Nov 2-3, 2005, Thorp Creek
11/2/05
WA Cascades East Slopes Central
2907
3
A bit about the current conditions in the Thorp Creek drainage (near Lake Cle Elum): as of noon today blowing and snowing down to ~3000'.
Yesterday there was snow on the ground starting at ~2800', up to 4-5 inches by 3600'. Rain crusted, heavy. Rapid increase in depth going up. By 4800' 16 to 24 inches heavy wet snow. No layers. Started snowing at 7 am this morning.
(Decided that maybe today was not the best time to try to get up to the Thorp lookout. :D )
Larry
Yesterday there was snow on the ground starting at ~2800', up to 4-5 inches by 3600'. Rain crusted, heavy. Rapid increase in depth going up. By 4800' 16 to 24 inches heavy wet snow. No layers. Started snowing at 7 am this morning.
(Decided that maybe today was not the best time to try to get up to the Thorp lookout. :D )
Larry
Larry, thanks for the report. Winter must be here if you are out doing your overnighters! I appreciate your reports from that area because there is often little other direct information (your snowpack model notwithstanding), and I think there is some great exploring that can be done there.
I second that, Charles. Now is the time to be doing the exploring and letting the USFS know what we like. Otherwise we will be in danger of losing any chance of quiet opportunities, for the future, in the Cle Elum valley.
John
John
Thanks Charles!
Yup, really felt like winter. All summer baking in a hot tent surrounded by buzzing mosquitoes I've looked forward to this.
I'd like to follow up John's comment with a minor anecdote. On the way out I stopped at the convenience store next to the snomo dealer S. of Roslyn. Snomo mechanics working on machines. The loud whine of engines being razzed. Potential customers looking at machines. It's just part of winter in the Cle Elum valley, a very visable one and one with an economic impact.
Back country skiers on the other hand are essentially invisible. I think it's too much to expect that many skiers would want to be involved FS user group meetings, etc. but the least we can do is let the FS know that we are out there. Where we go, what we like.
One talking point the snomo users use to preserve or promote access to certain areas (e.g. Lake Ann and Fortune Mtn.) is maintain that skiers do not go there when they use the terrain. Well, that's true for Lake Ann in the middle of winter - - but who would want to go there under the circumstances? The smell, the noise, the cut up slopes.
But when we do find the solitude we like, and suitable terrain, I think it's well worthwhile to in some way tell the FS, so the area can be noted as used by skiers, and not lost by default.
Larry
Yup, really felt like winter. All summer baking in a hot tent surrounded by buzzing mosquitoes I've looked forward to this.
I'd like to follow up John's comment with a minor anecdote. On the way out I stopped at the convenience store next to the snomo dealer S. of Roslyn. Snomo mechanics working on machines. The loud whine of engines being razzed. Potential customers looking at machines. It's just part of winter in the Cle Elum valley, a very visable one and one with an economic impact.
Back country skiers on the other hand are essentially invisible. I think it's too much to expect that many skiers would want to be involved FS user group meetings, etc. but the least we can do is let the FS know that we are out there. Where we go, what we like.
One talking point the snomo users use to preserve or promote access to certain areas (e.g. Lake Ann and Fortune Mtn.) is maintain that skiers do not go there when they use the terrain. Well, that's true for Lake Ann in the middle of winter - - but who would want to go there under the circumstances? The smell, the noise, the cut up slopes.
But when we do find the solitude we like, and suitable terrain, I think it's well worthwhile to in some way tell the FS, so the area can be noted as used by skiers, and not lost by default.
Larry
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