TR Replies
That was wider than my August strip below Pan Point, but more skritchy.
Good thing you wore gloves; hate to scratch the knuckles!
Interesting, Lowell.
If only there were groups that maintained these old cabins. It seems like the only way to "build" a hut system is to keep the old ones around for people to use. Building anything new hasn't happened in a long time. Unless you count N Cascade Heli's building of landing pads.
Just a reminder of how I dislike the new TAY's habit of sorting posts by date of ski rather than most recent reply.
More earning than turning!!!
I liked the steel scraping to get the cups in better form!
Thanks Lowell! Thanks Pavel! Pavel, I'll be pondering whether to ski in October. It's kind of exciting to entertain not doing it.
Thanks for the props. We did a short down climb through the rock section. Cheers.
Awesome! Yep next month might be tough but I feel like cutting that streak is not a decision to be taken lightly. Perhaps a long driving trip to the Paradise parking lot is in order?
More information about Mel Gourlie and his experiences living near Windy Pass during the Great Depression can be found here:
http://alpenglow.org/ski-history/notes/ms/mrg-1989-memoirs.html
http://alpenglow.org/ski-history/notes/comm/gourlie-melvin.html
&n...
I spent last week in and around the Methow Valley. During one of our day trips, we hiked the PCT from Slate Peak to Windy Pass and back. I was interested to see how the Gourlie cabin has been holding up since my visit 14 years ago.
The cabin is still standing, but it is dirtier and more run-down inside. The wood-burning heater, which was clean and probably functional in 2006, is no longer usable. Kindling lies about, indicating that people had been collecting wood in there for burning...
That was AWESOME! Made my day. I love remnants like that and you skied it so perfectly! Couple observations:
1. Did you keep your skis on for the connector bit? I hope so!
2. I love that you made two laps!
This is the best ski vid of the summer to me. I love that you hiked however far to ski a bullshit narrow dangerous suncupped remnant. I just did similar a couple days ago and the only thing that would have made it better would be a brother to share it with. You guys...
Congratulations Mike! I'm guessing your many readers say "don't quit!". But the bottom line is, what does Clara say?
Nice double feature at the drive in. I like to take a little acid before all my major ski outings - way to get after it
Hey thanks for the link. Interesting spatial variability.
"fueled by psychedelics and an inability to walk on glaciers" hahaha
I think it's "slightly above average" this year in terms of total snowpack. June was around normal in terms of long-term average, but better than the last two summers. Then again, the glaciers are changing over the years... the CD for instance has a big crack below Pumice ridge that is much more problematic than in the past.
There you go Andy - and Mike? I wish you could visit WA for summer skiing, but obviously not this year....
And a question for WA folks, is this phat for mid-summer?
Sick stuff, man. Haters be damned! Unfortunately found myself in category 2 on these peaks a few weeks ago.
Love the updated site. Both skisickness and the new TAY. Great trip.
Great get and well put:
“Every party I encountered balked at the fact that I was skiing, but soon realized the folly of hiking downhill. Pour souls.”
Nice pics.
Telemack!
Hope the climbing has been good. I've got the ropes and gear tucked away for a little while. Glad you got some in August. Congrats (a bit early) on hitting 13 years of TAY next month!! Woohoo!
“ Technically, the park is claiming only the first breeding female in over a hundred years. I'm sure there have been other sighting reports besides mine driving down from Paradise in the late 70's. As I entered the straightaway just below Glacier Bridge, a wolverine crossed the road with its odd gait an...
Technically, the park is claiming only the first breeding female in over a hundred years. I'm sure there have been other sighting reports besides mine driving down from Paradise in the late 70's. As I entered the straightaway just below Glacier Bridge, a wolverine crossed the road with its odd gait and cleared the 5' vertical plow berm in a single bound toward the river.
Recent reports from Chinook Pass and Goat Rocks may be those referenced in the press release:
Apparently, according to the park’s website, CNN, NPR, MSNBC, and USAToday - Wolverines have returned to Mt. Rainier National Park for the first time in 100 years...
Yep people are parking over 1 mile down the road on weekends, After working and playing in northside of the park for 35 years never seen a badger, did see what I figured was a fisher, but told by park ologist that I was mistaken. There were rumours of a pair wolverines near the ne part of park a couple years ago.
Hmmm... https://www.nps.gov/mora/learn/news/wolverines-return-to-mount-rainier-national-park-after-more-than-100-years.htm
Bonus picture of skiables on Mt Hinman and Mt Daniel, taken from Alpine Baldy last Thursday (8/13)
No didn't actually go on the glacier, was just lazing about and escaping the heat. Wish I had camped like you though and brought skis!
Vogtski - Thanks, and good intel. I wasn’t convinced it was a feline or canine due to the five prominent toes showing, as well as claw marks I had seen passing the tracks on the way up (I’m still kicking myself for letting the sun deteriorate the tracks before I bothered with the camera!)
After looking at more wolverine tracks, I’m crossing my fingers...badger was my other guess.
Hood - Great shots of the Russell! It looked more cupped and dirty abov...
Just went hiking on the same day, I’m a fake tayer that normally skips July and August (; Camping up there definitely seems the way to go for skiing purposes.
You forgot to mention the trailhead madness, looks like cars parked beyond the first hairpin on our way home.
Wow, I got my September turns in on the Thumbtack patch last year, and it's so great how much more snow there is now! Or at least what it looks like from these photos. I won't be packing my skins, but looks like a good place to go in a couple weeks 🙂 Thanks for posting!
Good report, thanks and welcome back!
Your track photo looks more like wolf than cougar to me, or just maybe...
https://cascadeswolverineproject.org/wolverine-tracks/
https://turns-all-year.com/trip-reports/july-12-2019-paradise
@remococco - the story goes that some old TAYer cached his gear there and just hasn't gone back to get it. He was presumably a regular skier at the pass year round. I'm sure other folks know the story better than me. But one thing for sure is people find this cache each year about this time and post all over social media asking if it belongs to someone.
Nice TR - stoked to see people getting it in Snoqualmie this late I’m the year! I’ve never heard of this famous gear cache - is there some fun lore here?