TR Replies
Some pictures:
Nisqually chute looking good
Crown on the Wilson
Nisqually chute looking good
Crown on the Wilson
Just as we got near the crater rim (14180 ft), I suddenly spotted two sets of skis-on-packs, poking up over a small roll ahead. My other two partners were arriving via Nisqually Cleaver, perfect timing within a minute or so ahead of us.
I was wondering about the tracks that headed west from Muir to below the Nisqually icecliff that I saw Saturday. I didn't realize there was a route that went up the cleaver. Looks serac-fille...
author=daveb link=topic=16655.msg69793#msg69793 date=1273876289]
Yeah Amar!! Congrats on your first skin to the summit. Did you celebrate by showing some skin on the summit?
Just what you see in the summit photo, Dave, sorry to disappoint you.
NOTE: I just replaced the original brief summary report with the full detailed version of the TR, about 4x longer with 7 more photos. Previous replies above were made based on th...
Thanks again Amar. It was a lot of fun to share a few of your spring turns this week!
I put some photos up on Picasa
http://picasaweb.google.com/paresh.kamdar/MtBakerEastonGlacierSki?authkey=Gv1sRgCLjmw67ljr7--gE#
-Paresh
I put some photos up on Picasa
http://picasaweb.google.com/paresh.kamdar/MtBakerEastonGlacierSki?authkey=Gv1sRgCLjmw67ljr7--gE#
-Paresh
Nice TR Amar. You serve up some of the best ones around. Skied the Easton yesterday in similar conditions. We tried to drop in on the Park Headwall but couldn't commit to a second turn (twice!) due to firm/icy conditions. We did ski the upper Roosevelt in a mixture of powder turning to windblown ice. The south side was definitely the best skiing...Stacy got a paraglider flight from the crater, and high speed sled laps on the Easton were a treat! Snow remained good down to 6k for the duratio...
I hear ya Dave. Guess what I'm doing today? That's right, working. And, here it is 8:30 on a Sunday morning!
Way to be getting after it Amar.
Way to be getting after it Amar.
that as Tanner Hall who broke both ankles last year. Something with high kicker but small landing and he overshot it into flat. Cant remember exactly
Sorry I missed you, I left the lot at 10, got to Muir at 12:45, skied to Pebble Creek, back up slowly to Moon Rocks, and out to the car at 3. I'm amazed we didn't see/recognize each other... Glad you had a fun week!
So glad to hear that Philippe and Rachel are back again this year - I wish I'd dropped by the hut.
So glad to hear that Philippe and Rachel are back again this year - I wish I'd dropped by the hut.
Cool I wonder what the conditions would be like now.
author=prestonf link=topic=16670.msg69827#msg69827 date=1273978836]
The road still isn't plowed all the way to the lake, but it's not very far in. It's easy to get in and out of the main basin if you brave the drainage with the running water at the bottom; once up a little ways, it mellows out.
Jill hates that drainage and the running water adds an interesting water feature. But the option...
Glad to see you're getting all these great summits Amar! I was staring out the office windows downtown looking at Baker wondering if I knew anyone up there.
I am glad you posted, Lar. Good thing I missed it until this afternoon or I might have psyched myself out of skiing today. Beautiful out, great views, if less than optimal conditions. Must have been gorgeous in camp Thursday afternoon, I had a nice bikeride home from work. Sometimes the camp experience more than makes up for the snow!
This year in the Teanaway it is a race between the snow consolidating and there not being enough left to ski. There's stil...
This year in the Teanaway it is a race between the snow consolidating and there not being enough left to ski. There's stil...
author=Monika link=topic=16663.msg69813#msg69813 date=1273901288]
...but while carrying my skis I asked myself, "so why am I hiking when I can be skiing from the car???"
I've done that before. Carried my skis once for 3 days... last 2 in torrential rains; all the while asking myself the same question. Made me feel like I just didn't have good sense.
The hikers made it even worse by asking "so how wa...
Jim, Bridgeport is reportedly the coldest location in CA but the Travertine Hot Springs are a wonderful place to relax, suck a cold one and gaze at Sawtooth Ridge and the Matterhorn.
Lundy ;D
The 29th was a fun powder day for Jill and I at Mammoth.
Lundy ;D
The 29th was a fun powder day for Jill and I at Mammoth.
author=Rusty Knees link=topic=16657.msg69775#msg69775 date=1273844730]
... At Alpy we think they're driving the cats up and down to install new lifty shacks.
For the past couple of years the TGR film crews take over/rent/borrow Stevens for a while after they close. I have skinned up past some insane looking jumps; I think somebody broke both ankles last year.
http://live.tetongravity.com/_Stevens-Pass-the-Big-Do...
We skied in there a couple weeks ago, probably one of my favorite places to ski around Mt Hood. We saw signs of what I thought to be marmots, hundreds of tracks and 3 small burrows.
Nice job on the skis.
Nice job on the skis.
author=Jim Oker link=topic=16659.msg69796#msg69796 date=1273884383]
Nice. Did you get a sense of how thick the crust was before getting down into lower density snow?
I'd guess only an inch or two. A deep freeze would definitely go a long way right about now. You definitely want to get up there early if you go; especially if you plan on riding southern aspects.
Nice. Did you get a sense of how thick the crust was before getting down into lower density snow?
Nice I'm glad it has finally turned into corn up there. At least for part of the day.
Yeah Amar!! Congrats on your first skin to the summit. Did you celebrate by showing some skin on the summit?
Sweet lines on the north buttress couloir - you guys rock! Got a few pics of you guys coming down - PM me if you want high res versions.
Skin to the summit, ski to the car? NICE!
Moscawulf and I did Alpental a few evenings ago, with similar snow conditions. At Alpy we think they're driving the cats up and down to install new lifty shacks.
We climbed up through Upper International to the top of the chair, then skied down the top 100 ft of breakable crust over mush, the next few hundred feet of pretty good mush, crossed over to Adrenalin, and it was pretty good, then down Lower Nash. Finished in the dark, and had a beer at the bottom sitt...
We climbed up through Upper International to the top of the chair, then skied down the top 100 ft of breakable crust over mush, the next few hundred feet of pretty good mush, crossed over to Adrenalin, and it was pretty good, then down Lower Nash. Finished in the dark, and had a beer at the bottom sitt...
Wow, I had no idea so many people were going to be in AK -- could have made some turns together. Lovely place.
Here's another shot -- rare photo of the back of my head -- looking toward the group of peaks named after birds:
Here's another shot -- rare photo of the back of my head -- looking toward the group of peaks named after birds:
author=Amar Andalkar link=topic=16655.msg69750#msg69750 date=1273791699]
Summary: ... basically unskiable without kick turns, and perhaps the worst ski conditions I've ever encountered in over 400 days of backcountry skiing.
Ouch! Sounds like we need some summerlike weather to take the edge off.
Thanks Amar. Your pics are a big help. As for snow conditions, we'll likely be finding out on Saturday.
Thanks for the report Clem. Good AVY info. I suspect that we are not out of the mush this weekend, with snow levels hovering high. An overnight freeze up higher will help. Keeping the fingers crossed, but a good reminder of the exposed slopes being a bit problematic and keeping a distance on or below them.
author=bigeo link=topic=16638.msg69674#msg69674 date=1273634300">
Care to offer any observations/speculation on Fuhrer Finger conditions?
Well, here's a high-res zoomed photo from that day of Fuhrer Finger, the upper Nisqually Glacier above it, and the uppermost Wilson Glacier below it. Note the large avalanche crown below the cliffs between the Finger and Thumb:
Went up the CD yesterday. In the AM, float was a non issue. Snow was very firm until later in the day. grouse creek approach is still good. travel was easy, and crampons not needed but for the traversy part to the coleman due to splitboard.
roman wall was in great shape, and the best riding. Ski cuts on suspect slopes above tree line generated nothing.
No instability noted, other then below alpine. Mostly rotten snow wanting to drag you into small terrain traps...
roman wall was in great shape, and the best riding. Ski cuts on suspect slopes above tree line generated nothing.
No instability noted, other then below alpine. Mostly rotten snow wanting to drag you into small terrain traps...
A check of the avalanche report would suggest that the new snow of a week or so may become unstable this weekend. They were clear that the deep rotten conditions seen on general south aspects of North Cascade mountains will likely spread to north and shaded aspects of higher elevations through the end of the week and through the weekend. In particular, concern is for the new snow from late April through last week may slide on the rotten snow below.
I was planning to ski He...
I was planning to ski He...
thanks, scotty.
i skied there three weeks ago, and the weather has done A LOT of different things since then. i'm just wondering if anyone has a gauge of how much the snow has consolidated given the warm temps and precip-free conditions we've seen this whole week. thanks again. -v
i skied there three weeks ago, and the weather has done A LOT of different things since then. i'm just wondering if anyone has a gauge of how much the snow has consolidated given the warm temps and precip-free conditions we've seen this whole week. thanks again. -v
author=spionin link=topic=16623.msg69736#msg69736 date=1273772760]
does anyone know how consolidated the snow is right now? (i.e. how essential is flotation for the approach)?
thanks! -veronika
When I was up there on March 20 the snow was pretty deep and soft lower down and pretty hardpack/icy up top. You definitely would have wanted skis, a splitboard, or snowshoes. Almost been two months since then though, so I'm...
does anyone know how consolidated the snow is right now? (i.e. how essential is flotation for the approach)?
thanks! -veronika
thanks! -veronika
Did you find Skibuilders.com to be helpful?
I found them to be the only real source for this kind of hobby. Yes they are helpful, as well as suppliers for most of the materials.
Sweeeet.
Sounds like your new skis were a work to be proud of... nice looking, too.
Did you find Skibuilders.com to be helpful?
Sounds like your new skis were a work to be proud of... nice looking, too.
Did you find Skibuilders.com to be helpful?
Msg sent TTTr. We need to get it on the schedule before the chance melts away.
... We will have to hook during the summer, Telemon, Travertine and Telemack. I will be hitting the volcanoes hard by mid-June. :)
I would change my name to Trusty Knees to be a part of that group of T's... Keep me posted.
Funny how it all works out. We were super confident the day we came into town just to get shut down at 8500" the following morning, and were not at all confident the day we made it to 14000' (hence the decision to try to make it a day trip).
One thing is for sure though. When it is stormy in the WA cascades and you have a few days off, look at the Shasta web cam. We put the trip down there together in about 2 hours over dinner and were gone at...
One thing is for sure though. When it is stormy in the WA cascades and you have a few days off, look at the Shasta web cam. We put the trip down there together in about 2 hours over dinner and were gone at...
I just got home from a 30 day road trip to the Four Corners region, and a month long streak of non skiing. :( Fortunately, I got to ski in early April and I will be skiing this Saturday, so my tay streak in not in jeopardy. We will have to hook during the summer, Travertine and Telemack. I will be hitting the volcanoes hard by mid-June. :)
We saw you guys skiing down the last steep section into the flats from our camp.(I think)
Your turns looked awesome and gave us a good stoke for skiing the next day! :)
Unfortunately the winds howled all night and into the early morning so we slept in and hoped they would die down.
The winds eased a little in the morning but still not enough for the snow to soften up so we decided to head for Lassen and hope for another weather window later in the week.
Turns out the winds fi...
Your turns looked awesome and gave us a good stoke for skiing the next day! :)
Unfortunately the winds howled all night and into the early morning so we slept in and hoped they would die down.
The winds eased a little in the morning but still not enough for the snow to soften up so we decided to head for Lassen and hope for another weather window later in the week.
Turns out the winds fi...
The tree has been removed. You can drive to the road split where the sledders head west, about 1/4 mile from the trailhead.
I am curious about the road access to the trail head. NFS says that snow starts at 7.57 miles. But you stated that a tree stopped you. Roughly how close to the trail head can I get? Also is the tree removable given a home style chain saw?
I am assuming that the snow that the NFS is showing was from the new snow from over a week ago. Earlier reports showed an open road prior to that, so I wonder if that ripe snow is now mostly gone given the current condit...
I am assuming that the snow that the NFS is showing was from the new snow from over a week ago. Earlier reports showed an open road prior to that, so I wonder if that ripe snow is now mostly gone given the current condit...
Ryan, man... in no time you'll be back and we'll shred the white stuff ;) Some steeps would be nice!