The snow is finally coming - time for tramshoeing :)

[magikwalt]

Anyone really heavy using snowshoes out there?

Without a pack I will come in at 260lbs. I hated snowshoeing as a Marine and just wonder if over the years technology has helped make it better for the super heavy weight class.

[zippetydude]

You're not the only one Walt. I think the "flotation" factor of snowshoes is overstated. If it's sugar or powder, I sink up to my hips no matter what I have on. Once it's consolidated with a good firm crust, that's a different story, but half the time they don't really seem to help when I'm out there.

I've only used up to 30" shoes, but it seems to me I'd have to be wearing a snow board on each foot for it to work in the soft stuff.

z

[Ellen]

Howdy All

I'll be taking the first tram up on Sunday with Lance and the first tram up on Saturday if I can find some fool (er.. hiker) to join me

I agree with Z -- in new snow, I sink even wearing my MSR Lightening Ascents However, this greatly increases the calorie expenditure, which is quite helpful to offset the calorie intake during this time of year

Hope to see you hikin' fools out there playing in the white stuff this weekend Woo hoo!!!

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[Marknhj]

I've only used up to 30" shoes, but it seems to me I'd have to be wearing a snow board on each foot for it to work in the soft stuff.

If you replace snow boards with surf boards, that's exactly how I describe my experience with rented snow shoes from the Tram Station last year. I wear size 14 hiking shoes and the appropriate rentals were huge. But they still didn't stop me sinking to my waist in the soft snow and lifting them out every step was a huge effort.

The biggest challenge, however, was descending. They were too long to head straight down, like the MSR kitted out folks or the guys with sub-size 14 feet, so I ended up cross-stepping down the slope. But the shoes were so long, the only practical technique possible resulted in what I imagine was a close facsimile of a chorus line member from the Palm Springs Follies. This destroyed my adductors. Also discovered (too late) that the bindings had accumulated ice lumps the size of footballs. Once I got down to RV I was exhausted and Lance generously let me use his MSR's. The difference was amazing and I hiked back to the tram station feeling totally refreshed.

[KMartin]

We are not expecting snow through Wednesday at the PStram Weather Center. Please use that center for the forecast up there.

I know NWS says SNOW today but we are going to have partly cloudy skies all the way through till Thursday. The official center for weather on the mountain there is PStramway.com's weather center.

There is about 1.5 to 2 feet of snow in Long Valley this morning.

Gusty conditions will follow for the rest of the day, temperatures in the mid to upper 30s for an average day temp.

Warming up a bit tomorrow and another smaller system on Thursday looks likely. Other than that, partly cloudy today and tomorrow.

Kevin

[Blooty]

I'm going to finally be FREE!!! on Saturdays after the 19th so I can join in the festivities...yippee!!! This has been a most informative thread

[KathyW]

It looks good for Saturday - I'm signed up to go on a meetup trip to go up on the first tram.

[sdtrackrunner]

I'll be there saturday with skis... I hope the coverage is adequate.

[KathyW]

Per the NWS, it now looks like the next storm will be coming in on Saturday. I drove from Redlands to Oasis and then out to Blythe and back to Redlands today for work, so I got a nice view of the mountains. There's even a good amount of snow on Rabbit Peak in the Santa Rosas - it looks like it's down to at least 5000' in that area. It's hard to say how heavy the coverage. That wind must have really blow it around and created some deep drifts along with areas that have poor coverage. I'd guess there's still some manzanita showing, but if that second storm comes it we won't be looking at manzanita for a while.

[sdtrackrunner]

Looks like 2-4 inches tonight with 2-4 more tomorrow. I feel a sick day coming on...

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.ph ... it=0&lg=en