{"id":2001387,"date":"2026-06-20T08:26:55","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T05:26:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2001387"},"modified":"2026-06-20T08:26:55","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T05:26:55","slug":"trip-report-trip-report-lower-lamarck-lake-basin-ca-dr-feelgood-chute","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2001387","title":{"rendered":"Trip Report: Trip Report: Lower Lamarck Lake Basin, CA \u2014 \u201cDr. Feelgood Chute\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Report from May 22, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n

We saw that the weather wasn\u2019t favorable this day, but JZ was free and it was the only day he could ski, so we went because JZ is rad to be around. And we love this zone and want to learn more. We\u2019d only ever skied 2 little chutes on the edge of the zone and were excited to delve deeper.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lower Lamarck Lake Basin, CA<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cDr. Feelgood Chute\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Details<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n
  • Summit\u00a0(actually a ridgeline)<\/em>:\u00a0 12,186 feet<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Car:\u00a0 9,260 feet<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Vertical From Car:\u00a0 2,897 feet<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Vertical skied:\u00a0 1,100 feet\u00a0(736 feet in the chute\/apron)<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Max Pitch:\u00a0 40\u00ba\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Avg Pitch: 38\u00ba\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Aspect:\u00a0 North<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Distance:\u00a0 9.5-miles round trip<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Time From Car to Top:\u00a0 5 hours and 14 minutes<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Car to Car Time: 7 hours & 08 minutes<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Recommended Equipment:\u00a0 Crampons, Ice Axe x2, skins<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
    Lower Lamarck Lake. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \n<\/p>\n
    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    Up at 6 am. <\/strong><\/p>\n

    Hiking by 8:30 am. <\/strong><\/p>\n

    By 9:30 a.m., clouds were already starting to swirl. <\/strong><\/p>\n

    The hike up the trail was quick, with me trailing far behind the fleet-footed JZ and Fox. <\/strong><\/p>\n

    They waited for me at Lower Lamarck Lake, where we took a break and drank in the view.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Dogger! Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Clouds were buddying up at this point. <\/strong><\/p>\n

    Navigating around the lakes to get to the snow was mind-consuming and fun. <\/strong><\/p>\n

    Once on snow, the light was flashing through the canyon like a warning. <\/strong><\/p>\n

    We had 2 chutes to choose from, which we named \u201cHaf Chub\u201d & \u201cDr. Feelgood.\u201d Dr. Feelgood looked cooler and was a bit farther, so we went for it.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Sarah being stoic. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \n<\/p>\n
    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    The light got more and more tiger-striped as we climbed until it just closed out completely. <\/strong><\/p>\n

    Fortunately, the chute had gotten enough light that morning that the snow had melted into a succulent, carvable corn. <\/strong><\/p>\n

    We didn\u2019t feel any rush on top until I looked back to 13,417\u2032 Mt. Lamarck and could barely see it. <\/strong><\/p>\n

    It was snowing pretty decently over there and it was headed our way.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Arron Fox. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Fox clicked in and dropped, me right after, then JZ with his dogger, Sarah last. <\/strong><\/p>\n

    The skiing was good. Fast, flowy turns on an orange peel corn allowed for blowing the tails out, slide turns, and carves. <\/strong><\/p>\n

    The ski was damn fun, and we rejoiced at the bottom. \u201c<\/strong><\/p>\n

    A long walk for a short ski.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Reds. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \n<\/p>\n
    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    The chute and apron only added up to about 700 vertical feet and we miled another 400 vert in the lowers back down to our shoes. <\/strong><\/p>\n

    It snowed as we skied down, but chilled out once we found our shoes. <\/strong><\/p>\n

    Shoes on, tricky navigation back to the trail, then easy walking, happy conversations, and the anticipation of a good time in Bishop awaited. JZ\u2019s battery had died, so it took us a bit to get a jump, but once we did, we dove into Bishop with a fury. <\/strong><\/p>\n

    New battery, checked the Owens River Distillery, but their food truck wasn\u2019t open, so we defaulted to the unbelievably good \u201cTaqueria Mi Guadalajara\u201d taco truck, which was open and lovely as ever. <\/strong><\/p>\n

    I gorged on an Al Pastor burrito and some nachos that Fox bought. So damn good.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Thanks, California!<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Photos in Chronological Order<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
    I love that song\u2026 Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Fox on step 1 of many thousands\u2026 Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Dirtbike Chutes. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Lower Lamarck Lake. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Fish! Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Lower Lamarck Lake. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    JZ. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Da boys and Sarah. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Getting stormy\u2026 Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Dihedral. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Dr. Feelgood Chute. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Cruising up. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    On top. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Sarah. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    13,412\u2032 Mt. Lamarck. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Mt. Lamarck. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    The doctor. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Fox waiting for light. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Sarah being stoic. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Owens Valley. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Sarah lake. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    JZ in the snow. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Jay Z and waterfall. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Working the lake. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Split rock. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Arron Fox. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Lower Lamarck Lake. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Fox trot. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Storm chasing us out. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Green down low. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Two guys and a broken car. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Taquer\u00eda Mi Guadalajara! Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Taquer\u00eda Mi Guadalajara! Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \u00a1Al pastor burrito en Taquer\u00eda Mi Guadalajara! Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Nachos at Taquer\u00eda Mi Guadalajara! Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    \n\t\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Report from May 22, 2026 We saw that the weather wasn\u2019t favorable this day, but JZ was free and it was the only day he could ski, so we went because JZ is rad to be around. And we love this zone and want to learn more. We\u2019d only ever skied 2 little chutes on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,267],"class_list":["post-2001387","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-snowbrains-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2001387","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2001387"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2001387\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2001387"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2001387"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2001387"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}