Freshiez!

I was up at Big 4 mtn today, doing some ice climbing, and there was snow down to approximately 5k on the mountain! Winter's on the way! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

The NWAC telemetry is suggesting that Paradise and upper Crystal got snow, and I saw snow on Spiral Butte on the White Pass weather cam. Unfortunately, the forecast for next week is not looking especially cold, so this new snow may still not be the beginning of the snowpack?

Columbus Day weekend is the beginning of my ski season more often than not. My reading of the telemetry for the past few days suggests at least one to two feet of snow above 7000 feet in the north, 8000 feet around Rainier, with snowline dipping below 5000 feet yesterday morning. Just enough snow, in other words, to fill in the suncups and runnels on whatever permanent snowfields withstood this summer's heat, and to turn the whole world smooth and gleaming white. Unfortunately, there'll also be the usual issue of early season snowbridges on the glaciers. <br><br>I'm trying to decide whether to keep risking life and limb riding my bike on steep, slippery roots, mudholes and loose gravel (now covered with freshly-fallen leaves),...or to give it up in favor of skiiing uncertain terrain in low visibility on inadequate snow. I'm sure if the weather clears on Sunday that'll help make my decision for me. <br><br>Enjoy,<br><br>Mark

Paul - Big 4 Ice climbing? c'mon....I've heard they've become quite depleted (especially thru this summer's dry heat). Are you sure you weren't like a tourist running around in your sandals in shock that you haven't seen snow for almost an entire year <br><br>P.S. I had an employee at the Seattle REI ski department tell me that you've got to go to South America to ski right now because there's NO snow in Washington! ???

Paul - Big 4 Ice climbing?  c'mon....I've heard they've become quite depleted (especially thru this summer's dry heat).  Are you sure you weren't like a tourist running around in your sandals in shock that you haven't seen snow for almost an entire year  <br><br>P.S.  I had an employee at the Seattle REI ski department tell me that you've got to go to South America to ski right now because there's NO snow in Washington!  ???

<br>The caves were pathetic compared to last year, but we got soaked nonetheless. Rained all day. Definitely 'fun'. ;D<br><br>The guy at REI was definitely right...there's NO snow ANYWHERE in WA right now...everyone please stay off of Baker this weekend. ;D<br><br>Dave, you wanna go skiing? <br>

MArkhof,<br>What agony. Ive got one last mt bike ride planned for Sunday morn (10 /11 up in Devil's gulch at Mission ridge. Snow levels in Grand park MRNP would be just right for a hike in XC tour. Also might be a few grassy glades with enough cover up at Chinook. Decision time Is a injury on wet rocks and roots worse than gettiing a ski caught under a submerged branch? You make the call!<br>Robie

Hey Robie, nice to hear that others are feeling similarly indecisive. A root (well hidden by soggy leaves) tossed me from my bike the other night as I was headed homeward after all sorts of daring climbs and descents. I landed painfully on my right thumb from what felt like a great height, then went out last night to an occasion which required lots of manly handshaking. It's now horribly swollen, hardly capable of my usual white-knuckled death-grip on the rear brake lever....so I guess it must be ski season after all. See you out there, somewhere or other.

Yeah, I was up at Baker yesterday, (Sat Oct. 11) and there was snow up on Pan Dome, where there was none last weekend. Yep,yep,yep. Getting excited, yes I am.

Silver Peak (Snoqualmie Pass, 5700') today merited the Winter Storm Warning the West Slopes Cascades were given. Wet snow accumulations above 4700', but not much. Ideal hypothermia conditions. I've not been so cold since Big Mac.

Mt. Hood is looking pretty white this morning:<br> www.kgw.com/livecams/popup_timberline.html <br><br>Was anyone at Paradise or Baker yesterday (skiing or not)?

Yep, Skykilo, Jeff, and I got drowned-rat wet on the Boulder-Park Cleaver yesterday. Heavy freshiez from where we turned around at 6500 to about 5000. I put 5 scratches into my nice, shiny Miras. &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt;<br><br>It was the wettest I've been in my life.

Paul - how about some more details about the snow (or better yet, post them as a TR)?

I'll write a full TR sometime in the next few days (tonight?). I'll post a link. Short version: wet, heavy, deep snow. Slushiez rather than freshiez. Even Sky fell a few times!

You really shouldn't dog the snow too much, it wasn't that bad. It was just a little bit on the heavy side of pow.<br><br>Big lesson for the day: If you stray from the trail, maybe you should try and find it again instead of thinking that you're tougher than the forest. The forest has been there longer.<br><br>We must be starting to appease the snow gods. They're giving us lots of precip so far, but the snow level needs to come down a bit more. To continue to try to please them, I'm thinking about heading out into the rain next weekend. And the snow level looks like 7000-10000 ft on weather.gov right now, so it should be wet and miserable again (I CAN'T WAIT). You'd think this weekend would have taught me a lesson, but I'm a slow learner. If the possibility of precip subsides, I'm going to do something overnight. Anyone want in on this???? I don't know where yet... scimitar glacier or roosevelt? If it's an overnighter, chocolate glacier is going down! Those are the stupidest things that come to mind so far. If anyone can think of something dumber, please let me know.<br><br>Corey... Dave... you aren't getting out of this next one...

I think I want to stay off crevassed glaciers, Jeff, the bridges are going to be WAYYYYY thin. Another stupid trip sounds perfect though, but this time, bring some insulation! <br><br>And if we had followed the trail we wouldn't have gotten as much bushwhacking in! See, there are compromises everywhere. <br><br>I'm in for next weekend, though.

OK, I just checked. Freezing level 9000 feet on Saturday. Jeff, you wanna do Rainier? Might be a good weekend to get some work done (right?) and repair some skis.

If you enjoyed the bushwhack, then I'm happy for you. I'm glad it upped the epic factor a little, but I would have rather spent the time up in the snow.<br><br>You aren't as core as I thought if you don't want to be on a crevassed glacier. That's what ropes are for. We'll go bust up the scimitar and brag to all our friends about how tight she is.<br><br>I'll do Rainier if you want to do the Tahoma glacier. I've had my eye on her ever since the prom.<br><br>So is this a stupid idea: cut some holes in some plastic trash bags, one to cover your torso and one to cover your backpack? Seems like you could last a little bit longer in the backcountry rain if you had the waterproof layer. And no doubt you'd look like a total dork, which would be bad, cause backcountry is ALL about style. Just a question for those more experienced than me.

Last year when Alpental was getting constantly pissed on I would go out with 2 jackets on, and I would stay mostly dry underneath. I think when you're talking about that type of rain something like a garbage bag or a rubber rain coat is a good idea.<br><br>I'm not sure if a 9000' freezing level will get me out there, but you could borrow some of my raingear if you might need it. The forecast could change I suppose though, so I'm not completely out. When I looked at the forecast for this last weekend I thought, 2,700' starting elevation + 6,000' snow level = wet to the bone before the fun really starts. If you're going to do it again, why not start higher like Paradise or Timberline?

Cuz getting wet and miserable is what Jeff likes!  ;D<br><br>PS, though it sounds like it was miserable, it was pretty fun, in a miserable sort of way. Character-building. I now know for certain that people who use down in the Cascades are misinformed.

It looks like the great snow and skiing reported on Monday has probably been washed away, or at least ruined:<br><br>Baker telemetry shows 9.8" of water since the precip began on Wed, the last 6" coming at temps in the 40s at 4200'.<br><br>IWIN Discussion reported this yesterday evening:<br>A SPOTTER IN LILLIWAUP REPORTED 14 INCHES OF RAIN <br>IN A 22 HR PERIOD ENDING AT 230 PM THURSDAY. MORE HAS FALLEN SINCE AND RIVERS IN THE OLYMPICS AND NORTH CASCADES ARE FLOODING.<br><br>The near future is also not looking too good - I should have skied on Monday!