TR Replies
I've sketched out the fairly recient clearcuts and the newly thinned areas in this Live Maps collection
Orion, Is this rock where you headed right, away from our tracks or was it before that? Chaotic is a good word, though we were calling it something else >:(.
I have been eyeing those lines for a couple of years. I seems when you want to ski them they are not safe or are cleaned off by the wind. Last weekend might have been a good bet for them.
author=dberdinka link=topic=11767.msg48998#msg48998 date=1231202981]
Oh Tim thats all very complicated. You should post a annotated photo so I nevert have to confuse my blueberry chutes again.
Tim's New Year resolution: More beta for the Seattle snow sluts (SSS)!?
Will his Baker band of boys banish him?
2009 it's a brave new world.
Lookin good Brenda. You guys are heroes stomping it out all the way up there. Thanks for the report.
Yes our skin tracks were very chaotic and the route-finding was somewhat frustrating. But a good day in the hills nonetheless. We did come accross a group of elk traversing the steep wooded slopes about 5300'. It was surprising to see big hairy things cruzing through the trees.
You stayed in the Nisqually lodge ? Just totally disgraceful I'm telling ya! Oh what a delight it would be if the Paradise lodge or even part of it was open for winter tourers. Park service and concsessonairs wake up ! Such a lack of imagination.
Great trip report Stugie and fabulous pics. It was a really fun day and we thoroughly enjoyed meeting up with you guys!
Oh Tim thats all very complicated. You should post a annotated photo so I nevert have to confuse my blueberry chutes again.
D
D
Thanks for the excellent information. I have been gathering information for on-going work in modeling snowpack instability on the computer. In a different post ( here on TAY ) I indicated that I wasn't sure about the distribution of instability, nor if it was as bad as some people think.
I wasn't taking issue with the NWAC forecast ... I'm trying to understand how instability is actually distributed rather than using rules of thumb from bulletins or individual skier rep...
I wasn't taking issue with the NWAC forecast ... I'm trying to understand how instability is actually distributed rather than using rules of thumb from bulletins or individual skier rep...
I wondered if you guys were TAY folks, didn't want to ask because, well, that could be a bit nerdy. If I'd known it was you I would have hit you for discount tires ;D
Nice day up there. Yodlin remains one of my favorites. I even kind of like the new Cajun topping.
Nice day up there. Yodlin remains one of my favorites. I even kind of like the new Cajun topping.
author=skinjob link=topic=11767.msg48956#msg48956 date=1231169801]
Thanks for the report on route selection- the slide looks like its on the north face of the steep slope just north-east of Table Mountain- correct?
Correct. It is called "Granny's". Or the BlueBerry Chutes. Often "Blueberry Chutes" is used to refer to everything from the OB gate on the Blueberry cat track to the Nose. The...
I thought that was you we bumped into in the parking lot JD. I was surprised also at the low "folks" count, but no complaints, we saw but 10 people and one canine all day! Thanks is due to whom ever set the nice up-track! Great pit profile, we found similar results way out the ridge to the east.
What a lunch break! Nice work on the traverse over to the couloir. Looked a little airy.
Thanks for the stoke. The Alps are beautiful.
Thanks for the stoke. The Alps are beautiful.
author=Bandit link=topic=11700.msg48675#msg48675 date=1230688779]
Ok. Case closed. Down lift. Power out Diesal engines are hard to start in the cold. Since it's a new lift, Crystal probably called a mechanic to zoom up on a snowmobile to make sure the expensive engine was operated correctly.
No harm, no foul as I see it.
I had always thought back-up motors were run as part of start-up procedures everyday.
author=Stugie link=topic=11773.msg48970#msg48970 date=1231178783]
Orion, how did Goat Lake basin look? Our thoughts were that it needed some more time to fill in a bit, but those north facing lines will be ready soon. Thoughts?
Most of the chutes were filled in and ready to go! Let me know when you head up there so I can poach your uptrack ;D. I think I'm going to wait for a little more stability...
Those pics spell pure fun. Right on, thanks for the beta.
Boot, nice. Great pics. Looks like N.P.W.A. would have been an excellent choice. We were considering headin over towards Lake Basin, but opted for extra lines instead of using the time to traverse.
Orion, how did Goat Lake basin look? Our thoughts were that it needed some more time to fill in a bit, but those north facing lines will be ready soon. Thoughts?
Orion, how did Goat Lake basin look? Our thoughts were that it needed some more time to fill in a bit, but those north facing lines will be ready soon. Thoughts?
Oh, and by the way, I ended up with someone's Marmot shirt (blue long sleeved). Sorry, I brought the same one. I'll call around to see who it belongs to and put it in the mail. Peace.
I love the pictures! Thanks for sharing some goodness from the homeland! I hope you guys had a wonderful holiday! Regards,
Stugie
ps- jkieler, thanks. I'd still be looking had you not said anything. ;)
Stugie
ps- jkieler, thanks. I'd still be looking had you not said anything. ;)
Great to meet and ride with you guys and thanks for waiting up for an out of shape knuckledragger! Let's do it again soon.
author=CookieMonster link=topic=11737.msg48851#msg48851 date=1231003091]
Question: the first failure was in new snow. Looked like the surface snow didn't quite have enough cohesion to form a soft slab ( but the failure was so fast I couldn't really tell ). What was the shear quality of the second failure? The second layer definitely had enough cohesion to form a soft slab but the shear, while sudden, doesn't look very clean in the video. ( Of co...
We had no stability issues. Like boot was saying in his tr, we approached the basin with extreme caution and after a number of tests, we were rewarded with some great turns. We also nailed both the A and B slots/chutes on the E side of Cement Basin with great snow, surprisingly good stability, and freshies every time.
We've been talking with the patrol and they had been bombing S before, with no results except some fracturing. I think their goal was to get the fractured s...
We've been talking with the patrol and they had been bombing S before, with no results except some fracturing. I think their goal was to get the fractured s...
Any stability issues?
I was inbounds and patrol bombed the S. Back til there were more craters than snow, did not appear to have too much move, only the very top layer in some spots.
I was inbounds and patrol bombed the S. Back til there were more craters than snow, did not appear to have too much move, only the very top layer in some spots.
Sonya and I saw your skin track on Saturday from Pick Handle Ridge and right away knew where we were headed on Sunday. We used the first half of your track to approach Goat Basin - thanks for the trail break. I had only been up that way using the summer trail as an approach and we found the route you guys used definitely more direct with less bushwacking but quite a bit steeper and in some places more exposed. We left your track after the first clearing where the trees got stee...
Thanks for the report on route selection- the slide looks like its on the north face of the steep slope just north-east of Table Mountain- correct?
author=Rusty Knees link=topic=11770.msg48944#msg48944 date=1231137682]
Dan, did you find your camera up there? ;)
Ha! Thanks for reminding me Don!!! My buddy Chris reminded me many times yesterday too! His theory for how the small fire at the top got started included my lost camera and a very strong ray of sunshine. ::) ::)
Nice pictures! I've encountered similar conditions in the past two days as well.
So cover was good overall, save for the exposed stumps down low? I've not been up there for a bunch of years - a pal and I were just talking about heading up to see how the mountain has changed in the past bunch of years - e.g. if the clearcuts where there used to be lovely mature (skiable!) forest have seen their slash settle down enough to be nicer ski slopes, and what else has been cut (sound like the lower stuff...).
author=danengel link=topic=11770.msg48930#msg48930 date=1231130888]
Overall, one of the best days at Yodelin.
Dan, did you find your camera up there? ;)
Looks fun! Way to play it safe. :).
Thanks Larry! Your resources and documentation are great. The USFS is lucky to have your help. I especially enjoyed your Scatter Creek video.
We must have seen you guys in the parking lot. Not a lot of people at Yodelin today.
Yeah, that killer tree was a little weird. Did it start the fire at the top or is it wanted for a murder?
The Snow was stable and deep. Better than expected.
Visibility...
Yeah, that killer tree was a little weird. Did it start the fire at the top or is it wanted for a murder?
The Snow was stable and deep. Better than expected.
Visibility...
I guess my early snowboarding years in the park helped with the downed tree navigation. ;) I expect that a harder left or right line might yield a more open run thru the trees.
Interesting? Many possibilities there. But how did you climb onto those downed trees with snowboards?
Thanks Jim,
I thought I might add a bit about tent lights. A number of people have told me that they don't enjoy winter ski camping even though they have all the gear, because of the long period of darkness. For me, the trick is a good tent light that puts out plenty of lumens. For winter, I'm still using the one I described here several years ago; A Coleman folding florescent light with a minor modification so it can use two rechargeable lithium ion camcorder batteries (RCR...
I thought I might add a bit about tent lights. A number of people have told me that they don't enjoy winter ski camping even though they have all the gear, because of the long period of darkness. For me, the trick is a good tent light that puts out plenty of lumens. For winter, I'm still using the one I described here several years ago; A Coleman folding florescent light with a minor modification so it can use two rechargeable lithium ion camcorder batteries (RCR...
Wow, looks good. Hopefully we can get together to ride sometime.
Nice find Andy. Sounds like Arrowhead is in shape (even if the snow pack isn't cooperating...).
author=savegondor link=topic=11700.msg48868#msg48868 date=1231027346]
Yes, still unacceptable. Good management and good customer service should have instantly and without question given out at least a free pass if not much much more. Doesn't matter whether there was a power outage, or whether the lift workers could have done better. This is a PR issue and even the mere existence of this post is evidence of a total failure of Crystal's public relat...
With a cautious eye to avy conditions we found a great day out in the lower elevation trees. Following Steve's cryptic hint here we found some fun, sometimes open, sometimes tight trees coming down from Excelsior Peak. We worked our way thru some cliffs and turned down a nice pillow line in favor of safe descent for the whole team.
We started at 10 am (1500’) and gained the 5300' ridge around 1pm.
Thanks to Steve for putting the skin track up! We followed your track down and...
We started at 10 am (1500’) and gained the 5300' ridge around 1pm.
Thanks to Steve for putting the skin track up! We followed your track down and...
So glad to see you made it out Chris!
Jcocci, amazing pics again. Eli has some great shots of all of us too!
Stability is a whole new gravy these days.
Wow I thought I would never say this....
After a week of bc in Rogers Pass and a week in Crystal's bc, I'm glad to be riding lifts for a week here in Idaho. Lookout Pass and Schweitzer are tits. Don't have to wonder far around here to find the untracked. ;D
Stability is a whole new gravy these days.
Wow I thought I would never say this....
After a week of bc in Rogers Pass and a week in Crystal's bc, I'm glad to be riding lifts for a week here in Idaho. Lookout Pass and Schweitzer are tits. Don't have to wonder far around here to find the untracked. ;D
author=SnowGirl link=topic=11700.msg48651#msg48651 date=1230671576]
Just to clear the air.... Your friends were stuck on the Northway lift because of a power outage. After 28 minutes we (yes I work for the mountain) were able to fire up the diesel engine, start the lift and get everyone off safely. I'm sure 28 minutes seemed like a lot longer when you're sitting in the cold. I am sorry this happened to your friends and it's unfortunate but,...
author=Kyle Miller link=topic=11737.msg48807#msg48807 date=1230926508">
At least the snowpit was interesting
heres the video
illustrating why on that day, bc was BAD!!!
SCARY SCARY SCARY. your vid shows nearly no bonding on those layers.
I don't know if something to this effect was posted above but it's dangeroud for ski resorts to admit fault due to potential liability.
Say Crystal says, "Okay. Here's two lift tickets to offset your lost time and suffering on the stuck chair."
Now one of the guys stuck on the lift starts noticing his nose is a little numb. It sounds lame but people have sued and won large settlements over all sorts of stupid stuff.
There's probab...
Say Crystal says, "Okay. Here's two lift tickets to offset your lost time and suffering on the stuck chair."
Now one of the guys stuck on the lift starts noticing his nose is a little numb. It sounds lame but people have sued and won large settlements over all sorts of stupid stuff.
There's probab...
Thanks for sharing the video - this is fantastic information. Question: the first failure was in new snow. Looked like the surface snow didn't quite have enough cohesion to form a soft slab ( but the failure was so fast I couldn't really tell ). What was the shear quality of the second failure? The second layer definitely had enough cohesion to form a soft slab but the shear, while sudden, doesn't look very clean in the video. ( Of course maybe the shear quality doesn't matte...
author=highflyingpilot link=topic=11741.msg48829#msg48829 date=1230953160]
I was also in the area today and I definitely agree it's pretty miserable up there. Maybe the worst part is how fantastic the snow looks and yet like russ said, not much good skiing to be had... :(
I third that....but with one exception. The sun and blue sky made quite a few appearances!
Not good news for those looking to turn. A...