Bend area beta needed—how's the snow consolidation

Hey All,

My wife and I are thinking of heading to Broken Top, South Sister, Green Lake, etc. for a weekend snow camp. Issue is that it looks like we may be bringing the dog. We've done plenty of snow trips with the dog, but she's more of a "corn dog" than a "powder hound". This means that on consolidated snow, the dog does great, but it's much too hard for the dog in anything deeper than a few inches over a base. We don't want to stress her out, or worse, stress her joints. Of course when she is with us, we have to be mindful of her abilities and pick reasonable goals with her in mind. This changes the trip—we end up doing more meadow skipping, but it's still a lot of fun.

So, the question is, how consolidated is the snow looking in the South Sister area? I know there are potential snow showers this week and weekend, but it looks like minor snow build up.

Anyone out there with beta and predictions for the weekend.

Thanks in advance, Sky

I have no input, but that's a really cute dog...

On second thought, I guess I have some -- NWAC has another spring avalanche advisory out as of today, so there may be some new/deep mush to contend with for the pooch, depending on where you go.

Thanks Marcus!

I just checked NWAC and there might be more new snow than I was expecting... including the issues associated with new snow...

Based on recent Mt Hood skiing most areas are still transitioning to a consolidated snowpack with the lower elevatoins further in the process than higher elevations. If you decide to bring the dog, I'd try to stick to lower elevations and be prepared to deal with some soft snow.

Also, it's unclear if Cascade Lakes Highway is going to open by M. Day weekend.

Cascades Lakes Highway iffy

By Patrick Cliff / The Bulletin
Published: May 24. 2011 4:00AM PST

Cascade Lakes Highway may remain closed for Memorial Day weekend after Deschutes County has struggled to clear snow left from a long winter.

There is a chance, though, that the county will open the road from the south. If that happens, people would be able to access the highway via Sunriver and drive as far as Elk Lake Resort.

The challenge of opening the highway this weekend is not due only to weather. County workers have also suffered mechanical setbacks after a snowblower broke down. Then, Monday, a blower owned by the Oregon Department of Transportation also broke down, according to Roger Olson, operations manager of the county road department.

To fully open the highway, the county needed everything to go right last week and this week, Olson said. That didn’t happen.

Temperatures, for instance, have recently fallen below freezing at the base of Mt. Bachelor ski area.

“I was pretty optimistic we’d get there by Friday,” he said. “But the weather is not helping at all.”

Olson said crews, who had started from the south, had gotten as far on Cascade Lakes Highway as the turnoff for Todd Lake. Then the blower broke and progress slowed.

“That really took the wind out of my sails,” Olson said.

Elk Lake Resort’s General Manager Jay Walsh remains optimistic the resort will open on Friday as planned. The resort’s campsites will remain closed because, like much of the area, they are still buried under snow. But several people have reservations at the cabins for the weekend, and Walsh plans to honor those.

Walsh said he spoke with county staff late Monday and was told highway access could be opened from Sunriver to the resort.

“I told them, ‘I need access,’ ” Walsh said.

Tom Blust, director of the county road department, said county staff was working with the resort. The highway, he said, could be open between Sunriver and the resort.

“We’ll open if the resort is ready,” Blust said.

Patrick Cliff can be reached at 541-633-2161 or at pcliff@bendbulletin.com.

Thanks Jeff!

It's looking less likely that we'll go... probably too much for the dog, with the soft snow higher and rain on snow at the lower elevations.

Thanks for the info on the hwy. We were planning on leaving from Dutchman, but the extra info is much appreciated.

Skied Tumalo today (dutchman lot...not quite). You won't find any space as the motor heads have taken all the spots or "reserved" them in one alpha dudes parlance.. they convince me to move to a place to "help them out"..oh boy.. turns out it was a no parking area. Was waiting for a bunch of those "good apples" to step in and help me out..no such luck as usual in this area..I parked on the highway hoping to not get a ticket...

Lower down the stuff under neath a few inches of new was threatening to be "isothermal". Higher up the run down was decent freshies. At the top the vis. is super low and the corniice line appears to extend full length, so do not venture to close (seemed huge actually) but did get a glimpse a few time and tons of huge debris down the east side.

Once again spring acting like winter..things can change quickly with heat from sun. Very windy and lots of wind transport to east side..needles and grauple to boot