TR Replies
These pix are amazing. A full-on multi-sport adventure, too - way to go, guys!
Care to submit a pic in the Next TAY cover page image forum topic?
Thanks for posting, guys. I've been wondering what the Crystal area is like these days. Afraid by next week much of the low-elev snow will melt (judging by how quickly things are melting in the Silver Peak environs which I visited two weekends in a row). Here's to hoping that Chinook will open up soon : )
About a 10-15 minute walk from the parking lot to the base of the Quicksilver lift. There are 2 Snowcats at the base of Quicksilver to keep snow at the start of climbing. Still good coverage Also good coverage for the descent of Middle Frerk's.😉
That looked like a pretty good run. I think I see that driving on westbound I-90 around the lake. Always wondered about it... you ski cut all those Avy’s and kick off all those cornices? Looked like quite an assortment of potential problems. Speaking of that... I bet the end to the road was athletic.
Thanks for writing the TR Pavel, it was a great day, with interesting skiing... :-)
Welcome to TAY, nice TR!
Surprisingly good day out there. It wasn't raining as hard as I expected and the snow was really nice rain corn except for the tree debris in the forest. Skied the Twin Lakes Couloir then skinned up the valley to the S ridge of Silver, skied the SE Face and traversed out the PCT to the road.
So good to be out in the mountains again! Skiing in the rain has never felt so good.
Great shots, especially the timelapse of the clouds bubbling up on Rainier. You guys capture the beauty of the area really well.
Welcome to TAY, Other Aaron, and I'm glad you could join for the outing. It was a decent day in the woods, and I look forward to when the road melts out all the way to the PCT trail crossing.
My favorite quote of the day;
"Moral of the story: By going slower and stopping more often and eating and drinking more, you can actually have more fun and go further and do more and, paradoxically, be less tired at the end of the day."
I should try that some time...
Thanks Shred! Definitely looking forward to our next livin' large, fire pit, jam sesh! Apres' PNW Spring ski.
Cool vid, Tim, as usual. Looks like you had a great day with plenty of turns - way to do it.
A great TR and explanation of the joys of the long slog.😉
"P"'s skiing style looks very similar to mine (or mine as it used to be). 😊
Looks like you guys got an epic Spring ski back to the lake!
That was Jay and I dropping into Silver's "Dizygotic Twins" just before sunset last night. Timing was perfect, as the snow had just started to set up nicely. However, the skin in from our side, was far too long for what I had anticipated - leaving the road/snow at 2:30 ish. Walking dirt from hairpin around first switchback. Perfect evening out and nice to see other like minded folks doing the same.
@kamtron, yes, that's an incredible slope -- nearly constant steep pitch from top to bottom and was surprisingly well-covered given western aspect. Would be scared to be on that slope in anything other than consolidated spring conditions or other super-stable snowpack.
Nice report. We skied the Annette slope a few times in the last month, and it's been great. That aspect seems to really hold the corn.
It's nice to have you back on TAY Snow Trooper, that was an excellent May day. Thanks for the Tunes😉
Nice! Yeah it’s back. Let’s do our best to keep this site skiing and trip report focused. This is where we should put things for the record...Nice Music! Sounded great! Always love your videos.
Saw you guys coming down, we were on top of fortune an hour after you. Solid run!
Did ya'll get good eyes on Cascadian? Excellent photos!
Very cool TR, lyappy, did Baker just about a year ago, and had lots of walking in the forest to do. Looks like there's a bit more snow this year in the lower elevations.
negative to enforcement. Have only "heard" of baker area getting ticketed, but that may be hearsay. Ive been out a bunch w/o any interactions.
Aaaand one more try after the image upload plugin upgrade (rotation bug fix)
"Some random couloir, probably a hard man descent"
Haha
Any evidence of enforcement of the closure? Roadside parking I presume...
Sorry, I haven’t checked the trail report regularly. That was 2 weeks ago and I was able to park around 1.5mile to TH. Probably you can go to TH or very close to it now.
<< Technically, l believe that the parking area at the wheelstop on the Kendall Lakes road is NOT considered a "Developed Trailhead" containing the "Four improvements" required for parking at the trailhead in order to require a Northwest Forest Pass.
Sno-park season ends April 1st in a normal year anyway -- so the area along Gold Creek Road isn't technically a sno-park during the month of May.>>
This was precisely our justification for the...
Technically, l believe that the parking area at the wheelstop on the Kendall Lakes road is NOT considered a "Developed Trailhead" containing the "Four improvements" required for parking at the trailhead in order to require a Northwest Forest Pass.
Sno-park season ends April 1st in a normal year anyway -- so the area along Gold Creek Road isn't technically a sno-park during the month of May.
Thanks for the report; I am sure skiing felt nice after the long break. Hopefully thing will open more or at least stay opened.
Cool! I won't ask where, but I would go in a heartbeat.
I will look in to Bachelor :-)
Nothing wrong with being a criminal if it harms no one. I technically was also. Skiing was excellent today with very good corn from 4800 elevation down on a beautiful day.
Got an early start to avoid the slush. Saw one other person in about 1500 acres. At Flower World later it was almost impossible social distance. Would estimate approximately 250 persons per acre. I definitely wore my mask there no need in the mountains. Would have been safer on a lift. Hope they come to their...
Please do not feel guilty! My god, these Forest lands belong to the citizens of the United States! We're not children. The Government is not our Mom. There is NO REASON why we should not be "allowed" to access recreation in the mountains. The ski areas would allow far more "social distancing" than golf courses or Home Depot!
I guess it's just the sno park that is definitely closed.
Meanwhile there are only about 500 people in the entire state of Washington. that are ill enoug...
@fly2mike
Thanks for the clarification.
Am aware of the USFS, National Park and Summit at Snoqualmie areas closures but we mistakenly thought this access was permitted, as Kendall Peak Lakes “trail” is not a marked USFS trailhead or “developed area.”
Feeling a bit guilty now, as I have been nearly pathological in my dedication to following social distancing guidelines. I don’t even go to the grocery store. And I made a previous post at TAY suggesting...
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/mbs/home/?cid=FSEPRD719012
Technically this area is closed per the USFS Covid-19 closure. ALL Developed recreation sites are closed according to the website including trailheads and sno parks. I have called the ranger stations to ask them why, and basically their answer is "because we said so" I was told to "call my lawmakers" which I have done, and they made it clear that they have no control over what the National Forest does nor does Jay Inslee. I have written to the Secretary of Dept of Agriculture, and didn't get...