TR Replies
author=Chainsaw_Willie link=topic=24255.msg102494#msg102494 date=1332618560]. . . little details that pop out, like the skin & ski tracks on Chair peak and the skiers at Alpental.
That skintrack to the Chair Peak saddle was courtesy of Crispin and Silas . . . thanks, guys, made for smooth sailing!
Indeed, great photos. Some nice up and down tracks in the Chair shot. I love days with that sort of light - sunny foreground and dark cloudy background.
Yeah, getting non-north-facing low elevation Snoqualmie area turns this time of year very much depends on timing. I've found a few shaded strips on west slopes that can be fun for up to one or two skier lines for a day or three after the sun comes out - basically threading the needle between tree-bombed forest and cruste...
Yeah, getting non-north-facing low elevation Snoqualmie area turns this time of year very much depends on timing. I've found a few shaded strips on west slopes that can be fun for up to one or two skier lines for a day or three after the sun comes out - basically threading the needle between tree-bombed forest and cruste...
Thanks for the compliments!
If you're interested, here are links to full 16mp resolution versions of those pics. Kinda neat to blow them up to full size and look at all the little details that pop out, like the skin & ski tracks on Chair peak and the skiers at Alpental.
Alpental:
http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n268/willhbaker/2012_03_23%20Kendall%20Ridge%20Again/DSC_8035-2.jpg
Chair Peak:
http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n268/willhb...
If you're interested, here are links to full 16mp resolution versions of those pics. Kinda neat to blow them up to full size and look at all the little details that pop out, like the skin & ski tracks on Chair peak and the skiers at Alpental.
Alpental:
http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n268/willhbaker/2012_03_23%20Kendall%20Ridge%20Again/DSC_8035-2.jpg
Chair Peak:
http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n268/willhb...
JM, great effort, and the video edit is nice too...
Thanks for putting a new spot to hit in the back yard on my list.
Thanks for putting a new spot to hit in the back yard on my list.
I have to throw in with everyone else, those are wonderful pictures.
Really beautiful light in those pics!
Wow, that second shot of Chair is really gorgeous!
It was a stellar day up there today!
Our group headed out the the Hill and we enjoyed similar conditons on north slopes, about two feet of dense powder. Intermittent sun and clouds in the afternoon resulted in about 1/4 inch of breakable crust on southerly aspects.
Our group headed out the the Hill and we enjoyed similar conditons on north slopes, about two feet of dense powder. Intermittent sun and clouds in the afternoon resulted in about 1/4 inch of breakable crust on southerly aspects.
Dude.
Real nice edit. Just need some of those go pro shots then you're set!
Real nice edit. Just need some of those go pro shots then you're set!
Some nice steep skiing there, and I really like the non-POV video.
ejk- Not sure what kind of camera it was, just some small little mini dv nothing special. I've been doing the same thing with making only POV edits, having the long shot really puts things in better perspective.
Nice video! What type of camera was your friend using? There's something nice about a well-put together sequence of normal video as opposed to the usual headcam vids (of which I am guilty)
A friend and I did the same thing last night but a bit later than everyone else, doing the last lap by headlamp (a fun but strange way to ski!). We found that hugging the ropeline in the trees produced great boot-top powder to soft snow almost down to the cat-track.
Seeing the stars from the top of Hyak and looking back at the orange-lit (night ski lights) Gold Creek drainage were big highlights.
Seeing the stars from the top of Hyak and looking back at the orange-lit (night ski lights) Gold Creek drainage were big highlights.
Sweet! Great light in that video, thanks for sharing it.
Saw your tracks from Alpental, it looked awesome, way to go!
i used to be a liftie at mammoth and worked chair 14, that serves hemlock ridge. many a many good days there...although it gets tracked out quick, and its a race to get it. all the reasons i prefer the mellowness of a skin track. notice they are in the gondola with ski patrol and are getting special attention to get these first track shots.
if you have never been to the area it is awesome for bc skiing...google "rock chute sherwins" its visible from everywhere in town, i use...
if you have never been to the area it is awesome for bc skiing...google "rock chute sherwins" its visible from everywhere in town, i use...
Thanks all, especially Kyle who forced me to get out on this excursion. It was a great adventure. Out of the traverses I've done, there are a few that are great in winter. This is one of them. It is up there with the finest high routes I've done. There was just gobs of skiing and cool mountain vistas. You can't beat getting a run on the Forest Queen Chair for kicks to end the trip with a few more turns at Crystal Mountain!
Joedabaker if you are interested in a print......
Joedabaker if you are interested in a print......
Nice! That was one of my earliest backcountry experiences with two of us camping by the Haney cabin. Love those south slopes. We have called them the"sunny side". Thanks for sharing.
John
John
Looks like the snow was fantastic. Nice trip.
Great trip. Great pics.
Great on you guys.
Great on you guys.
Double extra nice !
I really liked that pic of Jason's looking back at Banshee .
I really liked that pic of Jason's looking back at Banshee .
Words can not apply justice the the adventure of your trip!!
So I'll only use one word...Awesome!!
Great photos Jason. I would love to put a big picture of the AlpenGlow on the Whitman on the wall of the new room I built in my house. Just fantastic photography!!
So I'll only use one word...Awesome!!
Great photos Jason. I would love to put a big picture of the AlpenGlow on the Whitman on the wall of the new room I built in my house. Just fantastic photography!!
Mack is our first wall calendar "pin up" for the highly anticipated "Pin Heads of Hurricane Ridge Calender"
He's going to be tough to beat!
He's going to be tough to beat!
Really enjoy reading your trip reports; this one is no exception. Thanks for sharing information on this imaginative tour.
author=Stormking link=topic=24176.msg102311#msg102311 date=1332285461]
It is a nice area though, and we talked about spending a few nights up there, which would make it more worthwhile.
Greg, right? I was thinking of an overnight as a good way to access the slopes and bowls above Heather Park. I would be cool to see you HR locals snow camping just a few miles from your homes. :)
OR we could get an early start rather...
Welcome. Great post, simply state the facts of what you found, then photos to provide further details. Keep 'em coming, thanks.
DickL, not dissing you, your tour needed lots of description in my opinion, well done.
DickL, not dissing you, your tour needed lots of description in my opinion, well done.
Good times. All that talk of great music, I've got another cut that echoes my affection for the Tatoosh.
I Think I'm in Love
I <3 MRNP
Love,
~Link~
I Think I'm in Love
I <3 MRNP
Love,
~Link~
Me and "solar-X" were the other group of 2 with the same plans. The upper crooked was prefect, but we decided not to explore over the ridge and took the usual hour-glass exit from the crooked. It is well filled in but kind of icyish. As mentioned the upper phantom was excellent but the lower half was like skiing on wet grout. Also, the waterfall is plenty fat, even if the snow was garbage.
I didn't have my camera so hopefully solar-X will post some photos.
Thanks, you a...
I didn't have my camera so hopefully solar-X will post some photos.
Thanks, you a...
Good one! Lemonade from lemons.
It was that very trip that I did about 5 years ago that got me started on why in the hell is the road closed. Alpine start, hiked all day, got to the top just in time to turn around and ski maybe 500 vf before trying to ski 5 miles down the hiking trail which was refrozen hard pack with limbs and debris all over it. Meanwhile the road was bare and dry just around the ridge with just a locked gate and an immovable bureaucr...
It was that very trip that I did about 5 years ago that got me started on why in the hell is the road closed. Alpine start, hiked all day, got to the top just in time to turn around and ski maybe 500 vf before trying to ski 5 miles down the hiking trail which was refrozen hard pack with limbs and debris all over it. Meanwhile the road was bare and dry just around the ridge with just a locked gate and an immovable bureaucr...
Extra nice ! Loving that last picture and route. We were Mazaming Saturday and Monday. Stable and wonderfully filled in . Nisqually season opens soon.
It's funny because we really saw nobody all day. Could hear some voices out yonder. But we kept crossing a well packed skin track between ridges and wondered where the herd was.
author=Robie link=topic=24197.msg102277#msg102277 date=1332255172]
Excellent tour ! Thanks for letting us read along .
" headed west" ?
Point 6904' on the north of Gap 3 should have a name. Ive heard it called Chinook peak.
It's a great easy scramble off the Crystal peak trail and good skiing down to Deadwood lakes.
Right you are, it's west. I fixed the original post. Tha...
Nice to meet you Jan. The snow was very consistent on the north side, as you said it would be. On the front side we took a line in the trees way skiers right of the uptrack. it was nice up top but turned into thick trees and a few little cliffy bits at the bottom.
my buddy's name is Jeff.
Christian
my buddy's name is Jeff.
Christian
I call gap 3 "Nat Col" because the USGS map has Nat right there, and Peak 6904 "Nat Peak"
Gap 4 could be called Nat-King Col because it's halfway between Nat Pk and Silver King.
Gap 4 could be called Nat-King Col because it's halfway between Nat Pk and Silver King.
Here is a link to a few photos from the trip
https://picasaweb.google.com/102519030898366604944/5GapLoopCrystalMountainBackcountry3182012?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCPu4r_vJpJ_myQE&feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/102519030898366604944/5GapLoopCrystalMountainBackcountry3182012?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCPu4r_vJpJ_myQE&feat=directlink
Your pics are excellent. Always wanted to get that area, maybe later this season when things calm down again. Thanks for sharing!
Excellent tour ! Thanks for letting us read along .
Point 6904' on the north of Gap 3 should have a name. Ive heard it called Chinook peak.
It's a great easy scramble off the Crystal peak trail and good skiing down to Deadwood lakes.
Point 6904' on the north of Gap 3 should have a name. Ive heard it called Chinook peak.
It's a great easy scramble off the Crystal peak trail and good skiing down to Deadwood lakes.
Sweet trip guys! Sounds like you squeezed every ounce of light out of that day.
Cool tour--in the true spirit of the word. This seems to get forgotten in the realm of turns, and yoyoing, and such. Thanks for sharing. Lowell's word "flow" comes to mind.
J
J
Thanks Dick for TR and leading another successful Mountaineers trip, here are a few pictures from the trip. It's getting harder to pull out headlamps as days get longer. Great trip, thanks everyone for breaking a trail and being a great companion.
Christian and Mike?
I was the solo skier doing a couple of laps on the phantom side. Kind of funky with the S facing crust but not a bad morning's workout. Quite a bit of snow on the waterfall finish which looks like it will be in shape for quite a while. Glad you got fun turns on the N-side.
Jan
I was the solo skier doing a couple of laps on the phantom side. Kind of funky with the S facing crust but not a bad morning's workout. Quite a bit of snow on the waterfall finish which looks like it will be in shape for quite a while. Glad you got fun turns on the N-side.
Jan