February 5, 2005, Silver Basin (Crystal BC)
2/5/05
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
2459
0
The day started as a lift-served day but the great weather and long lines for C-6 changed our plans. We decided on a cautious tour into lower Silver Basin staying in the trees to enjoy the beautiful sun and fresh snow.
The upper basin was completely untracked from our view with monster cornices looming up top. There did not appear or sound to be any control work occuring the the Southback today, though work was occuring the in the Northback until it opened around 1 p.m..
Found appx 6-8" of nice snow on top of a 1 to 1 1/2" crust (wind, rain?) that generally supported us big guys while skinning. Dug one quick pit and found what appeared to be weak layer about 11" below the crust layer that sheared pretty easily (hoar frost?). You just gotta love it when your 265 cm proble won't hit dirt from the surface! Temps were rather warm in the sun with plenty of melting going on in the trees and on the surface. Saw no evidence of any cornices collapsing or any natural slides anywhere in the upper basin.
We found a couple nice glade runs in the safety of the trees where the shaded snow was still pretty nice and made a couple laps before heading down to catch the game.
After all the cloudy weather it is days like today that remind you how lucky we are to live here and have so much, so close.
J.P.
The upper basin was completely untracked from our view with monster cornices looming up top. There did not appear or sound to be any control work occuring the the Southback today, though work was occuring the in the Northback until it opened around 1 p.m..
Found appx 6-8" of nice snow on top of a 1 to 1 1/2" crust (wind, rain?) that generally supported us big guys while skinning. Dug one quick pit and found what appeared to be weak layer about 11" below the crust layer that sheared pretty easily (hoar frost?). You just gotta love it when your 265 cm proble won't hit dirt from the surface! Temps were rather warm in the sun with plenty of melting going on in the trees and on the surface. Saw no evidence of any cornices collapsing or any natural slides anywhere in the upper basin.
We found a couple nice glade runs in the safety of the trees where the shaded snow was still pretty nice and made a couple laps before heading down to catch the game.
After all the cloudy weather it is days like today that remind you how lucky we are to live here and have so much, so close.
J.P.
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