Portland-based contributor Justin Kious recently packed the dogs into the truck and made for the abundant snowfalls in California…after a quick trip north to Mount Baker. He finds that that driving long distances in opposite directions, contrary to common logic, can lead to a lot of deep snow.

Kious’ transmission from the road: “With a warm front engulfing the PNW, my friend Byron Bagwell and I were in need of some fresh. Periodically chatting back and forth, looking at every possible weather forecast known to man, we were planning to head straight for Tahoe. Then I got a phone call Jan. 15: ‘Man, it’s firing at Baker, you should get up here.’ We got four laps on the arm under sunny blue skies, turned the truck around, and headed south.

At Crystal Mountain, we found another, another unpredicted sunny day in the PNW, I love it when forecasts are wrong. Got ahold of some folks at Sugar Bowl in Tahoe, they were super gracious and willing to hook up tickets; we were on our way. Twelve hours of nonstop driving, sleeping in the luxury of the Toyota Tacoma alongside our two dogs Murph and Leroy.

In the morning we drove up Highway 80 and it started puking. Yes, we were in it now, this is why we came. Rode two feet of fresh, blizzard conditions, full on blower. On a budget we stayed in the Reno Motel 6, awoke, drove back to Sugar Bowl where they received fifteen more overnight, and opened up the lincoln lift which accesses an abundance of drops, chutes, and sick natural terrain. Rode til like two, then the storm moved back in and started dumping again. So what now? Sitting in a coffee shop getting tech, sipping lattes, there’s more to come!”

Photos: Justin Kious

Rider: Byron Bagwell