June 8, 2010, Silver Peak
6/8/10
WA Snoqualmie Pass
1885
4
Silver can still be skied continuously on snow, which has firmed well since Saturday. A clear Monday night made for nice corn early in the day Tuesday, softening after noon. Snow on flat areas in the sun was slightly grabby, in the trees not so bad. Great to be able to ski from the car an hour drive from Seattle in June! We did our best to find Euro apres ski snacks, too.
How nice to meet you guys. Like I told you, slow is a relative phrase. Had Jalapino sardines and gorp at the bottom myself. Great way for me to end my stay. Went on to NB get a shirt order from Martin. Great day for me.
I was there for the evening/after work shift, starting from the road at about 5:30. Snow patch I reported from last Thu completely gone. Several other parties.
I guess in a way the evening's weather was more interesting than just boring old blue sky ho hum. In three hours time, the weather went from part sunny and warm with good views to Stuart and Glacier, to thunder and low clouds scudding up the valleys and impending deluge approaching. Whee!
The short slope from the basin saddle to the NW ridge has a few more coverage issues than you might expect - lots of holes from rocks melting through, tricky now to find a skin line that avoids both cornices and rocks. But otherwise, coverage in the basin is good, and there are still some ski lines off the ridge if you go either N or S from the usual high point/ rest stop.
Snow was indeed nice, soft on top and firm underneath. This time I fell for the temptation of heading down the Annette Lake side. Wow was that a good ride. If anything this snow was firmer than the snow in the NW basin, far smoother due to no snowmo or boottrack or scourmarks from slides, and the slope is a consistent angle with great views down to Annette Lake. Went down to within maybe 300 vf of lake level but further downvalley. Several fingers of snow here extend more than 1000vf down from the ridge, but the slope also has long strips of talus poking thru, so it's probably not lasting much longer. Despite the threats of approaching thunder peals I lapped the nicest middle section of this slope. Great skiddy corn on a quite firm base. Best skiing I've had on Silver in like 7 or 8 trips. Wet snow eventually caused skin fail, handymans secret weapon to the rescue. Nothing like approaching thunder to elevate your game and get your uptrack-rate to well above one K per hour ...
Due to the extra lap, didn't manage to completely beat the rain this time, but while skiing down the middle chute that starts from the basin knoll, and then Windy Acres, was not yet worse than a sprinkle or light shower. The sky then opened up just five minutes after I reached the car. And on the drive home it was raining HARD on 190, like wiper doublespeed hard. Where did THAT come from?
I guess in a way the evening's weather was more interesting than just boring old blue sky ho hum. In three hours time, the weather went from part sunny and warm with good views to Stuart and Glacier, to thunder and low clouds scudding up the valleys and impending deluge approaching. Whee!
The short slope from the basin saddle to the NW ridge has a few more coverage issues than you might expect - lots of holes from rocks melting through, tricky now to find a skin line that avoids both cornices and rocks. But otherwise, coverage in the basin is good, and there are still some ski lines off the ridge if you go either N or S from the usual high point/ rest stop.
Snow was indeed nice, soft on top and firm underneath. This time I fell for the temptation of heading down the Annette Lake side. Wow was that a good ride. If anything this snow was firmer than the snow in the NW basin, far smoother due to no snowmo or boottrack or scourmarks from slides, and the slope is a consistent angle with great views down to Annette Lake. Went down to within maybe 300 vf of lake level but further downvalley. Several fingers of snow here extend more than 1000vf down from the ridge, but the slope also has long strips of talus poking thru, so it's probably not lasting much longer. Despite the threats of approaching thunder peals I lapped the nicest middle section of this slope. Great skiddy corn on a quite firm base. Best skiing I've had on Silver in like 7 or 8 trips. Wet snow eventually caused skin fail, handymans secret weapon to the rescue. Nothing like approaching thunder to elevate your game and get your uptrack-rate to well above one K per hour ...
Due to the extra lap, didn't manage to completely beat the rain this time, but while skiing down the middle chute that starts from the basin knoll, and then Windy Acres, was not yet worse than a sprinkle or light shower. The sky then opened up just five minutes after I reached the car. And on the drive home it was raining HARD on 190, like wiper doublespeed hard. Where did THAT come from?
We got our start about 4:30, still sunny, saw silaswild (I think) coming up in the the top bowl as we were descending. Fantastic conditions. Some of our favorite lines lower down are starting to melt through a little presenting the usual late season obstacles. Snow conditions were great though, nice a firm below with a decent layer of corn on top.
What, no Spiegel ey mit speck? ;) Looks like good conditions and fun!
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