TR Replies
"I'm not trying to attack your credibility, I'm just trying to figure out if you have any in the first place."
I can vouch for his credibility if anyone cares. He is more experienced than me or the majority that post here. And for the record I decided it would be best to go rip up some trail on my mountain bike in Hood River this weekend rather that chance it in the mountains. I just had a bad feeling about the snowpack and felt is best to stay away.
I can vouch for his credibility if anyone cares. He is more experienced than me or the majority that post here. And for the record I decided it would be best to go rip up some trail on my mountain bike in Hood River this weekend rather that chance it in the mountains. I just had a bad feeling about the snowpack and felt is best to stay away.
Sorry we missed you, Mike! We too saw Don, Steve and Co. on our first lap, and found some great turns in the trees.
That looks great, especially for April! Catherine is a favorite. Sounds like it's all tracked out now... should make for easier lapping
Couldn't you find a bigger pack for your son, Don? ;)Well, like father,like son.
I must say, that is a route that I have not yet considered. I have done the first half and thought that was a good day - now I have bigger plans based on this. Great job on pulling this off!
author=CascadeClimber link=topic=16323.msg68273#msg68273 date=1271108304]
There was another incident on Sunday, below 5000 feet on a '3' day.
My point is that you cannot just check the NWAC report, maybe dig a pit, and declare the area safe. Someone got whacked in the Commonwealth Basin the same day as this TR. The person was swept into a tree. With 5-7 feet of new snow in the preceding week, including a good amount in the two days before...
There was another incident on Sunday, below 5000 feet on a '3' day.
My point is that you cannot just check the NWAC report, maybe dig a pit, and declare the area safe. Someone got whacked in the Commonwealth Basin the same day as this TR. The person was swept into a tree. With 5-7 feet of new snow in the preceding week, including a good amount in the two days before this TR, I would (and did not) go into that basin, where I've been many times. With that much new snow, s...
My point is that you cannot just check the NWAC report, maybe dig a pit, and declare the area safe. Someone got whacked in the Commonwealth Basin the same day as this TR. The person was swept into a tree. With 5-7 feet of new snow in the preceding week, including a good amount in the two days before this TR, I would (and did not) go into that basin, where I've been many times. With that much new snow, s...
Thanks for the kind words.
I usually take a couple hundred photos, with the hope that something turns out good.
During this trip, I took 219 photos, including about 50 action shots. The two skier photos above were the best action shots of the day. My Flickr account has some recent photos of a trip to Heliotrope Ridge ( pages 2 and 3 ) ... there are some really good shots of AleCapone in the powder. I took 225 photos during the Heliotrope Ridge trip, and about 25 turned ou...
I usually take a couple hundred photos, with the hope that something turns out good.
During this trip, I took 219 photos, including about 50 action shots. The two skier photos above were the best action shots of the day. My Flickr account has some recent photos of a trip to Heliotrope Ridge ( pages 2 and 3 ) ... there are some really good shots of AleCapone in the powder. I took 225 photos during the Heliotrope Ridge trip, and about 25 turned ou...
AleCapone picture is one of the more amazing skiing pictures that don't include actual skier that I have ever seen. Looks like Hollywood-grade SFX.
Had you hit the tour LAST Saturday you could have availed yourself of the shuttle bus that was ferrying lift skiers up from the Yodelin lot (AND the Nordic lot).
Had you hit the tour LAST Saturday you could have availed yourself of the shuttle bus that was ferrying lift skiers up from the Yodelin lot (AND the Nordic lot).
JimG, yes, the east gully off the summit is what we call The Gunsight and those were our tracks going back up to Larrison Ridge. From there we either ski the ridge, which requires some traversing, or down the gully. Below The Onion Peel cliffs follow the drainage down to an open slope that you climb easily back up. This puts you below the summer trail, or intersects with the normal skinning route which is followed down to the trail/parking. As you've likely heard it is easy...
Nice TR. We went up on Sunday and saw some of your tracks. The snow conditions up top were pretty good and deteriated rapidly as we went down.
Is gunsight the chute that is E-SE of the hut up top? If so, did you drop down and then climb back up to the saddle that is to the skiers left (North)? Looked like a great run, but lacking the kowledge/intel, we opted to drop in on the north face and parallel our uptrack out.
Is gunsight the chute that is E-SE of the hut up top? If so, did you drop down and then climb back up to the saddle that is to the skiers left (North)? Looked like a great run, but lacking the kowledge/intel, we opted to drop in on the north face and parallel our uptrack out.
Nice report Scott. It was a great fun skiing with you.
Sorry, no pics. You just had to be there to believe it!!
author=telemack link=topic=16331.msg68204#msg68204 date=1270920500]
Where are the pix of the hats?
Sorry, no pics. You just had to be there to believe it!!
Nice, Jason. You make quality a priority in your TR's and it shows. The extra time and effort you put in waiting for the right moment in your pictures really makes a difference; if I were your teacher you'd get an "A" for sure. Thanks again.
That is not a smooth looking turn - yeesh. Thanks Don and Dan for sharing the excellent snow at Yodelin; especially steep and deep in the trees.
author=trumpetsailor link=topic=16335.msg68218#msg68218 date=1270949844]The picture seems to tell the story - please refrain from any snarky comments at the injured party; an avalanche is rebuke enough for any error they may or may not have committed. We've decided to post the photo now, while everyone still has our current snowpack in mind. The crown seems confined to an aspect that gets different windloading from the rest of the main bowl....
Explosives were from the Alp Patrol- Cornice work. Small charges produced big results!
I thought you would call it like "Paradise in Jim Hell". A shot from the lunch spot, looks like a bunny hill ;D
I was just about to post that same picture of the slide. We were the party skiing the trees farther to the east of the bowl. The fracture up high was quite impressive. But it was also interesting that the slide did not really effect the snow in the lower bowl at all - it just slid on top, and maybe pulled the top two inches. In our pits on the open slopes we could not get anything to move at all, and I had no concerns about the stability on the lower parts of the slopes....
Nice to meet you Rusty. You were right, it was some of the best snow I've seen up there too. A little sun baked around the westerly side of the ridge but the main runs were great. Our dog got tree-welled TWICE - had to pull him out as he was unable to get traction on the icy sidewalls of the wells. It was surprising to see the absence of tracks on the main face off the ridge when we got there. That didn't last long!
The video of the day is at:
The video of the day is at:
http://lifeflight.org/membership/
There was some deal going around my paragliding club for membership of this, I never got it as my wife's cadillac insurance covers in full anyway, I made a point of calling them specifically on the subject. However, I think insurance still required so depending on your carrier so you could be out of pocket for a chunk of change. Not saying either way about removal topic as its covered in a plethora of other TAY threads!
There was some deal going around my paragliding club for membership of this, I never got it as my wife's cadillac insurance covers in full anyway, I made a point of calling them specifically on the subject. However, I think insurance still required so depending on your carrier so you could be out of pocket for a chunk of change. Not saying either way about removal topic as its covered in a plethora of other TAY threads!
author=Cornfed link=topic=16323.msg68225#msg68225 date=1270960163]
Requiring people to pay for their rescue when they get in trouble in the back-country or similar adventures is a great idea.
Good, then perhaps people should be forced to escrow the money, just to ensure payment. I trust you'll be first in line with $25,000.
Requiring people to pay for their rescue when they get in trouble in the back-country or similar adventures is a great idea. I happen to agree with it. I think judging the decisions of others without complete information, however, isn't the goal of this site or blog. Instead, I think it is a great site to compare notes, share information, swap stories, and ask questions that challenge one another.
Very sorry to hear about the slide and injured party -- wo...
Very sorry to hear about the slide and injured party -- wo...
That does clear some things up. Thanks for posting the picture as it's a familiar place to alot of us and a good reminder. I haven't been up since last sat but the wind was something then too. I'll probably head up in the morning and see what you all left.
Thanks for the photos. Those drift lines certainly tell an interesting story about wind direction.
Bummed to hear about that accident. Hope everyone recovers.
I've seen quite a few naturals in that pocket. There was one there last Friday (4/2). I think the wind really rips over the ridge right there.
I've seen quite a few naturals in that pocket. There was one there last Friday (4/2). I think the wind really rips over the ridge right there.
author=Snow Bell link=topic=16221.msg68208#msg68208 date=1270925766]
With age comes wisdom. ;)
Congratulations Andy. Since the government probably spent your SS deposits long ago, I would like to imagine that any monies that I put in are going directly to you.... for ski gear. Spend my dollars on ski gear please. ;D
My wife, Regine, says "don't worry, he buys new ski gear every year!"
I love hat skiing...its the latest trend. So hot right now.
author=acarey link=topic=16221.msg67736#msg67736 date=1270242493]
But his year, out of roughly 55 days of bc skiing, 50 have been on AT.
With age comes wisdom. ;)
Congratulations Andy. Since the government probably spent your SS deposits long ago, I would like to imagine that any monies that I put in are going directly to you.... for ski gear. Spend my dollars on ski gear please. ;D
Thanks for sharing Jason. Your TR's never disappoint despite the high expectations.
I think pointed criticism about safety decisions is fine. But the idea that our access to the hills will be preserved if only everyone else would make better decisions seems pretty misguided.
There was certainly some risk yesterday. I was probably in more peril at Alpy - my bad for charging Felsen for first tracks I suppose. It sluffed pretty good! And the cornices were really not to be trusted. We've got more common cause with folks who make decisions we don't agree with th...
There was certainly some risk yesterday. I was probably in more peril at Alpy - my bad for charging Felsen for first tracks I suppose. It sluffed pretty good! And the cornices were really not to be trusted. We've got more common cause with folks who make decisions we don't agree with th...
So when avy danger is 4 or higher, should people not be allowed to go into the backcountry? I'm sure there were many people out in the BC the last two days who weren't caught in a slide (one right here).
I spent the first half of each day on the lifts at Alpental before going skinning; things were/are still hella' dangerous up there in the conditions present, as well as the nature of the terrain in general, so I'm guessing people (many who have no "mountain s...
I spent the first half of each day on the lifts at Alpental before going skinning; things were/are still hella' dangerous up there in the conditions present, as well as the nature of the terrain in general, so I'm guessing people (many who have no "mountain s...
Stupendously fun day to be out in a safe area.
Haggis---obviously you made the good decisions on a day with instabilities in the snowpack and enjoy some good riding. I hadn't considered the trees below Kendall---I generally avoid the Alpental Valley / Commonwealth on days with higher dangers because I haven't scoped out safer terrain, but that is a good spot.
Thanks for the TR----
Thanks for the TR----
And by the way its not a hard crust under the 5-7 ft snow, my 5ft pit down past the old snow up there on Sunday showed that clearly not to be the case but of course if you're going to generalise and havn't been up there recently you wouldn't know that. Nothing moved on the past weeks snow in my pit and a "passable" to my tolerance-o-meter on the upper 1.5 ft snowpack which was sitting on a really thin pencil sun crust. Could also have been some windslab up hi...
"Remember there are avalanche safe areas in the mountains during all levels of avalanche danger."
Level 3 below 5K, ask CookieMonster about how thats not indicative. Look at the Mt Herman slide from last weekend, how many out then? Whose been on East Peak the past week, essentially whose been out the past week?? Personally, I thought we were in a fairly stable area and didn't cross under any avalanche paths. Maybe highpoint we should have stopped...
Level 3 below 5K, ask CookieMonster about how thats not indicative. Look at the Mt Herman slide from last weekend, how many out then? Whose been on East Peak the past week, essentially whose been out the past week?? Personally, I thought we were in a fairly stable area and didn't cross under any avalanche paths. Maybe highpoint we should have stopped...
Sounds like Haggis and friends had a good day to me.
Climber, can you elaborate on what you mean by "this sort of decision"?
BTW: Backcountry is one word.
Climber, can you elaborate on what you mean by "this sort of decision"?
BTW: Backcountry is one word.
Stupendously poor day to be in the back country.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011571723_apwasnoqualmiesearch1stldwritethru.html?syndication=rss
Glad you got out and back okay, and this is the sort of decision that results in people calling for laws requiring us to pay for our own rescues. The trees are not safe refuge when there's 5-7 feet of new snow on a hard crust. Take a look at the Gold Creek avy pics from a few years ago if you need further ev...
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011571723_apwasnoqualmiesearch1stldwritethru.html?syndication=rss
Glad you got out and back okay, and this is the sort of decision that results in people calling for laws requiring us to pay for our own rescues. The trees are not safe refuge when there's 5-7 feet of new snow on a hard crust. Take a look at the Gold Creek avy pics from a few years ago if you need further ev...
Great times out there this morning! The snow was definitely the best of the year. Wish we could've stayed for a few more laps. Snapped a couple of pics, but I don't think they really captured how deep it was out there.
ah, thanks for the explanation... glad to hear everyone was relatively unhurt. Mike flew some friends of mine and me into Waddington in '05, when he'd just upgraded his heli to that Bell Longranger...i think its possible he was having even more fun than us getting to put his new bird through its paces.... definitely a great pilot.
The downed chopper was being used by a heli skiing outfit. They only fly out of this location a few weeks a year. They aren't Mike or associated with White saddle, but were just flying out of his field. The pilot was coming into a preset landing spot fully loaded with 9 skiers. He got slightly ahead of the pack snow where he was supposed to land and blew up a cloud of snow around him, and not being able to see anything got conservative and turned the machine off. So it dropped and rolled. I...
The blue chopper looks like Mike King's (Whitesaddle Air) Longranger....assuming you flew with his company?
Please do tell the story behind the huey ending up sideways. hopefully all okay?
......just read your photo comments....so Mike came in to rescue after the crash... is there another outfit flying out of Tatla Lake or do they just have (had) two helis up there now?
Please do tell the story behind the huey ending up sideways. hopefully all okay?
......just read your photo comments....so Mike came in to rescue after the crash... is there another outfit flying out of Tatla Lake or do they just have (had) two helis up there now?
What's the deal behind the helicopter wreck? There's a story here somewhere...
Believe the freezing level was in the vicinity of 4000 by 11ish. If we'd started the descent a little sooner (we were near 4500 around 9:45, but the last 500 feet took ~2hrs with route-finding and skinning practice on >50degree slope), the snow would've been a touch better, but the older layer was a little grabby, anyhow, so still not exactly blower pow... but fun nonetheless. With the additional snow in the last 24 hrs, line should be good to go on Saturday or Sunday af...
Too bad about the sickness, hope he's all healed now.
Kudos, way to get the young lad out there!
Kudos, way to get the young lad out there!
very nice! that's one of those lines that's been on the to-do list for years, way to check it off !
was it turning warm even up near the top? ie above freezing near 5k?
was it turning warm even up near the top? ie above freezing near 5k?
We toured near there on sunday. We did some laps around gunbarrel and eventually toured way over Pickhandle ridge. The wind was ripping one the ridges and it pretty evident good size slabs were developing. We also saw a few naturals 4-6" deep in the very wind transported snow zones. But anything protected from the wind skied just fine and we didn't note any instability.
We were surprised to find how variable (windy vs non windy) the conditions...
We were surprised to find how variable (windy vs non windy) the conditions...
indeed, the snow did seem a little less wind-affected in that area. thanks for being gracious skin-track users! last time we were there a brigade of silent skiers didn't so much as say hello and how nice the snow is before skinning right through our group to use our skin track... very odd...