TR Replies

The slopes around Lake Valhalla especially below are great.  Wide open old growth 25 degree slopes.    Pictures?

author=Scotsman link=topic=18333.msg77728#msg77728 date=1291785947]
Tim , how come you B'hammers don't post more trip reports?

Actually that's Bellinghamsters.  Meaning there have been many hamster descents of Stone Man.

Thanks for your concern.  Another 30 min, we'd have to use headlamps.  That may have been a good practice since I haven't skied with a headlamp for several years.

Good to know about the parking.  We'll go back soon to ski the West slope in powder.

OP:  Sweet trip!

author=Scotsman link=topic=18333.msg77673#msg77673 date=1291745569]
True , but the hamster is risking a lot even in somebodies pocket. The skier could hip check and squash said hamster.What's the difference between the risks a hamster takes riding in a skiers pocket and a Nascar driver? Same IMHO.

Scotsman, are you implying Nascar is a sport?

I saw your car and was more concerned with how late it was than where it was parked.

It looked like it was plowed for parking and I've seen people park there in the past.

Thanks for the skintrack to Rainy Pass, bramski!  I like the route.  Impatient to get off the road, we have always peeled off Smithbrook road just before the switchbacks at the entrance to the clearcut.  Your route seemed less steep and with less obstructions in the old forest.

author=CookieMonster link=topic=18303.msg77570#msg77570 date=1291664627">
Thanks for the data RonJ. Was this profile excavated in a forested area?

Yes.
A few pics HERE.

author=alecapone link=topic=18333.msg77659#msg77659 date=1291742197]
I wouldn't give that hamster much respect because pockets are aid. Might as well ride a gondola. Now if the hamster goes up and down on his own, that's epic.

True , but the hamster is risking a lot even in somebodies pocket. The skier could hip check and squash said hamster.What's the difference between the risks a hamster takes riding in a skiers...

whiners gonna whine.
haters gonna hate.
Dogs gonna shit in the skin track.


Now back to your regularly scheduled TR's from hiking inside ski area boundaries.

author=Scotsman link=topic=18331.msg77658#msg77658 date=1291741798]
So we were doing an INVENTORY? I knew there had to be some other reason you dragged me down there because it wasn't the good snow. ;)
BTW, your caber tossing technique needs work. ;)

You are the Caber toss master for the midweight division.
A bit of a triathlon it was.
I thought you would enjoy an early season vegetation belay, mixed with sides...

I wouldn't give that hamster much respect because pockets are aid. Might as well ride a gondola. Now if the hamster goes up and down on his own, that's epic.

Zack and slide alder seem to be a common theme this am.

Nice tour. Happy b-day Zack.

My Crystal observations Sunday to late Sunday is that the strong winds have effected the snow on nearly every aspect. Especially on ridgetops with loading on lee slopes. There were very few areas that were protected from any effect. The protected areas were certain convex bowls or drainages that faced NE. Saturday we observed a couple SE nooks that were wind protected by ridgetops, but for the most part even W or SW slopes had some wind effect.
The wind effect was hit and miss on the N-NE s...

If you follow the swale at the first left hairpin you made, on the west side of the creek, you can gain a bench and make a climbing traverse through old growth in to the lower basin of Henry Creek. This route can be dangerous with a lot of new snow and/or later in the season with morning sun as it crosses the toe of several large slide paths.

Thanks for the heads up...we saw a lot of similar evidence, although smaller in size, up north on N-E facing slopes too.

Pierce - We went 9:30 -> 4pm, about a 6 hour tour.

Trees4Me - Yeah, we kind of thought the same thing.  Had we gotten up that ridge a little more expediently I think that Jove would have been a great addition with more vertical.

author=ryanl link=topic=18333.msg77623#msg77623 date=1291693380]
Pretty skied out...

  :D Sorry. _{The emoticon is straight up for Muscawulf.}

Looks pretty out there!

So what's the story with the slide alder hole and the man in it? Is this maybe where the mythical C.H.U.D. comes from? (Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dweller) - google it.

Nice! I did a lot of that today on the other side of Hwy 2...
I think we did the Skyline bowl tour. Zack and Stephanie pulled up to us as we were waiting for the ride back to the parking lot -- a pleasant surprise. And he told us to keep an eye out for you, but we were gone before the sunset.

Happy birthday Zack!

Now if this isn't a perfect example of" YOU POST A TR and people are gonna go to that area".... then I don't know what is.

Whose first for "First Descent with a hamster in my pocket"

author=Snow Bell link=topic=18309.msg77604#msg77604 date=1291684346]
Funny to think that someone had newer skis than Brad on a tour.  ;)

One of these days I'M going to be the one with new skis...AND dynafits!!