June 4, 2011, Source Lake/Chair Peak Basin
6/4/11
WA Snoqualmie Pass
1124
0
Tried to do Chair Peak Basin in the morning on Saturday, but got too late a start after my housemate's show last night + drinks. Hit the trail at Alpental at 8:40 AM reaching Source Lake at 9:30. The approach was still relatively firm and had enough coverage, but as soon as we hit Source Lake it got painfully soft. There's a huge amount of avalanche debris in Source Lake and basin, and going up through it was arduous at best. Red Mustache (maybe just Red Scruffiness on Saturday) did OK to the first knoll following an established snowshoe track, but I had nothing but trouble, continually peeling off the top six inches of snow and slipping with my splitboard.
We continued up the slope to Chair Peak Basin past the turnoff to Snow Lake with me breaking trail. I would frequently slip and slice off around six inch sloughs, which were beginning to slide 50-100. After several of these I kicked off a slough that ran through a stump I wouldnt want to get slammed into and kept going, and we called it as not worth the (considerable) effort and escalating risk. 1400 vertical foot gain from the parking lot. Three other skiers were following my skin track and decided to press on despite my warnings, until after a couple minutes of trail breaking they came to the same conclusion and went over to check out the Snow Lake Divide.
We descended the slow, heavy slop to Source Lake, then poled and rode out to the Alpental Upper Parking lot, hitting there at noon. A disappointing showing, but thats the price you pay for late starts in June. Nonetheless it was a gorgeous day, we made some turns, and exercised our bodies and judgment.
We continued up the slope to Chair Peak Basin past the turnoff to Snow Lake with me breaking trail. I would frequently slip and slice off around six inch sloughs, which were beginning to slide 50-100. After several of these I kicked off a slough that ran through a stump I wouldnt want to get slammed into and kept going, and we called it as not worth the (considerable) effort and escalating risk. 1400 vertical foot gain from the parking lot. Three other skiers were following my skin track and decided to press on despite my warnings, until after a couple minutes of trail breaking they came to the same conclusion and went over to check out the Snow Lake Divide.
We descended the slow, heavy slop to Source Lake, then poled and rode out to the Alpental Upper Parking lot, hitting there at noon. A disappointing showing, but thats the price you pay for late starts in June. Nonetheless it was a gorgeous day, we made some turns, and exercised our bodies and judgment.
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