TR Replies

Great thread on snow quality. I skied Ski Acres on Tuesday with my son in the morning and it was as light and dry as I think we ever get in the PNW. Yet I could still control my speed through snow resistance. I concur that our snow tends to consolidate quickly even with persistent cool temps, as we experienced for a few days this week.

I caught one of those Utah days that everyone talks about two years ago on a business trip. Sunny day with 2 feet of new that had fallen 2 days earlier...

11/26/10 3:26am

ron j

Hyak first time skiing!

Welcome to TAY and the joys and challenges of backcountry skiing.

11/25/10 11:32pm

ron j

author=arcticcat2 link=topic=18126.msg76662#msg76662 date=1290750584]
My daughter is 2 years old and she has been skiing in the backpack since she was 6 weeks

My apologies; wrong articcat ::)

I'll bet that 2 year old has a ball skiing with you.

11/25/10 11:24pm

MattT

dude, thats heros work

author=arcticcat2 link=topic=18126.msg76662#msg76662 date=1290750584]
My daughter is 2 years old and she has been skiing in the backpack since she was 6 weeks

I recommend the baby bejorn for under 18 pounds and The dueter backpack for 18+ pounds
She has probably gone 50-70 days in a backpack
Trips include mission ridge to bluett pass, Kendall stump, snow lake, hyak, top of alpental, 2,000' on hood

11/25/10 3:47pm

arcticcat2

My daughter is 2 years old and she has been skiing in the backpack since she was 6 weeks

I recommend the baby bejorn for under 18 pounds and The dueter backpack for 18+ pounds
She has probably gone 50-70 days in a backpack
Trips include mission ridge to bluett pass, Kendall stump, snow lake, hyak, top of alpental, 2,000' on hood

11/25/10 1:49pm

markharf

Thanks Garth. But forget about Silas, willya? Give me an expense account and I'm gone.

11/25/10 11:16am

ron j

author=skinup link=topic=18126.msg76653#msg76653 date=1290731506]
How old and how heavy is your daughter?

IF he's the same "articcat" I know his daughter is 47.
Nothing good could come from my trying to guess her weight.

Andrew Carey

nice video!

silaswild

author=snoholic link=topic=18132.msg76651#msg76651 date=1290727216]
Strange dense 20 degree non hero snow today. The backside is looking prime, wish we had time to hit it.

Well, that confirms it for me. Central and West on any given day will have drier conditions, perhaps as a function of their higher base altitude, in my opinion. It was very nice skiing both West and Central, one lap each, after being available to teach a...

11/25/10 9:55am

skinup

Nov 23, 2010, Summit East, WA - First turns vid

How old and how heavy is your daughter?

I've got a little guy, and I've wondered about doing the same thing.

Did she seem to have a good time?

11/25/10 8:31am

The Snow Troopers

author=cchapin link=topic=18108.msg76608#msg76608 date=1290656484]
nice vid. is it pretty tracked now? was thinking of going there tomorrow before dinner, or even central its not groomed yet (doubt it)

Had some snow today, so I hope you made it up for untracked lines still to be had somewhere around here.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

11/25/10 8:15am

cchapin

November 25, 2010, Summit West and Central

great morning to get out before the big dinner.

did a lap on Hyak then went over and checked out Central, Alpine Face.

coverage is still low, 2-3 feet, some melt water low spots. have a few new scratches on my bases. nothing major. the powder has consolidated a lot.

saw arcticcat2 going up Hyak with his daugher. fun ride for her down.

11/25/10 6:47am

Garth_Ferber

Silas - Checking the 24 hour water/24 hour snow for Crystal base via the 10 day data on the NWAC web site I see:

ending 4 am 22 Nov .27"/7" = .039 = 3.8%

ending 4 am 23 Nov .61"/7" = .087 = 8.7%

ending 4 am 24 Nov no new snow

But what fell as 7" at the wind sheltered base may measure less up on the mountainside if abused by wind (as Kneel Turner pointed out), or after some consolidation...

11/25/10 6:06am

gorp

11/24/10 Tatoosh

bc_skier- Coverage was fantastic, not an issue.

Rusty Knees- We ascended Narada face breaking trail with knee-high ski penetration. We expected to have to take it slow on the way down it due to hidden obstacles but we didn't hit anything. Ironically, it ended up being the deepest mini-run of the day--one continuous face-shot. I wish every tour ended that way.

Here are some shaky-handed, fogged-up iPhone shots to give you an idea. It starts with a shot of Narada...

11/25/10 5:06am

markharf

5% snow is not uncommon here. If you want, compare recent precip totals to accumulated snowfall totals at any of the usual telemetry sites recently--Baker, Paradise, Washington Pass etc. Often you'll find snow falling at 5% or less moisture content.

Of course, it then rapidly consolidates even during cold temps, particularly when blown around by the wind or piled deeply. It's not the norm to find deep, unconsolidated snow at 5% moisture content here, but it...

11/25/10 5:04am

Rusty Knees

11/24/10 Tatoosh

author=gorp link=topic=18119.msg76623#msg76623 date=1290667027]
It hit me in the face a lot. I liked it.

;D ;D ;D

Hey Gorpy! He likes it!

How was Narada face? 4 days ago it was a no go on downhill. Glad you had such good snow. I'm jealous!

11/25/10 3:25am

bc_skier

11/24/10 Tatoosh

Was there plenty of coverage on the approach above Reflection Lake? I assume it might have been a little thin?

Thanks

11/25/10 12:22am

Scotsman

Nov 22, 2010, Stevens Pass

author=Snow Bell link=topic=18111.msg76622#msg76622 date=1290666587]
I had better look into this myself....

No need to. I will give you an hourly update from my iphone like Silas. You can ski vicariously through my powder tweets..........except I don't have an iphone.

11/24/10 3:51pm

telemack

Thanks for the report and welcome to TAY. :)

11/24/10 2:42pm

Snow Bell

I had better look into this myself....

11/24/10 2:29pm

Kneel Turner

Me thinks the wind did it.

Flakes get beat up in the wind, bumping into each other, trees, blowing up and over ridges, etc.

Broken snowflakes are much more dense than whole flakes when they come to rest and pile up.

So maybe the water content refers to the frozen solid, not the pile of broken frozen pieces you so blissfully ski through, even though it's C-C-C-COLD!?

11/24/10 2:26pm

Scotsman

author=silaswild link=topic=18111.msg76613#msg76613 date=1290659908] We heard that the snow today was 5% moist, as compared to Utah normal of 8%; :)
Amar? Bryan? Garth?

I don't believe it.... I want scientific proof, charts and graphs and an in depth analysis.
Felt like very good PNW pow but not Utah pow.... I still think you are exaggerating.

11/24/10 1:57pm

bobS

author=yesman link=topic=18110.msg76606#msg76606 date=1290655241]
Great day out there - here's a few more pics.

schweet pics yesman! & welcome to TAY!

11/24/10 1:39pm

bobS

author=silaswild link=topic=18111.msg76613#msg76613 date=1290659908]
We heard that the snow today was 5% moist, as compared to Utah normal of 8%.

Wow, 5% sounds really light. It has been a LONG time since I have skied Utah so I won't make that comparison. The snow we hit on Tuesday was offically "Hero Snow". Skiing that stuff was about as much work as sitting in a hot tub drinking a beer. Seriously my boards (don&#...

11/24/10 1:24pm

silaswild

author=Joedabaker link=topic=18111.msg76611#msg76611 date=1290658335]
The upper and middle hill were just magic.

Yup. That's where we stayed all day.

author=Scotsman link=topic=18111.msg76612#msg76612 date=1290658622]
I think Utah pow an exaggeration for any of it, frankly.

Yesterday sounds like it was different, deeper; today was only knee deep fluff on a thic...

11/24/10 12:38pm

Scotsman

author=Joedabaker link=topic=18111.msg76611#msg76611 date=1290658335]
Yesterday in places it was too.
Could be because I ski on those narrow ass skis compared to Scotsman's standards.

It all felt like Utah pow on my 125mm boards! ;)
I think Utah pow an exaggeration for any of it, frankly.
It was The finest PNW pow though and had that nice density to push against.
It will be terrible tomorrow though a...

11/24/10 12:17pm

Joedabaker

Nov 23, 2010, Summit East, WA - First turns vid

author=silaswild link=topic=18111.msg76596#msg76596 date=1290644991]
The snow was nearly knee deep and Utah quality.

Yesterday in places it was too.
If Utah has the world's greatest snow, I hope for the sake of that claim Utah's snow is a little lighter. There were three times when the density of the snow brought me to a complete stop pointing straight downhill on relatively decent pitches. Thigh deep, trying to e...

11/24/10 12:12pm

cchapin

nice vid. is it pretty tracked now? was thinking of going there tomorrow before dinner, or even central its not groomed yet (doubt it)

11/24/10 11:41am

yesman

Great day out there - here's a few more pics.

11/24/10 11:20am

CookieMonster

Pleasure to meet you as well BobS ... you are also a machine!

11/24/10 11:11am

David_Coleman

Way to keep getting after it, Silas....

11/24/10 10:28am

bobS

author=Scotsman link=topic=18110.msg76587#msg76587 date=1290638630]
Nice to meet you bobS but sssshhhhhhhhh...keep it quiet....we don't want Silas to find out!

Oops! I think he is onto it- but with no photos to prove it, it may be a scam. Notice how I didn't spell out the exact location and subtly tried to direct him to exterminator by implying that it wasn't that good?

"Dick Cheney Skiing&qu...

11/24/10 9:01am

silaswild

November 23, 2010, North Seattle on skinny skis

Rex lift was running so ski patrol could get around and mark unpleasant areas. Groomers were doing their duty as well, and gave us easy skinning. It was snowing lightly, trying unsuccessfully to clear. Breeze seemed to be coming from the NW, so we stayed in Memorial Forest all day to avoid it and have better visibility.

The snow was nearly knee deep and Utah quality. Friends reported some wind affect on the King and other ridge crests. Skinning with a 27yo made me feel like a 62yo...

11/24/10 8:29am

Seth

author=Lowell_Skoog link=topic=18097.msg76564#msg76564 date=1290618420]
I'm waiting to hear Seattleites complain about salt damage to their cars (after complaining two years ago about no salt). Just wait... ;)

I'm going to start the complaining. My bicycle is full of salt. I'm worried about my drivetrain!

11/24/10 8:18am

CookieMonster

author=Joedabaker link=topic=18110.msg76590#msg76590 date=1290641251]Definitely Dick Cheney skiing, lots of face shots.

LOL

It was a great day; you guys are machines!

11/24/10 7:44am

Joedabaker

Good to meet you guys.
Yeah, my goggles were getting pushed up my face going through the carwash of powder!
Didn't get any action shots, due to the excess of face shots.
Definitely Dick Cheney skiing, lots of face shots.
Used the NTN Scarpa TX-Pro's for AT that day.
Check my feedback in Random Tracks

11/24/10 7:27am

Scotsman

November 23, 2010, Hidden Lake Peak

Nice to meet you bobS but sssshhhhhhhhh...keep it quiet....we don't want Silas to find out!

11/24/10 6:43am

bobS

sweet! That "trail" looks a little sketchy -but the turns look like it was worth it!

11/24/10 5:51am

Marcus

November 20, 2010, Alpental skin

You are not helping. Jerk. ;)

11/24/10 5:49am

juan

We skinned up Alpental yesterday. Upper nash was so good (deep and light) we lapped it three times then headed down through more vertically challenged terrain. Killer 1st day for this guy-

11/24/10 4:54am

The Snow Troopers

author=The Snow Troopers link=topic=18095.msg76570#msg76570 date=1290622276]
*Loading a video of a couple face shots up here yesterday, will post a link later.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=158272750883253

11/24/10 4:32am

lumenation

11/22 Queen Anne - 800 W Howe St

author=Tophervw link=topic=18095.msg76568#msg76568 date=1290620522]
Does anybody know the verdict on Summit East's operating schedule for the 2010-2011 season. Will they be running the new lift 7 days a week? Are the dawn patrollers going to get run out of there this season?

I've heard weekends only for Hyak.

11/24/10 4:23am

savegondor

author=acarey link=topic=18099.msg76540#msg76540 date=1290565619]
Doesn't even compare to the turns the Metro bus was doing on the video on Cliff Mass' blog ... but at least you did take advantage of the prevailing conditions :-)

I know~!!!! that was an awesome Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhZCyQ3emQg

11/24/10 4:12am

Paulina

Wish I was free to ski yesterday... thanks for posting!

11/24/10 3:36am

The Snow Troopers

author=cchapin link=topic=18095.msg76569#msg76569 date=1290621867]
The operating schedule for East has not been released yet. The only schedule out is for West.

My guess is Hyak will now be closed to dawn patrollers. The plan is to leave the terrain there ungroomed. I don't think paying customers will appreciate dawn patrollers taking their lines\interferring with their safety.

Don't quote me on this though. Time will tell.<...

11/24/10 2:11am

cchapin