SLUSH CUP TIME -- 8/16!!

Wow! That pretty much sums it up.

Even though I couldn't ski today, I had a great time meeting people and taking photos. 

I climbed Pinnacle Peak beforehand and got a bird's eye view, but unfortunately not when people were skiing.

Hey, my sunglasses are in there too!

More pictures:

Fans
More crowds
Naughty Nurse
Warming up
Amar
Grandpa H
Christy
Lisa
Hummel bros
Rockered skis really work

We just need a volunteer lifeguard on duty (throw ropes) and life vests for those who haven't swam with skis before. A good idea for anyone really? Anyhow, I had a blast. Only few minutes this morning...hiking for a few weeks, but in those few minutes, a few photos. I had a great time.

Had a great time, even though my lost ski on run 2 was a bummer (my Dynafit strap snapped after the ski released underwater). Thanks again to Jessy Hummel for helping to eventually retrieve it, from about 5-6 ft depth. Nice to meet some new folks and reconnect with others. And very glad everyone returned safely.

After last year's icy immersion, I bought and brought a life vest this year. With the pond as ice-free as it was, I was very glad to have it, and think a life vest is an essential safety requirement for anyone skimming across such a deep pond, except those who are very strong swimmers. Life vests would be a good idea for even the strongest swimmers, though, given the added weight of boots and skis/snowboards, coupled with the 32 F temperature of the water. For any future Slush Cups, we should collectively ensure that anyone skimming is wearing a life vest, to avoid a needless tragic accident. Those who don't have one should borrow one from others. The inflatable raft was also very useful for retrieving people and gear, we should make sure to have one of those along too.

The big safety issue this year was the lack of floating ice on the pond, compared to previous years. Skimming across that pond is certainly much safer when the pond is at least 60-70% ice-covered. With any less coverage, there will be areas of open water with depths exceeding 6 ft. I looked through my photos from the 2006 and 2008 Slush Cups, and made the following photo comparison, showing snow and ice coverage on the third Sunday in August each year (click to enlarge):

I missed the 2007 event, but this screen capture from JW's video shows coverage that year. However, the event was held 3 weeks earlier, on July 29, and the pond would certainly have been ice-free by mid-August:

Even though I only went as a spectator, Slush Cup was a blast!  It was great meeting you all and I hope to come to another one of your events really soon!  Next year, I'll volunteer to be lifeguard. I'll have to bring an arsenal of my 1st aid gear for you crazy people! lol

I posted all the photos Jim and I took on Picasa... If you are interested, click this link: picasaweb.google.com/Runnermomof2boys/MtRainierSlushCup81609#

Alyssa