TR Replies
somehow i missed the 2nd on picasa this morn .. yeah duh .. totally .. it must've been cause the 1st was so stunning .. what a beautiful day up there .. i'm so jealous
pure awesomeness .. the climbs .. the tr .. and all the beautiful pix .. o yeah .. and the turns .. i almost missed them on the videos ..
Very cool way to see the super moon, glad you had a good trip!
Glad to hear the snowpack was cooperating with your plans. looks like a beautiful day in the backyard. Did the strong winds on sunday affect the area? Hope to get up there next weekend.
Just one "educational" pic. The big fracture line across, maybe a few feet deep...
Man that looks like a fun day....nice work
Thanks for sharing the realities of backcountry touring. Your groups observations and decisionmaking made it a safe "roundtrip".
WOW, great TR and photos. The embedded video clips were nice. You guys are climbing machines. ;)
Thanks for the report. Well, at least I've shared the experience of staying the Merrit Super 8 a few times. On trips home from the Selkirks where we got out late. I've tried to convince my pals to go up and try some of those slopes but they're always eager to get home after a hard week of skiing further NE. I appreciate the inspiration to go make it a destination all unto itself sometime.
Great TR Ryan! And thanks for a great day. That sure was a fun way to spend the last day of winter.
Fantastic photos and narrative Ryan!
The tears are welling....beautiful report Ryan. Wistful and celebratory. Loved seeing and reading the words.
The Super 8 in Merritt, about 45 minutes from the pass. Although the heated picnic area at the rest stop looked tempting.
Thanks for highlighting an area few of us have toured. All the photos provide a glimpse of the variety of terrain. Where did you spend the evening ?
NWAC had been talking about hugh corninces for more than a week and I saw them on many ridges and features of most aspects around Stevens. There were some huge ones on north aspects. With temps climbing into the mid 40's and higher I expect they will continue to come crashing down with greater and greater frequency for a few days. I am glad that you were not in the path of that monster.
author=alecapone link=topic=20263.msg86069#msg86069 date=1300729958]
and when I say skin, I mean skin!
I put my mantra of follow no tracks away for the day and followed a well worn path to where it was I did not intend on going. Snow was wet and sticky in the open, and firm and edgeable in the trees where it had been bombed to death. Upon reaching the end of the track I was greeted with naked bodies and giggles soaking in hot water.
Afte...
Sweet indeed to catch the slot in such great conditions and without the usual hordes. Nice day.
Thanks John - Cyclops seems to have contracted a cataract... or maybe just went snow blind. back to the opthamologist we go. I think some duct tape will do it.
Here's some salvaged footage
Here's some salvaged footage
Yes, thanks Chuck. Beautiful day. Good company. Great time. Appreciated you leading the way. - Doug
Thanks Lowell,
It helps to be boarderline obsessive complsive. At least the obsessive part of it. :)
I used jute cord by the way. It won't melt, stays fairly cool. You do it the same way you serve the end of a line or sheet used on a sailboat. I also did the same to the lifter ring on the lid. All of this saves melting holes in the liner gloves, of which I have a collection with various size holes.
It helps to be boarderline obsessive complsive. At least the obsessive part of it. :)
I used jute cord by the way. It won't melt, stays fairly cool. You do it the same way you serve the end of a line or sheet used on a sailboat. I also did the same to the lifter ring on the lid. All of this saves melting holes in the liner gloves, of which I have a collection with various size holes.
Nice Stefan! I see you had the Cyclops deployed. Post up the vid!
^^^ pretty much the whole story. Sunny aspects held a crust through much of the day; skinning up in the morning felt like Spring. Shady pow was very nice. Took our last lap in the magic hour where the sun had softened the previous day's crust into oblivion, allowing center-punched clearings on the way home.
Looked like the N and W sides of Humpback had sizeable glide cracks/slabs. S aspects had small point-sluffs that ran a ways on the crust. Got a few inconsequential pinwheels i...
Looked like the N and W sides of Humpback had sizeable glide cracks/slabs. S aspects had small point-sluffs that ran a ways on the crust. Got a few inconsequential pinwheels i...
Boy Larry, you have it dialed. I'm impressed.
I have a little coffee pot like that but I never thought to wrap the handles. (They do get hot.)
Snow camping as performance art. ;)
I have a little coffee pot like that but I never thought to wrap the handles. (They do get hot.)
Snow camping as performance art. ;)
Try this link to Jane's pics:
http://cid-789fee38f6cd222c.photos.live.com/play.aspx/Sasse%20Ridge%20snow%20camp
Thanks Jane,
http://cid-789fee38f6cd222c.photos.live.com/play.aspx/Sasse%20Ridge%20snow%20camp
Thanks Jane,
Here are a few views of my tent area and a couple hints about how I do things. Not as neat as Larry, but it works for me.
http://cid-789fee38f6cd222c.photos.live.com/play.aspx/Sasse%20Ridge%20snow%20camp
Jane
http://cid-789fee38f6cd222c.photos.live.com/play.aspx/Sasse%20Ridge%20snow%20camp
Jane
We spied that snowboard run to the bottom as we skied out to the Hill. Glad you were able to get out and enjoy the powder while it lasts! This is what it looked like on the north side!
author=GaryJan link=topic=20245.msg86002#msg86002 date=1300595379]
I imagine that did get your attention! Did this release on the section of ridge just before you start the climb to Hurricane Hill? Nice shot of Al with the Bailey Range as a backdrop.
Gary
Yes
That slide zone is just above the area where you would normally cut below the ridgeline and head into the treed zone to the bowl. That entire rid...
Had a great time! I still have so much to learn. Thanks for letting me tag along.
Nice tour John!
conditions sound awesome. thanks for the lichtenlove.
conditions sound awesome. thanks for the lichtenlove.
Fun read Stefan!
Envious of the great day you had. Looks sweet!
Envious of the great day you had. Looks sweet!
I imagine that did get your attention! Did this release on the section of ridge just before you start the climb to Hurricane Hill? Nice shot of Al with the Bailey Range as a backdrop.
Gary
Gary
Nice Doug,
We made it out that way today, the amount of snow is incredible.
Great pictures. :)
Gary and Jan
We made it out that way today, the amount of snow is incredible.
Great pictures. :)
Gary and Jan
Man I wish I hadn't opened this thread ;)
We were up there for a three day session last week (March 11-13). Friday we were last out of the barn but still managed to get in 11 laps. Saturday we were first out but after 2 laps the fog rolled in and we headed back. The other 2 groups never made it out. Sunday the first group went out and got 2 laps, the second group left twice and came back twice without setting down and we never made it out, again due...
We were up there for a three day session last week (March 11-13). Friday we were last out of the barn but still managed to get in 11 laps. Saturday we were first out but after 2 laps the fog rolled in and we headed back. The other 2 groups never made it out. Sunday the first group went out and got 2 laps, the second group left twice and came back twice without setting down and we never made it out, again due...
Fun fun fun! I'm glad I managed to get a day off work while we still have soft snow to ski, and that you guys were headed out today! I love the light in the photo.
When will we say start saying "this thread is useless without video?" I love the short clips.
When will we say start saying "this thread is useless without video?" I love the short clips.
Found similar conditions up on Red. Good cream for the first 1000 feet, then crusty on open slopes below. Mostly soft through the Commonwealth on the way out though. Great day, and the snowpack seems to be settling nicely (above the MLK crust anyway).
Dug a pit: CT23, Q2 about 30cm down. There was a Q1 layer 60-70cm down, but nothing yielded on compression tests.
Dug a pit: CT23, Q2 about 30cm down. There was a Q1 layer 60-70cm down, but nothing yielded on compression tests.
Skim is perhaps the wrong word, but at least the crust was supportable. On a quick trip through the Alpy BC once we were done, I popped a wee windslab (6"x10' crown, 10-15' run) on a roll above Source Lake.
Pretty up there when the clouds drifted away.
Pretty up there when the clouds drifted away.
It's not hard to understand how you could get addicted. Heliskiing is high on my to do list.
As my Father-in-law says, 1/8 off a large number is still a large number!
Does look fun though.
Does look fun though.
Very exciting!
That debris pile is much more reassuring than a waterfall and gaping snow cave :)
That debris pile is much more reassuring than a waterfall and gaping snow cave :)
Al: Nice work getting in there this winter. This is a tour that only rewards those who really watch conditions and snowpack. In '07, Ben and I watched and waited, and were rewarded with a sunny day and much soft snow. Hope you are able to get back there in the future to the notch. You'll hear the full instrumentation of any jazz group you choose! To top it off, the look south is spectacular!!
Yeah Scott, I think you're right -- that's not quite the same line in Yana's pic. The one you went up is sort of disguised out of sight, facing across the valley below that line, I think. They branch apart at the top, if I'm remembering right -- looking down from the col between Middle and North is the line in the pic. Pretty steep just below the top.