author=frankfrank link=topic=31793.msg133548#msg133548 date=1401257032]
How is the road beyond Middle Fork Campground? I assume it's not part of this improvement project and thus as bumpy as ever.

It's really not bad at all, but then I enjoy pot-hole dodging, but you're right it's not slated to be upgraded. Watch out for the closures, there's an excellent link on the 'roads' bit of TAY. ROck on l...

5/28/14 1:43am

danpeck

May 26, 2014, The Grand, Ford-Stettner

Nice. Can't wait for part 2.

5/28/14 12:52am

tabski

June 24, 2014, Mt. Hood, North Side butter

Damn.

New desktop - check.

5/28/14 12:35am

frankfrank

May 26 opposite Iron Cap mountain

Hooray, local skiing! How is the road beyond Middle Fork Campground? I assume it's not part of this improvement project and thus as bumpy as ever. Anyway, I may have to get out there when it opens again in a few days...

5/27/14 5:44pm

bcskibdy

May 24, 2014, Cutthroat Peak, Portly, Point 7250

We were two of the multitude on the Birthday tour. Kind of surprised there isn't a report on it already. (BTW birthday suit skiing is still fun at 70.) It was little disorienting to have that many folks and no lifts in sght. Still, everyone was pleasant and respectful, as were their dogs, and since we'd already had an early am exploratory tromp back near Easy Pass that yielded zip in terms of turns, we were happy to be there. And there were lines to be had in the Madison Ave (?) area...

5/27/14 3:03pm

jtrue

May 21, Colfax Peak Elephant + Thunder Glacier

Looks like a fun line, getting after it late season!

5/27/14 2:25pm

WolfBreath

May 21and22, 2014, Cascade Pass, Sahale and Pelton Pk.

Loved it. Thanks!

5/27/14 2:20pm

danpeck

May 24-26, Three Sisters range

Most Excellent. I love the sisters. Thanks for your map too. Very useful.

5/27/14 1:28pm

danpeck

May 21and22, 2014, Cascade Pass, Sahale and Pelton Pk.

That pumped me up. One of my favorite areas... deep in my soul.

5/27/14 1:07pm

danpeck

May 21and22, 2014, Cascade Pass, Sahale and Pelton Pk.

Inspiring! Thanks for the spring stoke

5/27/14 12:52pm

OlympicMtnBoy

May 24-25, 2014, Mount Adams

Thanks for the report, planning on heading up there soon too!

5/27/14 12:33pm

lrudholm

May 21and22, 2014, Cascade Pass, Sahale and Pelton Pk.

Killing it!

5/27/14 11:58am

Shred

May 21and22, 2014, Cascade Pass, Sahale and Pelton Pk.

Thanks All! We have almost as fun making these funky little edits, as the skiing... well, Almost.

Tabski, The lower CJ was a runnel fest. The upper looked pretty good. Didn't notice any shrund issues. I will dig through some pics and see if I got any of the CJ. I'm sure someone in our crew got one... Paging Mr. Chrols.?

5/27/14 11:41am

AlpineRose

May 26, 2014, Mission Ridge

Just started birding, and I have fun trying to ID from others pictures. Your bird looks like an immature Sharp-Shinned Hawk. Particularly if it was smallish. If it seemed larger, then possibly an immature Cooper's Hawk, which also has yellow eyes. But I think the former, because of where you saw it.

5/27/14 10:35am

Norseman

May 21and22, 2014, Cascade Pass, Sahale and Pelton Pk.

Excellent.

5/27/14 8:50am

gfunk

May 21and22, 2014, Cascade Pass, Sahale and Pelton Pk.

Well done! That's a lot of great folks making a bunch of great turns!

5/27/14 7:40am

danpeck

May 24, 2014, Cutthroat Peak, Portly, Point 7250

I guess my final point is that I would be surprised if my little TR resulted in lines of people up in this area. We'll see eh? If it does you might just see less TR's from me ;)

5/27/14 7:14am

TonyM

May 24, 2014, - Dragontail Peak loop

Beautiful photos! We did a clockwise circumnavigation in '09. Pandora's Box had set up much differently that year and I recall the down climb into the couloir was a little frightening!

http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=13285.0

Such a nice area...

5/27/14 6:11am

danpeck

May 24, 2014, Cutthroat Peak, Portly, Point 7250

author=freeski link=topic=31774.msg133524#msg133524 date=1401220503]
Dan,wasn't Amars' Ruby thread discussion about a PM sent to him by Lowell asking him not to crap on the locals after following their skin tracks? Sure those lines are in plan sight, but then again, most lines are that are easy pickings and yet many are hardly ever skied. Your TR made it a topic to point out the masses across the road and it sounded like you enjoyed your 'discov...

5/27/14 6:05am

thatoneguydave

May 26, 2014, Silver slopes

I was the early bird arriving there around 8am and had the pleasure of being rained on the whole time. I like to pretend the rain pelting my face on the way down are face shots of glorious white powder. Seems to make the whole experience in the rain a little bit more enjoyable. Good skiing though, but like you guys said the easy access it melting out really quickly. Going to be a little tougher this year keeping the streak alive (31 months) than last year I think.

5/27/14 5:58am

danpeck

May 24, 2014, Cutthroat Peak, Portly, Point 7250

Hmm.

I can understand people's feelings about keeping their local stashes secret. That is what happened to my "secret" stashes where I grew up in the Wasatch Mountains. Very busy these days. At the same time, I think it is awesome that so many people are getting out to enjoy the mountains and a sport I personally love. I love the community.

Jamie said it well when we saw all the cars, "Look at all those people having fun!"

I have drea...

5/27/14 5:13am

chmnyboy

May 24, 2014, Cutthroat Peak, Portly, Point 7250

author=mikerolfs link=topic=31774.msg133459#msg133459 date=1401048217]

Looking back at our tracks from the lookout pullout:

Hey, take this picture down! I wanted to 'discover' that obvious slope right next to the highway for myself!

All joking aside, swee...

5/27/14 4:12am

Scotsman

May 24, 2014, Cutthroat Peak, Portly, Point 7250

author=freeski link=topic=31774.msg133516#msg133516 date=1401214347]
That area is called 'portly basin' and was named about 30 or so years ago in honor of a local who was a key figure in developing the Methow Valley xc trail system. I believe he also named the 'birthday tour' that his wife latter discribed in a tour book. Back in the day, i remember there was a lot of local chatter about disclosing tour locations. The concept of 'zones...

5/27/14 4:11am

Mtnmanb

May 24-26, Three Sisters range

Way to get after it you two, looks like a fun trip! Lots of light means lots of turns!

B)

5/27/14 3:47am

Charlie Hagedorn

May 24-26, Three Sisters range

And, since I'm playing with a new GPS, here's a track, generated with Hillmap.com . And, one more photo...

5/27/14 3:38am

tabski

May 21and22, 2014, Cascade Pass, Sahale and Pelton Pk.

Its the kickest ass of the kick ass up there. Looks like nice conditions, too.

How'd the CJ look? Bad runnels? Bergschrund?

5/27/14 2:26am

Mtnmanb

May 26, 2014, Silver slopes

We had a little bit of everything there yesterday. PNW mist, pea-soup fog, sun, hail/sleet, and rain. The tasty corn was all I needed! Good seeing you up there Silas/Greg/Josh/Elliot/Tim/Frisbee, glad to hear the ribs are doing better!

Can still ski to the car, but it's a bit of a dance through the shrubbery now... Annette run will be gone soon.

B

5/27/14 1:51am

bfree32

May 21and22, 2014, Cascade Pass, Sahale and Pelton Pk.

Looks great, thanks for sharing the video! Yikes, close call at 4:40 - that would have been a rough ride.

5/27/14 12:02am

mikerolfs

May 21and22, 2014, Cascade Pass, Sahale and Pelton Pk.

Super fun video. Thanks for sharing. You guys look like a lucky bunch to have such great ski partners and friends.

5/26/14 2:02pm

Rowan Stewart

May 21and22, 2014, Cascade Pass, Sahale and Pelton Pk.

Wow, you guys really got after it! Rad video too - that has got to be the best amateur ski edit I've ever seen. I loved all of the glide crack hucks and party skiing pov shots. Way to keep stoking the fire in the later season.

5/26/14 12:41pm

Robie

May 26, 2014, Silver slopes

Picture two , my kinda terrain it doesn't get any better than that !

5/26/14 12:28pm

Marcus

May 22, 2014, Pilchuck puppy romp

Ha! The camera adds 65 pounds.

5/26/14 11:06am

flowing alpy

May 22, 2014, Pilchuck puppy romp

camera angle:-)

5/26/14 10:14am

jtack

May 24, 2014, Silver slopes

Silas, looks like great fun. I don't know how you could convene a quorum, with all the folks from the west side skiing at Washington Pass, but it looks like you did. If you make a trip over this way give a shout.

5/26/14 10:00am

Jim Oker

May 24, 2014, Silver slopes

Great day, with the perfect balance of road melt and tour cover! And good fun with old friends as well as new. I recall this tour being pretty quiet on a typical weekend back a decade or so ago, but with the internet starting bell becoming more ingrained, it has become quite festive as soon as the road clears! This is also nice for getting any bumpy lines smoothed out, having a hacked in highway of an uptrack up onto the steeps of the ridge, and a killer stairway of kicked steps up the west slop...

5/26/14 5:38am

jtack

May 24, 2014, Cutthroat Peak, Portly, Point 7250

It was a nice day of skiing, knowing the temperatures were going to be hot we might have started a little earlier, it was truly mush on the way out, but it was kinda satisfying to be watching the conga line make its way up the Birthday tour, and have the other side all to ourselves. And it is of course nice to sigh your name on a peak, and be able to get down and admire your work. Nice pictures Dan/Mike

5/26/14 4:33am

flowing alpy

Silver Peak 5-24-14

your photo stream has a nice shot of mofro and his companion nash dog.

5/26/14 3:21am

FreeBird

May 13,14,15, 2014, Washington Pass, Kangaroo Hunt

And another!

http://thesnowtroopers.com/2014/15842/

5/26/14 1:34am

mikerolfs

May 24, 2014, Cutthroat Peak, Portly, Point 7250

HA! Dan shared this video of me eeking out just a few more turns on the exit. Thanks Dan!
http://youtu.be/t8Fq5EutGHw

5/26/14 12:20am

snakeman

Silver Peak 5-24-14

Thanks for taking the pictures. Glad someone got to the beer before the bears had a chance. They can be angry drunks after hibernating

5/25/14 11:08pm

Norseman

May 24, 2014, Cutthroat Peak, Portly, Point 7250

Yes, excellent.

5/25/14 11:06pm

Norseman

May 24-25, 2014, Mount Adams

Thanks for the report, man. Been thinking about this one recently.

5/25/14 4:07pm

jackal

Silver Peak 5-24-14

Great set of pictures Snakeman. You captured the Silver party. Skier with the yellow jacket is Eric who drank the ale. Skier 3 is me who took your JW pics. Nice meeting you!

5/25/14 3:51pm

watsonskipsmith

Silver Peak 5-24-14

Nice ski action pics thanks Snakeman!
No one drank that good looking Fremont beverage you generously left nicely cooling in the snow!
It was still there solo bivouacked at the saddle when we left, I bet it did not make it thru the night.....