TR Replies

Pete, Great TR and photos. 

Nice work. It looks like you had better luck than I did. Way to get after it :)

Could be worse...you could get a $538 ticket for not chaining up.  That could happen after passing a full chain-up area (with no indication of it being the last chance to chain up) and driving slowly behind a plow, with traction control (albeit front-wheel-drive), with snow tires, and stopping at the top to chain up in a safe area (and not blocking anyone).  That would be (and was) quite annoying.

author=Scotsman link=topic=6029.msg24954#msg24954 date=1168901667]
Thanks for posting this Mike. When you told me what you had found last night I was hoping you would post it.
The surface hoar at Crystal on Sunday was amazing. Never seen it so thick up here in the PNW.
Scotsman

Chris, that surface hoar will be the layer of note after more snow falls. The surface hoar was not so bad at Hurricane Ridge but the faceted snow...

Mack, you aren't  injured enough.  I wanted to test out my shoulder without holding anyone back, except Sidnie. She has to wait for me. Besides, I knew you would be slaving over the stove preparing dinner.  So, I made 20 or so careful turns without popping my should out. :D  And then there was the four miles of skinning( blister test). Still not ready for a real tour.  Great dinner and fun get together. Thanks. 

Nice work, and some excellent shots (I love the first one). I've been framing many shots like this for a while - easy to do in Photoshop using canvas size - I've automated it with an action so I can throw a frame on with one click.

Keep up the great TRs - as others have said your web site, and contributions here, are much appreciated.

Good job Tony

Snow Troll, I am curious about your "no rappel" comment. I have only skied the slot of couple of times and it was always nice conditions and a rappel in never occured to me. Are you using a non-obvious entrance? Or is it just a comfort zone thing? If it is a comfort zone thing, then feel no need to defend it, because we all draw those lines differently. But I have heard of a couple parties talking of rappelling into the slot and wanted to understand their think...

Awesome photos and narration as always.  I have had my eye on the couloir since I spotted it last year.  I hope that someone finds it in good conditions and can enjoy it.

"NIB".  I like it.
Way to nail a sought after line, Pete.
And a commendable trip given the temps you faced.

Now there's a novel NIB (Not in Burgdorfer) destination! Way to scout it out!

I tried the exact same trip under similar conditions last year.  The catwalk is crazier than one might expect.  Hiking the PCT this summer, it appeared to me that a short distance S of the catwalk is a mellower gully that might be a viable alternative to the steeps of the catwalk. 

Thanks for the great TR and fantastic pictures.  Thanks also for cascadescrusades.org, which is a continual source of inspiration for me in my backcountry quests.

Tony - Good show on the Slot.  Hardpack is nothing for a salty midwesterner, eh?  .  Thanks for the info on Not slot and the Crooked.

We skied on Sunday at the Pass and found the snow was pretty good uniformly up high (4,000 - 5,000) and away from the wind, and decent out in the open and away from the sun down low.  Certainly nothing to complain about. 
 

author=Jason_H. link=topic=6030.msg24949#msg24949 date=1168897574]

In the end, I was happy to see new terrain. I wasn't so happy to put so much work in for so little of a return, but this time of year all bets are off. You go, you see, and you return better prepared for next time.

man, that totally describes a three day trip some friends of mine and I did over new years weekend...fortunately we went back this wee...

author=cascadianwarrior link=topic=6030.msg24959#msg24959 date=1168908273]
Those are beautiful pictures!  What are you shooting with?

Nikon D200. It works well, but its a lot of extra weight. Unfortunately I think that there are trips where I will have to leave this beast behind.

Thanks guys. I'm glad you enjoyed. Here are some other photos from the trip.

http://cascadecrusades.org/SkiMountaineering/snoqualmiepass/kendalloop/DSC_0006.jpg

http://cascadecrusades.org/SkiMountaineering/snoqualmiepass/kendalloop/DSC_0063.jpg

http://cascadecrusades.org/SkiMountaineering/snoqualmiepass/kendalloop/DSC_0003.jpg

http://cascadecrusades.org/SkiMountaineering/snoqualmiepass/kendalloop/DSC_0005.jpg

http://cascadecrusades.org...

Thanks for posting this Mike. When you told me what you had found last night I was hoping you would post it.
The surface hoar at Crystal on Sunday was amazing. Never seen it so thick up here in the PNW.
Scotsman

Hey it's about time I find a trip report from you funky cats :)

I knew the closure of MRNP wouldn't keep you out of the hills.  Nice to see you guys skiing (where was Mad_Dog) and taking photos.  I see the video camera on Jerry in those pics.  Does that mean that we can look forward to another Danjer production in the coming days?

Ron, I've been using Picasa too and really like it.  Seems like it's good for use with TAY?  I haven't had the need to l...

I was in the group that went into the Slot...we were wondering where you guys went.  We thought for sure you had gone over to Lundin.  The entrance to the Slot sucked, as you heard, but after the steep entrance ramp's boiler plate there was plenty of fluff on top of the crust for good turns - especially skier's right of the couloir.  Actually all the sluff was channeling to the right so you couldn't go too far right.  Two others had been in there before us.&nbs...

I have always spied that as well, but the avy threat that occurs most of the time has always scared me. Looks like it was a good run!

Isn't "Sea of Joy" by DM?

Damn nice shot of the tele turn with Tahoma. Now that's a shot I'd enlarge of it was me shredding!

Some pictures:

1. Mark exhibits "wise route selection," taken from the vantage point of unwise route selection.

2. Young Jason demonstrates nice free heel technique.

3. Jason, Mark, Jim all smiles and de-skinning prior to a last run down "The Line."

My friend Brian and I started skinning out at 5:20 up to bear gap for sunrise and some runs off Pickhandle Peak which was somewhat wind scorn but clean but called it early because of the temps wind and visability Nothing like dropping into a huge alpine bowl with no Visabilty

Looks like fun!

Can't beat the combination: road open early, 16" cold powder on 10 foot base, the poma wasn't open but the cat track was in making skinning a breeze, and where was everybody? I had first tracks every run. I found you could go very low and the conditions were still great plus the visibility was better. Euphoric!

Thanks guys.  Good info.