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Lee Vining Ice


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I'm headed down to Lake Tahoe are with some friends to ski but have been told there is some ice to be climbed there, specifically Lee Vining. I dont know very much at all about this area. All the help you guys have will be greatly appreciated: beta on where to climb, how to get there, where to stay, badass bars, great routes, guide books, ets.

 

Thanks,

CP

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The ice is up the power plant road on CA-120 west of town. I haven't climbed it. March might be a little late? See http://www.summitpost.org/chouinard-falls-lee-vining-canyon/157618 and http://www.thebackcountry.net/bb/viewtopic.php?t=1799 . The backcountry.net forums are a good place for general sierra conditions, although tend to mainly be skiing TRs.

 

If you are passing through Lee Vining, you must stop at the Mo Mart (mobile gas station about 1/2 mile west on 120 from town). Possibly the best food in the Eastern Sierra. There is decent, free camping on BLM land around Mono Lake. Head towards the airport, then work your way south east on roads.

 

There is awesome, awesome, awesome skiing above Lee Vining canyon. Coke Chute and others coming off the Dana plateau are very accessible in the winter. Kidney and Solstice Couloirs on Mount Dana proper are bigger days. If your travels take your further south, you should also check out the skiing above the Buttermilks (Bishop area). You could spend a week skiing awesome terrain there. East face of Basin mountain, the Wahoo Gulleys on Mt Emerson, North Couloir of Mount Thompson.

 

Enjoy! The eastern sierra is one of my favorite places on this planet.

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Agreed about the Mo Mart (my favorite place in the world), but note that they don't open until about the time of the fishing opener, which is usually sometime around the last week of April.

 

Also agreed about the amazing skiing in that area. World class steeps.

 

Depending on where you're coming from in Tahoe, it's about a 2 1/2 to 3 hour drive to Lee Vining, down Hwy 395. There is not much in the way of amenities on that road. Not much will be open in Lee Vining, just enough to get basic needs met. Mammoth is 30 minutes south. Awesome natural hot springs down that way too. Oh wait, never mind, no hot springs to see here, move along...

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my beta input:

mobile closed during winter

the power plant mentioned is owned by edison hydro elec.no access issues currently, park accordinly.

chains reccomened for hwy 395 and especially the access rd in case.

70m ropes really helpful especially at the user freindly chouinard falls, 3-4 bolted anchors located here.

the bard harrington wall is open again-

flotation reccomended if recent snowfall

approach is aprx, 35m-1hr pening cond.

if shit hits the fan go to june lakes roadside ice crag/5min walk

only caveat here is getting a toprope up is not so jive so have a ropegun on board..

 

really fun venue,enjoy..

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