Fellow Eastsiders!
Any beta on Mt Tom (via Elderberry Canyon) for a Saturday (4.2.11) ski descent? How far up will we be slogging given snow levels? Best way to access the canyon?

Gunna be a long one, I can feel it.

Sounds cool, I'd like this beta as well.

Thanks for the bump, Deb. You're more than welcome to join us too!

Anyone? Beta??

Can't comment on the conditions directly, but did see skin tracks about half way up when I was out in Rovana on Monday (Tuesday??).

The road to the base looks dry and passable to at least just below the entrance to the Canyon. But I would caution you: we've had a number of really warm days. I took a gander up into Basin today from Starlight and there are a number of large slides in the lower bowl as well as some avy tracks higher up towards the notch. The upper aspects of the Elderberry may be equally suspect.

Keep an eye out, Aaron. There may be a moose somewhere's behind ya...

Thanks a bunch, Laura! That's super helpful info. Saw the biggest slide I've ever seen off Tallac yesterday due to the warming effect. Praying for some stability and a summit here!

Sure thing, kiddo. Like I said, you may just see some poor orange blob sloggin up way behind ya, so be careful what you trundle up there. On the other hand, since it's supposed to drop about 25 degree by Sunday, I may just slog up some ridge I've heard about and wave at you from there... Snowshoes Saturday, skis Sunday. Thanks goodness for variety!

-L

Jed Porter of SMG just posted a vid on youtube (er facebook cant remember) of some skiing powder a few days ago. my guess is hes the best SPer to ask (and perhaps Howie). Though he may be on vacay this week cant remember

http://www.summitpost.org/users/jedsmg/42455
http://www.youtube.com/user/SierraMtnGuides

any more ski conditions info on mt tom? thx.

Still snow right down to where you park at base of Eldeberry Canyon

Cannot comment on Mt Tom, but Penelope and I skied up to Brainard Lake from Glacier Lodge last Monday. The south side of the valley had several very large avalanche cones and skiing around them, we found they were slides of heavy and wet snow that slid because of a hard, frozen underlayer. Please get some specific info on Mt Tom before you go, that frozen layer ( and the avalanche conditions) could be there too.