TR Replies
author=RonL link=topic=30926.msg129511#msg129511 date=1393432472]
Thanks for stepping up when you know there will be some criticism. I don't have any criticism for what you guys did. I can only say the reasons that I chose different terrain that day and similar ones. After a few years of this sport many of us have begun to focus on what we don't know about the risks and to find ways to mitigate it more rather than to find the true barriers of what is...
I’ve been down that couloir a few times, never in epic conditions mind you and only a couple of times in actual decent powder but nothing like what had fallen leading up to your trip. I can’t make the judgment whether I would have gone or not since I’ve been laid up so far this season. The usual route starts from your exit col as I’m sure you are aware and gives the option of skirting the traverse and then dropping the couloir for a “cleaner fall line” or dropping to where you ended...
Thank you for the honest write up, we're all glad this one didn't turn out with injuries or worse.
Also a couple of points -
NWAC forecasts are general forecasts and cannot target micro terrain and aspect that experience large fluctuations in wind, snow fall, and transport. They are very helpful for general awareness and are a great resource to include in trip planning, but still rely on field observation and communication from ski area patrols, which I guarantee...
Also a couple of points -
NWAC forecasts are general forecasts and cannot target micro terrain and aspect that experience large fluctuations in wind, snow fall, and transport. They are very helpful for general awareness and are a great resource to include in trip planning, but still rely on field observation and communication from ski area patrols, which I guarantee...
When I saw the report from the Slot, 2 things crossed my mind:
1) Those lucky *****s! I bet the skiing was awesome.
2) That was not the kind of terrain I chose to be in on Saturday.
The Slot, more than any other serious tours I know, tends to get hit early after the storm. I think people are "getting away with it" more often that they might know. However, when we hear about the tours like this that go well, I think most of our reactions are first in category...
1) Those lucky *****s! I bet the skiing was awesome.
2) That was not the kind of terrain I chose to be in on Saturday.
The Slot, more than any other serious tours I know, tends to get hit early after the storm. I think people are "getting away with it" more often that they might know. However, when we hear about the tours like this that go well, I think most of our reactions are first in category...
Thanks for sharing.
A couple thoughts. I went up in that area the day before and noted good cohesion, but I was also aware of rapid loading and wind. We chose to stay in the trees, and I would say my level of risk acceptance is higher than most. I've definitely put myself in bad situations, and probably will again, it's kinda the nature of the beast.
In your write up it seems that you take no blame, and still think you did everything right. Agreed while the upper...
A couple thoughts. I went up in that area the day before and noted good cohesion, but I was also aware of rapid loading and wind. We chose to stay in the trees, and I would say my level of risk acceptance is higher than most. I've definitely put myself in bad situations, and probably will again, it's kinda the nature of the beast.
In your write up it seems that you take no blame, and still think you did everything right. Agreed while the upper...
author=RonL link=topic=30926.msg129511#msg129511 date=1393432472]
Thanks for stepping up when you know there will be some criticism. I don't have any criticism for what you guys did. I can only say the reasons that I chose different terrain that day and similar ones. After a few years of this sport many of us have begun to focus on what we don't know about the risks and to find ways to mitigate it more rather than to find the true barriers of what is...
Thank you for sharing. Sounds absolutely terrifying. You and your friends are blessed to survive a brush with an avalanche of this nature.
Unless we're in the care of a mountain guide, its important to remember that when we're in the mountains we are 100% responsible for our own actions, and the outcomes of those actions. A mountain guide's green light and NWACs warnings were all pertinent pieces of information to assemble your plan for the day, but in the end it was y...
Unless we're in the care of a mountain guide, its important to remember that when we're in the mountains we are 100% responsible for our own actions, and the outcomes of those actions. A mountain guide's green light and NWACs warnings were all pertinent pieces of information to assemble your plan for the day, but in the end it was y...
Excellent report. Thank you for taking the time to post this so that we can all learn from your experience.
As per your comments: "There is, what I hope, a small number of individuals that discourage reports such as this one with judgmental comments that don’t add to the conversation. I was encouraged to see a healthy discussion about the Chair Peak slide on TAY over the past few days (http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=308...
As per your comments: "There is, what I hope, a small number of individuals that discourage reports such as this one with judgmental comments that don’t add to the conversation. I was encouraged to see a healthy discussion about the Chair Peak slide on TAY over the past few days (http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=308...
Thanks so much for posting up (both here and at NWAC). We all understand your reluctance, but your excellent, detailed write up is of great value. Don't worry about the negative comments -- it's very easy to say 'It would never happen to me' from the internet. I don't know about other folks, but in our costal climate my investigation of snow stability is usually directed at the top couple feet (which I think is a good practice that I intend to continue). Your experience...
It's the Internet. People will be caustic.
The NWAC has to paint with a broad brush. And frequently theory as much as observation seems to drive their forecasts. Agreed that stability in the upper snowpack was great. I think there forecast was influenced by the fact that that much snow simply renders normal paradigms about snowpack insufficient.
Everyone was or should have been aware of the potential for these catastrophic slides. Most people probably realize...
The NWAC has to paint with a broad brush. And frequently theory as much as observation seems to drive their forecasts. Agreed that stability in the upper snowpack was great. I think there forecast was influenced by the fact that that much snow simply renders normal paradigms about snowpack insufficient.
Everyone was or should have been aware of the potential for these catastrophic slides. Most people probably realize...
Thanks for stepping up when you know there will be some criticism. I don't have any criticism for what you guys did. I can only say the reasons that I chose different terrain that day and similar ones. After a few years of this sport many of us have begun to focus on what we don't know about the risks and to find ways to mitigate it more rather than to find the true barriers of what is safe or not. One rule of thumb I have fallen back to is to ski lower angled older treed terrain follo...
I'm curious....you state many examples of why you guys decided that it was OK to be where you were that day. In hindsight, was there any information you had that would have made your decision a no-go for that day?
It's buried in the text but in my TR from the previous day,
http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=30859.0 (Feb 21),
I mention running into an NWAC pro who warned us of the deep layer on big slopes. Dunno how or if that got communicated through the system though, and I got a feeling it was a "lower probability but high consequence" kind of threat.
This is perhaps the best avi writeup I've seen to date. The lessons...
http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=30859.0 (Feb 21),
I mention running into an NWAC pro who warned us of the deep layer on big slopes. Dunno how or if that got communicated through the system though, and I got a feeling it was a "lower probability but high consequence" kind of threat.
This is perhaps the best avi writeup I've seen to date. The lessons...
author=mc link=topic=30860.msg129492#msg129492 date=1393396476]
regardless of where, when, and by whom it was built....we're gonna take it to the hilt. too much pow to slay to hang around and spray. are shot blocks similar to cock blocks? now if we're talking about sharing doobies, then yeehaw i'm in.
Cock blocks as in riding down on top of the skin track like you guys did? Cause that's a sure fi...
Thank you for sharing your story. I am very happy that this had a happy outcome. It certainly makes me reflect on my own evaluations/decision making/terrain selection.
Agree, excellent write up, I think TAY is a great forum to share as it very much hits your target audience. Regarding ski patrol, Crystal Mt. will occassionally share some avy information on their blog, http://www.blogcrystal.com/ but not in a structured or regular basis. The danger of ski patrols posting observations is that in-bounds conditions can vary significantly than backcountry, so any inclination that those observations apply equally to backcountry could be bad. Sidecountry...
Awesome writeup. Thank you! Glad you decided to ski a little before dropping into the couloir down to Snow Lake!
Yeah, is credible as being roughly in the same area. That's a moody pic!
It's been some years, but I recall dropping in from a few spots on the ridge before travel further up toward the big cliff band became challenging, I'm guessing right around the high point on your map track. I further recall that the drop-in point wasn't quite as intense looking as the foreground in that photo, and that we launched from below an open area, as well as from above it on another...
It's been some years, but I recall dropping in from a few spots on the ridge before travel further up toward the big cliff band became challenging, I'm guessing right around the high point on your map track. I further recall that the drop-in point wasn't quite as intense looking as the foreground in that photo, and that we launched from below an open area, as well as from above it on another...
Congratulations. You sound like you ran a great race! What are race skis like?
regardless of where, when, and by whom it was built....we're gonna take it to the hilt. too much pow to slay to hang around and spray. are shot blocks similar to cock blocks? now if we're talking about sharing doobies, then yeehaw i'm in.
The rando racing thing isn't really my cup of tea, but dude...you are my new hero for laying waste to a couple of speed-suit wearing weenies. Way to prove you can move fast while not looking like a tool. ;-) Definitely my favorite rando race read ever!
Thanks for the post. I live in Bend but sadly was out for racing (likely would have been 59th) due to a bad cold. Next year, I hope. I hope Bend and bachelor treated you well. Best of luck in UT.
Blewett was most excellent today. The complete and total lack of wind was the best part! I skied down the E aspect of Diamond Head and did a bunch of exploring of all the XC trails which I had always wanted to do. What a cool network of trails in there. It makes me want to get some sort of XC setup so I don't have to do that on heavier gear.
I knew some other folks were around because a few of the trails I was on had some recent ski tracks. I never did cross paths with any of y&#...
I knew some other folks were around because a few of the trails I was on had some recent ski tracks. I never did cross paths with any of y&#...
Thanks for the video! Watching yourself ski powder never gets old.
@MC... Sorry man, we hadn't hit it yet and we didn't want some idiot snowboarders hitting our fresh kicker. ;) Totally would have been cool if you hung out and chatted us up a bit. Maybe trade a packet of shot blocks. :)
@MC... Sorry man, we hadn't hit it yet and we didn't want some idiot snowboarders hitting our fresh kicker. ;) Totally would have been cool if you hung out and chatted us up a bit. Maybe trade a packet of shot blocks. :)
You're talking about this:
If you look carefully, the faint black blob is the summit cliff band.
It looked so deep on Sunday that it seemed a guy might just disappear and be swallowed by the tree wells. It was epic up there with the wind howling.
We did come down our uptrack, spooked as everyone is right now.
Honestly, if the snow was not sluffing quite so much we'd have I'd have murdered it, the bottom pitches are a stonking line.
If you look carefully, the faint black blob is the summit cliff band.
It looked so deep on Sunday that it seemed a guy might just disappear and be swallowed by the tree wells. It was epic up there with the wind howling.
We did come down our uptrack, spooked as everyone is right now.
Honestly, if the snow was not sluffing quite so much we'd have I'd have murdered it, the bottom pitches are a stonking line.
author=TAndrewSki link=topic=30910.msg129419#msg129419 date=1393354447]
All in all, fantastic skiing.
Agreed. The dog and I climbed up the N shoulder of Diamond Head today to just below the bowl under the summit plateau. Skied down the NE flank through the woods to the XC-15 trail aka the Jelstrup/Lilleby. Great snow with no signs of instability.
We were skiing in the steep trees just below the "Lake Laura" text in your image - down toward the Gold Creek drainage, parallel to the obvious slide gully/track (and some other lines parallel to that further west). Did you just follow your uptrack back to the car? I've wondered how that line was, but so many places to ski, so little time...
author=mc link=topic=30860.msg129449#msg129449 date=1393370296]
nice pics. next time if you'd be so kind to share the kicker love.....otherwise it's just gonna get bum rushed. i mean it goes w/o saying if you're gonna photog & blog sharing specific locations might as well share the fruits of your labor in the moment too. 8)
Once we were done with it, everybody and their mother can hit it for all I care. But...
author=wolfs link=topic=30910.msg129454#msg129454 date=1393372934]
Interesting. Makes me wonder where the east-west line is for the presence of brutal raincrust, gloppage and other ill effects of the Monday night warmup. Clearly Blewett was far enough. But anything closer (for the cityfolk)? For example wonder if Arrowhead escaped, or Salmon La Sac.
The million dollar question!
We did this:
http://www.hillmap.com/m/ag1zfmhpbGxtYXAtaGRychULEghTYXZlZE1hcBiAgICAscnsCQw
or see the G-earth map.
Thanks for the heads up, I appreciate the insight & will establish which part of the slope you're referring.
I like that area as it feels like once you get up into the lakes you'd have a great high tour with killer views.
http://www.hillmap.com/m/ag1zfmhpbGxtYXAtaGRychULEghTYXZlZE1hcBiAgICAscnsCQw
or see the G-earth map.
Thanks for the heads up, I appreciate the insight & will establish which part of the slope you're referring.
I like that area as it feels like once you get up into the lakes you'd have a great high tour with killer views.
Interesting. Makes me wonder where the east-west line is for the presence of brutal raincrust, gloppage and other ill effects of the Monday night warmup. Clearly Blewett was far enough. But anything closer (for the cityfolk)? For example wonder if Arrowhead escaped, or Salmon La Sac.
nice pics. next time if you'd be so kind to share the kicker love.....otherwise it's just gonna get bum rushed. i mean it goes w/o saying if you're gonna photog & blog sharing specific locations might as well share the fruits of your labor in the moment too. 8)
Nice. Did you run into any doghair/xmas tree farms toward the bottom of the old trees? Or did you just ski from there right back out into the open area that has a road switchback or two on the edge, below that gully that comes down from near the rampart that presumably blocked you?
Those trees are good steep cliff-dodging fun. Also the only place where I've witnessed a decent-depth pocket slab let loose in the trees, on a "considerable" hazard day during a storm event....
Those trees are good steep cliff-dodging fun. Also the only place where I've witnessed a decent-depth pocket slab let loose in the trees, on a "considerable" hazard day during a storm event....
author=Ahitch link=topic=30918.msg129436#msg129436 date=1393362039]
Upon returning to work I noticed that Alpental closed the upper lift due to an “extreme ice crust”. That seems like a very good decision by the patrollers.
I wonder why your touring partners tend to enjoy the brush? ;)
JR
JR
author=Jonn-E link=topic=30859.msg129298#msg129298 date=1393253916]
Yep, Theodolite by Hunter Research. It's a great tool that I use often.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/theodolite/id339393884?mt=8
Thanks. Picked it up and I like it.
Awesome Johnny. Looks like a fun day. Thanks for sharing the video.
author=TLock link=topic=30848.msg129396#msg129396 date=1393342336]
If I lived in Bend, I'd be asking you specifically to keep it off line...I understand all the great camaradarie in sharing, but respect people's backyards...
Isn't Todd Lake about as big a secret as Tumalo Mountain?
Sounds like a fun day riding the Rampart edge of danger! ;) Glad you knew where the edge was!
author=TLock link=topic=30848.msg129396#msg129396 date=1393342336]
If I lived in Bend, I'd be asking you specifically to keep it off line...I understand all the great camaradarie in sharing, but respect people's backyards...
Whoops, I think you are on the wrong site! I know that you're not supposed to feed the trolls, but I couldn't resist.
It's about time some folks built a BC kicker and got rad!
If I lived in Bend, I'd be asking you specifically to keep it off line...I understand all the great camaradarie in sharing, but respect people's backyards...
Nice one. I've heard the legends of the trees in stevens. I'll have to get out there some day. Thanks for the detail on the report. As always, fun to check out your photo stream on flickr.
Rad photos Ben, and Leyland! Thanks for coming out on my Bday
Here's the video from our shenanigans
https://vimeo.com/87535482
Here's the video from our shenanigans
https://vimeo.com/87535482
It's the Platt Lake/Granite Lookout TH, hiked past the GL fork until after the last switchback, then took off upward through the trees. Pretty popular for snowshoers/skiers when the avy danger is high, or too stormy in open. We skied a little too far into alders as shown in a pic above.