TR Replies
I've never met you Silas, but congrats!! That's quite an accomplishment. I'm with Sky- excellent excuse for a party....
RedGoesFaster, Nice TR. Remember, breaking trail for old folks is an honor and really appreciated.
Art, Perlin, Pete and I look forward to your skiing with us back at Stevens next season. But you do understand that we don't do TR about that. Plus if you start filming there, I can't guarantee your personal safety. ;)
Silas, ;)
Silas, ;)
I second Andy keep posting away. If I'm ever in Colorado though I'll have to remember to never to ski with you. :) Nice work man!!
Ben knew how to pick them indeed! I still think about his day, in which he skied the Roosevelt Headwall solo and then headed back up to ski the Coleman Headwall solo, as if one amazing ski wasn't enough! Nice job on the route you guys.
Hey Jessica,
Thanks for the pictures, especially of that guy in the orange. I didn't seem to get him in any of my shots. ;) I owe you some of that gal in the hat.
One thing I did get to appreciate was how much more pollen I built up compared to my lighter and wider-skied family members. More pressure equals more smearage and stickage. But still, no big deal to buff off with an old sweatshirt.
What a great evening tour. Dis...
Thanks for the pictures, especially of that guy in the orange. I didn't seem to get him in any of my shots. ;) I owe you some of that gal in the hat.
One thing I did get to appreciate was how much more pollen I built up compared to my lighter and wider-skied family members. More pressure equals more smearage and stickage. But still, no big deal to buff off with an old sweatshirt.
What a great evening tour. Dis...
Great photos as always, and excellent video footage! Congratulations!!
Congratulations Silas. Your skinning up video is hilarious - instant classic!
Really enjoying your crazy antics Dan - keep posting!
Kick ass Silas! That's awesome. :) --Scott
We were up there as well. Congrats to Silaswild. That skiing through the forest video is pretty impressive.
We walked down the steep forest bits. The combination of sticky pollen and that carpet of forest litter was just begging for a boken neck.
Did you have something for the pollen? We rubbed on not wax twice. We didn't have any pollen problems until we neared Crag View which we passed to the west instead of east. I think we'll try...
We walked down the steep forest bits. The combination of sticky pollen and that carpet of forest litter was just begging for a boken neck.
Did you have something for the pollen? We rubbed on not wax twice. We didn't have any pollen problems until we neared Crag View which we passed to the west instead of east. I think we'll try...
author=Robyn link=topic=7330.msg29212#msg29212 date=1181004822]
...If it was taken in late afternoon (after 4 or so) those four people might have been my group.
Yep, I'd say it was your gang, Robyn. Thanks the kind words and thanks for modeling to enhance our view!! ;)
Glad you missed the pollen.
Nice report and great photos!!
If it was taken in late afternoon (after 4 or so) those four people might have been my group. After lazing around at Muir we considered skiing down part of the Paradise glacier, following the same path as I had earlier in the week with dkoelle, but the flats at the bottom probably would have been miserable for the two non-AT alpiners. We found enough nice turns to make up for all of the traversing, and had no issues with pollen even down toward the car.
If it was taken in late afternoon (after 4 or so) those four people might have been my group. After lazing around at Muir we considered skiing down part of the Paradise glacier, following the same path as I had earlier in the week with dkoelle, but the flats at the bottom probably would have been miserable for the two non-AT alpiners. We found enough nice turns to make up for all of the traversing, and had no issues with pollen even down toward the car.
Congrats on the "100" list thing.
So now that I...
author=silaswild link=topic=7320.msg29124#msg29124 date=1180934272]
It depends on when you start counting. 58.9 years of life, 35.9 years after Mt. Baker, my first summit in WA, or 3 years since I learned I had finished 99 peaks of this little known list. The toughest part was remembering that I needed to do it, and in June for the most fun, ski to the car.
So now that I...
About this time 10 years ago at Chinook we had to ski for our life to beat the thunderstorm back to the car. It was everybit as exciting as the steepest chute. We made it to the car dry but before we could put our gear away we got soaked!
so much for lower angle warm-up turns before you get to the steep stuff!
Joe ,
the road is plowed and bikeridable down to Snow /bench lake trail head. seems like the Park ought to open it up at least that far ? there's room to turn around down there. After that it's probly melted out . i hear there is some damage to the stevens canyon road further down. From what I could see of Unicorn the upper to the summitt is now seprate from the saddle and below. IT also appears to have a glissade track rightdab in the middle! Could be a snowball or ro...
the road is plowed and bikeridable down to Snow /bench lake trail head. seems like the Park ought to open it up at least that far ? there's room to turn around down there. After that it's probly melted out . i hear there is some damage to the stevens canyon road further down. From what I could see of Unicorn the upper to the summitt is now seprate from the saddle and below. IT also appears to have a glissade track rightdab in the middle! Could be a snowball or ro...
author=silaswild link=topic=7324.msg29127#msg29127 date=1180936592]
Not sure about the best route back to the car, having done a few traverses over slide alder on the way up, we chose a more direct line which led us to a nice stream crossing at 4000' followed by some careful sleuthing to minimize walking in the final 300' vertical. Total ski-less travel for the day was a couple hundred yards, snow is melting fast, easy Silver was fun while it...
author=Telemon link=topic=7320.msg29177#msg29177 date=1180986649]
Silas, you just too modest. You didn't even mention your milestone accomplishment yesterday. BTW Sherman looked spectacular from the freeway on my way home.
Yeah, you mentioned it like it was just another day out. I don't know how you do it all!
WOW!! I didn't know I have been skiing with a legend. Very impressive.
Congratulations. Now, had anyone done the 200 highest peaks?!
Congratulations. Now, had anyone done the 200 highest peaks?!
more pics of area
(Photo removed by moderator)
Thanks for the great photos and a nice report, Dan. However, we still maintain a three-photo-per-thread limit (see http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=7331.0), so I've removed the fourth photo posted.
Please feel free to offer opinions or suggestions about photo posting in that thread!
Thanks.
Mark
(acting in my capacity as arbitrary, caprici...
(Photo removed by moderator)
Thanks for the great photos and a nice report, Dan. However, we still maintain a three-photo-per-thread limit (see http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=7331.0), so I've removed the fourth photo posted.
Please feel free to offer opinions or suggestions about photo posting in that thread!
Thanks.
Mark
(acting in my capacity as arbitrary, caprici...
Thought I'd best post a photo or two to corroborate the MadDog's report:
Here's a shot of Wiley staring down the hole of his lost breakfast:
Here's one of the MadDog having her way with the Glacier:
And one of the only folks we saw on the PG the entire tour, a distant quartet up...
Here's a shot of Wiley staring down the hole of his lost breakfast:
Here's one of the MadDog having her way with the Glacier:
And one of the only folks we saw on the PG the entire tour, a distant quartet up...
author=Scotsman link=topic=7310.msg29140#msg29140 date=1180969893]
Good job Telemack, I know you wanted that one.
How long do you think conditions will last on that route?
Should be good for a few more weeks up high, above timberline. That means easier walikng through the woods, and booting/skiing starting below Monitor Ridge. :)
???But I'm no volcano-meister so I dunno.
You're right of course, Joe. I'm glad that you enjoyed the story. And, about honesty, I always try to be as true as I can. I don't want anyone trying to repeat the stupid stuff I do (well, not always so stupid ;)) without understanding that there are risks. I learned and made a lot of mistakes in the process of becoming a competent ski mountaineer-errant (with apologies to Don Quixote). Hopefully my TR's teach people and they learn from my mistakes.
I don't know of a way from the Sunrise Mine Road, looks pretty rough. I came from Barlow pass and the washout is easy to walk across (there is also a bypass up around it). The main bridge to Monte Cristo is also out, so access up there looks much harder, but the Gothic Basin trail heads right at that point so it isn't a problem.
Friends of mine took the trail that you describe to the Yellow Aster lakes last fall. They seemed to think that other TH near the switchbacks was being eliminated. It is a spectacular place by looking at their photos and yours. The closest that I have been to the area is Gold Run Pass, Winchester and Goat to the NE.
Hopefully our paths will cross again, Andy.
Hopefully our paths will cross again, Andy.
Silas, you just too modest. You didn't even mention your milestone accomplishment yesterday. BTW Sherman looked spectacular from the freeway on my way home.
I did not get home until last night, so my report is a little late. Hopefully I can make that up with some photos.
Saturday's trip was my first to St.Helens, but my 8th volcano since I started my tay streak. Members of our group that have done the mountain multiple times stated that it was the nicest weather that they had ever experienced there, but my skiing buddy, Jon, thought that skiing had been better in the past. I skinned from timberline to the base of the la...
Saturday's trip was my first to St.Helens, but my 8th volcano since I started my tay streak. Members of our group that have done the mountain multiple times stated that it was the nicest weather that they had ever experienced there, but my skiing buddy, Jon, thought that skiing had been better in the past. I skinned from timberline to the base of the la...
The Lemming Variation to the Nisqually chute. I like that and very apt! ;D
After leaving the Tatoosh to you, we looked back from Pebble Creek and asked ourselves "what are we doing over here, again" The snow is always whiter on the other range. Nice choice.
nice pictures!
did you bushwack upvalley from the vesper trailhead or you go up via the gothic basin trail? forest service trail report mentioned a big washout on the gothic basin trail...had been thinking about going up there a couple weeks back, kinda curious which approach you took. thanks!
did you bushwack upvalley from the vesper trailhead or you go up via the gothic basin trail? forest service trail report mentioned a big washout on the gothic basin trail...had been thinking about going up there a couple weeks back, kinda curious which approach you took. thanks!
Thanks for the heads up on the passes Robie.
Looks like a great trip-That chute is a fun one to ski back.
You say the snow is 5-6 feet at the road end of Reflection?
So the road is snow covered past that?
Just wondering for a Snow Lake-Unicorn, may be easier to go up and over Foss with an upper traverse.
Thanks,
Joe
Looks like a great trip-That chute is a fun one to ski back.
You say the snow is 5-6 feet at the road end of Reflection?
So the road is snow covered past that?
Just wondering for a Snow Lake-Unicorn, may be easier to go up and over Foss with an upper traverse.
Thanks,
Joe
Here's a trip report from the leader of the Mountaineers party:
http://evaseite.com/eldorado0607.aspx
http://evaseite.com/eldorado0607.aspx
author=silaswild link=topic=7324.msg29127#msg29127 date=1180936592]
Back on the crest we lounged in the sun and watched an amazing cloud of yellow green pollen blow down valley from Lake Annette. Wish we'd had a camera to document it.
I witnessed the same phenomena from Naches Peak down into the East drainage of highway 123.
I thought I was seeing things and asked the others if they saw that what I was seeing.
Hey, nice to meet you! Should have guessed you'd be on TAY. Thanks for poking a track down through the glide cracks and for all the peak identification -- excellent day all around. I'll take a rain check on the gu-cone...
Hey Silas & Art,
Chuck and I were up there the day before (Friday) and saw no one. Only made it to 9k since this was my 2nd hike of the year and 6k in vert in 1 day pushed my limits. That trail was such a second guessing kind of thing since neither one of us had been on it before, especially on the way out. Dealing with serious sunburn today..............
The Squak is cool
TR to come soon.
Chuck and I were up there the day before (Friday) and saw no one. Only made it to 9k since this was my 2nd hike of the year and 6k in vert in 1 day pushed my limits. That trail was such a second guessing kind of thing since neither one of us had been on it before, especially on the way out. Dealing with serious sunburn today..............
The Squak is cool
TR to come soon.
6/2/07 - Chinook Pass. Hiked the bowl above the eastern-most Chinook Pass parking lot. Made it just below the top rocks on Yakima Peak and skied down from there. Sunny and warm with good snowcover at the pass from Tipsoo lake and over the pass proper. Great view of Mt Rainer from the top, nice creamy snow on the way down. did a 2nd short run down the low saddle right off the lot. THis was our first time there, so we were very conservative and stayed in sight of the road instead of heading south...
I was also up there Sunday. Started down from top @3. Snow was almost unworkably mushy, not sure if an hour or two earlier woulda been better (maybe). Even a snowboard was unable to offset the mushiness, this might have been the slowest snow I have ever slid on (and pollen was not even involved). Needs a good freeze! Looks like good cover over in Summerland.
Thunderclaps were quite audible from the Prow but the clouds producing them were further east. Did not rain on the hike but on t...
Thunderclaps were quite audible from the Prow but the clouds producing them were further east. Did not rain on the hike but on t...
I think the most likely culprits include early onset of spring, lots of warm days and not much rain to keep the pollen stuck to the trees. The trees are thrilled but it doesn't help the skiing. :)
author=Scotsman link=topic=7307.msg29138#msg29138 date=1180969661]
Great day Michael, and thanks to Spinfast and his buddy whose tracks we followed.
As you say I didn't think about work once during the descent. ;D
Famous last words, " let's follow their tracks, if they can ski it, so can we!" NOT ;)
We could call it the Lemming line. For my part, I will be proud of that line for some time to come. Thanks ag...
congrats Silas. YOUD THE MAN!
Scottie
Scottie
Very outstanding accompishment Silas!
You sure get around.
Joe
You sure get around.
Joe
could see the thunderheads building just as we where getting ready to descent . By the time we reached the Campgroud the thunder claps had started and it was raining by the time we left. Timing is everything! Never felt worried aout them athough we had discussed beforehand about keeping an eye on the weter and turning around if necessary.
You know, its amazing any of us survive this sport. About the only objective danger we don't have to think about is locust swarms. At least not until global warming really kicks in.
Michael
Michael
author=Scotsman link=topic=7325.msg29145#msg29145 date=1180974132]
I will never question your judement again. ;D
Now that sounds dangerous!
Did you get caught in any lightning or thunder showers?-it looked like it was hovering over that way.