TR Replies
Mmmm.. Steep turns among the Ponderosa. I love the eastside...
author=telemack link=topic=6130.msg25362#msg25362 date=1170007623]
I saw lots of trees showing there; there weren't as many the one time I went there several years ago. I assume the coverage was good? Were there any little cliffs visible? If no that means there is tons of snow. cheers
Nope; though there was one large boulder on the ridge. Nothing big enough to try to avoid. :) The area is g...
No, Silas was simply giving me grief for being a snowboarder. The sentence might have been better with one of these ;)
Silas the couple of the folks I skied St Helens with were on Granite on Saturday. They turned around (where??) and went for some laps at Alpy after getting a phone call from a buddy at the summit, who reported the conditions you had described.
PS: We were reprimanded by the slednecks for parking in the upper lot. They are requesting cars w/o trailers do not park in the upper lot.
How did you let that happen Jeff?? ::) A skier getting scolded by a sledneck. ??? Never thought I'd hear that. :-[ That's like me lecturing people for ducking ropes, not that I ever would. ;D
Appears the slopes needed one more day of baking and everyone who showed up Sunday got their slice and them some.
Nice! On my way in on Saturday I passed lots of disappointed skiers coming down complaining of how icy it was. Sounds like you guy managed to find some good stuff.
Sunday the skiing was fantastic. The corn was in full effect:
Sunday the skiing was fantastic. The corn was in full effect:
author=MW88888888 link=topic=6134.msg25383#msg25383 date=1170048171]
I'm intrigued, Silas, (or Mej) what's the No Snowboard rule on Granite?
I think he's referring to the fact that it gets windy up there and a snowboard strapped to a pack acts like a sail to knock you off balance.
wolfs the sleds were there in force and had their own designated trails. So did the nordic skiers. Highest tracks I saw were at timberline. At the trailhead the sleds were loud but as soon as you entered deep enough into the woods all sounds were dampened except for the sounds of snowshoes. ;D
Righteous! Nice pix!
You didn't mention anything about sled traffic. I always have waited til after the sleds are off the mountain before going to St Helens. What's it like in midwinter? Is it pretty much a given that you will share the upper mountain with lots of motorheads? Your pix have a distinct lack of belt-trax on them ...
You didn't mention anything about sled traffic. I always have waited til after the sleds are off the mountain before going to St Helens. What's it like in midwinter? Is it pretty much a given that you will share the upper mountain with lots of motorheads? Your pix have a distinct lack of belt-trax on them ...
I know it, see what happens when I am left to my own decision making? But hey, I got to put my new skis through the paces, and the edges will never be sharper than they were yesterday morning.
Ron - I said SOUTH East facing in the am might be corn...sheesch. Nice Pics!
And knowing you, are you sure you were looking at Granite? (I know, two digs in one post, that's why you love me)
And knowing you, are you sure you were looking at Granite? (I know, two digs in one post, that's why you love me)
Another great search and destroy mission, Pete. Fantastic snow and a beautiful weekend. Of course, it's desperately, desperately difficult to get back in there :)
Yet more TAYers up there. Steph and I read Silas's report from yesterday about the snow firmness and the similar report from Red Moutain and adjusted our start time accordingly. We started from the TH about 11am not too far behind another couple of skiers and started skiing down the south side around 2:30pm. We nailed the snow conditions. The south side snow was so nice, corny, and buttery, I had to head up for a serving of seconds.
We must have ju...
We must have ju...
I'm intrigued, Silas, (or Mej) what's the No Snowboard rule on Granite?
Great shot of Kaleetan, DK, it looks in form.
Great shot of Kaleetan, DK, it looks in form.
Nice photos! We watched you guys make turns in the W bowl. From your comments it sounds like we made the right call to head down the S side instead of following the SW shoulder.
I'm through with doing integrals...I prefer my punishment to be the mind-numbing "one-foot-in-front-of-the-other" kind. :D
Indeed, the weather was beautiful up on Granite Mountain today. In the calms it was downright warm. Sounds like quite a few TAYers made it up Granite today. My group unfortunately had to turn around by noon due to obligations in town before reaching the summit. We happened upon Silas' stash on the was down. He isn't kidding, it was good. Nice to meet you Silas, by the way. Thanks for reminding me about the No Snowboard rule on Granite Mountain....
Encouraged by Silaswild's report, and accompanied by Silas himself, 4 of us got a civilized start and started hiking around 8:45 or 9 AM. We climbed the S gulley, initially all on skins. Steve and I quickly decided booting was the way to go, while Florian and Silas persisted with the plush carpet technology. Silas decamped to lap south side corn between 4000' and 5000' having had enough wind
yesterday, while the three remainders continued to the top. It was quite windy an...
yesterday, while the three remainders continued to the top. It was quite windy an...
Having experienced stiff snow and wind on the west side of Granite yesterday, I returned today for calmer, warmer conditions on the south side. Winds picked up above 4500', and the corn was unbuttered above 4900' so I deskinned and enjoyed laps in perfect spring conditions on both sides of the south rib 4900'-3900' between 11AM-2PM. Skiing down toward the trailhead, I found open forest with good wind protected softened snow coverage a few hundred yards west of the south rib...
We headed up today, Jan 28th. Gorgeous day!
Crusty snow when we descended at 11:30, but perfect corn the last quarter of the run. Spent an hour lounging in the sun just because after it all. Dug a pit, unstable about 5" down with one jump on a 35 degree slope. Then took the crusty road home. Yes, lots of snowshoers and sledders at the bottom. But what a beautiful day!
Crusty snow when we descended at 11:30, but perfect corn the last quarter of the run. Spent an hour lounging in the sun just because after it all. Dug a pit, unstable about 5" down with one jump on a 35 degree slope. Then took the crusty road home. Yes, lots of snowshoers and sledders at the bottom. But what a beautiful day!
nice pic. views from jefferson to baker... pffffft, that's got nothin on triple integrals in cylindrical coordinates... next weekend though i'll be stick'n'it to the man. sent you an e-mail about it, hope to see ya then.
I saw lots of trees showing there; there weren't as many the one time I went there several years ago. I assume the coverage was good? Were there any little cliffs visible? If no that means there is tons of snow. cheers
It softened below 5000 by 12, but a northerly wind kept it bulletproof above. I doubt the top 500 feet ever got soft, though I could be wrong.
Was planning on hitting Red Mtn tomorrow, so am wondering what time you were doing your skiing down the face today and whether you thought it would have gotten better at any point.
Appreciate the feedback if you can a chance.
timmy
Appreciate the feedback if you can a chance.
timmy
WOW! Actually we went out today and were the only ones on the road.
A little late adding pics to this thread...
The second is Scott skiing down on the first lap, the third is avalanche debris from an avalanche that occurred between our first and second laps in a gully close to our skin track.
The second is Scott skiing down on the first lap, the third is avalanche debris from an avalanche that occurred between our first and second laps in a gully close to our skin track.
The pointy thing way in the distance is Three Fingered Jack to the north. The first pointy thing is Mt. Washington.
Thank you. More details puhleeze. Any breakable crust? Do you expect there will be a huge snow shoe-er cowpath to ease a frozen morning ascent? Did you ascend the "trail" vs. the SW ridge route? What time did you head down, and do you think there would be any hope for afternoon softening?
Sweet, thanks for traveling back in time for that report...I'll know not to go to Granite tomorrow! ;D
author=Boot link=topic=6110.msg25270#msg25270 date=1169689937]
MW888888,
I think I can be a little defensive when it's my post and it's been degraded by the usual assumption that I'm doing something illeagal. The snowmo gets me in and out where one typically wouldn't be able to go in the winter, and it's all good fun. I haven't seen anyone defiling The Park there; most sledders just ride into WR campground, make a loo...
Hey, I descended the S of Hallets, looker's left around the rock buttress back to the base of the N face, after climbing it 26 years ago. Blast from the past.
well Board Straight, I didn't find your pole....
But I had fun skiing with you both days.. ;) Good luck finding fellow spilt boarders out there in the TAY community, hopefully to hike and ride with too. You've been a great BC-partner over the years.
The conditions were a bit sketchy, but the skiing was fantastic. A perfect way to end our time in the PNW, as my wife and I are moving to Colorado.
Bring on the next storm cycle!
Jim K...
A friend and I went up both days last weekend. Good stuff. It never ceases to amaze me how much untracked powder you can find in the glades and gullies back there. I wanted to thank whomever found my pole and placed it in the PCT. Cheers.
Charles,
Thanks for the combo; that was really bugging me that I messed it up.
Thanks for the combo; that was really bugging me that I messed it up.
glad to see that you got out for some turns Charles!
and what perfect timing to see a trip report before the sunny weekend...I had my fingers crossed that someone would post a TR that included the words 'spring corn' :)
cheers!
and what perfect timing to see a trip report before the sunny weekend...I had my fingers crossed that someone would post a TR that included the words 'spring corn' :)
cheers!
I learned a new bulletin board trick and merged the messages from the two separate threads for this trip. The discussion about snomos on these particular roads at this particular time seems useful, and thanks to everyone for keeping it civil. Great trip and photos, Boot!
author=Boot link=topic=6101.msg25224#msg25224 date=1169612074]
picture attempt.
Boot you should post this porn over at http://talk.splitboard.com/talk/.
T'would be appreciated by them folks!
NW Represent
author=Double E link=topic=6100.msg25297#msg25297 date=1169776610]
was wondering the same thing..
;D
Aren't we all
author=Tophervw link=topic=6100.msg25294#msg25294 date=1169770571]
is there a Sherpa fee we can pay to get in there?
was wondering the same thing..
;D
It looks like you were pushing a snowblower in that pic...sweet!!!
Consider the Pant's wet....
is there a Sherpa fee we can pay to get in there?
is there a Sherpa fee we can pay to get in there?
gregm? on a snowboard? what is the world coming to :D
Another snowmo-assisted winter trip to Glacier Basin from a few years ago...
I think I need a snowmobile Boot, yes I do ;D
Its funny, I've snowmobiled a lot, but have rarely used it for ski access; the biling being too fun and all. The machines can be really hard to maintain though - expensive, which is why I use my fathers after he's repaired them from my last use ;). As a point of interest, I've never met another skier snowmobiling, and never had any issues with other sledders. I don't have any problem with bilers going down what is othe...
Its funny, I've snowmobiled a lot, but have rarely used it for ski access; the biling being too fun and all. The machines can be really hard to maintain though - expensive, which is why I use my fathers after he's repaired them from my last use ;). As a point of interest, I've never met another skier snowmobiling, and never had any issues with other sledders. I don't have any problem with bilers going down what is othe...
author=Boot link=topic=6100.msg25280#msg25280 date=1169706538]
They begin plowing the road in early spring to get ready to work on plowing the passes. I got this direct from the DOT Supervisor last year when I encountered the same conditions in March. I've never seen any evidence of anyone venturing beyond the campground area; it would be pretty difficult with downed trees and all. I'd show you a pic of Glacier Basin in March, but you'ld wet...
Boot, you gots a snowmobile. Can I partner up wit u? Nice tour.
There's my opinion on the subject. I heard 410 was fair game to snowmobile access in the winter also, however it was through word of mouth.
There's my opinion on the subject. I heard 410 was fair game to snowmobile access in the winter also, however it was through word of mouth.