I'm trying to find the current snow conditions to summit of Mt. Tallac. The last I heard was the trailhead had no snow at all, but with last week's 28" dump in Kirkwood area, I'm hoping things may have improved. Anyone did BC skiing last week or this time around? TIA.

I'll let you know Saturday

I haven't been up in the basin for a while, but I know that Tallac never really filled in all season. it got skied but at a cost of a long manzanita schwack. Probably a little snow in north bowl. if you want to ski I'd stick to carson pass for better snowpack.

Hey Scott.

Hey! Darren?

^^^Yep

Since my trip to the San Juan mountains didn't materialize I was eager to get this trip going. So I headed out on Friday evening. Had an early start yesterday but right from the parking lot on HWY 89 I knew I would be disappointed.

I hiked almost till the third creek, just off Tallac Spur but finally gave up. It was really hard wading through the thicket and every now and then my ski's would get caught. Returned to the parking lot after almost 2 hours or toil (waste of time/energy).

Headed towards Carson Pass and ended up doing Elephants Back. The snow felt pretty solid although it was very wind. If I hadn't had a late start, Round Top/The Sisters seemed a great option under current conditions. Anyway looks like CA BC skiing is wrapping up this season...

Thanks everyone for your inputs...

We did Tallac sat as well. Went the winter trail from spring creek. Missed the first mile and spent two hours in the thickets and willows. Deep soft snow up to the ridge , hit a lot of "Sierra crevasses " and then the traverese to the ne bowl. Snow looked good although soft there was a lot of coverage


Castle today, good hike no more skiing.

I am planning to hike up Mt Tallac this weekend from the spring creek trail head. Just wanted to know if ice axe/crampons are required to hike up ?

Also Scott mentions about "Sierra crevasses ". I don't not have much glacial travel experience. Is that something I should be worried about ?

Spring creek does not need crampons, snowshoes yes! Make sure you don't miss the right turn on the trail!! Heavy brush awaits if you do..

North east bowl would have been a great ski when I was there. The upper bowl still had great coverage. My term of "Sierra crevasses" is what I call a tallus field covered in snow that I punch through between the rocks! Not dangerous per se, just bruised shins!

Thanks Scott. I was there this weekend and we reached the summit via the spring creek trailhead without any crampons/snow shoe. 2/3rd of the trail has no snow. Towards the summit you do have to pass a few snow fields but nothing scary It was an awesome hike !!!

ScottyP wrote:Spring creek does not need crampons, snowshoes yes!

Weird -- I've spent the past few days in the area (Round Top, Mokelumne, Freel) in running shoes, and have barely postholed at all. Crampons have been useful in a few steep places in the morning, but kicking steps usually works.

seano wrote:

ScottyP wrote:Spring creek does not need crampons, snowshoes yes!

Weird -- I've spent the past few days in the area (Round Top, Mokelumne, Freel) in running shoes, and have barely postholed at all. Crampons have been useful in a few steep places in the morning, but kicking steps usually works.

NE bowl on Tallac had us postholing to mid thigh for 1000'. But, that was almost 10 days ago...

ScottyP wrote:NE bowl on Tallac had us postholing to mid thigh for 1000'. But, that was almost 10 days ago...

I was up there yesterday, and the heat wave has turned everything to shit. Anything east-facing is slush even quite early in the morning. I needed crampons on some steep west-facing slopes between Pyramid and Price, but the NE bowl is probably a mess, though I'm not sure how deep. I did not wish for snowshoes, as I never sank more than calf-deep, but it's sloggy up there.

Scotty or Sean,

Any pics of the current snow coverage on Round Top/Carson Pass area?

96avs01 wrote:Scotty or Sean,

Any pics of the current snow coverage on Round Top/Carson Pass area?

A few here from 5/11 (before the heat wave). There were people skiing off the east side of Elephant Back, I believe, and fresh tracks down from the col west of Round Top toward that little lake with the picnic area.