Electric Ladyland “Ring of Fire” Project Update Video from Grant Kaye on Vimeo.

Located roughly three hours drive north of Truckee, Mt. Lassen is the southernmost volcano in the Cascade Mountain Range. Lassen was last active from 1914 to 1921. With a summit elevation of 10,450 feet, Mt. Lassen offers many fine options for ski mountaineering. Here is footage from a single day assault of the Northeast Face on June 26, 2010. During our ascent and descent we crossed a large swath of devastation from a massive avalanche that occurred this past winter. Hundreds of trees upwards of forty feet tall were leveled like matchsticks. Reports of the debris began coming in to park officials in late March but the actual date or even month of the slide is unknown. A park ranger informed us they are calling it a fifty year type of event.

Mt. Lassen, June 26, 2010

The PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn hosted the first of their summer season pool parties last Sunday. Parties feature food and drink specials on the PlumpJack pool deck and electronic music courtesy of the Electric Ladyland Collective. Electric Ladyland is a Truckee based Burning Man theme camp featuring sound, fire and art. For more information on this dynamic group of artists check out www.electricladylandcollective.org. The next two pool parties will be held from 1pm to 5pm on Sunday, July 18 and Sunday, August 15 (the 3rd Sunday of every month).

Party guests chill in the hot tub on the PlumpJack Pool Deck

The World Extreme Rock Crawler Championships visited Donner Ski Ranch over the weekend. Different classes of custom fabricated buggies tackled a variety of challenging courses, some of which still had snow. The north side of Donner Ski Ranch was open to skiing while W.E. Rock took over the south side.

Here’s some of the action:

Members of Arne Backstrom’s Peruvian expedition provide more details on the accident in this Sierra Sun report.

Details on Arne Backstrom Accident

Olympic Valley resident Arne Backstrom was killed in a ski mountaineering accident in Peru yesterday. Our thoughts are with the Backstrom family.  Arne is survived by his brother Ralph and sister Ingrid who also reside in Olympic Valley.  His parents Steve and Betsy live in Washington State.  For more details see these related stories:

Arne Backstrom 1980-2010

Father confirms death of freeskier…

Nut Hut Studios will release it’s first feature length ski film this year called “Exit Strategy”. The film documents the phenomenal 2009/2010 ski season in the North Lake Tahoe Region. Though primarily backcountry focused, the film has plenty of in bounds pow footage from Squaw Valley. It also showcases many of Squaw’s classic lines from the point of view perspective. Here’s a teaser of the Squaw Valley POV segment featuring Joshua Plack, Robb Gaffney and Unofficial Squaw Team Member Miles Clark.

HD DVD’s of Exit Strategy will be available at skiing-blog.com this summer.

May 22, 2010

More new snow and unseasonably cold temps made for a stellar day at Squaw Valley USA.  We only saw two other skiers during our tour de force (and we knew them).

Filmmaker Greg Stump eeks his way toward the completion of what may become his legacy piece…or will it?  The much anticipated and long overdue “Legend of Aahhhs” is still being edited in Stump’s Idaho studio.  Here’s an ESPN interview with one of the most influential and creative ski filmmakers of all time.

Greg Stump, Uncensored

By Rob McCormick

Another storm rolled through Tahoe yesterday indicating Old Man Winter is not ready to pull the plug on the season.   Backcountry terrain between Squaw Valley and Truckee consisted of dry powder last night and this morning.  Apparently winter is not done…too bad Squaw Valley is.  Alpine Meadows will be the only Tahoe ski area with lifts turning this weekend.

KT-22 and the Fingers at Squaw Valley on May 11, 2010

Truckee residence at elevation 6,100 on May 11, 2010

Evening backcountry tracks on May 10, 2010