12/15/07 Top Secret Clandestine = DEAD

Besides the valid point that it might not be the smartest idea to ski in a ski area while it is doing control work, besides the point that this weekend was not the weekend to be skiing Snoqualmie backcountry, besides the fact that two people recently died because they did not heed the avalanche warnings, DID ANYONE READ THIS BEFORE VENTURING OUT?!?!

Access debates aside, why would anyone be skiing Alpental this weekend? So while the following report does not categorically rule out skiing as wise as it did when those two people died, did skiers dig their pits this weekend? I'd be interested to know.

OLYMPICS, WASHINGTON CASCADES NEAR AND WEST OF THE CREST
FROM MT RAINIER NORTHWARD-
...AVALANCHE WATCH FOR SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT...
Considerable avalanche danger above 4 to 5000 feet and
moderate below slowly increasing on Saturday and becoming
high above 5 to 6000 feet, considerable from 4 to 5000
feet and moderate below 4000 feet late Saturday, except
locally considerable on smooth, wind loaded terrain below
4000 feet. Greatest danger developing on northeast
through southeast exposures mid-late Saturday. Avalanche
danger slowly increasing early Sunday and substantially
increasing mid-late Sunday, becoming high above 4 to 5000
feet and considerable below.

and another post from today:

"Speaking to a couple of folk at Hyak today who said they skined International yesterday then proceeded to set off a monster just before setting downwards. With all the people in the area its lucky nobody got caught."

I agree with what your trying to say....but is this a tr? Practice what you preach

I agree with what your trying to say....but is this a tr? Practice what you preach

No, it's an 'anti-TR'.... As in there shouldn't be a TR at all about having fun almost dying... Which is where I want to say passionately, "don't die". I'll quit this rant with this: I hate people dying. And yes, I am very guilty of NOT practicing what I preach historically... time to sober up, as they say. If I were to think of the dozens of possible SAFE ski tours within 1.5 hours of Seattle, there's no reason ANYTHING in the Alpental area or backcountry should make the list. If it's flat lands and safety one could always tool around the bottom of Hyak and build a snow fort. But a rational person doesn't say, "Let's try and find out of there are any safe places to be in a valley with avi chutes that threaten even the access road." "We'll just be quick about it."

For more debate see the "hot-air" section.