March 30, 2008; Yodelin pow fest.
3/15/08
WA Stevens Pass
3031
2
Yodelin still delivering the dry powder goods in early spring!! Or is it still mid-winter!?
Starting on a pre-set skin-track with Kathleen and Drew, surface-crusty west aspects on the approach soon gave way to well preserved fluff on northwesterly aspects (about 1.5-to-2.5 feet deep over a crust layer in open glades). Three long laps through the trees and glades on NW aspects offered spectacular doses of mid-winter like pow and face shots, never once bottoming- out on the underlying crust. Surprisingly uncrowded today, and seemed like the area didnt get much traffic on Saturday either. The snow became noticeably heavier and slightly crusted below about 4,200-ft on NW slopes, though we were still able to squeeze over 1,000 vf of dry powder turns on each run, so the skiing was pretty ok ;)
Great to put some other TAY names to faces out there today!
Quick pit at about 5,200-ft on a gladed NW aspect revealed about 17" of recent pow overlying several crust layers. Top 7" fairly low cohesion and light with generally denser powder below. Bond to the crust at 17" seemed fair at the pit location (failed at CT23; the overlying snow block disintegrated immediately). Quick hand shear test later along the skin track (around 4,300-ft on gladed NW aspect) suggested a poorer bond with moderate shear (Q2), but no shallow slab structure at that location. Westerly aspects on ski out (below about 4,200-ft) had a slightly breakable surface crust.
More photos posted here.
Starting on a pre-set skin-track with Kathleen and Drew, surface-crusty west aspects on the approach soon gave way to well preserved fluff on northwesterly aspects (about 1.5-to-2.5 feet deep over a crust layer in open glades). Three long laps through the trees and glades on NW aspects offered spectacular doses of mid-winter like pow and face shots, never once bottoming- out on the underlying crust. Surprisingly uncrowded today, and seemed like the area didnt get much traffic on Saturday either. The snow became noticeably heavier and slightly crusted below about 4,200-ft on NW slopes, though we were still able to squeeze over 1,000 vf of dry powder turns on each run, so the skiing was pretty ok ;)
Great to put some other TAY names to faces out there today!
Quick pit at about 5,200-ft on a gladed NW aspect revealed about 17" of recent pow overlying several crust layers. Top 7" fairly low cohesion and light with generally denser powder below. Bond to the crust at 17" seemed fair at the pit location (failed at CT23; the overlying snow block disintegrated immediately). Quick hand shear test later along the skin track (around 4,300-ft on gladed NW aspect) suggested a poorer bond with moderate shear (Q2), but no shallow slab structure at that location. Westerly aspects on ski out (below about 4,200-ft) had a slightly breakable surface crust.
More photos posted here.
Rusty Knees, Moscawulf, The Big Smooth and Anna the Snow Dog checking in.
It was a pow fest! Great to meet you guys! That was some of the best Yodelin powder ever! There were plenty of people up there, but there are still tons of fresh tracks to be had.
We had face shots, too, but mine usually come accompanied by a belly flop. We also met Jack and Anna, the wife. Also JPLingo, and several "lurkers" Dwayne, Veleska and others. But it is such a great area it was not crowded.
I'm still smiling. Amazing snow for March 30. Thanks for the pictures!
It was a pow fest! Great to meet you guys! That was some of the best Yodelin powder ever! There were plenty of people up there, but there are still tons of fresh tracks to be had.
We had face shots, too, but mine usually come accompanied by a belly flop. We also met Jack and Anna, the wife. Also JPLingo, and several "lurkers" Dwayne, Veleska and others. But it is such a great area it was not crowded.
I'm still smiling. Amazing snow for March 30. Thanks for the pictures!
We decided to partake in the pow pow viewers left of saddle too after speaking to the couple who slept in the snowcave Saturday night. They mentioned the slopes viewers right were tracked a bit yesterday.
The Easterly slopes have given me 2 other epic days of powder this year. They all started with similar conditions on the lower slopes. Once we made it higher I knew what was in store and Yodelin did not disappoint.
Everywhere I looked groups were getting some fantastic turns. It was nice to see everyone with huge smiles at the end of the day as we made our way to the lot.
Special thanks to cascadesfreak and the crew for breaking a trail up to the skiing grounds. I made all the tracks a bit wider on my splitboard but you all did most of the work getting there. Rusty Knees it was good to put a face to your posts that I have been a fan of.
The Easterly slopes have given me 2 other epic days of powder this year. They all started with similar conditions on the lower slopes. Once we made it higher I knew what was in store and Yodelin did not disappoint.
Everywhere I looked groups were getting some fantastic turns. It was nice to see everyone with huge smiles at the end of the day as we made our way to the lot.
Special thanks to cascadesfreak and the crew for breaking a trail up to the skiing grounds. I made all the tracks a bit wider on my splitboard but you all did most of the work getting there. Rusty Knees it was good to put a face to your posts that I have been a fan of.
Reply to this TR
Please login first: