SMC Blog

The State of The Sierra Nevada Backcountry; 04/27/2023

There is an awful lot of supposition and wild guesses being made about the upcoming summer and how it will affect backcountry users plans for the summer of 2023. I am making my assessments from a home at 6400 feet north of Bishop. Looking out my window at the mountains right now. I am out in them nearly every day and see the conditions as they are and change my plans accordingly. I am not setting myself up as the final word or the ultimate expert but here are a few things someone looking at an extended trip in the Sierra, A PCT or JMT hiker, or anyone considering [...]

By SP parker|2023-04-27T16:13:00-07:00April 27th, 2023|SMC Blog|

Five Men, Six Days, and 34 Miles Across the Sierra Nevada

BY ROBERT ROPER SEP 26, 2022 Read the full article at the link below: https://www.altaonline.com/dispatches/a40982966/expedition-retrace-crossing-sierra-nevada-nonnative-people-robert-roper/

By Emma Gasman|2022-10-11T11:42:56-07:00October 11th, 2022|SMC Blog|

Climbing Boundary Peak with Will and David

At 13,147 feet Boundary Peak is the high point of Nevada and something we guide fairly often. While not hard in a mountaineering sense, it is a hard hike with no defined trail in the upper section, high elevation and lots of talus and rock to negotiate. It requires strength, determination and stamina - not things generally associated with an eleven year old, especially one from the flatlands of Florida. I guided David and his son Will, with help from new guides Heather Shaw and Chris Miller up the peak on May 18 and we all had a great time. David’s knees decided that they had had enough at Trail [...]

By Emma Gasman|2022-07-26T16:23:44-07:00June 17th, 2022|SMC Blog|

Mt. Williamson by Shawna Glasser

Williamson #49- The Long Version So the story begins…. When you play sports you are taught to go until the buzzer or whistle. The reason for this is because you don’t know what you can accomplish in that small amount of time. I never wanted my biggest hike to be my 49th hike. How awful would I feel if I couldn’t accomplish that one and I was so close to the finish line? I would have rather it be in the early 40’s and I could have held my head high and walked away knowing I put in a good effort but there was still a lot to be done. [...]

By Emma Gasman|2022-07-26T17:06:16-07:00June 17th, 2022|SMC Blog|

Inside the High Sierra

There are a lot of Sierra photographers but none have been more consistent over the years than local Claude Fiddler. I have done a number of trips with Claude in the high Arctic of Alaska and he has watched Claude haul around large format cameras, huge tripods and then see him watch for days until the perfect moment of light and place came together. Along with Claude's images are essays by renowned climbers such as Tom Hornbein, Peter Croft, Dick Dorworth with artists and writers Valerie and Michael Cohen and Claude's daughter Laurel. For those of you who appreciate fine art photography and who have a love for what John [...]

By SP parker|2022-07-26T17:06:50-07:00June 1st, 2022|SMC Blog|

Waterfall Ice Climbing in Mid-may?

One never knows what you are going to get. On May 11th, 2022 I had to scout snow conditions up in Bishop Creek. I saw a short steep ice flow that I'd seen before but hadn't got to yet. I rounded up a strong, young guide with better ice climbing skills, and less sense than myself, Braden Downey (photographed). We headed out today before the sun rose, in colder than usual temperatures, to try our luck. Unexpectedly the ice and the climbing turned out to be great. Mixed climbing, steep ice and a detached pillar which was somehow still standing. Maybe this route has been done before, maybe not - [...]

By SP parker|2022-07-26T16:28:53-07:00May 24th, 2022|SMC Blog|

Upcoming AMGA Scope of Practice

We all know that when you go to a doctor you expect them to have graduated from Medical School and be trained and certified. Or maybe you see a Nurse Practitioner or intern, but understand they also have achieved certain levels of training and are qualified to help. Plumbers, bookkeepers, auto mechanics, child care providers... we expect most the professionals who help us to have formal qualifications. Can the same be said of the guide who accompanies you out in the mountains? Often not. Over the last 4 decades guiding in the USA has been slowly evolving, becoming more structured and more standards applied. Sierra Mountain Center (SMC) and owner [...]

By SP parker|2022-07-26T21:05:44-07:00December 20th, 2021|AMGA Accreditation, SMC Blog|

SMC Renews American Mountain Guides Association Accreditation

Sierra Mountain Center and its owner SP Parker have long been involved with the AMGA (American Mountain Guides Association), certifying guides and supporting guiding in the USA. The AMGA has an Accreditation program which looks at business structure, guide training, and how a business is complying with permitting and legal requirements. It points out actual, or potential issues, and offers solutions to those problems. SMC first underwent this process in 2018 and just had a re-review in November 2021. We are very pleased that the AMGA found no problems and we can do not better than to quote the reviewers. In the opinion of this reviewer, the Sierra Mountain Center [...]

By SP parker|2022-07-26T16:27:00-07:00November 30th, 2021|Alpine Climbing, AMGA Accreditation, Backcountry Skiing, Hiking, Ice Climbing, Rock Climbing, SMC Blog|

Dispatch from the Eastern Sierra

SMC is still here, surviving a tough year thanks to our wonderful guests, some hard pulls from our team, and our proximity to these amazing mountains. We are very much looking forward to the summer of 2021, and getting outside with you. Keep reading and find out what we've got going on! Snow is melting fast and we anticipate a long hot summer. (Photos above and below taken on one of the winter's rare dumps -- in May!) So if you can, get out early while things are still cool and the creeks are flowing with water. Long term predictions indicate a more extensive monsoon season but like any long [...]

By SP parker|2022-07-26T17:09:10-07:00June 3rd, 2021|AMGA Accreditation, Condition Reports, Our Environment, SMC Blog|

How to Find your Public Lands

Currently there are lockdowns preventing local lodging from hosting guests coming to the area to recreate. At the same time public lands are open. Without getting into the politics of it, we’d like to show you an easy way to ensure that where you are camping for the night is… copacetic. This is handy information for any time -- not just when there are lockdowns! The Eastern Sierra is a delicate ecosystem, and is the watershed for most our participants coming from the South. So please, read below about how to properly go to the bathroom (poop) outdoors when there is no toilet. Local land agencies have been having particular [...]

By Caroline|2022-07-26T21:06:16-07:00January 18th, 2021|SMC Blog|

Covid-19-related Operational Changes

The governor of California has put in place a stay at home order for residents. (Learn more) SMC complies with any closure orders, so regrettably we are not able to operate in-the-field (in person) programs until the orders are lifted or changed. This applies to all ski, backpacking and climbing programs. Locally, the Inyo and Mono County Health Departments are asking that visitors from outside of the county refrain from visiting and instead stay very close to home, wear masks, and limit contacts. SMC Avalanche Courses Avalanche courses have been very popular this winter and most courses are full. We are asking people who registered for field programs before Christmas [...]

By SP parker|2020-12-08T13:21:38-08:00December 8th, 2020|Avalanche, SMC Blog|

Whodunnit in the Nevada Desert

What do the the Polar Bear, the Pika, the Sierra Nevada Red Fox and Thiem’s buckwheat all have in common? At first glance they don’t have much at all in common, but all four could be listed as endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (or what tattered remains are left of it). Polar bears and pikas suffer from habitat loss due climate change. The Sierra Nevada Red Fox suffers from reduction in quiet habitat by relentless human intrusion. Thiem’s buckwheat? Might just be human ignorance. It’s easy to get excited about saving large charismatic animals such as the polar bear. While Thiem’s buckwheat could be considered furry, it’s not [...]

By SP parker|2020-10-05T13:49:01-07:00October 4th, 2020|Our Environment, SMC Blog|

Heart Set on Whitney?

On June 24th, a strong 5.8R earthquake struck near the foot of everyone’s favorite California 14er, causing massive rock falls and naturally, road and trail closures. Even without road and trail closures, getting permits by lottery to climb Whitney is difficult. Sometimes Whitney… just isn’t an option. SMC wants to know: are you heart-broken because you were set on climbing Mount Whitney? Can we help? […]

By Caroline|2022-07-26T21:08:57-07:00June 30th, 2020|Hiking, SMC Blog, Whitney|

My Favorite Climb: Bear Creek Spire

Now I understood why the party ahead of us had been so slow on this pitch. I gasped for air while inching my way up the steep, strenuous crack. The spike of my ice axe stuck out of my pack and scraped against the granite, creating fitting background noise for my struggling. Upon reaching a spacious belay ledge, I congratulated my partner on his challenging lead. “How could that pitch be 5.8?!” we wondered. It would be weeks or even months before I would learn that we had been off route due to our lazy, follow-the-party-in-front-of-you mindset on a popular climb, taking a 5.10 variation by mistake. Luckily, one pitch [...]

By Tyler L|2022-07-26T16:44:33-07:00June 29th, 2020|Alpine Climbing, Rock Climbing, SMC Blog|

My Favorite Climb: The Incredible Hulk

Alright, so it's pretty obvious what this post is going to be about: my little affectionate history with a piece of rock in the mountains. Our guides want to gush about their favorite routes in our backyard this summer in the same vein as our online Adventure Presentation Series Spring 2020. We want to keep you all--our readers and guests--motivated to get back into the hills as soon as it works for you during COVID-Era. There's no rush--we want you all to feel safe, healthy, happy, and go when you're ready. In the meantime, I'll try not to wax poetic about what is ultimately just a geological anomaly. When Sierra Nevada climbing [...]

By Louie Allen|2022-07-26T16:46:56-07:00June 11th, 2020|SMC Blog|

COVID and Summer 2020

Hi all, I just wanted to give a little update on how things have been going for Sierra Mountain Center so far with our new procedures as we have been slowly restarting operations this summer. First of all, please visit our home page for a complete list of our new policies and procedures. If you do book a program, we will send you additional information specific to how we will manage COVID-19 risks during your visit to the Sierra Nevada. Our biggest changes are these: We are requiring the use of masks at any time that we cannot maintain 6 ft. of distance between folks. This means that shared belays, rope [...]

By Louie Allen|2020-06-13T09:42:57-07:00June 9th, 2020|SMC Blog|

Adventure Presentation Series Recordings

Hey everyone, Thank you all so much for your interest in and support for this presentation series. As we've said, our goal with these was pretty simple--keep our friends and guests engaged and excited about future adventures during the uncertain and locked-down times of the COVID-19 pandemic. I think it became a pretty special way for the Sierra Mountain Center community to come together once a week to support each other and escape from our living rooms, and I know our guides got a lot out of digging up some old memories and looking back at our personal and professional progressions over the years. A couple of videos are downloaded [...]

By Louie Allen|2020-06-01T07:01:53-07:00May 19th, 2020|SMC Blog|

Continued avalanche hazard along the PCT/JMT – in June!

2019 is turning out to be a very… different year. Above average snowfall, late snowfalls, high water runoff, delayed runoff; and now an avalanche hazard to take into consideration. On June 4th we had our annual staff training up in Rock Creek Canyon and found evidence of recent avalanche activity. The type of avalanches we saw were “wet slabs” and of up to a D3 plus size, on North and East facing aspects at 11,500 feet. With concern for backcountry travelers, we are offering a few warnings and pieces of advice, but first, a little more about D3 plus wet slab. D3 wet slab avalanches from Mt Starr, Rock [...]

By SP parker|2019-06-06T12:25:41-07:00June 6th, 2019|Condition Reports, SMC Blog|

Snow and more Snow

This is turning into a very atypical spring in the Sierra Nevada with extensive periods of snow and rain. Mammoth Mountain is reporting 29 inches of snow for May which is an all time recorded record, beating the last high in 2015. The ski area is now proposing to stay open until August. This has happened only twice before, in 2017 and 1995. Looking at the high country snow sensors the snow is very slow to melt and snow depth is gradually but slowly decreasing. Current run off forecast predicts maximum runoff for Kings River June 7 San Joaquin River June 10 Tuolumne River June 10 Merced River June 10 [...]

By SP parker|2019-06-06T10:37:56-07:00May 29th, 2019|Condition Reports, SMC Blog|

Update on Runoff in the Sierra

The Department of Water Resources has updated the predictions for run off. The maximum runoff dates have been pushed back and later due to cooler temperatures in the Sierra and unsettled weather with small storms moving through and frequent thunderstorm activity that seems to be ongoing. Kern River at Isabella, May 17 PCT mile approx. 690 Kaweah River May 14 To West of PCT Kings River May 17 PCT mile approx. 774 San Joaquin at Millerton, May 21 PCT mile approx. 880 Merced River at Happy Isles May 20 On the JMT Tuolumne River May 31 PCT mile approx. 917 East Walker River June 10 PCT mile approx. 978 If [...]

By SP parker|2019-06-06T10:38:06-07:00May 5th, 2019|Condition Reports, SMC Blog|

Spring and Early Summer in the Sierra Nevada for JMT/PCT Hikers and other Backcountry Users

The winter of 2018/19 is on its way out and spring is here. Despite the media hype, this was not the biggest snow year ever. But looking at monthly totals from Mammoth Mountain, where the snows came early — February was the biggest February on record Nov 55 inches Dec 26 inches Jan 93 inches Feb 207 inches March 68 inches April 7 inches up to 4/11/19 Total: 456 inches Although winter has not yet fully gone, compare this to winter of 2016/17 where Mammoth reported 617 inches and 2010/11 with 668 inches. What is different is where the snow fell. This winter there has been more snow at [...]

By SP parker|2019-06-06T10:38:15-07:00April 24th, 2019|Condition Reports, Hiking, SMC Blog|

AIARE Pro 1 Avalanche Course: A Guide’s Experience

Since our regional avalanche forecasting center, Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center (or ESAC), started issuing its advisories on the first of January, we have seen “considerable” to “high” danger ratings more than fifty percent of the time, with more than a dozen days so far receiving the latter rating. For some, this might seem unusual for the Sierra considering its reputation for stable snow conditions. But consider the facts: there have been problems with our snowpack since the beginning of winter due to a prolonged dry and windy spell after our first real snowfall last Thanksgiving. We have even seen multiple instances of buried surface hoar, which is rare for these [...]

By Tyler L|2020-06-01T07:48:57-07:00February 23rd, 2019|SMC Blog|

Kalymnos

It was late one night in July of this year, I was messaging a few friends and tossing around an idea for this year’s off season “retreat”. Some may say that my job is a retreat or a sort of vacation already. I now have numerous arguments against such claims, but this story is not about making that point and trying to establish the legitimacy of a career in outdoor pursuits. I just want to share with you a vacation of my own, the places I dream of when the temperature starts dropping and snow fills the mountain passes. This idea began last year when I organized an “alumni” trip [...]

By Calvin T|2020-06-13T10:54:09-07:00December 30th, 2018|SMC Blog|

The Titan

The book, 50 Classic Climbs of North America, came out in the early 1980 and was then, and still is now, a collection of the great climbs from a classic era. Some of the climbs are not so great and there are climbs that are better, but these all have history behind them and are a great tick list for any modern climber. In the 1980 there were few guidebooks and the descriptions were short, vague and sometimes wrong. But I started using the "50 Classics a guide to the best climbs in the USA" and slowly got to some 35 or so out of 50. Problem is that the [...]

By SP parker|2019-06-06T10:38:35-07:00December 30th, 2018|Rock Climbing, SMC Blog|