TR Replies

author=gregL link=topic=4472.msg19069#msg19069 date=1144565673]
The four of you could probably have dug through that slide with avy shovels in less time than that, Jessica! Nice collage, too.

Greg, we actually started digging out the high center. With a shovel in hand, I actually thought about putting on my peeps. That's also about when rangers asked us to clear out and back the car up.
Skipole, the slide was well befor...

Not clear where the slide was that blocked you.  But last Sat. I did Nordic Patrol and the stretch uphill from the Nisqually bridge had blocking avalanches repeatedly.  That stretch is just prone to slide.  I doubt if it's a matter of bureacracy that slowed the crew in clearing the slide.  They are kept very busy this time of year with all the wet snow sloughs and rockfalls.  It's a matter of competing priorities.

The four of you could probably have dug through that slide with avy shovels in less time than that, Jessica! Nice collage, too.

Happy Birthday, Lara!

Thanks, JibberD. It was a pretty long trip and I'm definitely tired today! Yes, it sounds like there probably wasn't much refreezing last night and so I would guess there would be a lot more mush to deal with until it gets colder. Given the deepness of the mush I'd say challenging might be a good description, plus there's the potential for some more serious slide activity given the deepness of the mush I saw (and the debris from warmer days this past week).

Regardi...

Silas: have a great trip.  i can't wait to see the photos....

The out of control toboggan run down the trail on skis is what makes the whole trip to Colchuck lake worthwhile  ;)
Glad you guys had a good trip, I was wondering how the snow was going to hold up after all the sun.

Thanks WOZ.
Exploring I will go ;D
Scotsman

That is fantastic!  Sweet!  Congrats on an awesome outing.

When does Chinook Pass usually open? Should it be longer than normal with the deep snowpack?

Great sounding trip, went in to Chinook last Monday as a recon for the annual opening projct and probed 200-250 inches of snowpack in the summit/arch area. (Also managed to ski some sweet powder off of North Side of Yakima Peak.) Just wanted to throw out the usual spring warning about both ski released an explosive control avalanche work to commence in the next couple weeks from the eastside.  Also a potential for a minor shot or two to protect road crew clearing Cayuse east and west of SR123 su...

Very nice.  We were wondering about conditions in the the couloirs while up there last weekend.  It sounds like there's some time yet to hit them, skiable snow on the Phantom notwithstanding.

Thanks for the report.

Excellent! Way to go, Silas.

Did you hire a Guide?

Italy is a lot of fun, my trip to the Dolomiti was probably the best ever using lifts.

It will be great to get more details.

holy crap!

and actually, it looks nice in your photos!  (In a "I could ski that in my dreams" sort of way).

Here's a good look at the route
http://www.pbase.com/nolock/image/57591368

this has the line drawn in, ski is yellow, rap is blue
http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/503/3988TC.jpg

photo by John Scurlock

Sweet line!  Nice job keeping at it.  Damn, I was just hoping to climb that later this season.  

Scotsman,

I don't mind sharing the route.  The work is all in the hiking.  It essentaily follows the route of the summer trail to Baldy.  

We drove nearly to the Dungeness R. trailhead.  About a mile or two before the trailhead take forest road spur uphill (right).  Continue a couple miles over a very rubble-covered road (high clearance, or lots of rock-chucking by your assistant) to signed "Maynard Burn Trailhead".  Follow trail on abandoned...

... years ago, saw a big slide on Rainier, viewed from Pinnacle Peak area. It was June, a nice sunny day with flash burns.  Probably Raniner's Southwest slope.  

edit: After looking at a photograph, it appears the slide was on Wilson Glacier.

When we don't get a good freeze thaw.

Not much to offer in terms of pictures due to the mostly white up and down.  The east face of Nachees Peak looked interesting at the Pass.  It was fun to explore the backcountry, it's been a while.  The distance still counts ;)

Thats funny because I was in the alpine bowl skiers right of the dog leg chute for nine hours I was right in the middle of all of the action but didnt see a single person . We bootpacked up it around twenty times the snow was heavier then Sat but still nice
IMG]http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/4248/dsc050952nt.jpg" />

It looks like you're suspended over the trees in the foreground.  Is this a zooming effect or can you fly too?

Jibber, we were on an opposing ridge slightly above the goats, with a few trees growing just below us. They seemed totally relaxed ambling around on terrain in the 45-50 degree range, and had a good idea of what their limits were. When the lead goat reached the top of the small snow finger he/she decided it wouldn't go and turned around abr...

my name is chris cass...i like to ski piss pass!!  ;)

nice work, guys.

I didn't want to do it, Zap.  It was Jeanette's idea -- she made me do it.

It wasn't me  ;).  
No worries Zap, we threw in a couple of zigs and zags and a blindfold here and there to throw them off, the man secret is still safe  ;D.

Mr. Scotsman, if you were in Silver Basin the 2nd it was our Mountie group you encountered. We were beginning  a traverse to Chinook Pass and back. Yes I mentioned the chocolate payment. Keep some with you as a rain check. Never met a trailbreaker who declined it. Ask Mr. Jarvis about that. Maybe I'll see you again with your regular companion: Ms. Blitz. We shared chocolate at McGillivray.

Great trip report and photos gang.

Ron, you promised you would never take anyone else on the "super double-omega secret route to the goods". It's a guy thing !

I didn't want to do it, Zap.  It was Jeanette's idea -- she made me do it.