Hope Valley/Ebbetts/Monitor/Sonora

[IShartd]

Hope to get this started, These are the areas me and my friends ride the most (closest). Any added info is greatly appreiciated, Lot closures, snow conditions, etc., specially about Sonora as this is the spot we neglect the most.

We only hit Ebbetts from the Eastern side, early Highland Lakes Info from the Western entrance would be awesome.

I'll keep givin it my 2cents, and hope to keep it going all season. Thanks Again.

 

[snowrdr]

Hey thanks for starting this thread! Do you have any information on the Forest Service ruling to re-open Hope Valley snowpark to overnighters? Has Alpine County made the change yet? I know that Sonora is still good to go for overnight but checking my options for the New Years time frame.

 

[IShartd]

I spoke with the Forest Sevice Guys the other day while in the parking lot, and they were saying that it is in the works, not knowing when that will be implemented. Were up there a lot, I'll keep checking.

They were not real clear on the Red Lake (Forestdale) trail mess either, it seems that this is the Fish and Games department. All I know is your gonna get a ticket if you park up there with a trailer. This is confusing because I know guys with sled beds on their trucks who are still going up there. I was under the impression that it would be closed to snowmaching all winter, and reopened in the spring when blue lakes road melts away. Anyone know more?

 

[RobG]

The last I heard was that it was open in early and late season... the way I see it, this is still early season. Until there's enough snow on Blue Lakes Road for them to start grooming, I would say it's fair game.

And yeah, we need to get the Sno-Park re-opened to overnight parking. Hell while we're at it, it needs to be enlarged bigtime.

Rob

 

[BradT]

Last year I talked to one of the Rangers about this, he said that they are talking about makeing the parking area larger. I also asked about the overnight camping and he told me that the amout of complaints that they get about the overnight camping does not compair to the complaints that they get about the lack of parking, Hence the 30-40 foot motorhomes with a 20-30 foot trailer behind them.

 

[snowrdr]

Hence the 30-40 foot motorhomes with a 20-30 foot trailer behind them.[/QUOTE]

So, is there a problem with that? It just so happens a Snowpark is first come first serve. I just so happen to be one of those people with a 34ft motorhome and 20 foot trailer. It does not seem to bother anyone at any other Snowpark or parking area. That was not the reason for the overnight ban in Hope Valley in the first place, it was people leaving their 4 place enclosed trailers in the parking lot for weeks at a time. The parking at Hope Valley has always been a disaster, going back 20 years ago until today.

Expansion of the parking lot would be great, it has been a topic for many years. I have to admit the parking is an issue that just never seems to get addressed.

 

[RobG]

Given that it's the greenies that are the ones complaining about parking, and their Uber-Liberal nature, it makes perfect sense that they'd try to bring Class Envy into it by wanting to target those who can afford nice RVs.

One of my main beefs with the parking area there is how the greenies will squeeze their cars in between snowmobiler rigs so close that you have to pull out into the middle of the road to load up at the end of the ride, assuming you even have enough room to get out without having to push their car or something. I've had this happen a couple of times.

Makes me look forward to bringing my 40' fifth wheel toyhauler out there.

Rob

 

[snowrdr]

Given that it's the greenies that are the ones complaining about parking, and their Uber-Liberal nature, it makes perfect sense that they'd try to bring Class Envy into it by wanting to target those who can afford nice RVs.

Sure is only a minor bit of the issue. Humm, that just made me think; maybe it is because of the greenhouse gas that RV's contribute?

 

[dmkhnr]

Hence the 30-40 foot motorhomes with a 20-30 foot trailer behind them.

So, is there a problem with that? It just so happens a Snowpark is first come first serve. I just so happen to be one of those people with a 34ft motorhome and 20 foot trailer. It does not seem to bother anyone at any other Snowpark or parking area. That was not the reason for the overnight ban in Hope Valley in the first place, it was people leaving their 4 place enclosed trailers in the parking lot for weeks at a time. The parking at Hope Valley has always been a disaster, going back 20 years ago until today.

Expansion of the parking lot would be great, it has been a topic for many years. I have to admit the parking is an issue that just never seems to get addressed.[/QUOTE]


The big motorhomes aren't the problem, nor are the enclosed trailers (I used to leave mine up there overnight if I rode on Fri/Sat). The problem is: Those big motorhomes or enclosed trailers envite all their friends to show up in seperate cars. We see a large motorhome or truck/trailer that Dad drove up early to get a good spot, and a few hrs later Mom and the kids show up in another vehicle, and then friends show up an hr later in another vehicle. Half the vehicles don't have the snopark pass and they take up parking for the people that paid the $25.
Maybe this year with the way gas prices are we'll see them start to carpool up there, but if not, I have a parking trick for that lot and ALWAYS get a parking spot.
Going up early today!!!!

 

[IShartd]

From everything I here, from people I know who live up there to the people who give you tickets up there is that the overnight is in the works, there just trying to get the infrastructure set to try and do it right this time, what I've heard is that the guy who owns the snowmobile tours up there and gets paid from the state to plow the sno-park, is lobbying hard to make this happen.

Went out to Blue Lakes yesterday and as expected the snow is DEEP,still hittin rocks and stumps however that 3' cushion makes it a little easier to deal with. Going to Monitor or Ebbetts this morning, Will try to get around the summit and over to Highland Lakes, I will update my findings.

 

[snowrdr]

We see a large motorhome or truck/trailer that Dad drove up early to get a good spot, and a few hrs later Mom and the kids show up in another vehicle, and then friends show up an hr later in another vehicle.
Maybe this year with the way gas prices are we'll see them start to carpool up there,


Glad to see that someone is paying attention! You called it, and that has ALWAYS been a MAJOR issue at Hope Valley.

 

[dmkhnr]

You guys gotta be careful up there in Hope, snow was deep but rocks EVERYWHERE!!!! I hit one on the hill just before polaris bowl which bucked me 5' into the air. The collision bent the tunnel on my M8, equal creases just behind the front susp mount. Sled still pulled its R's but had a vibration at WOT and makes a squeeling at all R's. Got it in the heated trailer to melt all the snow, and will investigate this morning before we head up to Sonora.

 

[donbrown]

You guys gotta be careful up there in Hope, snow was deep but rocks EVERYWHERE!!!! I hit one on the hill just before polaris bowl which bucked me 5' into the air. The collision bent the tunnel on my M8, equal creases just behind the front susp mount. Sled still pulled its R's but had a vibration at WOT and makes a squeeling at all R's. Got it in the heated trailer to melt all the snow, and will investigate this morning before we head up to Sonora.

That's a bummer!

I think we are all eager to ride since conditions were less than perfect last season.

Wish there was a hardpark up there so this would not happen.

 

[dmkhnr]

Sonora is THIN, maybe 2' max up there. Took the trail all the way up to Levette, and rode on the smaller bowls. Had to keep the sleds flat so as to not peel off a ski on a hidden rock.

 

[Swami]

yummm

At Red Lake on Saturday...
With the no trailer parking, it is hard to stage there. And it looks like the lot isn't being plowed anymore. So BYOS (Bring Your Own Shovel). It was worth it - the whole area was trackless Saturday morn - all the way past Lost Lakes. BEAUTIFUL, cold powder but no base = saw some huge craters late in the day. Thankfully they weren't mine. LOL! There was one 7 foot drift up there - had to melt the drool off my beard... Saw one sluff up high, but most slopes are still anchored at this point.

 

[snowrdr]

Rode Ebbetts yesterday. Lots of road riding, did make a couple of off trail excursions which each one lead to a land mine meeting a ski. Waiting for this next storm washing truck and trailer today.

 

[dmkhnr]

YOUZA!!!!!!

You know what I'm talking about.

 

[donbrown]

Was at Bear Valley and asked to leave because they expect over 10 feet between now and Monday.

Place I rented was all electric ... not even a wood burning stove.

If I stayed they wanted us to move to a shelter having propane , generator , and wood heat.

 

[calisledder]

It was raining for a while this afternoon, started snowing later on.

 

[IShartd]

It has Officially dumped up at Blue Lakes, as it has everywhere else I would Imagine. Got up there Sunday (Yesterday) and the snow is bottomless. Nice to finally not have to worry much about taking out an A-Arm on the phantom Rocks and Stumps. I may sound like a **** Star but "face shots for days", break out the long tracks.