Patchskiing 2020 Edition

Stev · Mar 3, 2020

Instead of posting a separate TR for every patchskiing day, I'm going to put them in one thread. I hope that others will add to this. I also hope to provide views, creamed corn and soft-serve snow images, along with some dog stoke.
I'll post a few highlights from each day.
To see more just click on the link for http://patchskiing.com

Big Springs Road, February 29, 2020

Penny watches Stev skiing below a sunbeam

More here: http://patchskiing.com/bsr022920.htm

Slim · Mar 4, 2020

How come you are down to patch skiing in February? Are you in a very warm location?

Ogg · Mar 4, 2020

Slim said:
How come you are down to patch skiing in February? Are you in a very warm location?

He's in the Tahoe area, IIRC. That's what it looks like this season.

Core2 · Mar 4, 2020

Looks like summer patches already. Brutal season out there.

Guy in Shorts · Mar 4, 2020

Skiing on the rain destroyed ungroomed lunar landscape today had me thinking of you @Stev. Turns are always possible even on the worst of conditions. Finding a few sun softened turns at the end of the run made it worth the effort.

Stev · Mar 4, 2020

Slim said:
How come you are down to patch skiing in February? Are you in a very warm location?

This season has been very different from last season. The Tahoe area had great early start followed by an abrupt early spring.
Last season was great with powder days into May. Here is a photo from June 9th last season taken on Leviathan Peak (the next peak over from Dome Two, site of the photo in my first post.)

Slim · Mar 5, 2020

Aha, I didn’t realize Tahoe could be so warm so early in the season.

James · May 17, 2020

May 17 New England
Hike up road

Wait,...there’s only 1 boot??
No, the other is inside. Otherwise skis can’t attach. Skis are short and not that heavy. They’re the early season woods skis.

View on the way up.

Above 2 supposed to be a pano but image is too big to load. 40 ft above the top. About 5:45.

Oh joy. After 2 hours time to put the boots on and try to ski.

Opening patch. Snow was interesting. Firm sun cups with a softish top layer. Not too bad.
Temp was like 60. Maybe mid to low 50’s at top. If it wasn’t so late I might’ve skied this top section then hiked back up. As it was, I finished about 7:30pm.

Longest stretch was near top. Looks longer than it was, but good enough to get some wind even with careful skiing.

Last big patch. Love to do some laps if the lift worked. Otherwise, yeah I’m done. Snow was kind of fun once you got used to it which is when you had to stop.

Attempt to use the little stream to clean off the boots. These aren’t the top pick in patch skiing boots. :ogcool:

stan51 · May 17, 2020

A bit more snow in Montana...

James · May 18, 2020

-^- That’s no patch!

Joys of patch skiing, dirt. It doesn’t just hose off but requires a brush.

aveski · May 25, 2020

Still have some big patches.

Stev · Jun 14, 2020

Having safe fun on March 21st.

More here: http://patchskiing.com/dg032120.htm

Stev · Jun 18, 2020

Having safe fun on March 22nd.

More here: http://patchskiing.com/rl032220.htm

Stev · Jun 20, 2020

Penny and Stev on March 28th.

More here: http://patchskiing.com/dg032820.htm

aveski · Jun 22, 2020

It's still a fairly big patch.
East snowfields, Mt Washington NH
6/21/20
The last picture is a screenshot from Wildcat. The snowfield we skied is in the top center of the picture.