TR Replies
MTTA = Mount Tahoma Trails Association Mount Tahoma Ski Trail System is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization that manages "North America's Largest No Fee Hut to Hut Ski Trail". Right now they have 2 huts and 1 yurt, but it is not really hut to hut skiing; it is more like ski to a hut, then hangout (minutes to days; overnight requires reservations), and ski back to the snow park. One hut burned down but is being rebuilt. I...
Fascinating history. We actually own the closest cabin to the one where the fatalities occurred. We hired Garyback when we bought it to confirm that it was the first safe lot. Still very eerie to walk through the slide alder in the summer and find the ruined cabin with crockery and christmas lights strewn around. I didn't know, or had forgotten, that you knew the family, Gary. Would love to host a TAY party up at our place sometime.
author=jwplotz link=topic=20200.msg85759#msg85759 date=1300225834];D
This is indeed shameless...to those of us stuck in a cubicle :(
Great video.
I have not heard about Boulder Hut, these cabins are multiplying fast!
Perhaps you already looked there, but you can find notes about the avalanche under "Yodelin" at the following link:
http://alpenglow.org/ski-history/subjects/S-info.html#ski-areas-lost
http://alpenglow.org/ski-history/subjects/S-info.html#ski-areas-lost
Gary, thanks for the history. It must have been tough for you and others involved.
First Top it was indeed! The artifacts of satellite reception were checked last evening. :)
This is indeed shameless...to those of us stuck in a cubicle :(
Great vid! Thanks for posting!
Great vid! Thanks for posting!
Didn't try any (didn't look too promising given appearance and what we were skiing on) but I suspect it would have been a 2-6 inches of new, moist snow some with a wind crust on top of a breakable rain crust, probably on top of a complex snow base, potentially unstable; very uneven surface from previous melting. Our lunch spot was about 4600 feet asl (location known as Mountain View), just off the trail; when I stepped off my skis I went thru the top soft snow and then the rain crust...
Say, Andy, you must have been on the north block.. How are the turnable slopes looking up there (above and east of the hut)? Probably kind of wet, but still wondering... haven't been up there this year, although visited (and 'skiied') snobowl earlier. In a good year, I liked the route, 59 > 62 > north along rising ridge > then either mellow glades on east aspect or bowl down to below the hut, and back
Great trip report, video was the stuff of great memories.
The mid-January 1971 avalanche incident took out one cabin and damaged another. Both cabins belonged to Seattle neighbors. If you cross the highway from the Stevens Pass housing facility and take the road to the west, then follow it as the road turns north perhaps a hundred or two hundred yards, you are there. The cabins were only 50' or so west of the road.
There was an ice layer on top of which it snowed 99" in three days, warming as the storm progressed. The avalanche ha...
There was an ice layer on top of which it snowed 99" in three days, warming as the storm progressed. The avalanche ha...
Weaver! Good to see you back in the saddle - or should I say at the loom. That sounds like a good morning workout. Call me next time - I'll donate some yarns.
My very 1st and 2nd days in Washington state in the Spring of 1983 at 20-yrs-old, I solo-toured from Cayuse Pass to Paradise, skiing over ridges, glaciers, etc. I camped on the edge of the lower Ingraham Glacier, traversed to just below Anvil and then skied down to Paradise, before hitching back to my car as Stevens Canyon road opened. I haven't been back to that little region much since. Very cool to see what you're up to Kyle! Get it!
Thanks Chuck
Good thinking, it's good to hear what you were thinking. Not being there it's hard to define the conditions remotely.
Good thinking, it's good to hear what you were thinking. Not being there it's hard to define the conditions remotely.
author=Joedabaker link=topic=20140.msg85597#msg85597 date=1300080486]
Glad you used your instincts and did not go under Chair Peak.
I can appreciate your motivation, but what did you see as safe that drove your motivation further out up the drainage in the snow given forecast and visible signs of high avy danger? What made you feel it was safe enough to proceed, even with the "B" plan goal of Pineapple to Denny Creek? IMO the fog was a blessing...
Yes, now corrected. It was the 13th. This was actually my first time at WP as I usually go to Rainier or northward. It's still a pretty long drive from Elbe on hwy 7, but seems like there is potential for low elevation/low angle touring when the Park shuts down. We couldn't see much...
Wow.
We were up there skiing the trees on the west side of the creek. Saw a large group of Mazamas on skis and four climbers on snowshoes heading for Bullion on the summer trail under east peak. Hope they all got out of there safely before it cut loose.
We were up there skiing the trees on the west side of the creek. Saw a large group of Mazamas on skis and four climbers on snowshoes heading for Bullion on the summer trail under east peak. Hope they all got out of there safely before it cut loose.
Col ,
Do you have the date right ? Could it have been sunday the 13th?
Very curious about area north of white pass as a alternative when longmire gate is not open .
Thanks
Do you have the date right ? Could it have been sunday the 13th?
Very curious about area north of white pass as a alternative when longmire gate is not open .
Thanks
Come and visit anytime, we are not that far. ;)
It looks as though a The NW facing nose of East Peak slabbed overnight.
I was on the opposing side of the valley but from where I stood it looked to be 3 feet deep and hundreds of feet wide.
The summer trail was hit pretty hard by the avi debris.
I was on the opposing side of the valley but from where I stood it looked to be 3 feet deep and hundreds of feet wide.
The summer trail was hit pretty hard by the avi debris.
author=Kyle Miller link=topic=20070.msg85520#msg85520 date=1299977156]
Do you have any lessons learned from the close call?
Just because you ski cut and cornice bomb something it doesn't mean it can't slide.
I noticed that the snow in front of me was moving so I kept up my speed and did a quick traverse right into the trees. I saw that it was coming for me so I slid to the downside of a tree and hugged it for dear life. THe ava...
Great pics, looks like a wonderful place, makes me want to move to Canada.
Glad you got him out in the sun one more time! Poor guy had to ski storm snow for almost the whole trip...
Glad to see some of the photos did work out. Thank you again Scott and Brian. It was the greatest Birthday Lashing I've had. Great way to spend the day. I hope to get back out there soon, perhaps after finals...
awesome Brian!
great day for the ridge when you can't see much. Just watch out for giant man swallowing holes down lower.
where at Zack? Where you transitioning in the north side talus field?
Turns out there where a lot of people I knew up there, and a whole slough of new split boarders.
great day for the ridge when you can't see much. Just watch out for giant man swallowing holes down lower.
where at Zack? Where you transitioning in the north side talus field?
Turns out there where a lot of people I knew up there, and a whole slough of new split boarders.
Glad you used your instincts and did not go under Chair Peak.
I can appreciate your motivation, but what did you see as safe that drove your motivation further out up the drainage in the snow given forecast and visible signs of high avy danger? What made you feel it was safe enough to proceed, even with the "B" plan goal of Pineapple to Denny Creek? IMO the fog was a blessing in disguise to turn you around even if the trip was maybe kinda running the gamut. Given the conditions, i...
I can appreciate your motivation, but what did you see as safe that drove your motivation further out up the drainage in the snow given forecast and visible signs of high avy danger? What made you feel it was safe enough to proceed, even with the "B" plan goal of Pineapple to Denny Creek? IMO the fog was a blessing in disguise to turn you around even if the trip was maybe kinda running the gamut. Given the conditions, i...
I thought I saw Scott back there. Amazing the difference between North and South slopes.
You must be British with that wording! Not heard that for a while.
Hi Irena, Scott, Justin - great to see you guys up there - fun times indeed!!
Oyvind (Joe and Kevin) :)
Oyvind (Joe and Kevin) :)
Do you have any lessons learned from the close call?
Just because you ski cut and cornice bomb something it doesn't mean it can't slide.
I noticed that the snow in front of me was moving so I kept up my speed and did a quick traverse right into the trees. I saw that it was coming for me so I slid to the downside of a tree and hugged it for dear life. THe avalanche came within 5 feet of me.
As for the traverse.
There are many ways that it could be...
Just because you ski cut and cornice bomb something it doesn't mean it can't slide.
I noticed that the snow in front of me was moving so I kept up my speed and did a quick traverse right into the trees. I saw that it was coming for me so I slid to the downside of a tree and hugged it for dear life. THe avalanche came within 5 feet of me.
As for the traverse.
There are many ways that it could be...
Thanks. I should have realized that if anyone, Skoog would know about and have done it, and written it up in detail as well. The historical accounts are eye-openers. I never realized how much ski history preceded the development of Crystal in that area.
Also, it was affirming to read about Lowell's pleasure in traversing hard snow, as I too have enjoyed those type of days: moving swiftly across great distances in the alpine with minimal elevation loss.
It looks l...
Also, it was affirming to read about Lowell's pleasure in traversing hard snow, as I too have enjoyed those type of days: moving swiftly across great distances in the alpine with minimal elevation loss.
It looks l...
Skoog's site has some good info, though he went Pardise to Cayuse (including Little T) and then Crystal to Cayuse some time later. Read for yourself:
http://www.alpenglow.org/skiing/crystal-1991/index.html
http://www.alpenglow.org/skiing/cayuse-2001/index.html
Cheers
http://www.alpenglow.org/skiing/crystal-1991/index.html
http://www.alpenglow.org/skiing/cayuse-2001/index.html
Cheers
It's great to see your papa is raising you as a tele-tot. 8)
I hope you didn't get a boo-boo on your sockless heel.
I hope you didn't get a boo-boo on your sockless heel.
author=Col link=topic=20070.msg85488#msg85488 date=1299917223]
I've been eyeing the potential for a Crystal -> Paradise Traverse, and I'm really interested to see you putting pieces of that together. I assume so, but don't know if anyone has done this before. It looks reasonable: about 20 mi. and 10k vert, all above about 5ooo', and could include Little T. It gets easier by starting from Cayuse pass after the road opens, and could likely...
author=Col link=topic=20070.msg85488#msg85488 date=1299917223">
I've been eyeing the potential for a Crystal -> Paradise Traverse, and I'm really interested to see you putting pieces of that together. I assume so, but don't know if anyone has done this before. It looks reasonable: about 20 mi. and 10k vert, all above about 5ooo', and could include Little T. It gets easier by starting from Cayuse pass after the road opens, and could likel...
author=alpentalcorey link=topic=20104.msg85491#msg85491 date=1299938972]
Looks like I'm quite in the minority on this one but I much prefer TRs that do include the location. The issue has been debated many times since the early days here, no need to fight old battles, just didn't want it to seem like a unanimous opinion.
It is kind of fun to guess, I guess.
I liked Amar's suggestion in the long thread of splitting Random T...
I'm with alpentalcorey on this, but also agree with everyone else - any info is better than none, so thanks Haggis. It would be cool to have a way to aggregate all the snow info on an area into one easy to read spot. TRs like this could be posted there, more extensive TRs (with some story, more pics, perhaps even location, etc.) would still be posted in the TR section.
actually, he took the photo on the way to cumquat coolie..
Dash is rad!
even with his dad's retro sticks.
Dash is rad!
even with his dad's retro sticks.
Nice work guys!!!
20 miles 10 k is right up kyles alley....
20 miles 10 k is right up kyles alley....
Looks like I'm quite in the minority on this one but I much prefer TRs that do include the location. The issue has been debated many times since the early days here, no need to fight old battles, just didn't want it to seem like a unanimous opinion.
It is kind of fun to guess, I guess.
I liked Amar's suggestion in the long thread of splitting Random Tracks with a Snow/Weather/Avy section. I could imagine an ongoing thread with snowpack and conditions update...
It is kind of fun to guess, I guess.
I liked Amar's suggestion in the long thread of splitting Random Tracks with a Snow/Weather/Avy section. I could imagine an ongoing thread with snowpack and conditions update...
author=ski_photomatt link=topic=20104.msg85484#msg85484 date=1299912220]
+1 .. I appreciate the conditions update and don't care or want to know the exact location (to minimize the herd mentality)
I agree with that. Pics can be fun, to try to decifer a locale out of them! Otherwise, I appreciate seeing any info to no TR at all.
John, aka. "oh cryptic one"!
Thank you for the report. Exactly the info I needed.
author=Kyle Miller link=topic=20070.msg85260#msg85260 date=1299708398]
I was lucky/fortunate enough to figure out what was going on before it was too late.
Yes. Wow. Thanks.
I was thinking of you while looking into Crystal Lakes Basin today from the Boxcar. Stoked to see all the amazing work you (guys) are doing out there.
I've been eyeing the potential for a Crystal -> Paradise Traverse, and I'm...