TR Replies
First TR and first time on Chair's north slope. My brother Eric and I left the upper Alpental lot at about 8:00 am. It was already getting crowded with others eyeing their own objectives. Had really nice skin up into the Chair Peak basin, met a nice guy from Redmond on the way up. We elected to ascend the second/furthermost notch to gain the ridge. Candidly; really glad my bro lead this, as I got a bit nervous during the final10-15 feet. The prospect of l...
Good show! Great use of a near full moon. The area has been on my agenda for ages. Fun!
Thanks for the report - looks like a good day even if the snow wasn't soft! Are you guys parking in the Meadows HRM lot to access Newton - or is there a better place to start? And do you use the bridge in the runout from Heather Canyon to get across Clark Creek or is there somewhere lower to cross? I've been meaning to check it out during Winter, but have never headed up there.
No snowblades.
Nice work getting in there -- that ski down Headlee is great.
Nice work getting in there -- that ski down Headlee is great.
Awesome.. Vesper in Pow!!
I see all modes of downhill transport where in attendance.
I see all modes of downhill transport where in attendance.
Your not a local? what is your local?
Nice to see some reports coming from the Olympics!
Nice to see some reports coming from the Olympics!
I saw your tracks in Stoneman when I left the lodge Sunday afternoon at 3 or so and I was more than just a little bit jealous.
ha.. i had it Kath!
I'm really not a very good photographer, or even photo editor for that matter. Don't ask me to take a picture of a moving object. Mostly just take pictures for my own beta, and scrap e-booking.
I'm really not a very good photographer, or even photo editor for that matter. Don't ask me to take a picture of a moving object. Mostly just take pictures for my own beta, and scrap e-booking.
Looks like first tracks in Stoneman? Does Sam need goggles? Had any of the big faces above the Stoneman runout slid?
Thanks for the pow on Saturday, but you can keep your breakable crust!
Thanks for the pow on Saturday, but you can keep your breakable crust!
Yeah, I saw it Sunday; and we, too, had better skiing than Saturday; managed to find some super powder.
We took a relaxed trip up to Guye saddle. Few inches of soft/heavy snow atop the warm crust. Dug a pit in a clearing near the ridge, rather bomber. Q2 shear about 18" down atop a crust at ~CT70 (many jumps with a boot). 2-4' down seems to be full of wet and rounding facets.
Fun ski out on heavy snow. Commonwealth luge run is in fun shape; mind the holes.
Warm temps meant drippy trees; expect a treedrip crust.
Fun ski out on heavy snow. Commonwealth luge run is in fun shape; mind the holes.
Warm temps meant drippy trees; expect a treedrip crust.
Good to hear things are improving up there. I spent the day skiing at Crystal with my kids... But I'm looking forward to touring in the Olympics soon!
We then shifted to north slopes and the skiing was quite better. Today (Sunday )was over the top with ice layer being moderated by the sun. the" Hammaker slide path" from saturday was quite visible today just east of golden gate
We were up there as well and got the first runs down the Slot. the entry was really icy but the main chute skied really well, nice blown in powder. Tons of sluff but the snow was stable.
Charlie, glad to hear you made it to the crooked and out. when we saw the exit it looked a little dicey.
Charlie, glad to hear you made it to the crooked and out. when we saw the exit it looked a little dicey.
JPH- Thanks again for setting the skin track.
Mike- Thanks for a fun day.
Mike- Thanks for a fun day.
we really need winter to return, this seems to be a trend each year. Thankful to see what coverage we have up there... I haven't toured into Newton yet this season, and curious what coverage is like east of the crest. Nice photos.
That would be a big day! I'm game, but not until the first bit of trail gets a little refresh.. Stoked that I kept my boards on all the way back to the car, but that was a bit abusive.
Nice! What can I say... you get out a lot.
Next time.. Spark plug, Surprise mtn, Thunder, and Nimbus in a day? Counter clockwise?
Next time.. Spark plug, Surprise mtn, Thunder, and Nimbus in a day? Counter clockwise?
Nice pics for a telephone!
I was half tempted to go and get some from the road today.
James... no snow sheds. Are there some below skyline? I'm only familiar with the sheds on Windy. We hit the hairpin @ 3,600 so we didn't go all the way down to Wellington.
testing....
I was half tempted to go and get some from the road today.
James... no snow sheds. Are there some below skyline? I'm only familiar with the sheds on Windy. We hit the hairpin @ 3,600 so we didn't go all the way down to Wellington.
testing....
We did the phantom the 7th. Good/mixed conditions; 6" of new snow on top of firm snow, with some spots of exposed crust away from trees. Getting around waterfall at bottom pretty iced up and scraped off.
author=Charlie Hagedorn link=topic=23086.msg98152#msg98152 date=1326005486]
and was unable to see if the final roll would go.
Yeah, it was a real pu-pu platter of snow conditions out there yesterday for sure. We skied the slot, which was interesting getting into, but was pretty soft after the dogleg to the left. The bottom of the crooked looked like it could use about 10 feet of snow. I'm pretty sure...
LOL. Regine and I watched Robie (we think) take the 1st run down 9-1-0. Scrape, scrape, powder--ski tips wiggling, skis wanting to go their separate ways ... so we just went as far as the Stevens-Van Trump-Sluiskin Monument and headed back and actually had very good dense powder skiing to 4th Xing. My knee is slowly getting better, not quite right yet.
One thread is better than two:
Susan, Gerhard, and I took a peek into the Crooked. Aspirations among the three of us included exploration, pow, and exercise. All were had, some more than others.
On the up, met several friends out and about on the mountain. Above treeline, wind had swept away the pow in places and left it in hollows. The midweek rain crust hid beneath 0-6" of new. Where bare, the crust was mostly supportable on skis, and varied from firm to eggshell wi...
Susan, Gerhard, and I took a peek into the Crooked. Aspirations among the three of us included exploration, pow, and exercise. All were had, some more than others.
On the up, met several friends out and about on the mountain. Above treeline, wind had swept away the pow in places and left it in hollows. The midweek rain crust hid beneath 0-6" of new. Where bare, the crust was mostly supportable on skis, and varied from firm to eggshell wi...
Down the road a bit, we also had a blast on south facing open slopes above 4K where the new snow was as you describe, and the crust beneath quite carvable with some soft snow beneath. Moderate pitch woods above 5K were pretty fun too, especially where we were able to time turns in the drifts.
Only Robie was fool enough to followYou can say that again! this all happened at east of golden gate
There is some good skiing to be had in wind protected areas and lower angled slopes.
Good job finding your entrance! It can be tricky and getting into the wrong slot can be a royal pain.
At what point did you hit the old RR grade? Anywhere near one of the Avy sheds?
At what point did you hit the old RR grade? Anywhere near one of the Avy sheds?
Ps... don't follow our tracks. Not that any sensible person would. There was soooo much better snow up there. Besides, It was narrow and we left it yucky.
Fun day. The sun stayed out just long enough to scope out the surrounding terrain. Plenty of exploring up there. Our first descent included a little bonus mandatory air into the softest powder of the day.
Skiing out the trail by headlamp wasn't to bad other than a couple icy raised log sections with no way to stop and no end in sight wit h the headlamp.
Skiing is fun!
Skiing out the trail by headlamp wasn't to bad other than a couple icy raised log sections with no way to stop and no end in sight wit h the headlamp.
Skiing is fun!
Thanks for the pics Ben. I have none... only my stock photos.
Rad day for sure. Funt times.
Rad day for sure. Funt times.
the wind did a great job moving all the snow from the aspect we climbed onto the one we rode. good route selection on ale's part.
here's some pictures--
the approach
here's some pictures--
the approach
Hopefully they'll groom it Sunday night to lay out a nice carpet for us next week! Anyone know if they typically roll this after use when they are going to close it for a few days?
Nice one Parick.
That is one long rolling exit.
That is one long rolling exit.
Given that Hyak is open tomorrow for lift operations, I wonder if this slope will be groomed? I think (hope) it won't be...
author=Edgesport link=topic=23059.msg98087#msg98087 date=1325860707]
Wow, I am excited about tomorrow! Thanks for sharing.
I have never seen the ridge look like it does in your photo ( https://plus.google.com/photos/118025853069449417238/albums/5694342870493120993/5694342871014948066 ) Usually there is a large flat bench there.
Here's a comparison picture from about a month ago:
https://...
LTT: thanks for the skin track on the way up. I was noting your very nice turns coming down the face.
Zap: nice to see/meet you up there yesterday - the dog liked you guys a lot. The snow was surprisingly excellent.
Zap: nice to see/meet you up there yesterday - the dog liked you guys a lot. The snow was surprisingly excellent.
Wow, I am excited about tomorrow! Thanks for sharing.
I have never seen the ridge look like it does in your photo ( https://plus.google.com/photos/118025853069449417238/albums/5694342870493120993/5694342871014948066 ) Usually there is a large flat bench there.
I have never seen the ridge look like it does in your photo ( https://plus.google.com/photos/118025853069449417238/albums/5694342870493120993/5694342871014948066 ) Usually there is a large flat bench there.
After stopping at Rhodies B-B-Q deli at the truck exit for lunch, Jill and I needed some exercise. We initially stopped at Summit West but the light was flat. We arrrived at Hyak at 2pm to snow showers. The skinning was pleasant and we ascended along one of the treed trails. Another couple was also skinning up and giving their pup some exercises. It snowed lightly during our tour. The skiing was enjoyable on silky smooth fresh snow.
Cool pics - were the pockets of graupel below cliffs or in terrain traps? Imagine tossing a lot of tiny balls onto a slope with cliffs and some shallower angled areas or gullies below them. The balls will bounce off the cliffs and pool below in the shallower areas/depressions and a similar thing happens with graupel. It's called graupel pooling:
http://straightchuter.com/2009/10/first-day-of-the-200910-season/
http://straightchuter.com/2009/10/first-day-of-the-200910-season/
Great stuff, thanks for sharing it. Looks like the dog had a blast too :)
looks like a great time Gregg. snow looks amazing
Jeff, thanks for the great video, they just keep getting better, of course the subject matter is nice too.
Great video. If the folks in The Sierra, Wasatch and Rockies see the video, Mazama will be overwhelmed. ;)
excellent attitude ("two kinds of snow conditions..."), love it! I guess the lack of snow allows one to see the stars. Or the sun, as in Alta over Christmas, shining brilliant, skis scraping over rocks... Unfortunately the immediate prognosis SE of NW still doesn't look especially white...
(sorry Kam... how's the counseling going??)
love your description of t...
(sorry Kam... how's the counseling going??)
love your description of t...
Thanks, that is a great link. I have seen graupel but never in such deep stashes. I guess it probably fell that way and was just transported onto the slope.