Jan 2, 2011, Paradise Environs
1/2/11
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
1634
2
Wasn't going to ski today but friends and spouse said let's go; lots of powder and lots of tracks, see 9-1-1 in the background:
We picked up Gary Vogt and hijacked him into the Tatoosh.. Unbelievable how good south side skied. Castle saddle bowl was very wind buffed.We choose a protected route to the east to ski out to road in quality powder. 4 parties total. We had the eastern end to ourselves.
Weird happening at entrance. Ranger was telling us that All Cars needed chains put on ! "Do you mean 4wd with m&S tires ?" Yes ! So we put them on my ford explorer with 4wd. anyway the stupid cables kept coming loose so I took them off. We get to Longmire and Ranger there stops and asks if we have chains in the car and engaged 4wd. "Proceed on" . Like usual.
Nice picture but we will hold you personally responsible for tearing up the back bowl like that .
Weird happening at entrance. Ranger was telling us that All Cars needed chains put on ! "Do you mean 4wd with m&S tires ?" Yes ! So we put them on my ford explorer with 4wd. anyway the stupid cables kept coming loose so I took them off. We get to Longmire and Ranger there stops and asks if we have chains in the car and engaged 4wd. "Proceed on" . Like usual.
Nice picture but we will hold you personally responsible for tearing up the back bowl like that .
Four of us took our first trip into the Tatoosh. Wish I'd put two and two together when skinning up, as I'm sure we met the Robie/Vogt party (I commented on boots).
Stupendous weather.
Up to the pass adjoining 6058, then down the south side, wrapping 'round the bowl, then up to the pass overlooking Unicorn Creek, back down into the bowl, up to 6058, then down through a sweet couloir to Reflection Lakes and the car in fading light.
South side skied well, with pockets of shady good snow and occasional crust at the surface. Much of the open S-side skiing was on 3-6" atop a thin but supportable crust. Sheltered and shady snow, particularly on N aspects, gave up excellent turns.
We didn't get any snow moving, though there was ample evidence, particularly on W aspects at 5,000', of solar driven wet slab activity from yesterday. A pit on the same W aspect at 6k showed ~4" of fist atop the thin crust, then increasing density rounds down to the bomber crust. A hasty compression test saw the 4" fail at ~CT10, with no other result. A very robust prying shovel shear finally got a failure at the bomber crust; the bottom of the slab sparkled with fine facets or hoar. Despite the sunburn, solar effects were limited to sticky snow. Expect sun crust on S aspects.
Surface hoar on all aspects in the morning - up to 1" on level ground near Reflection Lakes. Sunny aspects were nuked into firnspeigel by the end of the day, but not so in the shade.
Great day! Thanks Alex, David, and Susan!
Stupendous weather.
Up to the pass adjoining 6058, then down the south side, wrapping 'round the bowl, then up to the pass overlooking Unicorn Creek, back down into the bowl, up to 6058, then down through a sweet couloir to Reflection Lakes and the car in fading light.
South side skied well, with pockets of shady good snow and occasional crust at the surface. Much of the open S-side skiing was on 3-6" atop a thin but supportable crust. Sheltered and shady snow, particularly on N aspects, gave up excellent turns.
We didn't get any snow moving, though there was ample evidence, particularly on W aspects at 5,000', of solar driven wet slab activity from yesterday. A pit on the same W aspect at 6k showed ~4" of fist atop the thin crust, then increasing density rounds down to the bomber crust. A hasty compression test saw the 4" fail at ~CT10, with no other result. A very robust prying shovel shear finally got a failure at the bomber crust; the bottom of the slab sparkled with fine facets or hoar. Despite the sunburn, solar effects were limited to sticky snow. Expect sun crust on S aspects.
Surface hoar on all aspects in the morning - up to 1" on level ground near Reflection Lakes. Sunny aspects were nuked into firnspeigel by the end of the day, but not so in the shade.
Great day! Thanks Alex, David, and Susan!
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