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Squaw Valley to Sugarbowl: An Epic Winter Adventure

February 24, 2020 by Luke Garten 1 Comment

Every season in the Sierra has its perks and challenges.  Routes in the summer are mostly predetermined by the usual trails or above treeline scrambling. In the winter there is something truly magical about exploring. The routes are only determined by the level of your imagination and comfort level. The normal modes of travel include ski mountaineering, splitboarding, and snowshoes. When the weather goes through enough freeze/thaw cycles like what we are experiencing right now, it produces a crust that is supportable to run on with Kahtoola Microspikes. It is an unbelievably freeing type of running.

Running from Squaw Valley to Sugarbowl is a very popular and epic route along the Pacific Crest Trail. It is a route I’ve done a dozen times and still remains one of my favorite trail sections in the area. Doing it in the winter has been on my mind for years. I’ve heard stories from Chris McGovern that he has skate skied that section in the springtime. My skate skiing skills are not quite up to that. I’ve heard other friends doing it on Backcountry skis but hear it is a lot of flat traveling and not a lot of fun descents. So, running it in microspikes has been on my list for a while. 

On February 15th I met local Truckee mountain athlete Robert Schwartz at Sugarbowl Ski Resort at 7am. We left a car there and drove over to Squaw Valley to begin our adventure. I recommended we travel south to north to make our climbs on the more frozen southerly-facing slopes and to make descending easier on any northerly-facing powder pockets.

At 7:30 we ran through the Village at Squaw Valley completely out of place in running clothes and Salomon hydration packs. We strapped on our microspikes and headed up the not yet opened groomers. We passed by many snow grooming machines, ski patrol and lift operators that luckily just waved to us and never questioned what we were up to. 

The first of many summits we checked off was the Escarpment. The wind was bone-chilling and the sky was cloud covered which was actually beneficial as it kept the snow firm all day to limit the occasional post-holing. Next, we summited Granite Chief Peak and descended down the ridgeline over to Billy’s Peak. We encountered some knee-deep powder on the north/east facing ridge descent over to Billy’s. As soon as we got back over to a south facing and sun-exposed slope, we were back on firm snow to run on.

The mapped out plan was to simply follow the ridgeline of all the peaks over to Anderson but we soon came to a cliff on the north side of Bill’s Peak. A quick decision was made to drop down the west side over where the PCT lies and we side hill traveled over to Tinkers Knob.

We were beginning to get fatigued near Tinkers Knob and were just half way. We actually talked about skipping Tinker’s as we have both summited it many times. Of course, there is some sickness with mountain athletes and getting so close to a summit and not getting it felt very wrong. Our mountaineering chromosomes were twitching, so we made a quick summit and were thankful we did.

After Tinker’s Knob it was way easier running on top of the ski skin tracks. Anderson Peak was the next summit which was easy from the south face. To shorten the trip we took a gamble and dropped down the very icy and steep north face.  If the steep face and ice weren’t bad enough, the wind-blown powder on top of it made for a very sketchy and slow walk down. Once we made it to the ski hut below, we looked back and decided coming down that was a terrible idea and we should have just followed the PCT route around it. 

A mile or so north of the hut we passed the first people we would see on the trip. They were on backcountry skis and traveling from Sugarbowl to Squaw. The well-packed path from there from the dozens of snowshoes and skis that have traveled that section made running easy and fast again.

Arriving at our last planned summit of Mt Lincoln at Sugarbowl Ski Resort, some skiers were standing at the lift and were videotaping us running up the mountain from the backside. They were quite intrigued and asked a bunch of questions. I asked Robert how he wanted to return as we could run downhill to our car, or, if he was masochistic enough, we could just go summit Mt Judah. Of course, he grinned and pointed to the next summit.

From that last extra summit, I told Robert that I am at 6850ft of elevation gain and it would be pretty epic to just summit Donner Peak since we were so close. One last summit of Donner Peak and we both got over 7100 ft of gain and summited every mountain that we ran by on our route.

The last mile was down the groomed run on Sugarbowl and back to our car. Huge smiles on our face as we gave a very enthusiastic high five. 17 miles with 7100ft of gain in five hours. We were exhausted and smiling ear to ear. So pumped that we summited Escarpment, Granite Chief Peak, Billy’s Peak, Tinker’s Knob, Anderson Peak, Mt Lincoln, Mt Judah, and Donner Peak.


Filed Under: General, Trip Reports Tagged With: squaw to donner, squaw to sugarbowl, winter running

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Comments

  1. Tristan says

    February 29, 2020 at 6:53 am

    Solid effort you two congratulations on an epic adventure!… good read – got me all fired up for some mountain running ?

    Reply

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6:00 pm DPMR Weekly Social Run & Hangout... @ Trout Creek Pocket Park
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Oct 3 @ 6:00 pm – 7:15 pm
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Keep an eye on Facebook for updates and cancellation due to weather.  Photo credit: Steve Woo These runs will depart from the Trout Creek Pocket Park, northwest corner of Bridge and Jiboom St (at the[...]
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6:00 pm Evening Speed-work with Martin @ TBD
Evening Speed-work with Martin @ TBD
Oct 5 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Evening Speed-work with Martin @ TBD
Join us for for Thursday evening speedwork for runner’s of all levels. Run starts at 6pm.  Workout will be about an hour and can be adjusted to your level. Location TBD. Keep an eye on[...]
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10
Tue
6:00 pm DPMR Weekly Social Run & Hangout... @ Trout Creek Pocket Park
DPMR Weekly Social Run & Hangout... @ Trout Creek Pocket Park
Oct 10 @ 6:00 pm – 7:15 pm
DPMR Weekly Social Run & Hangout @ Alibi Public House, Truckee @ Trout Creek Pocket Park
Keep an eye on Facebook for updates and cancellation due to weather.  Photo credit: Steve Woo These runs will depart from the Trout Creek Pocket Park, northwest corner of Bridge and Jiboom St (at the[...]
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Join @healdsburgrunningcompany for a run (and plen Join @healdsburgrunningcompany for a run (and plenty of fun)!

📍 : @donnerskiranch 
⏰ : Saturday September 16th, 8am
🏃‍♀️ 🏃‍♂️ : Judah Loop and continue on the PCT.
Run the Judah loop for ~6 miles, continue to Anderson peak for ~13miles (or further on the PCT if you want to go longer)
🗺️ : https://www.strava.com/routes/3135724872218937730
🎉 : Rejoin at the Donner Ski Ranch Old 40 Bar & Grill after the run (and there may be some sweeeeet giveaways...).
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Who's psyched for the Pt Mariah Trail Marathon TOM Who's psyched for the Pt Mariah Trail Marathon TOMORROW?!! DPMR is so excited to bring you this second edition of the race that promises to be bigger and better than last year! RD Chris Cloyd and team have been working so hard all week with final prep. The course is in great shape with some beautiful fun flowy singletrack. He said he'd love a few more volunteers so checkout the signup genius on our volunteer page, but otherwise wants everyone to please come hang out, cheer, and join the party! 
Unique to this race is the 5 segment course that utilizes a central aid station and can be done as a 2 person or 5 person relay, in addition to challenging yourself to run the whole thing solo!
Registration is still OPEN in person until 6pm tonight with bib pick-up at @tahoemountainsports with reg remaining open online til 1159pm. Race day bib pickup available in the morning 6-730am. No Race Day Reg. 

Thanks to our amazing sponsors this year, every participant will be eligible for a prize giveaway and get a pair of @darntoughvermont socks and @drinklmnt hydration.

#unafraid #trailrunning #runningcommunity #runninglife #runningmotivation #donnerpartymountainrunners #tahoe #tahoerunners #mountainrunners #DPMR #TruckeeTahoeTrailRunning #WeRunTrails #ultrarunning #trailmarathon #trailrace #pointmariah #pointmariahtrailmarathon
Hey DPMRers!  We’ve got something special in th Hey DPMRers!  We’ve got something special in the works.  We’ve been collaborating with Alibi Ale Works to release a co-branded beer (YES!).   Join us for a social run next Tuesday, where we'll have the pleasure of running alongside Alibi's head brewer, Matt Garcia! We'll hit the trails together, and afterward, we'll gather at Alibi to brainstorm the perfect brew that represents our club.  And since the DPMR Pt. Mariah Trail Marathon is just around the corner, we're adding some extra fun to the mix. We'll also be assembling course markings during the event. It's going to be an unforgettable night! Hope to see you there!
🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Calling All Running Ent 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Calling All Running Enthusiasts! Join Us in Supporting the DPMR Pt. Mariah Trail Marathon! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️
The Pt. Mariah Trail Marathon is just around the corner, and we need YOUR help to make it a roaring success! 🌟 This incredible event brings together the running community and showcases the determination and passion of athletes from all walks of life. Now, we are seeking volunteers to be an essential part of this memorable experience!
📅 Event Date: August 5th
⏰ Volunteer Dates: Several different shifts available from August 2nd - August 6th
🤝 We firmly believe that it takes a village to organize events like these, and YOU can be a crucial part of this vibrant community effort! No prior experience is required—just bring your enthusiastic spirit, and we'll guide you every step of the way.
📍 Positions Available:
1️⃣ Course Marking: Help ensure that the runners stay on track and have a smooth route to follow.
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... and more! There are plenty of opportunities to contribute to the success of the marathon.
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💪 Together, let's show the world the power of community and support in making this marathon an unforgettable experience for everyone involved!
And remember, volunteering for a full shift earns you Volunt(HERO) credit towards the drawing for a YEAR OF FREE RACING (up to $1000) from DPMR!
Sign up here for a volunteer shift today! Link in bio.
Thanks to everyone who came out and volunteered at Thanks to everyone who came out and volunteered at the Diamond Peak aid station this weekend at the Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Runs.  Everyone out on the course really appreciated all of the support!!! Stay tuned, we will be posting the Volunt(hero) leaderboard soon!  In the meantime, we're seeking more incredible volunteers to join our team at the upcoming Pt. Mariah trail marathon, and we promise it'll be an experience you won't forget! 😄
Sign up today! No experience needed. Link in bio.
The heat is on! Our Volunt(hero) program is going The heat is on! Our Volunt(hero) program is going strong with more than 60 volunteers out helping runners get through our various aid stations this year. What is the Volunt(hero) program? The top 10 DPMR volunteers with the most hours logged in 2023 will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win free race entries for a year, up to $1000. We will be posting our leaderboard soon but only a few hours separate those at the top.  Adding a shift can catapult you in to one of the coveted top 10 spots to be included in the raffle.  So come and join us THIS WEEKEND out at TRT! There are still openings overnight, morning clean up Sunday, and sweeps for TRT (Double points for morning clean up).
All volunteers that work at least one 6 hour shift will be entered in to our lottery for a race entry in to the 2024 TRTER race. You get one entry for each 6 hour shift you work. Overnight shifts get a bonus with two entries! Winners of the lottery can choose the distance but 100 milers still must have a qualifying race.
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Sign up here for a volunteer shift today! 🙏🏻 Link in bio for more info!
Meet DPMR Board President, Diane Frederic! Diane h Meet DPMR Board President, Diane Frederic! Diane has been a DPMR member since the inaugural year (2014).  She has been a board member for 5 years with the last 3 at the helm. Diane loves a good joke and believes life is a whole lot better if you don’t take things too seriously.  She also believes that trail time is best shared with dogs and friends. And friends with dogs.  Diane is a recovering graphic designer but will come out of retirement for a good race logo opportunity (thank the cosmic forces for that!). Diane will be out on the course for the TRT100 next weekend - so if you see her out there, give her a big hello and high-five! Good luck Diane! #unafraid #dpmr #girlboss #100miler #paincave #yougotthis
Hey friends! DPMR is on the hunt for a trail-runni Hey friends! DPMR is on the hunt for a trail-running-obsessed artist extraordinaire to transform our boring old 3D foam sign for Pt. Mariah into a mind-blowing piece of art. Picture this: foam sculpture meets artistic genius equals immortalizing Pt. Mariah in your artistry.  The project consists of 30” letters, which are 4” thick, and spell Pt. Mariah.  The letters can be picked up in Truckee after Jul 3rd and need to be complete by August 3rd. This is a commissioned project with a budget of $500. 

Are you ready to unleash your creative beast? Then don't hesitate! Slide into our DMs faster than a trail runner chasing a PR. Don't miss out on this opportunity to create something truly legendary.
The Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Runs are almost here The Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Runs are almost here!!  Please consider volunteering with us.  We have many shifts available from Friday, July 14th through Sunday, July 16th! 
All volunteers that work at least one 6 hour shift will be entered in to our lottery for a race entry in to the 2024 TRTER race. You get one entry for each 6 hour shift you work. Overnight shifts get a bonus with two entries! Winners of the lottery can choose the distance but 100 milers still must have a qualifying race.
And remember, volunteering for a full shift earns you Volunt(HERO) credit towards the drawing for a YEAR OF FREE RACING (up to $1000) from DPMR! 🔥🔥🔥

Sign up here for a volunteer shift today! 🙏🏻
Link in bio for more information. 

P.S. If you are racing, let us know so we can cheer you on!!
What are you waiting for? Register today to take p What are you waiting for? Register today to take part in a unique, fun, multi-loop style course with five segments that tour different parts of the Royal Gorge land. Race solo, with a partner, or as a 5-person team!  There is something for everyone! Register today! Link in bio.
Congratulations to Courtney Dauwalter on absolutel Congratulations to Courtney Dauwalter on absolutely shattering the women’s course record at Western States 100 today! Such an inspiration to all. We know you are the GOAT but tell us the truth Courtney… is your secret weapon the DPMR pancakes?!?
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