TR Replies
Hey Joeda, maybe we'll see you up tomorrow (Monday?)?
Skinning and skiing around Dogleg Bowl on Thursday, the snow was mostly powder, and light and unconsolidated. Underneath, maybe a foot down, the snow grew a bit more consolidated as you got down, and about 1.5-2' down there seemed to be a crust layer, definitely something to keep in mind when the slopes get weighted with our usual heavier Cascadian white stuff.
On Friday, I noticed on the western side of...
Skinning and skiing around Dogleg Bowl on Thursday, the snow was mostly powder, and light and unconsolidated. Underneath, maybe a foot down, the snow grew a bit more consolidated as you got down, and about 1.5-2' down there seemed to be a crust layer, definitely something to keep in mind when the slopes get weighted with our usual heavier Cascadian white stuff.
On Friday, I noticed on the western side of...
Nice job guys great pictures and report, but can you fill me in on some of the conditions of the snowpack that you saw as you traveled your many aspects.
I am interested if you saw any hoar layers on any aspects from your digs and at what depths?
In the last 24 hours the snowpack in the vicinity that you traveled got slammed with wind. Some of the aspects S-SW got blasted to nearly the ground. Almost all slopes in all aspect had some softer slab layer (trap layer), with medium size sla...
I am interested if you saw any hoar layers on any aspects from your digs and at what depths?
In the last 24 hours the snowpack in the vicinity that you traveled got slammed with wind. Some of the aspects S-SW got blasted to nearly the ground. Almost all slopes in all aspect had some softer slab layer (trap layer), with medium size sla...
Yes, Roosevelt much safer for long trips when traveling light and fast. Unlike Roosevelt, 15th is lacking in bars and grills, hand made Chinese noodles, coffee shops until you get all the way to Lat. 65th NE. Good thing the SPU mountain patrollers were not there when you trying the old huts.
Beautiful shot and great choice of Seattle hill for today.
West Seattle crew represent! 8)
Yeah last night me (on alpine skis) and a few of the neighbors (all on snowboards) did a bunch of laps on our local steep hill, Andover Street...
Yeah last night me (on alpine skis) and a few of the neighbors (all on snowboards) did a bunch of laps on our local steep hill, Andover Street...
Went back out for more today. Was not the cold smoke powder like last night, but much more skinable (glide).
Oyvind and his son joined me, as well as Hunter Brown.
Left my garage at 11:30 a.m. and headed south into the Evergreen neighborhood.
Found a good yard to cut through to gain immediate access to the golf course.
Made our way via the low route that joined to the 11th hole. Made our way down "Sledders Ridge" and then traversed near the "Tee Off...
Oyvind and his son joined me, as well as Hunter Brown.
Left my garage at 11:30 a.m. and headed south into the Evergreen neighborhood.
Found a good yard to cut through to gain immediate access to the golf course.
Made our way via the low route that joined to the 11th hole. Made our way down "Sledders Ridge" and then traversed near the "Tee Off...
That is wonderful. great TR, I hope you will be back with more. Maybe you will venture beyond Bellevue into the Issaquah Alps someday. ;)
We tried it with our Lasa Apso, but he bottomed out on the front walk.
We tried it with our Lasa Apso, but he bottomed out on the front walk.
Happy solstice, Moscawulff! I bet that, even though the flat landers may not have appreciated the subtle nuances and fluid power of your turns, the sheer beauty of your solstice ski dance will provide many new converts.
BTW - Did you give any thought to the poor gapers at the bottom of the hill? Think not of yourself, but of your touring partners, young Tele-buck. How could you hope to dig out so many of the flat landers if one of your vicious cuts had sent al...
BTW - Did you give any thought to the poor gapers at the bottom of the hill? Think not of yourself, but of your touring partners, young Tele-buck. How could you hope to dig out so many of the flat landers if one of your vicious cuts had sent al...
I can't wait to head N - thanks for the awesome report, as usual!
West Seattle golf course snow was wetter than I would have expected Saturday. Just enough coverage and a few turns could be done on the gentle slopes. I opted to not bother Sunday because of major crust/ice on top of last nights snow. I haven't skied to Alki for many years, though it has happened twice. Might have to try that Monday eve. Or hit the golf course again-I think there should be enough light unless its snowing heavy ;)
Jay C
Jay C
Way cool, Sansivera,
And welcome to Turns-All-Year.
We have a few other skijorers here. I'm wondering if any of the others got out.
If not it looks like there's still time :)
And welcome to Turns-All-Year.
We have a few other skijorers here. I'm wondering if any of the others got out.
If not it looks like there's still time :)
I love the urban trip reports every winter. Hilarious.. :D
Excellent photo's Moscawulff; way to get the goods.
East facing slopes off Phinney Ridge are quite nice too and I had to fend off a rabid pookerdoodle (whatever in the hell those dogs are called) while doing a Greenlake basin circumnavigation...
author=Randy Beaver link=topic=11600.msg48227#msg48227 date=1229907346]
West facing chutes of of Greenwood are loaded, stable, and steep. Objective dog poo hazard found.
East facing slopes off Phinney Ridge are quite nice too and I had to fend off a rabid pookerdoodle (whatever in the hell those dogs are called) while doing a Greenlake basin circumnavigation...
West facing chutes of of Greenwood are loaded, stable, and steep. Objective dog poo hazard found.
E. Aloha. Be there. or miss the turns of a lifetime.
Last night (Saturday) 2 friends and I spent hours yo-yo-ing from the high point of seattle (The water towers on 35th, West Seattle) down both Othello and Myrtle/Frontenac. While the latter is a steeper route, you can ride Othello down, across California, across Fontleroy, and down Lincoln Park Way from 520 elev. to sea level in about 3-4 minutes. The Beveridge Place Pub was open till 2 am, and we stopped in for beers and got a growler to bring with. Never thought I'd see r...
i have been up to the Lookout Mt. Lookout in april 2006. Here are a few photos. It was totally open and ready to be slept in. The first photo shows the inside, and the third shows Little Devil Peak in background with some good skiing as well.
Has anyone had any experience with staying in the Hidden Lake Lookout in the winter? All the info I've found indicates that it's never locked and Scurlock's photos seem to show no winter storm shutters over the windows, though it's hard to tell under all the rime.
I imagine the spindrift will find it's way in if it's really blowing...
Thinking about...
I imagine the spindrift will find it's way in if it's really blowing...
Thinking about...
Nice meeting you guys! Looks like some good face shots were had! We got some tracks in C. Basin too...it was PERFECT back there. just fluff.
Man, West Seattle is getting SHREDDED this year!
:)
:)
It was amazing snow - my first face shots that didn't involve a face plant! Thanks, Brad, for getting me up there. We also met Tokeneastcoaster, Adam and Alex. It was short, but oh, so sweet!
Driving by 4:30, climbing by 6, picking our first lines by first light, back to the car by 11. Then culture shock - riding a crowded, hot bus through downtown, then transferring off, only to end up walking 5 miles home because no more buses came by. Amazing day....
Driving by 4:30, climbing by 6, picking our first lines by first light, back to the car by 11. Then culture shock - riding a crowded, hot bus through downtown, then transferring off, only to end up walking 5 miles home because no more buses came by. Amazing day....
If I scroll through your album real quick from photo 13 on I feel like I was there. Thanks for the TR. Tuesday looks like it may be my last sick day of the year. I knew I was saving it for a reason. Cheers.
my limited knowledge and experience would suggest that any buried weak layers that are or already have developed in the current weather patterns will remain weak, dangerous layers unless there is a major warming trend that would penetrate to buried layers without causing wet, untriggered, slides. The forecast looks, however, like some weak layers will be buried under a significant amount of insulating snow in the near term. i'll keep reading the NWAC reports, regardless! peace!
author=lordhedgie link=topic=11568.msg48148#msg48148 date=1229820241]
I count myself amongst the small cadre of people who have ever skied into town to fix a toilet. ;)
And I think I'm the first (on my block at least) to ski to the "highschool hill" with crutches in lieu of ski poles. ;D
December turns are in. :)
author=T. Eastman link=topic=11550.msg48163#msg48163 date=1229830859]
Be careful as this is not powder any more and the usual tests for layers used out in the PNW don't take a base layer like this into account.
My avy assessment experiences is about as limited as our current base, I have some thoughts on this, but do you have recommendations for assessing conditions from a Rocky Mountain perspective as opposed to our usual PN...
What was described sounds like typical Colorado conditions. The ambient ground temps and the cold nights are transforming this "powder" something more sinister that is in the process of having its snowflake structure removed and turned into what will could be best described as ball bearings. We called this temperature gradient snow (TG) and swore like sailors when it formed some winters. What falls on top of TG is suspect and a major mid-winter avi cycle was needed to clear the moun...
Lowell, I hear what you're saying, that's why I commented on not being able to explain it scientifically, but the snow was so light it doesn't really have a "surface" to grow hoar. I think there's something to what jverschuyl posted..consolidated snowpack and 36 hours. I'd be interested to hear why/how. My avy books are in storage from a recent move. I'll have to go dig 'em up.
Pssst. Keep it quiet over here. This threads better tha...
Pssst. Keep it quiet over here. This threads better tha...
4:30 am?!? And Rusty said I get up early....
Got a couple laps up there today (north face Table, and the south face of oposite hill), Again many people were laying down tracks far and wide in the Baker bc. There was some very small isolated pockets of shallow windslab at the highest elevations.
I included a pic I took from the skin track just a little ways outside of the parking lot, then my new camera batteries died from the cold. Snow was again dry and deep unconsolidated pow with a few hidden terrain obstacles lurking about (today...
I included a pic I took from the skin track just a little ways outside of the parking lot, then my new camera batteries died from the cold. Snow was again dry and deep unconsolidated pow with a few hidden terrain obstacles lurking about (today...
author=lordhedgie link=topic=11568.msg48148#msg48148 date=1229820241]
... my toilet was running, ;)
If your toilet is running...you should catch it.
author=neil turner link=topic=11550.msg48023#msg48023 date=1229671199]
The snow is so low in H2O content right now (with more forecasted coldness) I can't imagine it developing sufface hoar before Sat/Sun when the next system is suposed to hit.
Isn't surface hoar the winter equivalent of dew? In other words, it forms because of moisture in the air, not moisture in the snow. I doubt that the water content of the snow has much...
I couldn't get out of my house yesterday, but my toilet was running, so I toured over to the hardware store and bought a new flapper. I count myself amongst the small cadre of people who have ever skied into town to fix a toilet. ;)
Cookie
First off my avy understanding is limited at best with Level I experience more or less and lots of books and observation. I always lean towards the side of caution and kind of assume "worst-case scenario" conditions until I can prove them wrong by testing and observation.
I said that Friday looked like it could be a good day for surface hoar formation. Hopefully high winds would keep that from happening (and other factors) and we'll no doubt have TR's...
First off my avy understanding is limited at best with Level I experience more or less and lots of books and observation. I always lean towards the side of caution and kind of assume "worst-case scenario" conditions until I can prove them wrong by testing and observation.
I said that Friday looked like it could be a good day for surface hoar formation. Hopefully high winds would keep that from happening (and other factors) and we'll no doubt have TR's...
my friend cut his leg down to the bone sledding on a car hood 2 days ago, and I slammed into a train track after dropping a cliff in the pow pow and now can't walk because I hit my ass so hard. I had to get dragged home on a sled. but it was so worth it!!!
Are there any southwest aspects on Table that are skiable?
Cookiemonster, what course does this exam come from?
Randy Beaver wrote:
What? Double D's in bottomless pow at night.
Add 2-3ft on top of that and you got today. Cold, bluebird, 2k laps, blower, bottomless if I fall in any direction I'm ph--t deep. To be continued...
No pics of our AWESOME exit line?
What? Double D's in bottomless pow at night.
Add 2-3ft on top of that and you got today. Cold, bluebird, 2k laps, blower, bottomless if I fall in any direction I'm ph--t deep. To be continued...
Thanks for all the replies and good information. I asked Baltoro why he expected surface hoar ( because he'd forecast it in his post ) and clear/cold temperatures aren't enough. So I was curious. Also was curious why his post contained a buried surface hoar forecast.
There are 43 questions in the avalanche exam that deal with surface hoar formation: http://www.scenomics.com/internal/accounts/richardm/avalanche/exam/chapter_03_questions.htm
There are 43 questions in the avalanche exam that deal with surface hoar formation: http://www.scenomics.com/internal/accounts/richardm/avalanche/exam/chapter_03_questions.htm
Were the slopes wind-loaded on the southwest aspects?
That's the stuff you remember for years.Kids and adults both.
I grew up in Kentucky and we used to sled down the hollows of the local golf course on Car hoods.We all carried 1/2 pints of whiskey or some sweet liquor for the wounds . about 4 0r 5 of us to a hood ,man those things would fly. Of Course you had to take off the hood ornaments.
I grew up in Kentucky and we used to sled down the hollows of the local golf course on Car hoods.We all carried 1/2 pints of whiskey or some sweet liquor for the wounds . about 4 0r 5 of us to a hood ,man those things would fly. Of Course you had to take off the hood ornaments.
author=Slo-Steve link=topic=11529.msg48080#msg48080 date=1229721914]
We saw the climbers you guys talked to at the top of pan point. while descending Wednesday. They were in tents at about the location we met up. One tent was already thrashed with at least 1 broken pole. They asked if they could follow our tracks up to Muir. I told them no. They made some comment that it was as cold here as in Canada.
Glad these guys were ok!...
We've been skiing the back side of this range today.... myrtle street!
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=121039020056
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=121039020056
I'd like to be the first to congratulate you on your 420th post. A coming of age ritual in many primitive societys, including our own. No pics of our AWESOME exit line?
Jer~
hey, good to hear from you. Missed you sunday fer sure, twas good to get after it again. Hope Bend treats you well in the partner department and you can get some recon done before we come to visit...
hey, good to hear from you. Missed you sunday fer sure, twas good to get after it again. Hope Bend treats you well in the partner department and you can get some recon done before we come to visit...