Photos: amazing cycling in the Sierra-Nevada this past weekend

[steephill]

I had an incredible weekend cycling and taking photographs in the Sierra-Nevada (Markleeville) this past weekend. I've cycled alot of places but Markleeville is one of my favorites. Check out my ride photo-report:

http://www.steephill.tv/galleries/20...betts-monitor/

I've just started this web site so it's not complete yet but there are more racing and recreational photos accessible from the home page: http://www.steephill.tv

enjoy,
Steve Hill

[Serpico]

"peaks and cleavages" lol

[cryogenic]

wow... those snowbanks are wicked cool... What was the temp like up there? You said temps were in the 70's, but I assumed that to mean the lower elevations.

[MattinNY]

I wish Long Island had anything even remotely similiar to the beautiful scenery you have there.

[steephill]

It felt about 60F at the top even though we were surrounded by ice blocks.

[kster]

Nice pics! Makes me want to join you guys.

[travis200]

I'll be up there July 9th for the Death Ride. Can't wait to do some damage on those hills. Gotta beat my lasyt years time of 8:45.

[steephill]

I'll be up there July 9th for the Death Ride. Can't wait to do some damage on those hills. Gotta beat my lasyt years time of 8:45.

"...damage on those hills"

That's a good time, but don't get too cocky. It's the mountains that do damage and not the other way around. I hope you are not in such a rush and stop for the all you can eat ice cream. By the way, the deathride organizer liked the photos I took and will be posting a link to them.

Steve Hill
http://www.steephill.tv

[terrymorse]

Nice, I'll be up there next week.

FYI, Ebbetts Pass and Sonora Pass are now open to vehicle traffic. Tioga is still closed.

[baj32161]

tHise shots are fabulous. I wish we had scenery like that around here in New Jersey. Cycling and photograpyhy are, indeed, perfect together.

[The Octopus]

Nice TR!

Just got back from 4 days of backcountry skiing on the East side of the Sierra (Virginia Lakes, Sonora Pass, June Lake area). Didn't do any cycling, but saw lots of folks out on 395, as well as some people braving Tioga, which is still closed to autos (and reportedly will be until the end of June!).

Will have to get out there to bike some day. Maybe next year I'll stay at Lee Vining, cycling up Tioga Pass Rd., and then climb and ski Mt. Dana. That'd be quite an awesome day!

[my58vw]

Nice TR!

Just got back from 4 days of backcountry skiing on the East side of the Sierra (Virginia Lakes, Sonora Pass, June Lake area). Didn't do any cycling, but saw lots of folks out on 395, as well as some people braving Tioga, which is still closed to autos (and reportedly will be until the end of June!).

Will have to get out there to bike some day. Maybe next year I'll stay at Lee Vining, cycling up Tioga Pass Rd., and then climb and ski Mt. Dana. That'd be quite an awesome day!

I was thinking about braving tiaga pass this summer also. We usually stay in lee vining (lower) and drive up... we will see what happens there!

[steephill]

Nice TR!
Didn't do any cycling, but saw lots of folks out on 395, as well as some people braving Tioga, which is still closed to autos (and reportedly will be until the end of June!).

What do you mean by braving... cycling through snow or was it cold or both? It was about 60F on Ebbetts, which is 8730', mid-day when I took the photos at the top so the temperature along Tioga Pass Rd shouldn't be a problem.

The question is Tioga Pass Rd clear enough for cyclists to pass and is the road dry enough to cycle without road splash?

Steve Hill
http://www.steephill.tv

[SSP]

I'll be up there July 9th for the Death Ride. Can't wait to do some damage on those hills. Gotta beat my lasyt years time of 8:45.

Was that ride time, or total time?

I'm doing my first Death Ride this year, and trying to estimate how long it will take. I love going downhill fast, and my climbing has improved a lot this year too, but I doubt I'll be finishing that fast.

BTW, about how much time do you spend off the bike at rest stops, etc? And, what time do you start out?

[steephill]

tHise shots are fabulous. I wish we had scenery like that around here in New Jersey. Cycling and photograpyhy are, indeed, perfect together.

Thanks. Until very recently I leaved in Toronto, Canada all my life which has decent scenery but is sprawling and getting very busy. After taking a cycling trip to Italy and experiencing mountain road cycling, I made it a point to travel to the best places in North America to experience more mountain scenery. Now that I live in California it's a lot easier, but there are so many other great scenic areas in the U.S. and Canada if you can find the time to do a cycling vacation. I'll be compiling a list with photos on my site soon.

Steve Hill,
http://www.steephill.tv

[SSP]

FWIW - for any of you northern California hill climbers who may be interested - I'm leading a self-supported century around and through Mt. Lassen National Park on June 11th. It's 104 miles, with about 9600 feet of climbing, and some incredibly scenery (you can see pictures from last year's ride here). The road is being opened today, so there should still be a lot of snowbanks alongside the route (riding between snowbanks is way cool!). See my club website for meeting place and time (www.weski2.org).

[steephill]

I was thinking about braving tiaga pass this summer also. We usually stay in lee vining (lower) and drive up... we will see what happens there!

Apparently, Tioga Pass will be closed until the end of June. Therefore, the time to do it would be the weekend before it opens to vehicles... like in one or two weeks.

Steve Hill,
www.steephill.tv