TR Replies
I have had to re-learn that lesson on the cliff band there a couple of times now. Good choice to climb back up and over. I am sure there are some ways to survive that cliff band but from below it looks like there are a lot of other possibilities as well.
Yes. Sorry about that. I was writing the TR while talking to someone about Harrison Street and got a bit of brain crosstalk.
It was a nice place. There were lots of line available that didn't show any signs of instability and would have made really fun runs. It isn't super steep, but there are steeper sections. I think it might be better to access from the ventilator as that would eliminate dealing with traversing the Stevens Pass Nordic Center....
It was a nice place. There were lots of line available that didn't show any signs of instability and would have made really fun runs. It isn't super steep, but there are steeper sections. I think it might be better to access from the ventilator as that would eliminate dealing with traversing the Stevens Pass Nordic Center....
Hi Robert,
I don't have a map in front of me, do you mean Henry Creek? Essentially the rib above the railroad tunnel ventilator pull out? looking forward to pics. Seems like a nice, safe call, find!
Thanks,
John
I don't have a map in front of me, do you mean Henry Creek? Essentially the rib above the railroad tunnel ventilator pull out? looking forward to pics. Seems like a nice, safe call, find!
Thanks,
John
Good to run into you again Andrew.
we stayed a little longer until exhaustion and the wind drove us down one last time. Skied some steeper lines and couldn't get anything to move except sluffage (or sloughage..? (the adult spelling)) Good to get out and sweat in the snow... a nice break from my lift bound posse of six year olds, and seven year old charge - fine skiers all of them.
Lots of people out, more skiers than snow shoers, a pleasant inverse ratio, especially when bombing...
we stayed a little longer until exhaustion and the wind drove us down one last time. Skied some steeper lines and couldn't get anything to move except sluffage (or sloughage..? (the adult spelling)) Good to get out and sweat in the snow... a nice break from my lift bound posse of six year olds, and seven year old charge - fine skiers all of them.
Lots of people out, more skiers than snow shoers, a pleasant inverse ratio, especially when bombing...
Good skiing with you guys. I posted another TR before I saw yours. 10 more inches overnight - wish I had another day off work!
That looks like some great skiing! I was in Garmisch last weekend it has been dumping for 3 days straight, over a meter of snow fell on the first day! Amazing tree skiing
Good bumping into you again Scott. That zone is seriously fun with a great combo of pillows, trees and fall-line skiing.
Yeah, he's a nice guy -- Mike, I think? Two of his dogs are brother/sister akitas and are usually towing him uphill on his snowshoes.
I saw him a few weekends in a row up there last year and he seemed like a pretty nice guy when I chatted with him.
He is usually packing more than just dogs. Wear your bright cloths.
Nice!
I've bumped into that guy with the dogs a few times.
I've bumped into that guy with the dogs a few times.
Rad!
Nice pics guys. Glad you all could hook up.
Nice pics guys. Glad you all could hook up.
Some pictures from the day, featuring:
1) Fun turns.
2) The last person we saw for some time happened to have 3 dogs in tow... which were unfortunately for him not towing.
3) Some fun I've-not-seen-that-before lee-side loading of the Subaru. Hardly any snow on top, 3+ inches on stuck to the lee side.
1) Fun turns.
2) The last person we saw for some time happened to have 3 dogs in tow... which were unfortunately for him not towing.
3) Some fun I've-not-seen-that-before lee-side loading of the Subaru. Hardly any snow on top, 3+ inches on stuck to the lee side.
thanks for the invite and the photos!
good storm going on up there... tons of pow, unconsolidated in the trees and getting pretty slabby up around 5k feet where the wind started really howling. great day for some tree runs!
good storm going on up there... tons of pow, unconsolidated in the trees and getting pretty slabby up around 5k feet where the wind started really howling. great day for some tree runs!
what a day! any more of that pow and we wouldn't have been able to find your skin track from 2 days prior! the only thing that day was missing was more daylight for another lap!
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Jason, thanks for thoughts, and i'd say worth a lot more than 2 cents. ... once again, i stayed home this weekend while i felt it was the best way to stay out of harms way. from the first read of your post, it seems like i wimped out, i appreciate your reply that i made a reasonable decision. as for me, i think the best avy gear i have is my head, not only to avoid questionable terrain / conditions, but also a few other things like keeping well separated at any questionable...
If this is the same accident I'm thinking of, it was a small slab that pulled out at the base of the mushroom couloir. It carried her into that nasty gully and buried her 20 feet deep. I don't know what the avy danger was rated at, but it was really a tiny slab, like D1.5 that ran on storm snow. It's a tragic reminder that the terrain doesn't care how familiar you are with it. That gully is an ugly trap, doesn't matter if you've got the latest beacon and have travel...
I believe that 2003 fatality day had an avy danger rating of considerable. A much stronger storm than predicted had rolled in. There was a field trip there, involving some folks I know that day. They stated the danger ramped to high or almost extreme as the storm ramped up. This was also when NWAC had more general forecast zones.
Ken, jump into one of the local Avy 1 courses asap. I know, broken record. And save all those nickels for a split. Slowshoes are $#% &. When you have do...
Ken, jump into one of the local Avy 1 courses asap. I know, broken record. And save all those nickels for a split. Slowshoes are $#% &. When you have do...
We got some good coverage on Sunday morning... and heard all that new snow (on top of ice) warmed up and turned to slide fodder after we left.
That was was some excellent pow. Thanks again for organizing. If anyone feels like skiing - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Generally weekend but some monday / friday are possible.
Evan
Evan
Much thanks for the intelligent skin track, We had already intended to do that route today but your track made it so much easier. Just a great day and well worth getting abused by winds on the open areas of the knob.
author=RonL link=topic=23317.msg98991#msg98991 date=1327275749]
I believe there was a snowshoe avy death along that route in the not too distant past. I think it was a lady. I remember that being an almost extreme avy danger day however.
On December 13, 2003 , a female snowshoer was caught in an avalanche along the Alpental side of the trail that is the exit route from the Alpental Backcountry. She was buried in a terrain trap and her...
Great to see a TR from The Three Sister Backcoutry Yurt. You're lucky that you got out of the area before the storm cycle arrived. You could have been trapped there with all that fresh powder. ;)
I believe there was a snowshoe avy death along that route in the not too distant past. I think it was a lady. I remember that being an almost extreme avy danger day however.
Mapped GPS data...
The green line shows the track my buddy and I took towards Broken Top before encountering the 'Ice Dome' (the blue pin)... and the blue polygon shows some good bowls to the north of the Broken Top ridge line that would make a nice destination for future outings.
The green line shows the track my buddy and I took towards Broken Top before encountering the 'Ice Dome' (the blue pin)... and the blue polygon shows some good bowls to the north of the Broken Top ridge line that would make a nice destination for future outings.
Thanks for the update. It's great to see the ECT being used, with a nice video to show how it works.
Hi Ken,
I'm not an avalanche expert myself, but I would stay off the summer trail on days with Considerable avalanche danger - too many avalanche paths above it. The Alpental backcountry exit path (starting from the upper Alpental parking lot, which, along with all of the other Alpental parking lots, was full yesterday) also has slide paths along it, at least if you take the high traverse which hugs the slope rather travelling on the valley floor. This is where I saw on our way out fre...
I'm not an avalanche expert myself, but I would stay off the summer trail on days with Considerable avalanche danger - too many avalanche paths above it. The Alpental backcountry exit path (starting from the upper Alpental parking lot, which, along with all of the other Alpental parking lots, was full yesterday) also has slide paths along it, at least if you take the high traverse which hugs the slope rather travelling on the valley floor. This is where I saw on our way out fre...
pardon my "naive" question here..... I am a someone who loves to get into the backcountry, but since i'm a mediocre snowboarder at best, i travel by snowshoes. i read this forum often both because i want to learn / stay updated on avy info, and actually it's quite enjoyable with some great photo's too.
so my question, isn't it still reasonably dangerous on snowshoes, or skis for that matter, to head up to source lake when the avy danger is a pretty s...
so my question, isn't it still reasonably dangerous on snowshoes, or skis for that matter, to head up to source lake when the avy danger is a pretty s...
author=kevino link=topic=23317.msg98968#msg98968 date=1327213834]
We were setting up all sorts of small slabs at hyak this morning. Not suprised to see more reactive snow out there.
Us too - even found a reactive pocket (18"x10' square) almost beneath the Silver Fir lift after we left Hyak. Most active layer seemed to be a thin crust ~18" down. Less cracking, more cohesion to the slabs?
We were setting up all sorts of small slabs at hyak this morning. Not suprised to see more reactive snow out there.
3rd pic is great. Obviously knows what he's doing.
That's some serious Michigan sized vert!
Fun stuff James. Powerline run looks like stevens pass.
Fun stuff James. Powerline run looks like stevens pass.
Too funny John. True, but funny.
I should post the photo of Amar showing how to properly and safely ski with whippets.
I should post the photo of Amar showing how to properly and safely ski with whippets.
Nice stoke!
I went from Cobra's to RTxbulldog's this past spring. In the touring department I feel like a whole new man.
Now if I could only save up enough for chargers or something.
I went from Cobra's to RTxbulldog's this past spring. In the touring department I feel like a whole new man.
Now if I could only save up enough for chargers or something.
author=dougmcdonnal link=topic=23261.msg98943#msg98943 date=1327187084]I got to ski to work Wednesday afternoon too -- the first time since Dec 1990.
Wow Doug, that's an impressive ski tour for inside the city limits. We are not worthy! :)
That's impressive that you executed those pictures so well.
I got to ski to work Wednesday afternoon too -- the first time since Dec 1990. I skied from my home in Madrona to Lake Washington and then out to Sand Point (the Olmstead - Burke Gilman Traverse?) The skiing was surprisingly nice, especially on the BG Trail, which was quite skatable.
I've always said that if you can ski in Seattle, the conditions are good. The ski home at 5 am Thu...
I got to ski to work Wednesday afternoon too -- the first time since Dec 1990. I skied from my home in Madrona to Lake Washington and then out to Sand Point (the Olmstead - Burke Gilman Traverse?) The skiing was surprisingly nice, especially on the BG Trail, which was quite skatable.
I've always said that if you can ski in Seattle, the conditions are good. The ski home at 5 am Thu...
Great report of our local stompin' grounds, Amar!
Yesterday a.m. I scouted the vaunted and feared Hayes Chute, complete w/ Euro-style pub at the top. Unfortunately, it was already too bony to drop in.
Next time we get enough snow, count me in for some Queene Anne shredding.
Yesterday a.m. I scouted the vaunted and feared Hayes Chute, complete w/ Euro-style pub at the top. Unfortunately, it was already too bony to drop in.
Next time we get enough snow, count me in for some Queene Anne shredding.
author=artofthemix link=topic=23268.msg98862#msg98862 date=1327081927]
You weren't the only one! Here's some footage hitting the kicker at 17th and 94th:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClM8nxzUcFM
Oh great! Now the exact location of these little-known couloirs has been published on the internet and I will have to get up at some ungodly hour next time to get first tracks. ;)
As of today, the grumpy postman...
JP Auclair has nothing on you, Amar!
Your street sequence looks a tad more luxorious than Trail BC.
Missed your must-do back flip over 8th street N, though.
Your street sequence looks a tad more luxorious than Trail BC.
Missed your must-do back flip over 8th street N, though.
I love checking out the site and finding gems like this. Thanks for posting.
Nice, did not know you had a ski in - ski out place Amar ;-)
Nice tracks, and timed just right for the conditions as usual, ....
but where is the telemetry report???
A skier posted a video on the West Seattle Blog of the Seattle ski descent with most vertical:
from the highest point in the city at the Myrtle Reservoir Park, 520 feet above sea level – down to the water, at Lowman Beach Park. Not a first descent, but an opportune mo...
but where is the telemetry report???
A skier posted a video on the West Seattle Blog of the Seattle ski descent with most vertical:
from the highest point in the city at the Myrtle Reservoir Park, 520 feet above sea level – down to the water, at Lowman Beach Park. Not a first descent, but an opportune mo...
author=Amar Andalkar link=topic=23286.msg98905#msg98905 date=1327112108]
Wow, nice work. That looks like a really good ski slope, I occasionally go to the QFC at the foot of that hill. Too bad that it's so far (on skis) from my side of Queen Anne hill. At those speeds, you weren't worried about cars suddenly pulling out from a side street into your path?
I predict a 50 page thread focused on your decision making, toler...
Great one Lowell! Makes Seattle feel not so.........seattle
Wow, nice work. That looks like a really good ski slope, I occasionally go to the QFC at the foot of that hill. Too bad that it's so far (on skis) from my side of Queen Anne hill. At those speeds, you weren't worried about cars suddenly pulling out from a side street into your path?
Speaking of potentially good ski slopes, re the earlier discussion of 4th Ave N:
Speaking of potentially good ski slopes, re the earlier discussion of 4th Ave N:
author=Amar Andalkar link=topic=23286.msg98861#msg98861 date=1327081682"...