Heli bombing near Steven's Pass

Wow.

Heli dropping big charges on Rooster Comb/Cone? Thurs 3/26/09 AM. Nothing really moved until the second round, then a HUGE one let go on the East most peak on that ridge. this crown looked as big as the bird or bigger, but it was hard to judge scale from the top of Tye Mill.

They seemed to bomb all of the lines I have ever hit over there, kind of bittersweet to watch.

Heard a rumor of HD video, anyone got a connection?

Go to www.stevenspass.com

Podcast tab on the right side of the page

Wow, that was impressive. Thanks for the links and Pics.

Somebody help me out -- where is that with respect to the pass? I don't recognize it...

And why were they bombing? Is it above the resort? Over Big Chief or something?

Out of bounds over the backside, above the power lines, and the Jupiter chair. An area frequented by non-beacon wearing snowboarders bootpacking to their armpits... gotta keep it safe!

Out of bounds... An area frequented by non-beacon wearing snowboarders bootpacking to their armpits... gotta keep it safe!

I am pretty sure that:

A) No one would pay for heli time to control avalanches to protect recreational skiers- this was about protecting those power line towers. (I am not saying that is unreasonable, just that it was not about the ski area at all.)

The sidecountry at Stevens and every other Northwest ski area I have been to is overrun by boarders AND skiers with inadequate gear or training.

C) That 95% of all the people skiing/boarding WITH beacons at ski areas are not prepared to use them, have no idea how to shovel or probe properly, and lose their friends in the woods regularly. I have been guilty of this plenty in the past, sliding to a stop at the chair with that mix of elation and worry that so-and-so isn't down yet. Since transitioning to a more backcountry ski based focus, the whole "no friends on a powder day" mindset at resorts has been scaring the hell out of me.

D) I am very thankful to Ken for the link!

E) That I am on both bootpacks and skintracks with skiers and boarders more often than my employers would like; with the exception of the lines very close to lifts, everyone uses the most efficient ascent method. The further away from the lifts, the less anyone cares what you are sliding on.

Sorry if I seem defensive, but I recently ran into an army of sidestepping skiers giving people grief on what is almost always a bootpack set by skiers and boarders (different location.) As a splitboarder, I get how often a skintrack is preferable to a bootpack, but sidestepping uphill more than 15ft? Getting uppity about ascent methods INbounds? Seems crazy.