
drove down from SF friday afternoon (just under six hours), hoping to be able to find an open campsite, what with the opening of fishing season saturday morning. camped at McGee Creek campground friday night, campground was less than half full. had a dead-on view of esha from the tent.
fireworks over lake crowley at 5am saturday to kick off the fishing season briefly woke me up.
left the car at the pack station (7700') at the bottom of Esha canyon a bit after 7am. about 15 minutes to snowline. once I hit the couloir, my progress slowed dramatically. I climbed straight up the main couloir straight to the summit. there were three other folks on the mountain, who started significantly after I did, and beat me to the top (climbing a different gully to ridge). my sea-level lungs were getting their workout. great ski down. winter pack for most of the couloir, transitioning to porn on the apron out of the couloir, and then sweet sweet corn all the way back down the canyon... whoever those folks were who I saw on top (they took off right when I got there), thanks for the beer you left at my car!
I was really beat and just wanted to make some turns, so hit the resort sunday. it was a really warm day. must have been 70 degrees in mammoth.
so what's the deal with the elevation of Esha Peak? the Moyiner book lists it as 12,800', but my topo lists it as 3,744m (which by my calculations is about 12,355'). there was a little makeshift summit register when some guy wrote that his altimeter only read 12,114', but I don't believe that. plus, the peak doesn't look more than a couple hundred feet lower than Mt Morgan North, which Moynier lists as 13,005'.

not sure about the elevation, but thanks for posting the snowline info. Nice job on the climb too!

Mike Schwartz
www.thebackcountry.net
mike@thebackcountry.net

Great ski descent off Esha on Sunday, April 2. We were surprised to wake up to a clear sky and bright stars Sunday morning with little wind. The snow on the descent of the couloir was all time great. 1-2 feet of dry, light powder. The Esha Canyon itself had some crust mixed with some powder. Our tracks displayed our different turning styles with Molly on Scarpa F1s with Atomix TM11s making tighter turns all the way to Ed Rush on Lange alpine boots and Volkl Gotamas charging with larger GS turns. It was all good for everyone.

5AM at the trailhead (right off the paved road to McGee Creek by the farm ).


3D Topo map of the route





Crossing the creek. There was likely a better crossing spot but this one worked just fine.







The chute we climbed and then skiied is marked by the red arrow.


We chose that chute because it looked to be the least wind affected and appeared to hold the best chance of powder. Of the other chutes, it was in the shade the longest and looked aesthetic.

Let the booting begin! We measured the lower slope at 37 degress and the main upper section 42 degrees. The snow was knee to thigh deep while booting.


Ed Rush checking out the descent lines. Esha was filled in nicely.


Ed Rush making first turns down the chute. The bootpack is on the right. We started skiing at 11:05, right when the sun started to hit.




Ed Rush midway down the chute starting to rip



Starting down the lower section into the bowl. The snow conditions were fantastic.




Ed Rush flying on his Gotamas and Molly nimbly turning on the TM 11s. All fun. We had some track discipline in the powder but anything seem to go in the breakable crust! Fortunately the new storm will fill in the tracks!




Looking back at Esha after the descent and ski right to the car.

nice job tucker. Most people take the snowmobile to get up there when the road is snow covered.

_________________
Mike Schwartz
www.thebackcountry.net
mike@thebackcountry.net

We skiied Esha on Friday, May 15. There was a skiable ribbon of snow down Esha Canyon to 8300 feet. It was relatively consistent with some burned out sections requiring some steps on scree to link the snow ribbon approach.

Esha on May 15


North and NE face of Esha


TimFitz charging ahead and setting the boottrack. The chutes were still covered well and the more East facing chutes were prime to ski around 10-11 AM.




TimFitz nearing the top of the chute of the day.


JeffK enjoying the views on top and checking out a nice line on Baldwin in the background.


Big views on the summit ridge....blue sky, warm temps, no wind, a fine ski descent waiting.

JeffK enjoying the descent


Through a bit of scree walking and skiing over dust and scrub debris, we were able to ski back down to 8300 feet to make for a quick descent and return to the trailhead.