TR Replies
Nice work! Rainier in winter is no small task. It's good to see how conditions are up high. Firm and windblasted - no way upper slopes could soften without a much higher freezing level. Looks like navigating the Ingraham top-down was pretty cruxy.
I've climbed the ledges in Spring and it really isn't bad in those conditions. The ledges are flat enough to be easy walking, and there are sections that hold ice and keep the rocks in place. I think people climb that route year-round. It is...
On a scale of 1 to HELL NO, how bad of an idea do you think it would be to try the Slot this weekend?
Congratulations, your TAY streak is nearly as long as the mortgage on my house!
Awesome route and strong work. Great way to see the surrounding terrain and make the most out of the area. Great to see that the site helps people with touring ideas.
Thanks for the report! Went up there today and found excellent corn.
Nice to read something good about a ski day there. Looked like safe conditions.
Dang, great views from the top, which is pretty typical for Granite, but the clouds in the I-90 valley in your pic and video - oh man, looking great! Been wanting to ski Granite, but it's always tough avi conditions - today prob the day to do it. How far of a hike to skinning?
As the old saying goes, I'm glad you skied it so we don't have to.
@cpcoldsmoke my buddy was using Gaia and I think it was only 6400’ gain over ~8ish miles.
Thanks for the timely report. I want to fet up there, but not yet!
Thanks everyone. Wise decision- looks like I will be getting the mountain bike out too. I remain optimistic that come mid February/March this La Niña will deliver 🤞
Oh - that is grim. Thanks for the photos. I put the mountain bike rack back on the car, temporarily.
Yeah I know, but how else to get a peek of the snowpack without getting thrashed? From my AT skate, my thoughts are that if it’s warm and sunny...and the wind does not pick up...A lucky guy or gal might get soft, skiable snow between 11 and 2 on South and South East sunny exposures. This forecast comes with a money back guarantee!🤪
Somebody had to go check. Good on you. Thanks for the timely report.
Holy macro - I figured things were bad at the Pass, but this exceeds all expectations five fold. I'm glad you got back safely with no injuries, and thanks for the TR.
Thanks for the report Bryan. Source Lake area on Saturday looked similar, with a lot of avy debris. We were not sure if there was any skiable snow higher up but we didn't investigate. Almost spring like day though.
@jtack I'm using a Sony a6000 with a 18-135mm lens. You're correct, composition is the key ;).
@jjc, thanks for the crossing beta.
Also, if you do go tomorrow (or some time soon), please post a TR - really curious what the conditions are like in the Snoqualmie Pass environs after the Pineapple Pass event with above-freezing temps, rain, wind, etc.
Tim - you do not have to go much farther if the skinny log crossing is sketchy, there's a real crossing (three logs lashed together) just 5min further up the trail.
Love the area, not just Guye Peak but going the other way up to Cave Ridge. Perhaps tomorrow?
You guys are track laying machines! Nice pic too!
Thanks for the post, that looks like a great ski, and it looks like you really has great conditions. You pictures are sure nice, what do you use for a camera. I know, it’s all about the composition! Thanks!
looked those up...117 waisted, nah, thanks, trying to get away from that...but someone else may want? get a hold of Jack
As for "I think my self confidence has been challenged over the past year-- yeah, me too--and quite a few other folks... can't be the skiing tho (at least not the downhill part), you rip.
Not that I know everyone here but most of them and they are all good people. Different people think differently. Sometimes our frames of reference overlap and sometimes not.....
Thanks for this great report, and also great pix showing the stability. Since stability of the snowpack appears to be a major issue thus far in the season, it is nice to see a good tour that included some good stable skiing. It's been many years since I've been up Rock Mtn, and have ALWAYS wanted to return! Fuel has been tossed on the flame...Keep up the good work!!
Hey Stefan,
You are right, I should have expected that others would tell me their opinions on snow safety haha. It is a backcountry skiing forum after all. I think my self confidence has been challenged over the past year and when I got a bunch of opinions raining in from people I have never met, from the internet, I got defensive.
Either way, I will continue to check this website for conditions reports but don't plan on posting trip reports. I wish I liked skiing more,...
Thanks for the TR, Brian! Was fun to join this party on Saturday, despite the tree-bombed exit (the good company made up for it : )
Glad you lived Mike. This world needs you! Thanks for the detailed writeup.
Sean, you reminded me of a short period in 2016 when we saw similar avalanche action. The concern was windslab, so we sought out areas not affected by wind, and what we found was the same situation where surface hoar was covered by gently deposited snow that fell in sheltered areas and was super touchy! I wrote a TR about similar almost exactly 5 years ago: https://turns-all-year.com/trip-repor...
While Kyle and I were skinning through the forest I commented how the sunrise Saturday morning was probably beautiful, thanks for confirming that! Good work on the traverse and tagging the couloir as well.
Probably 20 years ago I started wearing a helmet after buying helmets for the kids. For me it was so comfortable and warm that I never gave it a second thought. I just kept doing it when I started going into the backcountry more. With the often poor conditions, and the frequent tree skiing, it seems to me to be maybe even more appropriate than in the resort....but I can’t judge, for years I never wore one rock climbing...Just saying...
Nice looking day. Sometimes i think I could use a machine...
Thanks for posting. I think good timely reports are very helpful to the community. Great pictures!
Great Effort! Beautiful day for nice pictures
Jack-TAY-lor, you can't leave unless you change your name! (: or get re-born... It's too late!
Enjoyed your post and having bumped into you at least twice up-arounds-there I know you're no stranger to the Slot. Forums like this need opinions and informed views, and judging by the response you're a success! That's a good thing, more info for everybody--but don't confuse peoples opinions for gospel.
but if you are serious, I'll take your skis... I know they'...
We basically mirrored your ascent but an hour later, great day to be in the hills, not a great day to exit though the ice fields.
Thanks everyone! And yea, @mtnpavlas, we have been arriving pretty early to avoid crowds! With the lifts opening generally around 8-8:30 though, we were able to get a couple of hot laps down Forest Queen before we took off on this tour.
Very good - my first thought was - "How did he get up there?". Only those wishing they had a snow machine would call riding on a road cheating!
Mike, was this the slope we skied during our course a couple of years back? It certainly looks familiar.
I think the biggest indicator of a safety record is whether the frequency of close calls (or hits) are increasing or decreasing. We can never eliminate risk, but with proper training and application, stack the deck either for or against us. To me, just the fact that one person was caught in a low-likelihood, small slide is pretty telling about your commitment to safety. By th...
Aha, nice, good time to have a sled... I'm looking into it....
Minimal, but the road in is 8-9 miles of snow each way that you can't drive so I ran my trusty 4 stroke yamaha up the road to the trailhead. Some would call it cheating, but I figure people run their cars up all summer long so what harm is my snowmobile for a winter trip. I'm not out to ski the roads.....