TR Replies
Full story here for days 1, 2 and 3 - http://www.leelau.net/2008/coast2008_03/day123/ Powder fever struck us bad one day when we did 1900m of runs in 30 + cms of snow on stable 40 degree slopes through perfectly spaced trees. Run after run.
The track going up was looking good but we were too far North to want to traverse / climb the Morse creek back-side. Your descent tracks sure looked inviting though. Did anyone track your elevation + / - data to come up with the overall vertical? I'd be curious as to how much climbing is involved but pretty sure it's a 5K + day. Right around a 2 run day at the "Ridge too far", another seldom visited C.M. destination with 7 drop-ins that go 55 - 40 degrees & a thousa...
We went up to the chair a few times yesterday. Great snow and turns. Stability was OK but it was most def avalanche terrain so was a bit nervous. Shovel test failed at considerable rating. A lot of graupel (those little snow pellets) for the 1st 4 in which were really loose and made skinning tricky on steeper terrain. Packed down good for 2nd trip up though.
Great day to be out
Great day to be out
author=Monika link=topic=9444.msg38138#msg38138 date=1205388880]I guess you got out earlier?
Hi Monika,
We got to the top around 1:00, skied around 1:30. North facing aspects stayed relatively cool, especially in the shade of the Slot, while the Phantom turned to sticky glop from about 5,000 ft down. Good to see you getting out, helmet and all!
The quality of the snow on the N side of Snoqualmie was a really nice surprise. It was still good on the N side of after 1P.
I think the guys who skied Crooked (Clem et al) dropped into that line a little after 2P, so I guess the N side pow, and the pow on the Phantom, hung in there for a while longer. The clouds thickened up in the PM, which probably helped.
I think the guys who skied Crooked (Clem et al) dropped into that line a little after 2P, so I guess the N side pow, and the pow on the Phantom, hung in there for a while longer. The clouds thickened up in the PM, which probably helped.
Sweet pics GregL !
I saw the temps really spiked today. But you all still found powder, I guess you got out earlier? Heard there were plenty of natural slides happening over on Alaska today...
I saw the temps really spiked today. But you all still found powder, I guess you got out earlier? Heard there were plenty of natural slides happening over on Alaska today...
The Slot was fun, too, though even more variable. Scoured rain crust at top, four inches of wind affected fresh in the narrow part, then a foot or so in the mid and lower sections, with a few patches of bare ice to make things exciting. Here's FreeBird and MOB.
author=RichV link=topic=9428.msg38104#msg38104 date=1205351107]
Kylie asked our group if we knew where we were at.
That's really funny. ;D ;D
It goes to show that you never know when you are in the presence of the Grand Master of Crystal's BC. I can think of a couple folks, but not many who know that terrain better than Scott.
Interesting conditions - thanks! (sounds like a fun day too....)
author=RichV link=topic=9428.msg38104#msg38104 date=1205351107]
The snow cave you discovered is the one that is used for the snack break on the guided snowshoe tours.
Rich is correct they have been building snow caves there for years
Glad you got it figured out -- that's a great tour.
thanks. it was a good day, just wanted to share.
We spent the week of Feb 24-Feb 29 at the Wing Ridge Huts. Sounds like we had similar conditions as you did. It dumped the Saturday 2/23 before we skied in through Monday 2/25 and then cleared up so we spent the rest of the week hunting for freshies on north aspects that hadn't been blasted by the sun. We were able to ski the big bowls off of Wing Ridge and did a big tour on Wing Ridge over to McCulley Basin and back.
What amazing terrain.
If you get a chance I'd...
What amazing terrain.
If you get a chance I'd...
For 1-button mouse users, right-click = cntrl-click. It looks like the url's for the pictures might be truncated?? To make sure to get the whole url, navigate to the picture, then click the little icon next to the url (the red and blue circles for flickr). This will select the entire address, even if there is not enough room to display the whole thing. Once selected, just copy/paste any way you like (e.g. command-c/command-v).
Micah
Micah
Silly Rabbit, apples come from Tree, not Steve Jobs.
Are you a Mac user? And if so, are there Mac folks out there who can help?
Are you a Mac user? And if so, are there Mac folks out there who can help?
right...don't have a "right click". thanks though
I'm not sure what "?s" you mean, but if you're having trouble seeing the pictures, I think you pasted the wrong address. Try right-clicking on the picture you want and scroll down to "Properties", then put the address you find there into the img tags, as below:
what's with the question mark's, bro?
We found a bottle of Stolichnaya at the cave ... is that what passes for a "snack" these days? Sign me up!
SG, We were staying in the Big Sheep drainage which was booked up. But the North East aspect of Wing Ridge looked readily available from the Salt Creek Snowpark
Looks like a hoot from the looks of those tracks. Which trail head drainage were you working out of and what do you recommend as it looks like another dump of freshies is on the way for Central, Oregon and I imagine the Wallowas?
Hi Telewoman...thanks for your input. If you know of any cool changes happening on that side (or any side for that matter) would you keep me aprised?.
I've done Hotlum/Bolum once and I must say that that was one feeling of ski acomplishment as the whole route was completely filled with the BIGGEST most GINORMOUS (heard that is a word now but probably spelled wrong...) sun cups that the world has ever had. I was so slow though that all the people hiking down passed me...
I've done Hotlum/Bolum once and I must say that that was one feeling of ski acomplishment as the whole route was completely filled with the BIGGEST most GINORMOUS (heard that is a word now but probably spelled wrong...) sun cups that the world has ever had. I was so slow though that all the people hiking down passed me...
Kylie asked our group if we knew where we were at. Myself and Scott Kingland were not very amused.
The snow cave you discovered is the one that is used for the snack break on the guided snowshoe tours.
The snow cave you discovered is the one that is used for the snack break on the guided snowshoe tours.
Nice to meet you guys.
I was the guy that straightlined the slot into the righthand blue line only to bobble at the exit and wreck catastrophically. My Dynafits did not come off....
I was actually planning on nabbing first tracks on the larger one after a run from the top of Morse Pk and then saw you punks skinning up around the corner. You snaked my line man! No worries ;)
I have some pics of our day @
http://flickr.com/photos/jmalczyk/sets/72157604087611...
I was the guy that straightlined the slot into the righthand blue line only to bobble at the exit and wreck catastrophically. My Dynafits did not come off....
I was actually planning on nabbing first tracks on the larger one after a run from the top of Morse Pk and then saw you punks skinning up around the corner. You snaked my line man! No worries ;)
I have some pics of our day @
http://flickr.com/photos/jmalczyk/sets/72157604087611...
Thanks for the report Mad_Dog! My arm/shoulder is still healing, but hope to see you and crew late spring or early summer. Thank goodness for TAY trip reports or I'd be having no season at all... ;)
I wouldn't give up on Shasta yet. We are expected snow this weekend. Hotlum/Bolam is usually accessible by mid-May early-June. The earliest I've sked it was May 9th which is the earliest the road has been open all the way to the trailhead. 8)
author=schu link=topic=9423.msg38033#msg38033 date=1205205158]
My partner and I lapped Plummer and Denman milking out 6300' on saturday.
6300'! Wow!
Hey Greg thanks,
No that is not Norman. I got a killer deal on the SL's and took the plunge to the Dynafits.
No that is not Norman. I got a killer deal on the SL's and took the plunge to the Dynafits.
Nice work, Broz! Is that Norman on Baker SL's and Dynafits?
Yes Jim I have crampons for my splits. Left them at home cause if you have to skin using crampons, sometimes its easier to just boot. Shortest distance between 2 points is a straight line. Plus I drug up my harness n gear, ice axe, crampons, helmet. I would be damned if I didn't at least incorporate one of those items. Sure we could have skinned to the col but that would have been easy.
Very nice!! Another place I must get to....
Does snoslut have any ski crampons that work on his splitboard (memory is telling me that's what he uses, but I have to admit I'm not positive)? Or would you have just had to choose between slogging with him or leaving him in the dust if you'd brought yours ;D?
Wow, that mountain is indeed scowered!!!!!! Thanks for the input and picture. Looks like it might not be worth the drive for the Hotlum/Bolum this year, unless coverage improves.
author=p0875 link=topic=9413.msg38068#msg38068 date=1205256380]
my friend and i skied from muir down and caught up to you guys at the top of the chute waiting for clouds to pass. i think this photo is one of your guys scouting the ridge. fun day, wish we had joined you on your grand tour tho....
sorry I did not introduce myself, we had been waiting patiently for awhile and the pea soup finally started to thin when you two arrive...
Fun times fer sure!! 8) ... good to ski with you all again, and to meet a few new ones ... Overthehills, I think you were the one with the same backpack as me right, the blue BD pack??
Eli-
Sorry to hear about your binding! Nice photos from the trip though! Your trip blogs are great to read!
Scott
Sorry to hear about your binding! Nice photos from the trip though! Your trip blogs are great to read!
Scott
Scotsman - Thanks! It was actually an accident that I turned the pics b&w, but I think they turned out alright too!
Paul - I was trying to post a pic of the chutes we dropped, but it didn't attach properly. I think we ended up seeing about 11 people, 5 of whom dropped "nectar" near the end of the day, so we headed to another basin further E that still had some decent lines to be had. Sorry to hear about your dynafits...they're definitely lighter than the tre...
Paul - I was trying to post a pic of the chutes we dropped, but it didn't attach properly. I think we ended up seeing about 11 people, 5 of whom dropped "nectar" near the end of the day, so we headed to another basin further E that still had some decent lines to be had. Sorry to hear about your dynafits...they're definitely lighter than the tre...
Mack,
Good job. Did you ski back to the Switchback trailhead? How did the north side of Klahane ridge look? We had homework on Sunday but glad to see you're keeping tabs on the Oly's. Looking forward to some good tours this spring.
Good job. Did you ski back to the Switchback trailhead? How did the north side of Klahane ridge look? We had homework on Sunday but glad to see you're keeping tabs on the Oly's. Looking forward to some good tours this spring.
my friend and i skied from muir down and caught up to you guys at the top of the chute waiting for clouds to pass. i think this photo is one of your guys scouting the ridge. fun day, wish we had joined you on your grand tour tho....
Ski crampons would have been a good idea, forgot them at home....
Looked nice up there! Bummer about your binding.
Do you have ski crampons? They can make all the difference on wind packed snow - like having tank treads (versus postholing in boots!). I was just wondering if they didn't work on your tour for some reason, or if you don't have them (I see from the "shattered" thread that you at least have bindings that should take some crampons...
Do you have ski crampons? They can make all the difference on wind packed snow - like having tank treads (versus postholing in boots!). I was just wondering if they didn't work on your tour for some reason, or if you don't have them (I see from the "shattered" thread that you at least have bindings that should take some crampons...
I bet the slopes were fun - it's always looked likely to be nice when I've hiked it, but have only skied later in the year when it was only skiable into the upper Beverly Creek Basin. I'm too lazy for that road approach now (I expected to see a snowmobile involved in the report when I opened it). Well done!
It was good seeing you guys and meeting Joe, Ethan, and Paul. That little couloir looked to be in great shape compared to when Scotty and I skied it last june and Joe sure made short work of it.
author=skierlyles link=topic=9413.msg38018#msg38018 date=1205180054">
Little Africa? Is that the rocky section we booted over before we strapped back up?
This map shows "Little Africa" as the rocky ridge flanking the Muir Snowfield below Moon Rocks and above Sugar Loaf. This is where we crossed back onto the Muir Snowfield at 8.5K. Also ev...
Glad you made it up to the object of your desires, Michael. It's a longer line than it looks like from the mountain side, eh?
More pictures HERE.
Schu - We saw your tracks up there... looks like you indeed had your way with Plummer & Denman.
More pictures HERE.
Schu - We saw your tracks up there... looks like you indeed had your way with Plummer & Denman.
Mary and I must have been right behind you guys, although we went down to Crystal Lake and around. Got a late start too with the time change. We envied some nice lines in a steep chute that might have been yours in "Nectar" and noted that for our next trip. Nice job! We had intended to go out to Chinook Pass, but I was on my first trip with dynafit bindings. What a cluster @#$! Whoever invented those things?? I longed for my tele's all day! Still had a beautiful trip with...
author=Snow Bell link=topic=9415.msg38008#msg38008 date=1205170636]
Nice tour Mack. I assume that the gate opened at a reasonable time as you did not mention it. That is always a concern of mine when considering a trip up there.
Good to see the Oly wolf pack on the powder prowl.
We hit the gate just after 8:30 and there were a few cars up ahead of us. Opening time is a bit variable, but if you follow the weather and...