TR Replies
Great pictures. Thanks for the snow report. Wow, that looked fun.
That's the best dog picture ive seen. Give that powder hound some red meat!
Jeremy reporting in... Good to meet you guys, tele and splitters, out there. Yes, splitters for once may have been in majority ;-) Here's my report on snow pit conditions along with photos and stoke:
http://splitboard.com/talk/viewtopic.php?p=29472a
OK I can't resist just a couple shots of Tophervw stoke:
http://splitboard.com/talk/viewtopic.php?p=29472a
OK I can't resist just a couple shots of Tophervw stoke:
Thanks for the welcome Ron. The first few runs weren't to bad for her, but after that she was shot. It's pretty funny to watch her make the same turns you just did. It's the only way I can tire her out. Well, that and if I make her carry a few beers when we go backpacking. ;)
Welcome to you both.
Traveling in that bottomless snow had to be tough duty for Joules, eh?
Traveling in that bottomless snow had to be tough duty for Joules, eh?
Nice pics bside. That was the most tired I've ever seen Joules. She's even been out in deeper days. Of course, the next day she was rested and hyper again. If you ever want to get out skiing, let me know.
Hey argus. Nice meeting you up there. Also nice sharing trail busting duties. Definitely a day to remember. I should also note that we dug a pit about 7 feet deep on a SE aspect and couldn't find any crust layer, everything seemed quite stable except for the noted soft wind slab. A few pics attached.
'Twas a great number of spliters in thar hills satyurday, good to meet you folks. Unfortunatly I felt like a skier on the way out to the car, as the usual out path from the western most knob was thought to yes...Have too much snow. However as referenced below it was amazing out there. Here is one of Jer's photos, dans pics are all mental ::)
It was a great day out there - unexpected sunshine and calm winds. It was wonderful to see splitboarders representing! I think we outnumbered the skiers. ;D Dan - it was great meeting up with you, Chris and Jeremy(?). A bummer about your camera - hopefully it will reappear.
"haha....am i complaining about the snow?? hardly...it was soft and basically bottomless..."
...so bottomless that I lost my camera in the deep turns. Oh well. I consider it a sacrifice to the snow gods. But, in the very unlikely chance that anyone finds a camera at Yodelin, let me know. It might be mine. Other than that it was indeed a beautiful day at Yodelin yesterday.
I hope the skin track wasn't too wide from us splitters breaking trail. :)
...so bottomless that I lost my camera in the deep turns. Oh well. I consider it a sacrifice to the snow gods. But, in the very unlikely chance that anyone finds a camera at Yodelin, let me know. It might be mine. Other than that it was indeed a beautiful day at Yodelin yesterday.
I hope the skin track wasn't too wide from us splitters breaking trail. :)
great report and photos!!
we (and several other folks) found similar conditions over in yodelin (steven's pass)...deep snow, blue skies, no wind and almost an eerily quietness
we (and several other folks) found similar conditions over in yodelin (steven's pass)...deep snow, blue skies, no wind and almost an eerily quietness
I don't think (aside from magic) there is really a good way to stay dry when digging a snowcave. Tunneling through snow pretty much guarantees getting soaked. I usually just put my shell over a light layer, and then cinch down everything I can (hood, powder skirt, etc), and then go for it.
author=skierguitarist link=topic=8648.msg34656#msg34656 date=1198975050]
Could you give a run-down on how you dig snow caves?
Thanks SG,
Sorry, I know next to nothing about snow caves. The last one I dug was in prehistoric times, just to see if I could do it.
Larry
Good to meet you Peter! Not quite Utah pow, but plenty of it.
Some pictures of our group here:
http://www.randosaigai.com/kendallpeak122907.html
Some pictures of our group here:
http://www.randosaigai.com/kendallpeak122907.html
More - http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106955
No secrets Zap. The only tour close by Cypress is off Hollyburn Peak. Its the peak off the top of the xc ski area and is a miniscule tour plagued by snowshoers
This is one of the coolest reports I have seen this year, thanks!
You seem like an old hand when it comes to surviving elegantly in snow. Could you give a run-down on how you dig snow caves? I'm looking for a good way to do it and stay pretty dry at the same time. Also interested in the engineering of a good cave.
Beautiful light snow, great skiing, fun pics. Thanks Lee, Sharon, and Tim for a really fine day out.
Hey Eric ...It appears I may have been hasty in my judgment....if you are storing your photos on another server, as I now see you are ...Biglines.com...then I don't think the photo limit applies...Charles ??? verdict please....my deepest apologies there buddy 8) your photos are great BTW
The series of the slut putting his hands UP for powder embodies the spirit of the season!
Slut: I want to get a copy of some of the photos, is there a place you have stored the trip pictures for download?
Slut: I want to get a copy of some of the photos, is there a place you have stored the trip pictures for download?
Enjoyable photos. I can see that you are developing a group of "young" trailbreakers. It took me a few years to understand that new backcountry enthusiasts are eager to exhibit their trailbreaker strengths. They just need coaching about terrain selection for putting in a reasonable uptrack. Keep up the good work "coach", us senior guys are counting on you and your "students".
Jill and I have 10 free days of lift skiing at Cypress with our local Snoq...
Jill and I have 10 free days of lift skiing at Cypress with our local Snoq...
I don't know what I was thinking. I copied this tr and forgot to edit the image tags. I goofed. Guess I just wanted to bend the rules for one day. Thanks for the reminder Jerry. Charles my apologies. You know me, I meant no disrespect.
Here are some more photos from Crystal on 12/21.
Another Snoslut sequence:
Snoslut and Robyn
Another Snoslut sequence:
Snoslut and Robyn
Thanks for the report...looking to head up there soon. Glad someone got the goods on Catherine!
The warming hut of question is indeed only at the Sno-Park (at the end of the plowed three creeks Rd.). It is in the snomobile parking area and I believe it is maintained by the Sno-Go-fers Sisters Snowmobile Club. Three big picnic tables, nice big windows, and lots of dry wood.
Oh, if only Three Creeks Lake had a little hut on its shores - I wouldn't be here writing this to you. There is a shelter on the cross-country ski trails to the northwest called Jefferson View.
Oh, if only Three Creeks Lake had a little hut on its shores - I wouldn't be here writing this to you. There is a shelter on the cross-country ski trails to the northwest called Jefferson View.
Hi Larry!
This is unreal. I am especially impressed with your home-made tent! I can't wait to go ski with you and learn some of your tricks.
I hope you understand that I am not blowing you off... I am in the process of simlpifying my life and it is a bit of a terrain trap, if you will, at the moment.
How about we go for a walk one morning soon? I know it's a bit colder than this summer when we first got the idea...
I hope your Holiday was w...
This is unreal. I am especially impressed with your home-made tent! I can't wait to go ski with you and learn some of your tricks.
I hope you understand that I am not blowing you off... I am in the process of simlpifying my life and it is a bit of a terrain trap, if you will, at the moment.
How about we go for a walk one morning soon? I know it's a bit colder than this summer when we first got the idea...
I hope your Holiday was w...
Ian,
I haven't seen a post about Tam MacArther Rim in a long time, that used to be one of my old stomping grounds and is a great tour.
Is the warming hut you speak of the one at the end of the plowed road or is there one up higher near the Lake and Rim?
I haven't seen a post about Tam MacArther Rim in a long time, that used to be one of my old stomping grounds and is a great tour.
Is the warming hut you speak of the one at the end of the plowed road or is there one up higher near the Lake and Rim?
Hey Paul. Wanted to get out with Mike and another friend today as it looked like the conditions would be good in the slackcountry. Had the place to ourselves today. Leaving very early in the am with the hopes of getting a run on Grizzly or lower NRC gulley. See you tomorrow. Leave your radio on and I will give you a shout in the afternoon. It would be fun to spend a day farming some powder on McGill shoulder on Thursday with you and your friend. Glad to...
Glad you had some merry turns today Gregg. We're up at Rogers Pass and stopped by the Wheeler hut today thinking we might see you there. Maybe tomorrow. We did a tour to Lookout col up the Illecillewaet then skied down that nice basin into the Asulkan valley. Nice deep powder, and overall seemed more stable than today's forecast. Breaking trail was alot of work with about 50cm boot penetration. We decided not to go into the Asulkan cabin yesterday due to high avy hazards with th...
Nice tree photo enhancement. ;)
Sweet shots, can't wait to see the rest! I had a blast shredding pow with everyone--many thanks to you and snoslut for bringing me along, hopefully we'll do it again before I head back to school.
PS - Most TAY'ers will assume this, but considering the tone of some posts recently: I do not mean my last post to sound like a recommendation or endorsement for anyone to be out in the BC right now considering current conditions. Just reporting info we found at this single location since you inquired about Mt Catherine in particular.
We toured out to Mt Catherine yesterday Sat 12/22, Tophervw and I. Considering the high avy warnings, we had no goal to actually ride much downhill, our only idea was to head out for some exercise and dig a pit to study conditions for ourselves. We'll post a TR later, probably over on splitboard.com and link back to it here. Short summary: dug pit 300 vft above the road at 4000 ft on 33* South aspect Mt Catherine gladed area, tested columns and rutsch. Failures on weak layers 18 inches and...
column tap test how-to instructions:
http://www.avalanche.org/~nac/slideguide/new_slides/compression.html
typically if one wants a test result that will provide a 'number' to assign to the snowpack, ya start with 10 taps from the wrist, then 10 from the elbow, then 10 from the shoulder. Also best to do this on a slope that is the prime angle ( try to find a small steeper area, upper 30's, amongst the lower angle terrain that you are choosing as a skinning path)...
http://www.avalanche.org/~nac/slideguide/new_slides/compression.html
typically if one wants a test result that will provide a 'number' to assign to the snowpack, ya start with 10 taps from the wrist, then 10 from the elbow, then 10 from the shoulder. Also best to do this on a slope that is the prime angle ( try to find a small steeper area, upper 30's, amongst the lower angle terrain that you are choosing as a skinning path)...
The column was cut in back, but we had to use our shovel blade and cut it from the side, so the cut wasn't too thorough. The back of the RB was also cut, with a ski pole though. The collapse of both tests was right at the old hoar frost, but yeah, you're right, the whole RB glided forward, collapsing most of the snow...
As for the tapping bit, I honestly don't know. I was taught to hit it gradually harder. Then when conducting the shear test, I w...
As for the tapping bit, I honestly don't know. I was taught to hit it gradually harder. Then when conducting the shear test, I w...
Sweet video, thanks. For the column test, you cut the backside of the column, right? Just asking, as I was surprised you didn't get more of a failure. This is totally picky, and its been a while since I took an avy course, but when you tap the shovel blade, don't you start hitting it using just your wrist, then from the elbow, and finally the full arm. The collapse on the RB seemed to not be on a distinct layer. It kinda looked like all the fresh snow just spilled out from the sk...
Very impressive. Your are truly an innovator and pioneer. I especially like the idea of the radio antenna, except for maybe around electrical storms. Get a patent on that design before the REI's/MH/BD people find out.
Thanks for the reply,
Joe
Thanks for the reply,
Joe
author=joeb link=topic=8570.msg34375#msg34375 date=1198282007]
Larry,
Thanks for the TR. What kind of shelter is that?
Ah, the tent, now that's a subject on which I could write way too much, and I probably will too.
It's homemade, based on an old Eddie Bauer design from the early 70's, but with a lot of tweaks over several versions. Now don't laugh about the ancient modified pup tent design; n...
Stugie -
I think the emotion captured by "thank god we did" says it all, no need for a TR & photos that will just make me envious. I have no info about Mt. Catherine. The snow was noticeably nicer at the top of Hyak, so I would assume that it could only get better higher up.
I think the emotion captured by "thank god we did" says it all, no need for a TR & photos that will just make me envious. I have no info about Mt. Catherine. The snow was noticeably nicer at the top of Hyak, so I would assume that it could only get better higher up.
Right on bro! Yeah, great riding with you too! We'll do it again soon! Thanks too for being one of few people I know willing to take extra safety measures...;)