Eastern Sierra, CA, Report: Gorgeous Chute With Mini-Mandatory Air in the “Dirt Bike Chutes”

Miles Clark | Post Tag for BackcountryBackcountry | Post Tag for Conditions ReportConditions Report

Report from May 11, 2025

I awoke in Pennsylvania on Friday at 4:20 am, drove to New York, got on a plane, pit stop in Detroit, landed in Salt Lake City, UT, up to Park City, packed my bags, dropped by the POC office in Park City, grabbed a full-face helmet for my new e-bike, dropped by the Momentous office in Park City, stocked up on protein powders, then drove 8 hours to Mammoth Lakes, CA.

The drive was splendid, especially between Ely, NV, and Mammoth.

I reveled in the absolute freedom of the completely open road and arrived in Mammoth at 8:45 pm.

Humpreys. image: snowbrains

Long day.

The next day, yesterday, I drove up high into the Eastern Sierra to where the North Lake road was closed.

I hopped on my new e-bike and ripped up to the trailhead with a massive shit-eating grin on my face.

Random lake on my bush whack home. image: snowbrains

This was exactly what I bought this bike for, and it was already paying off on day 1.

When Garrett and I skied Lamarck last year, we saw some gorgeous, easy-access chutes on the approach.

These are the chutes I’d come for, I don’t know the name of them, so for now I’m calling them the “Dirt Bike Chutes.”

Spider eating bugs trapped on the snowfield. image: snowbrains

It took about 2 hours to get to the base of the chutes, then another hour or so of boot-packing to reach the top.

There wasn’t as much snow as last year.

The chute I chose has 3 options in it and none of them went cleanly.

You can see the mini-mandatory air here. image: snowbrains

I chose the middle chute that had a small mandatory air.

I’ve been at sea level for the past 6 weeks and I’ve only skied 13 days in that time (rough weather in AK and a family emergency).

The altitude leaned on me…

Stoked on top. image: snowbrains

I took a healthy rest break at the top, then clicked in.

The upper chute was softer than the lower chute and I was hoping that during my climb, the lower chute had had time to catch up.

The corn was good in the upper chute, albeit rumbly due to the storm last week.

Mt. Tom and Humpreys. image: snowbrains

The mandatory air was small, and thankfully, the snow below it was soft and supple.

The lower chute skied well, then the apron was just the slightest bit sticky.

All in all, not bad for dropping in at 1:30 pm on a hot day.

Fun chute! image: snowbrains

The chute was north-facing, which helped.

I was stoked.

The ski out was tricky.

Colors. image: snowbrains

OK at first, then patchy, with lotza taking skis on and off and route finding.

I did ski to nearly my shoes.

From shoes to bike was only 8 minutes, then I was laughing out loud on the bike as I cruised the 2.5 miles down the road back to my car.

“Valdezean Amor” chute that we skied last year. image: snowbrains

I love this bike.

This is the greatest place in the world.

I hit the Taqueria mi Guadalajara in Bishop.

Jorge makes the best Mexican food I’ve ever had…

Thanks, California!

Photos

Mt. Tom. image: snowbrains
Mt. Emerson. image: snowbrains
Road. image: snowbrains
Thanks for the helmet POC! image: snowbrains
The good life. image: snowbrains
Road in. image: snowbrains
White Mountains. image: snowbrains
Rainbow. image: snowbrains
Happy boot packing. image: snowbrains
Looking down the chute. image: snowbrains
Colors. image: snowbrains
Lamarck zone. image: snowbrains
Summit with my Meier skis. image: snowbrains
The “Dirt Bike” chute I skied. image: snowbrains
One of the options in the “Dirt Bike” chutes. image: snowbrains
Through the looking glass. image: snowbrains
Lake life. image: snowbrains
Red rock. image: snowbrains
Mt. Tom and Humpreys. image: snowbrains
Happy boy! image: snowbrains
Best Mexican food I’ve had. image: snowbrains
Posted by Miles Clark |

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