XC Skiing in YOSE (& surrounding areas)

i'm looking at a short (2-day) trip to the Sierra for some XC skiing. My goal is to introduce a non-skier (neither XC nor downhill) and have it be a pleasant experience. This could be a step towards creating enough comfort, experience and confidence to get out to Glacier Point with a stay at the "lodge" overnight. That breaks the out-and-back into two days, making it more approachable. Even if that never happens, being able to offer an introduction to winter in the backcountry, without mechanized equipment, noise, crowds and the like would be spectacular.

I am comfortable with downhill and XC skiing, but a master of neither. I've been out to GP on skis and it was magnificent. I'd say it is my favorite time to be there, by far. So quiet, peaceful and providing beautiful views of some of the most iconic elements of YOSE. We have snowshoed together previously to Dewey Pt and Clark Range View Trail, Crane Flat Lookout Trail.

I *thought* I read somewhere that there are tracks set on Tioga Rd east of the closure near Crane Flat. I'm on the nps.gov/yose site and can find nothing at all about that. Even if it were true, I'm wondering where 50 or 300 vehicles would park as occupants disembarked for an adventure.

I'm asking for advice and suggestions for introductory, low-stress, enjoyable venues that would help determine if this is a good activity to continue to develop. I've been to Royal Gorge some time ago, buy my recollection is that many of the trails are narrow and hilly and thus may not be a great introduction for a novice. I've done a bit of research and it seems that Tahoe-Donner offers some XC opportunities, and instruction.

Thanks in advance.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/07/2019 08:52AM by ags.

I'm not aware of any set tracks in the Crane Flat area, just marked ski trails. I think a few people ski the road all the way to Tuolumne Meadows/Lee Vining, but not enough for it to be reliably set. Still, the closed Tioga Road might make for a nice, short overnight trip to Gin Flat, and you could return via the old road for some variation or more advanced skiing (or, more realistically, dealing with stepping over numerous deadfall...).

One problem might be that the skis you want for a set track (like the one to GP: long, skinny, and straight) may be different from what you'd want if breaking your own trail (shorter, wider, with some side cut).

I remember Royal Gorge as having both narrow trails and wider ones--maybe it depends on which trails you go on? There's also a good network of X/C trails near Kirkwood/Carson Pass, most of which are groomed and set. I don't think either would be appropriate for an overnight trip, though--unless you dash into the nearby National Forest. There is also X/C ski-friendly Sorenson's, in Hope Valley near the intersection of CA-88 and CA-89. Again, no set tracks, but fairly gentle grades along closed roads in the nearby National Forest. Another possibility might be to start near Red Lake on CA-88/Carson Pass and head towards the Forestdale Divide--but you may encounter snowmobiles in this area. These all have the benefit of being a bit higher than the Crane Flat area so the snow may be better. Until this last storm, Crane Flat was not looking very skiable.

Thanks for the reply. I was under the impression that there was plenty of snow (even at Crane Flat elevation) before this recent sequence of storms.

I was thinking that skiing in set tracks would be both easier for a beginner as well as more indicative of the hopeful future trip up GP Road to GP itself.

In addition to Tahoe-Donner, I'll look around Kirkwood/Carson Pass as suggested.