TR Replies
author=Chamois link=topic=42810.msg167306#msg167306 date=1585766817]
Well - all DNR and USFS land is closed. So the options are limited. My guess is that the few staff left at the Summit would chase you away if you gave it a go.
Depends which Forest Agency Alert you're reading. For example, Columbia Gorge specifically says ALL FOREST LAND vs other forest agencies stating All Forest Recreation Sites. The article someone posted...
Well - all DNR and USFS land is closed. So the options are limited. My guess is that the few staff left at the Summit would chase you away if you gave it a go.
If a ski touring soul were able to find access to NFS lands NOT using one of the mentioned entrance points, could they then use the NFS land they have accessed? How about other Federal/State lands?
The USFS Policy also appears to be the same in ALL WA and OR NFS areas.
Oh for Christmas sake already! I don't get it.
It'd be great if the BC ski community could get organized to protect these structures and keep them open for use, rather than having them inevitably close, as the Winchester lookout did. I had such a blast up there on Valentine's weekend years ago, skiing Larrabee in corn.
This is the kind of thing the CBA was created for, but I'm not sure how much traction they've had since their creation: https://www.cascadebackcountryalliance.org
This is the kind of thing the CBA was created for, but I'm not sure how much traction they've had since their creation: https://www.cascadebackcountryalliance.org
Aaasen, I speak mostly to the additional wear and damage the poor old structure has seen in recent years as word has spread. The winter visits are particularly rough on it. I've made it a point to bring temporary repair materials in winters past. 3 broken window panes so far by my count. And, yes, publicity has made this worse. The real dagger was an Outside magazine article about it a while back. Word of mouth spreads slower than pictures on the internet, just a reality of modern life. No...
author=aaasen link=topic=42790.msg167291#msg167291 date=1585675976]
I acknowledge that this was not the right time to be in the lookout. A couple weeks ago it seemed somewhat reasonable; the seriousness of the situation hadn't sunk in yet. In hindsight, it was a selfish and irresponsible decision.
Thanks for sharing that bit of self reflection. I suspect many of us were slow to fully acknowledge and adapt to current reality a...
author=JoshK link=topic=42790.msg167285#msg167285 date=1585639286]
Eh, I can see cumulus 's point. The HLLO has sadly become more and more gangbanged over the past 10 to 15 years. It's one of those places where in sure a lot of folks would rather see people enjoy it amongst their friends and keep it quiet on the internet, but in the modern age of self promotion, sadly the location can be the victim. It's one of a few places I greatly regret ever sharing info a...
Is it sad that more people are enjoying the place? I don't see it that way. I think the expectation of having a cabin like this for just you and your friends is a bit ridiculous. It's been around for 88 years and people would know about it with or without you. I'm all for stewardship, but this possessiveness over public spaces does not sit well with me.
I acknowledge that this was not the right time to be in the lookout. A couple weeks ago it seemed somewhat reasonable...
I acknowledge that this was not the right time to be in the lookout. A couple weeks ago it seemed somewhat reasonable...
Eh, I can see cumulus 's point. The HLLO has sadly become more and more gangbanged over the past 10 to 15 years. It's one of those places where in sure a lot of folks would rather see people enjoy it amongst their friends and keep it quiet on the internet, but in the modern age of self promotion, sadly the location can be the victim. It's one of a few places I greatly regret ever sharing info about online.
author=alecapone link=topic=42784.msg167251#msg167251 date=1585195950]
I guessed hawk but the pros say it might have been an owl. Snowshoes are more active at night. Both kill snowshoes, dont eat much, and cant carry more then a few pounds. If it's too heavy, they eat their fill, then come back until they can carry it, or someone takes it. In the photo there is a slight imprint of a wing. And a little where the feather tips drifted across the snow. Snow i...
The Real TAY is still alive!
Thanks for sharing such a cool trip!👌ðŸ‘
Thanks for sharing such a cool trip!👌ðŸ‘
I guessed hawk but the pros say it might have been an owl. Snowshoes are more active at night. Both kill snowshoes, dont eat much, and cant carry more then a few pounds. If it's too heavy, they eat their fill, then come back until they can carry it, or someone takes it. In the photo there is a slight imprint of a wing. And a little where the feather tips drifted across the snow. Snow isnt packed down from a land predator.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing!
Nice pictures, interesting report.
A buddy and I went up on Thursday 3/19, didn't post because we didn't take any pictures. Was probably about 2 miles walking past Heather Lake TH until we hit snow, able to skin from there only having to take skis off for one section that was melted out. We too turned around before the summit, but were able to find some nice sun-softened snow in places. Overall, probably was not worth the skin on the roads unless you were going to do an overnight at the lookout. ...
Great trip, Lane! You've had quite a winter so far. This was a much more sporty trip than last Tuesday...Keep those tips up, brutha!!!
Yeah, 9 people in the lookout? Yeesh. There are plenty of regulars on this forum who are, or will be putting it all on the line to save our brothers and sisters. Show some respect.
author=cumulus link=topic=42790.msg167224#msg167224 date=1584926799]
nice pictures and TR... if it weren't for the times we currently live in it would be an excellent report... but we do live in weird times, and to post a report touting Hidden L...
Hey Lane,
Great to meet you and Thomas up there, glad to hear you guys made it out of Marbles ok. Hope to run into you again soon.
Great to meet you and Thomas up there, glad to hear you guys made it out of Marbles ok. Hope to run into you again soon.
nice pictures and TR... if it weren't for the times we currently live in it would be an excellent report... but we do live in weird times, and to post a report touting Hidden Lake lookout seems just as weird. I'm certainly not one to tell anyone not to go skiing... far from it. But given that TR's promote a location (just look at Lost Marbles...more people have skied that line in the last month than in the last five years) it seems strange in these days of coronavirus to tout a lookout where...
Thanks for the great TR. Great skiing and photos.
Killer pics! The dog looks a little concerned about what's about to happen.
Fantastic trip and pics. This site is really coming around w/ the quality TRs lately. Thanks for sharing.
Great report thanks for sharing. Wow that photo of lost marbles, super sketchy!!! Glad you made it out safely.
Best week of the winter for me. Glad I got to be a part of it. So fun to have the band back together. This was one of the highlights for me:
3/21/2020
Still excellent with sunny skies!
Ive seen West be up and running and not have as much crowd as today!
Rumors of snow next week ??
Still excellent with sunny skies!
Ive seen West be up and running and not have as much crowd as today!
Rumors of snow next week ??
Awesome report, sounds like a fun trip! That shot of homeboy Lost in the Marbles, wow. Good pictures all
Here's a photo from yesterday at Mt St Helens. It felt really good to be up in the mountains for the day. Skiing back down via the main gully offered a chance for me to sample the different aspects as the snow changed with elevation. There was a friendly vibe on the mountain, even while people were being respectful of physical distance.
Freedom of the Hills.
Freedom of the Hills.
author=JimD link=topic=42786.msg167200#msg167200 date=1584808571]
thanks for the report. Afraid your pictures aren't showing up for me.
Hmm, how about now?
Our goal for the next day was to ski Lost Marbles. We left the hut at 8am and skied a traverse to 5,000', ditched our overnight gear, and skinned up a steep slope to the col at 5,800'. This required a small section of booting. We skied a traverse staying high skier's right above the lake, then a short boot to the top of the couloir.
It looked like two parties had already skied it during this weather window. It was steep, it was firm, and it was loooong. Sitting above Ma...
It looked like two parties had already skied it during this weather window. It was steep, it was firm, and it was loooong. Sitting above Ma...
The next morning we skinned up Hidden Lake Peak and skied the E ridge down to some cliffs where we found a steep couloir leading down to Hidden Lake. It was quite firm, edges barely gripped after jump turns, would have been more enjoyable a bit later in the day.
We booted up a narrow couloir on the S side of the lake and stopped when we found a thin layer of wind slab on top of some sugary unconsolidated snow. The couloir steepened and choked down to ski width about 100ft above so we...
We booted up a narrow couloir on the S side of the lake and stopped when we found a thin layer of wind slab on top of some sugary unconsolidated snow. The couloir steepened and choked down to ski width about 100ft above so we...
thanks for the report. Afraid your pictures aren't showing up for me.
A quarter of the people who read your note were up there today. Classic day with easily skiable snow from the car to the rim and the usual mix on the way down but generally good quality if you kept to the SW facing smooth areas. Clouded up at the top as I got there so quick transition and no photo. Thnx for the beta- I wish more people posted reports instead of just lurking.
Yeah Cold Creek road is a long way up or down for sure. Great for classic or skate XC endorphin burn though.
As to snowmobiles I could swear we saw tracks up in the upper basin from the highway on Tuesday late afternoon. I talked to someone who skied Silver either Monday or Tuesday (I forget which he said) and he mentioned they'd been having their way with the basin.
As to snowmobiles I could swear we saw tracks up in the upper basin from the highway on Tuesday late afternoon. I talked to someone who skied Silver either Monday or Tuesday (I forget which he said) and he mentioned they'd been having their way with the basin.
Robie:
Very Interesting! I've done Silver peak basin just about every way possible including passing over and back thru Nordic Pass and the way you skied back. My preferred route is ski down to near power lines from grand junction then one skin up from the power lines as you described and then after skiing Silver pea Basin ski back to near the same transition spot and skin back thru grand junction. Transition once in and once out, under the right conditions ve...
Good report, it was nice to see you below Chair Peak Izzy! Paragliding video is here for anyone interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2VXex7BCIQ
Sweet! Way to go guys. That's a route I'd love to ski too. Good choice skipping the Swath for the exit.
I second that "one of the best TRs in a long time" :-) Sounds and looks like an amazing trip, love that blue sky...
March 19, 2020 Summit West
We arrived at 2pm with perfect spring conditions. We parked near the Little Thunder lift and made 2 runs. At 3:30 a light wind began blowing. We saw at least 2 dozen skiers with an assortment of dogs during the time we were there. The walkers and sliders parked near the Julie's lift. When we were here Tuesday we saw a bunch of guys building some small jumps -- these had been flattened by the snowcats by today. The skiers and snowboarders were between th...
We arrived at 2pm with perfect spring conditions. We parked near the Little Thunder lift and made 2 runs. At 3:30 a light wind began blowing. We saw at least 2 dozen skiers with an assortment of dogs during the time we were there. The walkers and sliders parked near the Julie's lift. When we were here Tuesday we saw a bunch of guys building some small jumps -- these had been flattened by the snowcats by today. The skiers and snowboarders were between th...
Thursday 3/19 About as good as it gets .
10 am start perfect ! 4 laps for me ,Jeff and Ken stayed for more.
Drove up seperately per guidelines.
10 am start perfect ! 4 laps for me ,Jeff and Ken stayed for more.
Drove up seperately per guidelines.
Nice pictures! We exchanged a few words at the top of the Chair N shoulder - it was a good day to be up there.
Early spring in Vermont... The TR rocked the day with the pics and tales. Keep on skiing!
Great report, what a way to start the traverse season! That shot of the hare is gruesome, if it was a wolverine I doubt there would be that much left.