Originally Posted by
stevepusser
If you are feeling really up to an adventure, you can cross the Sierra on the next pass south of the Western Express's Carson Pass, which is Ebbetts Pass/ Pacific Grade on Hwy 4.
Depends on his timeline. A lot of the roads around here got pretty ****ed by this winter's snow fest. I got an email the other day that the Alta Alpina Challenge is cancelled.
The key roads making up the the 8 passes of the Alta Alpina Challenge routes have been hammered. Kingsbury has been closed twice due to mud slides and sinkholes. Highway 88 has been damaged by snow plows and avalanches. Blue Lakes Rd. is unlikely to be free of snow until some time in July. Last but not least, Caltrans may not be able to open Ebbetts by the end of June. Reports indicate that many bridges have been damaged, the roadbase may be washed away in places, and the road surface is likely to be in very bad shape whenever the road is finally cleared.
Based on the feedback we received after the fire in 2015, we know that fans of the Alta Alpina Challenge don't want us to look at alternate routes--they want their favorite passes and that is what our unique format is all about. For this reason, we've concluded that it is unlikely we can deliver the experience that our participants expect in 2017 and that we should cancel the event now so that people can make alternate plans.
I did a little driving around Tahoe last weekend and even the roads that are open are in pretty bad shape. Expect a lot of construction this year.