TR Replies
Too bad the Olympics are too far from Vancouver, BC for a weekend trip.
The mountains looks quite cool in your pictures. Any experience with skiing Mt. Olympus in the spring?
The mountains looks quite cool in your pictures. Any experience with skiing Mt. Olympus in the spring?
I have always wanted to go backcountry in Manning but never got around to it.
How is the snow cover this year? Is it low like the North Shore and Coquihalla?
How is the snow cover this year? Is it low like the North Shore and Coquihalla?
Two of us were doing laps in Cement Basin off of East Peak. We only had to share our favorite lines with one other couple. More than enough boot top stable powder on a firm crust to go around. ;D
Over 6k' of sweet late winter touring. Not bad for an 11:30 start. Would love to be getting more today.
Stupid work. >:(
Over 6k' of sweet late winter touring. Not bad for an 11:30 start. Would love to be getting more today.
Stupid work. >:(
Yeah - everything but the 30 foot cornice huck on the top! We didn't linger under that thing for too long though!
That looks great - thanks for the report! Did you guys ski the steep face of the rim directly above the lake?
author=jcocci link=topic=15927.msg66554#msg66554 date=1268271178]
Thanks for the report. I will be there in a few weeks to do the Haute Route, but we are planning on doing the Vallee Blanche run beforehand. We'll be in Chamonix for 2-3 days before we start. So does the coverage seem to be OK? Were you able to tell at all? Is roping up to get to the snow for this run always necessary or is it because of snowpack. Either way is fine just wondering if its lo...
Thanks for the TR. We saw you in the AM and wondered what you were after.
Nice day to be out. Did you notice all of the tracks on the Muir?
I was looking at the 2nd pic thinking that that looked like a good bootpack and how nice it must have been when I wondered: Who is carring your skis?
Nice day to be out. Did you notice all of the tracks on the Muir?
I was looking at the 2nd pic thinking that that looked like a good bootpack and how nice it must have been when I wondered: Who is carring your skis?
and a couple of more pics for the record:
Tracing our route on TOPO from SR. 410 at the Morse Cr. Rd. to Pickhandle Pt. makes it look like ~2500 ft. in about 3 miles. A very reasonable approach to some outstanding ski terrain. We will be back!
pc
pc
Nice pics!
The "Needles" of which Mount Deception (peak on the left) is considered a part, are the highest collective group of peaks and spires in Olympic National Park. Mount Deception (7788) is the second highest peak next to Mount Olympus. Mount Mystery is on the right. This region offers some good climbing and turns if you're willing to hike for it!
The zoom photo from Eagle Peak makes it look like Deception is just a stones throw...
The "Needles" of which Mount Deception (peak on the left) is considered a part, are the highest collective group of peaks and spires in Olympic National Park. Mount Deception (7788) is the second highest peak next to Mount Olympus. Mount Mystery is on the right. This region offers some good climbing and turns if you're willing to hike for it!
The zoom photo from Eagle Peak makes it look like Deception is just a stones throw...
Agreed, good decision and good writing!
Creative use of terrain, east-siders. What was the distance/time of the skin from the road to the ridge meet-up?
Hi SquakMtn,
I assume you flew in but do you know if the Harts Pass road is open? Last few years in spring it's been plowed to Cache Creek to allow the sleds to get in.
I assume you flew in but do you know if the Harts Pass road is open? Last few years in spring it's been plowed to Cache Creek to allow the sleds to get in.
author=unclebo link=topic=15902.msg66524#msg66524 date=1268239621]
We were thinking of heading out that way in a couple of weeks - what did the north sides look like?
Very un-tracked to be sure, but you'd want to check stability as normal. There was about 6 inches of wind affected consolidated powder that was not well bonded. But in a week, my guess is it would all be good depending on what happens between now and...
Well Silas, nothing much I can add, you summed it up just about perfectly.
All I can say is Pico and I had so much fun coming up from our side of the hills to meet you guys on the top of the ridge and ski a few runs with you! We were grinning on how easy and short the approach via Morse Creek was. Felt like a century ago the last time I was up Morse Creek.
Well, I guess that's because it was!
I am surprised to hear your exit was about as challenging as ours. On t...
All I can say is Pico and I had so much fun coming up from our side of the hills to meet you guys on the top of the ridge and ski a few runs with you! We were grinning on how easy and short the approach via Morse Creek was. Felt like a century ago the last time I was up Morse Creek.
Well, I guess that's because it was!
I am surprised to hear your exit was about as challenging as ours. On t...
Good one.
Q: What's the best place for a bamboo wand?
A: Strapped to your pack on a bluebird day. :D
Q: What's the best place for a bamboo wand?
A: Strapped to your pack on a bluebird day. :D
Is this yurt in Barron, the old mining town?
If it is, is there some old dude who lives there year round trying to still get gold?
If it is, is there some old dude who lives there year round trying to still get gold?
Thanks for the snow pack analysis, good information! Beautiful pics! Hero snow, uh? Good call!
I tthink you guys made the right decision!
Thanks for the report. I will be there in a few weeks to do the Haute Route, but we are planning on doing the Vallee Blanche run beforehand. We'll be in Chamonix for 2-3 days before we start. So does the coverage seem to be OK? Were you able to tell at all? Is roping up to get to the snow for this run always necessary or is it because of snowpack. Either way is fine just wondering if its low snow or not. Thanks. Hope we have better weather than you. :)
I've done that a couple of times, in fact it was my 1st BC trip about 11 years ago and I got lucky with cold temps, powder like I'd never seen before (Scotland not known for such conditions) and blue skys. Climbed up the ridge far side of the Mer de Glace for what I still consider as my fav all time run.
Subsequent trips we were weather skunked which included a helicopter crashing and taking out one of the cable cars!
Thanks for bringing back memories.
Subsequent trips we were weather skunked which included a helicopter crashing and taking out one of the cable cars!
Thanks for bringing back memories.
Sorry you didn't get it. Skiing that run was one of my goals when I lived in Europe for 7 years. I spent many months in and around Chamonix, but almost all of it was summer climbing. The one Chrismas I was there was terrible snow, so I never got down it. Gives us both a reason to return!
Third photo = excellent!
Do you have more photographs from your trip?
Do you have more photographs from your trip?
Here are some pics. Beautiful day, huh?
The crust seemed to dissapear on NE facing slopes above 5500 feet.
Brian,
Glad to hear that you had a safe "roundtrip". The more time you spend touring the more you realize that knowing when to turn around and retrace your route is a critical decision to make. The mountains rarely move, so they'll be there in the future.
I've skied the Valle Blanche a few times under clear and sunny conditions and it is a memorable photo ski.
Glad to hear that you had a safe "roundtrip". The more time you spend touring the more you realize that knowing when to turn around and retrace your route is a critical decision to make. The mountains rarely move, so they'll be there in the future.
I've skied the Valle Blanche a few times under clear and sunny conditions and it is a memorable photo ski.
You can resize them with any photo editing software. IrfanView is a good one and it's free.
You can also put them on Picasa or Flickr and just link them using the IMG tag.
If you'd like to add a few, feel free to send them to my email address and I'll take care of it for you.
Nice TR, by the way! Thanks for putting it up.
You can also put them on Picasa or Flickr and just link them using the IMG tag.
If you'd like to add a few, feel free to send them to my email address and I'll take care of it for you.
Nice TR, by the way! Thanks for putting it up.
Thanks guys, on such a gorgeous day and such a beautiful place, taking good pictures is as easy as it gets. Now naming the peaks, that took some time, was fun too. Just had to put it on my list of things to do, then it feels like I'm being productive when I cross it off.
We were thinking of heading out that way in a couple of weeks - what did the north sides look like?
Sadly Emma, the beer is not a priority here, it is all about the local wine, cheeses and sausages which are almost as good as yours.
The snow coverage is a little below average with many areas blown out but Toby has guided us into some great stashes.
The snow coverage is a little below average with many areas blown out but Toby has guided us into some great stashes.
I'm fairly certain it was almost due east, but didn't take the compass out to check for sure. We were on top of Eagle Point and I think those are the north and south brothers. I'd like to ski the south brother, so I took that shot, but the north brother looks doable too.
Took the photo with a 300x Nikon lens. Thx,
Took the photo with a 300x Nikon lens. Thx,
not really. lots of hand pits, that showed the top layer of snow (0-8") was wind deposited/scoured and was typically light and non-cohesive. Up near the summit ridge, there was some small pockets of reactive wind slab that were sliding on the hard layer.
sorry, i didn't do any crystal id or full pits. The ice layer (1F+) was about 2" thick at most hand pits with a 4F layer below.
sorry, i didn't do any crystal id or full pits. The ice layer (1F+) was about 2" thick at most hand pits with a 4F layer below.
Hi John Morrow!
It was only my second time ever on a crosscountry ski course. I did not understand what you were talking about as it took me five plus hours to finish, and I expected it to be sloppy.
It was only my second time ever on a crosscountry ski course. I did not understand what you were talking about as it took me five plus hours to finish, and I expected it to be sloppy.
author=John_Morrow link=topic=15786.msg66475#msg66475 date=1268153245]
The most hazardous part of the entire route... ...had both the skate lane and track set severely chopped up by the snowmobiles by 10:30 AM. I objectively and honestly b...
Gorgeous photos! Thanks for sharing.
Nice trip. Did you happen to check the bond to that crust?
but what about the beer steve, is it as good as yours ??
Nice pictures. I'm curious about the first picture. What direction are we looking? Looking S. would be the Baileys/ Olympus, looking east would be the Needles/Greywolf, looking west would be mt Angeles and Appelton pass and looking N. would be the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Interesting perspective.
Here's a link to a little video (slideshow & video clips) from our trip.
Enjoy;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_8Ur-TGbsY
Enjoy;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_8Ur-TGbsY
Once again, epic. Your photographs have been gracing my desktop at work. ;D
i'm going to skip the jealousy and go right to the "this is not fair" argument.
Nice! How's the snowpack? I'll be there doing the Haute Route in a few weeks.
Blizzard was BIG and rapidly loaded the snowpack with new weight. 3 feet in the driveway ...
Resort day ;D
Resort day ;D
author=blitz link=topic=15786.msg66337#msg66337 date=1268065951]
It IS a forest service road and they have as much right to be there as we do, they use it much more than we do too. they are also the ones putting up the big bucks to keep those snowparks open.
All the snowmachiners I saw stayed right on the uphill and slowed down when they passed me. They dont realize the smelly and loud as a bad thing - they like that stuff anyway.
Besid...