TR Replies
The Sassenachs have pillaged some of the Obstruction Point goodies---well done lads.
We were out biking the Discovery Trail for 3 days, and when the clouds finally lifted today we could see all the remnants on Obstruction and Elk Mtn. Some bigger ones can be had E of Obstruction Point, but they may end in steeper terrain.
We were out biking the Discovery Trail for 3 days, and when the clouds finally lifted today we could see all the remnants on Obstruction and Elk Mtn. Some bigger ones can be had E of Obstruction Point, but they may end in steeper terrain.
For anyone heading that direction, here's an aerial photo from Monday:
Ahh, yes...Gary and I have linked many TAY's by skipping out of work early for a dusk ski of that patch. Nice work! With a little more time and effort, you can probably still find substantially more vert than that just a little bit down the trail.
Very nice trip report Mr Director and video Mr FreeBird ;D
Thank you so much for the kind words Lowell, Once again it was an honor to be presenting next to you. :)
and thank you so much everyone for attending. It was a blast!
and thank you so much everyone for attending. It was a blast!
***Warning Contains Loud Music***
https://vimeo.com/72397545
https://vimeo.com/72397545
Amazing turnout at Jason and Kyle's program at The Mountaineers last evening, especially for a ski slideshow in August.
Here's a transcript of my introductory remarks. They provide more details on the background of this trip:
Here's a transcript of my introductory remarks. They provide more details on the background of this trip:
Backcountry skiing in the Northwest has been booming for the past decade or so. Better gear and more informati...
Telemark - the tarn at the base of the glacier was just beginning to melt out. I would think by now it's there and waiting for an icy dip.
WhiteyWhite - I walked down the trail. I've learned a few things over the past years and when there is a trail to take, take it, and don't look back.
It was a lot of fun, despite being really simple and easy. A whole glacier to myself. I keep wanting to get photos on here, but my photos are about 5...
WhiteyWhite - I walked down the trail. I've learned a few things over the past years and when there is a trail to take, take it, and don't look back.
It was a lot of fun, despite being really simple and easy. A whole glacier to myself. I keep wanting to get photos on here, but my photos are about 5...
Nice TR and great pix wolfs. My son and I skied the Paradise Glacier on Friday, I'll take the liberty of adding our experience to your post.
We approached via the standard 4th crossing route, followed the Paradise Glacier trail to the snow. After skinning to the head of the basin and seeing your tracks, we debated our approach options. We decided to climb the lower angled approach further east. Although it involved a couple of ski carries, it worked well for us. Due to a late st...
We approached via the standard 4th crossing route, followed the Paradise Glacier trail to the snow. After skinning to the head of the basin and seeing your tracks, we debated our approach options. We decided to climb the lower angled approach further east. Although it involved a couple of ski carries, it worked well for us. Due to a late st...
Nice! I was up there for July. Except I skied the south side, and was able to eek out about 20 turns. I thought I was crazy to try it in late July! Nicely done, sir. Did you walk down the Pinnacle Peak trail? Or bush whack it back to the car?
With synchronized pole plants! ;)
That is just priceless! Print and frame together!
Supercool, its amazing how similar the snow conditions are.
- they're very social. I just saw one down here in the Sierra (Yosemite high country) and he took a little nap, while I was taking pics.
Good job grabbing that tour! Was the tarn at the base of the "Glacier" exposed?
author=davidG link=topic=29046.msg122287#msg122287 date=1375891504]
What would you say the hike time in is from the Snowgrass TH to the saddle below Old Snowy? A great destination, and quite underutilized..
Right now maybe 1 1/2 hour from the junction of Snowgrass trail and PCT -- there is a large snowfield below the final ridge approaching the saddle, and after that about 1/2 hour carry on a rocky trail (OK in skiing boots...
Your comment on the last pic is remarkably accurate, and gets a laugh out loud. Well done!
The angle of his skis and reputation
made Johnson loom big gliding out of the mist
Peering hard, straining to penetrate dripping fog
A distant hill granite, schist, iron coming to life,
moving forward and down too fast,
Paradigms trying to shift, changing focus
Then the shadow shifts and turns with a twist
A flash of color, a jutting rust beard
right knee slashes aggressive snow splashes
The alchemist turns misery to joy in August
...
made Johnson loom big gliding out of the mist
Peering hard, straining to penetrate dripping fog
A distant hill granite, schist, iron coming to life,
moving forward and down too fast,
Paradigms trying to shift, changing focus
Then the shadow shifts and turns with a twist
A flash of color, a jutting rust beard
right knee slashes aggressive snow splashes
The alchemist turns misery to joy in August
...
Fourth crossing is Silas' official mailing address in the summer. His wife schedules conjugal visits at that location.
Great first post! The ski looked completely worthy to me. I've hiked further to ski less :)
author=vogtski link=topic=29050.msg122304#msg122304 date=1375979194]
4th Crossing is the fairly large parking area just beyond the second bridge on the Paradise Valley Road about a half-mile below Paradise. Before it was one-way downhill (pre-60's), this was the original road to Paradise and the bridge at the trailhead was the 4th time the road crossed the Paradise River, the first being at Narada Falls, and the second & third being just below the mo...
Well done! 6 turns for multiple hours of effort. Reminds me of many an August and/or September patch discoveries. Keep up the streakin'...
author=thatoneguydave link=topic=29050.msg122303#msg122303 date=1375975613]
... wanted to know exactly what the 'fourth crossing' is exactly? Heard that term thrown around a few times...
4th Crossing is the fairly large parking area just beyond the second bridge on the Paradise Valley Road about a half-mile below Paradise. Before it was one-way downhill (pre-60's), this was the original road to Paradise and the br...
Thanks for the report as I have been wondering where the snow has retreated. I'm looking for my August turns and was thinking about heading down to Rainier tomorrow, but wanted to know exactly what the 'fourth crossing' is exactly? Heard that term thrown around a few times.
Thanks!
Thanks!
- excellent pics; typically is a good time in the mtns. !
sweet pic, w/ the flowers. Down here in the Lk. Tahoe area the flowers are abundant this season.
in regards to the pretty flower, Mariposa is also a place by Yosemite Nat'l Park
Excellent first post, too!
As for scaling Denny Mtn w/o snow, this seems like an appropriate summary: http://www.hikingwithmybrother.com/2010/09/denny-mountain-trail-alpental-ski.html
As for scaling Denny Mtn w/o snow, this seems like an appropriate summary: http://www.hikingwithmybrother.com/2010/09/denny-mountain-trail-alpental-ski.html
Nice Gary!
Thanks for the update. I hope to get out there this month. We're off to the Canadian Rockies next week and then back with a couple of weeks to spare in August. Perhaps I'll squeeze in an August trip to OP.
Definitely want to get out there again this Fall.
Thanks for the update. I hope to get out there this month. We're off to the Canadian Rockies next week and then back with a couple of weeks to spare in August. Perhaps I'll squeeze in an August trip to OP.
Definitely want to get out there again this Fall.
Thanks for that report ps. As I have not made that approach, what would you say the hike time in is from the Snowgrass TH to the saddle below Old Snowy? A great destination, and quite underutilized..
Great pics, too, thanks
Great pics, too, thanks
Huge madness points for a post with "August" and "Alpental" in the title - definitely an attention-getter. Thanks for the pics.
Great report, and timely, too - I'm hoping to bag August in that same location Real Soon Now.
Thanks!
Thanks!
You captured the August experience!
If I'd posted pictures it would have been really discouraging ::)
If I'd posted pictures it would have been really discouraging ::)
author=GregLange link=topic=29042.msg122270#msg122270 date=1375737056]
Telemack: Ran into the same German gent on Sunday out by Coleman. Very interesting fellow. Had gone up Sahale on Saturday...
Jah, same herr. He said he did the North Face of the Matterhorn back some years, and we talked about the Dolomites. He was planning on Coleman again Saturday, then up Sahale and out in time to catch an evening flight at SeaTac Sunda...
Telemack: Ran into the same German gent on Sunday out by Coleman. Very interesting fellow. Had gone up Sahale on Saturday...
Thanks for the pictures as my son is out there right now with a bunch of guys from an EC University who have been studying the North Cascade glaciers for over 30 years.
My son's a geology major and he's actually getting paid to be out there!!!!
He never took his skis ,alas.
They have been up there camping for a few days and are measuring all sort of parameters( ablation, stream run-off etc)
My son's a geology major and he's actually getting paid to be out there!!!!
He never took his skis ,alas.
They have been up there camping for a few days and are measuring all sort of parameters( ablation, stream run-off etc)
Nice! It was great to meet you two out there. We saw what I presume were your tracks on the south-facings slopes of the ridge further towards Coleman Pinnacle, and were quite envious - they looked great!
LaPaz and I were the 2 skiers you ran into. Glad you made it out as far as you did. We saw, as you likely did, the MASSIVE anvil-headed clouds over much of the Northern Cascades as we drove south on I-5. Have not yet heard how spectacular the light show was, but likely BIG. Nice to rub shoulders with you guys. That snow fan above Bagley Lake stays until the next snowfall most years. It's about 200' of vert, and 20 minutes from the car along the lake edge. Maybe see you in September...
I just tried to hike up the N. fork of the Tieton, to see what things looked like up there, but was thwarted by the washed out road, so hiked the PCT in stead. But we could see what looked like good skiing on Old Snowey, thanks for the report, makes me want to try a little harder!
author=mikerolfs link=topic=29046.msg122256#msg122256 date=1375656869]
Maybe it's time.
I think the best time is mid-July or earlier when the west side has better snow coverage so the passes to the east side giving access to McCall glacier can be reached by skinning. Or to approach from the east side but more snow would be also helpful. By now, it is all hiking.
Love that first picture! Thanks for the report. I've never been to the goat rocks. Maybe it's time.
That's one too many for me.
Maybe I should move to the Alps....
Maybe I should move to the Alps....
::) A handy tool: Mt Rainier Recreational Weather Forecast
I vividly remember one very snowy day when Regine and I were skiing up on Mazama Ridge above the back bowl, with very low visibility, when the thunder (and, I presume, lightning) started; that was spooky and we descended quickly :-[; every since then I have refrained from climbing above tree line when thunderstorms are forecast.
I vividly remember one very snowy day when Regine and I were skiing up on Mazama Ridge above the back bowl, with very low visibility, when the thunder (and, I presume, lightning) started; that was spooky and we descended quickly :-[; every since then I have refrained from climbing above tree line when thunderstorms are forecast.
author=rlsg link=topic=29042.msg122240#msg122240 date=1375502467]
How were the mosquitoes? ;D
It was definitely Man over Mosquito---I showed 'em my repellent bottle and they hightailed it before I had to deploy.
I ran into a German guy from Atlanta checking out our Alps, and he said he saw a mosquito on the snow for the first time in his life. That's one more than I saw.
Chuck, I'm glad you made it out without being cryspy crittered. I was wandering about the folks on the Muir snowfield. There was a film crew from Portland doing a shoot at the location of the old ice caves below the Paradise glacier when the storm hit. They may have gotten some footage. Look for it on channel 9. They were from Oregon Public Broadcasting I believe.
Zack
Zack