Last fall, the forecast for winter was looking pretty bleak. Three La Niña winters in a row sure made it seem like we would be dry for most of the season. Boy was that wrong. It ended up being the coldest and second snowiest winter on record, with over 730 inches of snow and 83 inches of water recorded along the Pacific Crest. The skiing was good fun, the shoveling not so much.

Shannon and I lived in Truckee, which wasn’t so bad given our snowbanks only got eight feet tall rather than in the teens like on the West Shore. Our place was small and didn’t have functioning heat for most of the winter, but it was still a great spot to cozy up for the season. Squiller especially enjoyed it once he learned that he could lie in front of the space heaters all day long.

In March I went up to Washington for a week of skiing with dear AT and PCT pals Grapenut, Lebowski, Gandalf, Snickers, and Grapenut’s brother Jason (Merlin while in the woods). We skied at White Pass, an awesome little hill up on the Cascade Crest where we got both powder and bluebird days and better yet, empty slopes. After White Pass, I met up with Lancelot and skied Mt. St. Helens in near perfect conditions.

With climate change leaving our reservoirs dry and snowpack relatively shallow, this winter was a welcome change. It was definitely one for the books, and next winter is already looking like it’ll be eventful. Climatologists say we only have a few decades of snow left and we’re all trying to take full advantage of every good winter. Shannon and I are soon moving back into the vehicles and heading to the Eastern Sierra to keep skiing, although now in the sunshine and t-shirts. Bring on the corn harvest!

Winter 2023 Tunes

Photos others took of me

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Reno and Truckee Meadows as seen from Slide Mountain after yet another monumental dump. | 1/1/23 Mt. Rose Ski Area, NV

Patrol helps Lift Maintenance de-rime our new chair, the Lakeview Express. | 1/1/23 Mt. Rose Ski Area, NV

Squiller waiting for someone to join him in our lofted bedroom. | 1/12/23 Truckee, CA

The Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue Team practices building snow shelters on an overnight trip to the Benson Hut. | 1/28/23 Anderson Peak, CA

Skinning up the Anderson Saddle on the way to an ice climbing pitch. | 1/28/23 Anderson Peak, CA

College pal Patrick came out to Tahoe for a week of skiing and beer drinking. Squiller even tolerated his presence! | 2/1/23 Truckee, CA

Shannon poses near the Drifter Hut, the high point of my second skate skiing experience. | 2/14/23 Tahoe Donner Cross Country, CA

Matt conducts a taste test for faceting snow crystals on a rain crust. | 2/17/23 Mt. Rose Ski Area, NV

An avalanche control explosive detonates in the Chutes after yet another storm. | 3/2/23 Mt. Rose Ski Area, NV

Tyler expertly launches a single charge in Hornets Nest. | 3/2/23 Mt. Rose Ski Area, NV

Tyler at the top of Fuse on a control route. | 3/2/23 Mt. Rose Ski Area, NV

Grapenut and Lebowski enjoy a morning brewski before a day of fun at White Pass Ski Area. | 3/13/23 Naches, WA

Lebowski tears it up at White Pass on a powder day. | 3/13/23 Naches, WA

Lebowski and Grapenut yucking it up in Grapenut's box truck home. | 3/13/23 Naches, WA

Grapenut and Lebowski on the bootpack to Hogback Mountain at White Pass Ski Area with Mt. Rainier in the background. | 3/14/23 Naches, WA

Lebowski, Grapenut and myself on Hogback Mountain with Mt. Adams and the Goat Rocks in the background. | 3/14/23 Naches, WA

Grapenut takes a break in one of many thick, moss covered forests in the Cascades. | 3/14/23 Naches, WA

Lebowski emerges from a secretly built and maintained shack at White Pass Ski Area. | 3/15/23 Naches, WA

A recreation of a photo taken the last time Gandalf, Snickers, Grapenut, Lebowski and I were all together in 2019. | 3/16/23 Naches, WA

Lebowski eyes up his next snowball victim. | 3/16/23 Naches, WA

Lancelot makes the long trudge up Mt. St. Helens with Mt. Adams in the background. | 3/18/23 Mt. St Helens, WA

Lancelot and myself on the sumit of Mt. St. Helens with Mt. Rainier in the background. | 3/18/23 Mt. St Helens, WA

Julia and David at the summit before setting up the mountain for another powder day. | 3/21/23 Mt. Rose Ski Area, NV

Tish on the way to Mt. Rose Summit. | 3/25/23 Mt. Rose, NV

Ryan and Elena finally made it over to Mt. Rose for a day of skiing. A day at Rose wouldn't be complete without a ride on North America's only double covered conveyor lift, the "Magic Carpet". | 4/10/23 Mt. Rose Ski Area, NV

Spring has finally arrived, which means car bar after work! | 4/14/23 Mt. Rose Ski Area, NV

Kevin lunges along the north shore of Lake Tahoe, en route to Rose Knob Peak. | 4/25/23 Rose Knob, NV

Shannon and Squiller enjoy the dying light along the shore of Donner Lake. | 4/26/23 Truckee, CA