6/8, Mt. Hood, Newton-Clark--attempt
6/8/08
OR Mt Hood
5267
5
left the Meadows parking-lot at 4am, made good time up past the lifts, with a Bob Marley song stuck in my head as the sun rose.
New snow in Meadows area was about 1-4 inches, it had settled quite a bit, with vestiges of rain impact on snow visible.
The snow became cold winter-time-type snow upon reaching the foot of the Wy'east face, with variable patches of surface rime ice, and 1' wind deposits. The snow became significantly deeper as I gained elevation on the face. I stopped at ~10000' - just below the steep roll - and dug a test pit in the deep slabby new snow - which at that point was averageing 2-3 feet. I got a shear failure with moderate force (STM...@-30"...Q2...on MFcrust...2-4mm). The wind had apparently been vicious with this last storm, and apparently it all got loaded on to the east slopes, which was clearly evident by the deep, finger/pencil density new snow. I might have been able to get away with touring on such a snowpack... but if it did propagate it would have gone big, and it probably had a lot of stored energy from such a recent storm (with little time for settlement/strengthening), I skiied down from there, and waited on a ridge above Heather canyon for the snow to soften a little. Good but mushy snow back to the campa.
New snow in Meadows area was about 1-4 inches, it had settled quite a bit, with vestiges of rain impact on snow visible.
The snow became cold winter-time-type snow upon reaching the foot of the Wy'east face, with variable patches of surface rime ice, and 1' wind deposits. The snow became significantly deeper as I gained elevation on the face. I stopped at ~10000' - just below the steep roll - and dug a test pit in the deep slabby new snow - which at that point was averageing 2-3 feet. I got a shear failure with moderate force (STM...@-30"...Q2...on MFcrust...2-4mm). The wind had apparently been vicious with this last storm, and apparently it all got loaded on to the east slopes, which was clearly evident by the deep, finger/pencil density new snow. I might have been able to get away with touring on such a snowpack... but if it did propagate it would have gone big, and it probably had a lot of stored energy from such a recent storm (with little time for settlement/strengthening), I skiied down from there, and waited on a ridge above Heather canyon for the snow to soften a little. Good but mushy snow back to the campa.
So, that's where all the pow from the NW side went.
Patience my friend, it will come... Smart to wait on that face. It is just getting better for awhile hopefully- it has to stop dumping (at least big) soon. With you on the mountain every day, I could just check with you for conditions if I had a phone number! Is there much sastrugi or is still smooth enough to get good lines? I still am thinking of the traverse in the next week or two... Here are a few more temptations to keep you going.
Invariably on trips, Sean regales us with his rendition of "Eggs and Toast" sung to the beat of "Exodus" first thing in the morning.
So, Dan, what was the tune?
So, Dan, what was the tune?
Dale - Thanks again for the amazing pictures!
The snow was variably sustrugified on the surface, but really nothing too bad for skiing, just a direction indicator of previous winds.
MW8 - I was thinking of - "three little birds"; I got to get some phones or something, those stuck in the head songs wear thin pretty quick.
The snow was variably sustrugified on the surface, but really nothing too bad for skiing, just a direction indicator of previous winds.
MW8 - I was thinking of - "three little birds"; I got to get some phones or something, those stuck in the head songs wear thin pretty quick.
Hey hey we were up there the same day a few hours behind you. I think we saw you drop into upper heather and then traverse out into the main area. The headwall looked most excellent.
A few more photos: link
A few more photos: link
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