April 18, 2003, South Early Winters Spire
4/18/03
3177
3
Left the Blue Lake trailhead around 9am, 2 " of light fluffy snow on top of a hard crust on most of the route up. Breakable crust did not keep us to stoked to ski down later. Our main goal was the South Couloir on South Early Winters Spire (SEWS). We climbed the entire route with no problems as it was styrafoam snow in the bottom section, but powder in the steeper middel section, and then hard snow in the upper. Only had to belay the last bit to the summit on one or 2 moves.
Came back down to only find one other group coming up, but it seemed the rest of the basin area was busy with snowboarders and other skiers. The skiing was not good at all as the crust loved ot grab our ski tips and edges. Oyvind got 5 turns in on a nice stash of powder, but the rest sucked pretty bad, especially in the trees on the way back to the car.
The parking lot is partially plowed and the bathroom is dug out. Got back to the car by 2pm in time for some burgers in Marblemount.
BTW - Dont eat at the "Good Food" Drive Thru.
They had one of the cooks shoveling manure in their cooking outfit. That place is pretty gross. I usually eat at the bunny place on the western outskirts of marblemount anyway.
Good times
Came back down to only find one other group coming up, but it seemed the rest of the basin area was busy with snowboarders and other skiers. The skiing was not good at all as the crust loved ot grab our ski tips and edges. Oyvind got 5 turns in on a nice stash of powder, but the rest sucked pretty bad, especially in the trees on the way back to the car.
The parking lot is partially plowed and the bathroom is dug out. Got back to the car by 2pm in time for some burgers in Marblemount.
BTW - Dont eat at the "Good Food" Drive Thru.
They had one of the cooks shoveling manure in their cooking outfit. That place is pretty gross. I usually eat at the bunny place on the western outskirts of marblemount anyway.
Good times
That's not good news... was the sun out at all? If so then maybe south slopes will be good?
word up Phil?
"... was the sun out at all? If so then maybe south slopes will be good? "
The sun was out 1/10 of the day at times. There was a smidge of fresh on this crust. Most of the folks we saw looked like they headed up towards that corniced area at the col and dropped on on the other side, as I think that is the B-Day tour? I am guessing the south facing slopes were probably much better, as where we were....it was survival skiing at it's best.
"... was the sun out at all? If so then maybe south slopes will be good? "
The sun was out 1/10 of the day at times. There was a smidge of fresh on this crust. Most of the folks we saw looked like they headed up towards that corniced area at the col and dropped on on the other side, as I think that is the B-Day tour? I am guessing the south facing slopes were probably much better, as where we were....it was survival skiing at it's best.
Did the birthday tour today, not expecting much... but the snow turned out to be great, although that wasn't obvious until we reached Blue Lake col (firm snow and breakable crust to there). South slopes were silky smooth once the sun warmed them a bit. And there is still powder on sheltered slopes.
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