TR Replies

November 25, 2011, Rock Mountain

Thanks for the good description of the layers. I was getting exercise at tracked out Hyak and didn't do anything more than pole tests. It certainly felt as you describe. The crust was supportive but not especially strong.

11/25/11 11:16pm

jwplotz

A few more photos from the day...

11/25/11 3:53pm

freshie

November 24, 2011, Mt. Hood Calm Before the Storm

Thanks for the reminder of that view from the highway, a treat I remember from back in a previous life.

11/25/11 1:08pm

Lowell_Skoog

author=trees4me link=topic=22472.msg96023#msg96023 date=1322273892]
Alpy lived up to expectations today -> circus and good snow!

There was a weak crust layer beneath the snow that fell overnight. Beneath that later the snow was surprisingly unconsolidated. Above that layer there was often a LOT of graupel--sometimes it seemed to make up most of the new snow. Very cohesionless. We skied the north backcountry and were surprised...

11/25/11 12:58pm

RyanPete81

Nice to run in to you all today. CharlieP and I started the day heading for the Kendall Stumps for a lap. Then we gained and crossed the ridge into Commonwealth where we caught up with Silas et al.

11/25/11 10:27am

freeskier

Hi Kevino! That black Tundra belongs to my brother, the owner of Summit. The goggles are his son's and he'd love to get them back. Thanks a lot for the post. (and the skin track......we were still using it today!) pm me when you get a chance and I'll get you in touch with him. Thanks again for exemplifying what a great community this is!

11/25/11 10:19am

trees4me

Alpy lived up to expectations today -> circus and good snow!

The buried rain crust caught me a couple times, but the 8-24" deep pockets made up for it. First tracks on a pillowy line down Felsen were pretty sweet.

As of noon no one had bothered to walk out of edelweiss, but that looked to be changing soon with the masses standing around at the top of chair 2...

11/25/11 10:18am

winterisbest

author=Charlie Hagedorn link=topic=22472.msg96017#msg96017 date=1322270802]
Very fun, and bluebird. Great to meet Matt, who gamely trudged all day on snowshoes. Skiing with boarders presents plenty of pow photo possibilities.

Top ~inch of the new snow was soft graupel, which skied well even after sunhit. Wslopes had thin crossloaded windslab (N to S), top 3" plated out occasionally with variable propagation, but elsewise nothing moving.
...

11/25/11 9:48am

Charlie Hagedorn

November 24, 2011, Mt. Hood Calm Before the Storm

Very fun, and bluebird. Great to meet Matt, who gamely trudged all day on snowshoes. Skiing with boarders presents plenty of pow photo possibilities.

Top ~inch of the new snow was soft graupel, which skied well even after sunhit. Wslopes had thin crossloaded windslab (N to S), top 3" plated out occasionally with variable propagation, but elsewise nothing moving.

11/25/11 9:26am

stoudema

Looks like fun! Nice shot of Hood from the highway! Should be some fun to be found tomorrow before the warmer weather moves back in...

11/24/11 12:18pm

Charlie Hagedorn

November 24, 2011, Alpental

Pretty morning, heavy snow. Quite a bit of slide debris everywhere, all of it covered with at least a little new snow. Sluffs and small slabs clearly ran yesterday in the 3-6" atop a thin crust; might move again with more loading, it cracked a little between skis. Instability on that layer seemed greatest on SE-SW aspects, at least locally. NW slopes had light windscouring.

Snowing very nicely in the afternoon at West. Happy T-day!

11/24/11 10:16am

Koda

November 24, 2011, Mt. Hood Calm Before the Storm

author=skier8484 link=topic=22462.msg95982#msg95982 date=1322177775]
The weather is moving in now; fingers crossed for some pow turns tomorrow.

hoping to find some safe touring tomorrow as well. Yeah, I'll never get tired of that view either... beautiful photography, thanks for sharing I love photos of Hood.

Cheers

11/24/11 8:57am

snoholic

November 24, 2011, Alpental

We ended up at west also, for a drink.

11/24/11 8:34am

Kneel Turner

No, you shouldn't slow down till you can feel your own heartbeat tapping on the backs of your eyeballs. At which point you should just maintain that pace.

...and yes, think of beer.

11/24/11 3:45am

Rusty Knees

author=Teleskichica link=topic=22449.msg95952#msg95952 date=1322119703]
I kinda figured you'd be dreaming about women and beer, Don. No?

Thanks for the ideas, Holly. Large women and large beers - now that is something to climb for. Ellen will share a beer with me, but the women will have tostay a fantasy. ;)

author=Robie] Hear your own heartbeat... ...

11/24/11 3:35am

E_N

Thanks for the link Mike. Good to see that side of the issue at least put something in type, though I think they had to work really hard to invent the idea of inactive snow making equipment on the hill being some kind of advanced danger which the public is incapable of dealing with.

11/24/11 3:02am

Robie

As my ski friend Ken Z says "When else do you slow yourself down , enjoy the nature of places and hear your own heart beat."

For myself when it gets hard I tell myself this is where you wanna be.

11/24/11 2:30am

Zap

author=kneel turner link=topic=22449.msg95948#msg95948 date=1322112725]
I usually just look down adoringly as my Drifters glide through the snow. I mean, they're so AWESOME!!!

I agree. ;)

11/24/11 2:13am

Teleskichica

I kinda figured you'd be dreaming about women and beer, Don. No?

11/23/11 3:28pm

kevino

I put in the skin track yesterday - let me tell you, that was a bitch

To who ever was in the dark/black truck this afternoon at hyak - i got your goggles. hit me up

11/23/11 1:51pm

Kneel Turner

November 20, 2011, Skyline Lake, Tye Peak

I usually just look down adoringly as my Drifters glide through the snow. I mean, they're so AWESOME!!!

11/23/11 1:32pm

counterfeitfake

Here are a couple!

Nice to meet everyone!

11/23/11 9:09am

Griff

Dude, just a great story though. It would appear that we all are crazy and I wouldn't have it any other way!!!

11/23/11 7:19am

Trolleyman

Yes you are correct, but I skinned up to top of Silver B on the King and came back down the ridge. Next time I will title it differently to avoid any confusion. I was trying to give more of a perspective of conditions so that we all return home safely.

11/23/11 7:14am

mikerolfs

I never understood the appeal of skinning up/skiing down Mimi/Tumwater/Sunspot.

Its the only spot with snow right now

On the occasion that I go up there for exercise I follow the uphill travel policy...

I'm pretty sure you prefer the other side of the mountain ;)

It only takes a little creativity and common sense to avoid this conflict.

11/23/11 7:03am

aaron_wright

I never understood the appeal of skinning up/skiing down Mimi/Tumwater/Sunspot. Most people use this route if they go up there and that is what lead to the long standing uphill travel policy, but most people seem to ignore that policy and continue to use that route. I can imagine that it's very frustrating for workers who use that route for snowmaking and other maintenance to constantly have to watch out for skinners and booters while speeding up and down during work hours on down days. Eve...

11/23/11 6:41am

mikerolfs

Here is the whole story:

http://www.justgetout.net/Wenatchee/23175

Most compelling is that if the area gets pushed into it, they could post "keep out" signs that are legally enforceable. The argument that the area has hoses and electric cables across the only skiable run where snowmaking is in progress is pretty good. The concept that the area paid to make the snow and hikers are using it for free is a little harder to respect. I'm a pass h...

11/23/11 6:23am

E_N

Sounds like a solid Cascades experience. Did the dog come with?

Can you elaborate on this apparent closure? Does it have to do with their snowmaking operations? I could stand behind you on complying for that, grooming, or active avalanche control, but that's about where my respect runs out.

11/23/11 5:27am

maryg

Just curious, at what point were you in Silver Basin? From what I read it sounds like you went up from top of Queens into A Basin and then skied back down to Lake Elizabeth.

11/23/11 5:11am

danpeck

author=GaryJan link=topic=22412.msg95885#msg95885 date=1322030220]

This trip marked 24 consecutive months of skiing in Olympics for me and 26 months overall for both Tyler and me.

Oh wow! You guys are my heros. 24 months in the Olympics. Would you divulge your secret places for some of my wife's chocolate chip cookies? ;)

Beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing, this really motiv...

11/22/11 3:09pm

Gary_H

author=telemack link=topic=22412.msg95869#msg95869 date=1322007680]
Thanks Gary for some photos; great snow for Nov. with even a "micro-base".

Conditions were surprisingly good given the limited snow fall. Any November day which doesn't result in a core shot or two is a good one. ::)

This trip marked 24 consecutive months of skiing in Olympics for me and 26 months overall for both Tyler and me.
<...

11/22/11 2:37pm

SKIER-X

Silver Star gate , SR20

Theres so much universe out there right now . I'm going to have to go spiritual and pray for the 700 club to open the door to the beyond for me. X

11/22/11 10:36am

telemack

Nov 20, 2011, -Snoqualmie Mt-

Thanks Gary for some photos; great snow for Nov. with even a "micro-base".

11/22/11 8:21am

ColdSmokeWrangler

Silver Star gate , SR20

author=freeskiguy link=topic=22433.msg95867#msg95867 date=1322005874]
x, we depend upon you to get that trail broken, if you burn your sled up doing that, well thats the price we have to pay.

Yeah, what he said.

11/22/11 8:18am

hyak_erik

author=haggis link=topic=22413.msg95775#msg95775 date=1321888368]
Looks fun, didn't know there was a big shark right in the middle of the slot, I guess a few storms down the season and it will be buried.

Ah, so that is where I dropped my pet rock...

11/22/11 3:51am

mikerolfs

oh Man that looks SO NICE!

11/22/11 2:42am

Scotsman

author=Jeff_Ward link=topic=22415.msg95847#msg95847 date=1321980028]
Glad to hear you are enjoying them. This is my third season on mine and I still love them. I did just pick up a pair of the DPS Wailer 112's. I'm looking forward to seeing how they ski. It's going to be hard to top the Drifter when it comes to surfing the deep stuff.

I've got a pair of the DPS 112's , pures184.... Skied my first real...

11/22/11 1:27am

Jeff_Ward

Nov 20, 2011, Paradise - Snowpack Observations

author=Scotsman link=topic=22415.msg95828#msg95828 date=1321937485]
I agree....I bought my Voile Drifters after skiing with you on that heli-touring trip. Love them so very very much! :)

Glad to hear you are enjoying them. This is my third season on mine and I still love them. I did just pick up a pair of the DPS Wailer 112's. I'm looking forward to seeing how they ski. It's going to be hard...

11/22/11 12:40am

ron j

author=CookieMonster link=topic=22427.msg95839#msg95839 date=1321957423]
Hey Ron, thanks for the observations. It's nice to have some data since I'll be headed up that way soon. I've made a simple ASCII profile that represents your observations. Is this about right?

fist
fist
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11/22/11 12:16am

kevino

November 21, 2011, Snoqualmie area

Nice - I was thinking about heading up there but instead continued out towards source lake. Skied the Big Tree and No fog areas and found bountiful amounts of face shots and soft snow.

11/21/11 11:16pm

skimac

Nov 20, 2011, Paradise - Snowpack Observations

Oh!!!!! Cookie you funny guy ;D ::)
Ron sounds like Geezer ground hog day :D thanks for the observations

11/21/11 9:20pm

CookieMonster

Nov 20, 2011, Paradise - Snowpack Observations

Hey Ron, thanks for the observations. It's nice to have some data since I'll be headed up that way soon. I've made a simple ASCII profile that represents your observations. Is this about right?

fist
fist
fist
fist
fist
fist
fist
fist
fist
fist
fist
fist
1 finger
1 finger
1 finger
1 finger
1 finger
1 finger
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1 finger
1 finger
1 finger
1 finger
1 fing...

11/21/11 6:23pm

Gary_H

Hey Mack,
Good summary of the weekend.

Thanks for joining us for Winterfest, early reports suggest the event exceeded our expectations. :)

Sunday was an enjoyable day of touring. A good combination of aerobic exercise intermixed with some sweet turns.

Here are a few pictures;

1. Tyler dropping the north side of Hurricane Hill
2. Jan breaking trail, Jeff close behind
3. Mack stylin' as only a telemarker can................

11/21/11 1:53pm

Scotsman