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What a difference a day can make indeed. After a great day of making turns in a suprisingly untracked Moonlight bowl Monday, yesterday three of us set the destination of Type Peak. Skinning up we quickly realized the snow went to complete mush. Took a run down the north slopes of Skyline, turned around and called it a day.
Conditions Monday were quite good, with about 6-7 inches of fairly light snow on top of a consolidated snowpack. Although visible in the pit, the rain crust about...
Conditions Monday were quite good, with about 6-7 inches of fairly light snow on top of a consolidated snowpack. Although visible in the pit, the rain crust about...
Rippy,
Would you mind sharing the experience you had in Bullion Basin, and the exact location you experienced instability. Knowledge is Power!
Thanks!
Would you mind sharing the experience you had in Bullion Basin, and the exact location you experienced instability. Knowledge is Power!
Thanks!
Glad to hear the outcome was good, that's a rather nasty chute when it goes. My recent experience in Bullion Basin was a HUGE wake-up call. As I've now done some serious reading / re-educating, I find a few things that seem too common. Complacency, basing decisions on similar slope trust factors, and not keeping well informed of current snow/ weather / avy danger come right to the top. It's all different after a close call & I'm sure you & your buds are "reflecti...
I've been eyeing those slopes for a while too -- good for you getting after them!
I TOTALLY AGREE ITS ALWAYS SMART TO UPDATE ON TRAINING..... i ADMIT THAT I JUMPED THE GUN ON THAT ONE AND IT IS STUPID TO SAY IT WONT HAPPEN AGAIN BUT NEXT TIME I WILL TAKE MORE TIME TO TEST A SLOPE
Teter sounds like a close call and a wild adrenaline ride. Glad you and company came out unscathed.
Check your pm's.
Check your pm's.
Do not take this the wrong way but you might want to consider taking an Avalanche Awareness Course.
Many people have died skiing/snowboarding in the backcountry at Crystal when the upper mountain is closed. The main reason they close the upper mountain is when there are high winds...high winds = wind loading, wind loading = high avalanche danger.
Don't get me wrong, a person can get out in the backcountry and ski/snowboard on high hazard days but not on steep chutes l...
Many people have died skiing/snowboarding in the backcountry at Crystal when the upper mountain is closed. The main reason they close the upper mountain is when there are high winds...high winds = wind loading, wind loading = high avalanche danger.
Don't get me wrong, a person can get out in the backcountry and ski/snowboard on high hazard days but not on steep chutes l...
I have a split board but it is pointless when everyone else is without ,this year Im going to test out some Snoeshoes
Hey NickD, I do recall seeing a solo skiier on the way down the Phantom now. I am guessing you noticed the graupel as you got in the upper reaches of the Phantom; I don't recall seeing where that skin track finally cut back for the summit. I'm glad the Slot was still in shape for you. We try to remain in good standing with the Powder Preservation League.
author=Edub link=topic=5784.msg24123#msg24123 date=1166478813]
Damn, Chris. Now I'm really sorry that I wasn't able to get out with you this weekend. Soon come. Thanks for the update and good lookin' out for those would come after. ;)
Respect,
~ Edub
Word to every word there ... Yeah, next time give me more advance notice, Topher! ;)
And welcome to the site, Edub. Funny, I&#...
http://search.tramdock.com/exec/?mv_session_id=KxLSBzLF&q=skins&go_button.x=0&go_button.y=0
;D
;D
Cool.
I love that Poudre Canyon drive and the Never Summers. One of my favorite corners of Colorado.
I love that Poudre Canyon drive and the Never Summers. One of my favorite corners of Colorado.
author=loom link=topic=5784.msg24109#msg24109 date=1166460112]
I kept saying we should take a quick lap on that glade, but Topher kept saying "nope, we should save that for the folks that come up tomorrow" ;-) lol
Yeah ;) ;)
That is why we left those untouched...
We also noticed surface hoar on a generally North facing slope at about 5100 ft, just below the ridge. Interesting to note, I recently purchased some polarized sun glasses and the surface hoar sparkles with these on when the sun is out.
What a splendid day ;D
What a splendid day ;D
Thanks for the report, Stimbuck. Fergie and I enjoyed following your skin track, and then bailing early for first freshies. Impressive to summit in that wind! I also appreciated the use of the cold, dark patrol shack.
We also dug more into your hasty pit we found at around 5200'. There had been 5-6" on the slope skier's R of the upper Phantom, with a minor crust and then a rain or melt crust another foot down. Fergie...
We also dug more into your hasty pit we found at around 5200'. There had been 5-6" on the slope skier's R of the upper Phantom, with a minor crust and then a rain or melt crust another foot down. Fergie...
I was heading up just as Ron and friend came down. Yes Pete there was groupel there, mainly around 5500'. That, along with some slippery ice crust might make for a dicey bond later in the week with what is coming. De-ski required to climb most of the last 600 to summit. Had to do some judicious sideslipping on ice into the slot but lots of great powder left by Ron--thanks. Only top few inches of surface sluff moved on steeper aspects. Did get some of that suncrust in lower Phantom but quite...
Damn, Chris. Now I'm really sorry that I wasn't able to get out with you this weekend. Soon come. Thanks for the update and good lookin' out for those would come after. ;)
Respect,
~ Edub
Respect,
~ Edub
author=loom link=topic=5784.msg24109#msg24109 date=1166460112]
I kept saying we should take a quick lap on that glade, but Topher kept saying "nope, we should save that for the folks that come up tomorrow" ;-) lol
Nice! Good man, Chris -- thanks for leaving that for us. I'm sure y'all were happy getting first tracks down through those trees...
nice work! good to hear that the graupel wasn't everywhere up at the pass.
Hey -- we saw you on your way down (there were four of us), nice turns huh! We checked out your tracks and saw that fracture line. You made a good decision. Did you notice the hardware hanging from the ice cliff? Pete Steilberg
Chris and I did a few laps yesterday as well :) . Still plenty of fresh lines to be had if you poke around a little! Definitely the best snow I've experienced at Yodelin.
I kept saying we should take a quick lap on that glade, but Topher kept saying "nope, we should save that for the folks that come up tomorrow" ;-) lol
We headed out here as well, on Sunday, with a new splitboarder and a new AT skier, testing their rigs. Probably the best snow I've seen at Yodelin -- just fantastic. No one had touched the "Christmas Tree" glad between the old growth stands, so we lapped that a few times and took another, longer run (by your track, probably) in the trees. Skiing back down the front toward the car was tight, but we squeezed through and got fresh tracks on the steep line directly a...
We admired your turns on the drive down and wished we'd hit that slope. We did some laps to the east and found sweet snow also. Perfect sunny weather - cold air kept the snow crispy, but dead calm so we were climbing without jackets or gloves.
Nice work. I would love to go down there at some point. ;D
Getting to the summit by yourself and skiing down, while dangerous, must've been very rewarding. Glad all turned out well, and we got to see some photos from the southern reaches of the globe.
Getting to the summit by yourself and skiing down, while dangerous, must've been very rewarding. Glad all turned out well, and we got to see some photos from the southern reaches of the globe.
Congratulations, Dan! Sounds like a great trip. You went by yourself?
Most excellent. Good times as usual with you, my friend. I can't hardly accurately verbalize how sweet conditions and riding were yesterday. Even after getting up before lifts started at Alpy today and riding first tracks of my choice lower and off chair 2 (it was real good yeah) but no comparison to the long-ass runs we earned for ourselves.
Wipe and Wu. nice report and photos. snow looks good. it's been so long since i've seen snow....i can't remember what color it is.
see you in a week or so..
kam
see you in a week or so..
kam
As an alternative to the "cheat sheets" you might also try a one inch strip or two of sturdy plastic electrician's tape, semi-permanently installed glue to glue in a strip right down the middle of the skin's glue side. Before Ascension (BD) came out with the cheat sheet concept they tried just leaving a strip down the middle of the skin where there was no glue at all. That made the skins a lot easier to pull apart. The electrical tape basically accomplishes...
I remember hearing/reading that cheat sheets are not recommended for storing skins. That glue-to-glue storage is best. Since I don't have much hand and upper body strength, cheat sheets make it easier for me to pull skins apart when doing multiple laps. And yes, they are a hassle, but so is taking forever to pull my skins apart.
To add some from my perspective, the skinning was easy and quite enjoyable, the weather was unpleasant but tolerable, and the skiing was in terrible condition but excellent practice. I've never skied in such awful rain-soaked snow-cement before! Looking forward to doing it again, what a great way to spend a morning before work!
Nice pictures! There has been some good turns to be had up there recently if you're willing to work for them.
About the cheat sheets - I've found if you cut the sheet in half and use one half on one skin and the other half on the other skin they work great. I fold my skins in two with the cheat sheet in the middle. I also trim the excess off the sides so the cheat sheet is just slightly wider than the skin. Much easier dealing with one skin at time.
About the cheat sheets - I've found if you cut the sheet in half and use one half on one skin and the other half on the other skin they work great. I fold my skins in two with the cheat sheet in the middle. I also trim the excess off the sides so the cheat sheet is just slightly wider than the skin. Much easier dealing with one skin at time.
author=Charles link=topic=5722.msg23921#msg23921 date=1165692163">
That must be a fun ride all the way down the valley - it's a beautiful forest. So do you get into the head of Silver Creek from French Cabin Basin via the trail shown on the map?
Yeah exactly... I never knew it was called that though; had to check the topo. You go up the gravel roads that switchback up from the lake, then you go down a steep trail into FCB,...
No. Hyak isn't scheduled to open until Saturday. And we left the parking lot by 8am. I believe Hyak isn't normally open during the week except for maybe holiday times so it seems like a decent place for dawn patrols when the ave conditions are high. Sounds like you had some nice turns!
Sounds like worse conditions than we had. Were the lifts open at all by the time you left?
I am planning on skiing the Steven area (and staying at the Mountaineers' cabin) in between Christmas and New Years. I hope to cross paths with other TAYers at that time.
Bob Wiebe
Bob Wiebe
That was a good day. Like watching a movie everyone's panned and expecting it to suck, but finding you actually enjoyed it. That bowl up there was a pleasant surprise -- I'd like to push higher up under better avy conditions and get some of those steeper, longer lines.
Here are more pics
Pete
Here are more pics
Peteauthor=telemack link=topic=5739.msg23998#msg23998 date=1166022109]The location was kept "secret" as to reduce "over-advertising" the specific area ;) Though we did cross a few other ski tracks en route and met 2 other skiers at the ridgeline.
Hi cascadesfreak, where were you riding?
Hi cascadesfreak, where were you riding?
Cool shots ! Gotta keep from overturning! I got that picasa thing too!
I really like that second picture, nice...
Great trip, all.
Here's our leader, the Robman in about 8" of fresh powpow:
And the MadDog having her way with a nearby line:
Six to eight inches of freshies on a bomber base survived the prior week's melt/freeze cyc...
Here's our leader, the Robman in about 8" of fresh powpow:
And the MadDog having her way with a nearby line:
Six to eight inches of freshies on a bomber base survived the prior week's melt/freeze cyc...
sweet doods! i wish we had winter like that out here, even with the crap-trap crust....
H-O-T-T U R!!! ;D
H-O-T-T U R!!! ;D
I don't know if we bumped into your party. Aaron and I left the parking lot at the same time and toured up and skiied the Bryant Couloir, but it did not start snowing till noon. We had some clear sky up near the top of the couloir but we found some isolated slab activity on North/NE aspects from wind loading, 4-8 inch slabs, nothing wide spread. We bumped into some other parties on our second run thru Big Trees, below Pineapple Pass, which had the best snow. We found a lot of debris in the...
Wait, you wrote you "dropped a knee?" that would have been a sight to see. Now, you stopping for free gloves? That I totally believe.
It was a great day, the skiing was fantastic. Thanks for a fun day Robie and friends.
We were so busy having such a great time, I only had time for a few Photos. ;D
We were so busy having such a great time, I only had time for a few Photos. ;D