If you have never done an overnight in the snow you may want to give
it a try by skiing in a short distance with your loaded pack, spending
the night with what you think you need before trying expedition
travel. By short, you should be close enough to your vehicle so that
you can self-evaculate without having to trouble search and rescue.

That's why I liked the Fleaf route better: if I realize that I am not
getting anywhere, I will crash and sleep wherever I get to on the
first day (while still being in a valley, i.e. protected from the
wind) and then ski back downhill the next day (which, to my limited
experience, is ~3 times faster than the way up)

You may also want to try skiing with a loaded pack, both climbing and
descending terrain and trails similar to your proposed trip.
Executing a turn with a full pack on wild snow is a lot different than
turning on groomed Tahoe Donner XC trails.

Damn, so, no hockey stops?


You may or may not need metal edged skis, but you need a ski that will
support your weight with pack without breaking. Also 100 percent
carbon fiber poles may not survive your calling on them with your
pack.

I've learned this the hard way on one of my previous day trips into
BC. RIP my SWIX TEAM pole. So, only cheap Al.

You may want to take along one of those satallite beacons that send
GPS "cookie crumb" trail locations to a designated E-mail address.

Interesting. Can I rent one in Truckee? Can I add everyone's emails at
RSN to the list?

That will simplify recovery if it turns out that you really don't know
what you are doing. That said, wild skiing in nice places is a great
experience. Personally, I'd prefer to do a DNT hut to hut carrying a
lighter pack with guides who know what they are doing.