TR Replies
Well played! I haven't hauled skis up there, but I remember that pass between the two summits quite well (while ascending to Baring's north summit via the standard scramble route from the west a couple years back during the summertime). I recall staring down the eastern side from that pass thinking "I wonder if that couloir goes" (as a ski descent), as I could only see the upper portion of it from that vantage point. The answer appears to be an astounding "yes&qu...
you guys. always going places and taking pictures of each other. wonder where you'll be next...
;)
;)
Sorry, clicked the wrong button. Nice lines on Clean Slate. It was a good day the weekend before last. Hope to ski with you guys again sometime.
Hey Tim. I met a bunch of your crew the weekend before last. They are all packing some strong lungs!
It sounds sort of ridiculous considering the location and elevation but "Clean Slate" is one of the finest lines I've skied around Baker. It's flat side-to-side, perfect angle for rippin and just an awesome location above the Nooksack. Just pick a nice cold day with a couple inches of new at the bridge.
Great work!! Always so rewarding to find a local hidden jem.
Thanks for the report.
Thanks for the report.
The week we were there the avy scene was pretty good; a couple of yellow flag slopes but great otherwise. The last afternoon we were there a storm came in and the snow and wind picked up, so we stayed lower to play on the moraine features. Still got lots of vertical. I was impressed with the snow quality, quantity, and the varied terrain.
I wonderd what upper La Grave looked like. I was there Feb 17th and all I saw was white, white snow, white fog, white wind and more white exept below the upper tram in the trees. There we found 12" on granite with good skiing between the rocks. Glad somone got it good.
Thanks for sharing your picts. ;D I've got to go back some day.
Thanks for sharing your picts. ;D I've got to go back some day.
Nice post and photos Klister :) I've been meaning to make it to the Eagle Caps for a winter trip at the yurts. I've had numerous weeks of solitude in the Caps in the summer while archery hunting, and am making it a point to go there for a winter tour (just gotta get that split board next year!). The terrain is endless and there's lots of tours available in different drainages if one wants to spend the time. How was the avy danger with all the recent snow? Thanks,
Hey Tim. I met a bunch of your crew the weekend before last. They are all packing some strong lungs!
It sounds sort of ridiculous considering the location and elevation but "Clean Slate" is one of the finest lines I've skied around Baker. It's flat side-to-side, perfect angle for rippin and just an awesome location above the Nooksack. Just pick a nice cold day with a couple inches of new at the bridge.
It sounds sort of ridiculous considering the location and elevation but "Clean Slate" is one of the finest lines I've skied around Baker. It's flat side-to-side, perfect angle for rippin and just an awesome location above the Nooksack. Just pick a nice cold day with a couple inches of new at the bridge.
Wasn't too bad when we were their either.
Hey motsies and dpasteris. Were you guys the first party out that broke trail? If so, thanks again! I think we ran into you all after our first run off the ridge. Which way did you return to the parking lot? We saw a party cresting over Herman Saddle at about 6:30 as we were packing the car. Was that you by chance?
Nice photos by the way. Great day!
Nice photos by the way. Great day!
I want to reinforce that. We crossed slough's that had crossed your uptrack from the day before. We had an early start on Sunday, but it would have been better to have gotten an even earlier start as the trees were starting to unload and cause some surface sloughing on the approach above the upper lake. The climb out seemed pretty stable, but there is one section that had a small cornice hanging overhead that kept the pace up until we cleared its fall line. We also had to...
Twas some of the WORST Sultan/Gold Bar traffic I've ever had. >:(
On the other hand, on the upper part of Jim Hill, had some of the BEST powder I've ever had. Kinda like powdered sugar, or flour. :D
On the other hand, on the upper part of Jim Hill, had some of the BEST powder I've ever had. Kinda like powdered sugar, or flour. :D
I could see a skin track from the highway but was surprised to not see any cars at the pullout at about
6:00pm. Hope you guys missed the awful traffic (I think caused by everyone leaving Steven's at the same time now with what appears to be no night skiing).
6:00pm. Hope you guys missed the awful traffic (I think caused by everyone leaving Steven's at the same time now with what appears to be no night skiing).
Hey folks,
Here's my link to more photos of the day:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/danp09/album?.dir=f894&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos
Here's my link to more photos of the day:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/danp09/album?.dir=f894&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos
One thing I think that will make this area remain relatively quiet is the access. There were three unavoidable areas where I had to cross avalanche paths to make this tour work out. I would not recommend this trip to anyone when there is a question about stability. Exiting via Gold Creek would have alleviated two of those avy crossings, but would have produced another (maybe worse?) outcome - the slog fest.
The "more popular" areas I'm sure would be safer to ski than...
The "more popular" areas I'm sure would be safer to ski than...
[before leaving Twin, i dialed the Wipe (AKA Cass) back in Seattle to say hello. all i got from him was, "why are you calling me at 5:30 am...*#&$�&!!!?".
Thanks, buddy >:(
Nice desert touring though!
Glad you and the Skipper successfully made the drive through Nevada without getting stuck in the mud this time ;)
sweet photos, toe. glad you could spend some quality time on the west side with the skipper. ;)
Sweet day out.
Here are some more photos from sunday
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjolner/
Here are some more photos from sunday
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjolner/
They had a huge dump the week before that was a bit of a problem because it was extremely hard breaking trail in powder up to your chest.
I was at the Wing Ridge Huts the week when they had that big dump. It was the first time for me in the Wallowas. The terrain is huge and the snow was perfect.
Aaron
Kam - great report. It's hard to believe you couldn't find the largest mountain range in ID when you were in Twin Falls. The streets in Twin Falls must be confusing.
i wasn't the one driving ;)
bcpinhead: i chatted with someone from the Ruby heliski operation and he said the snowpack this year was by far the best compared to previous years.
Good work. I've looking at that stuff for years, but have yet to pull the trigger. It looks better than I thought!
Hello Charles
We were there as well. Some pictures here....
http://community.webshots.com/album/548744845YSFWXe/0
We were there as well. Some pictures here....
http://community.webshots.com/album/548744845YSFWXe/0
Wow! I've always looked up at that run with longing.
Great you did it!
Greetings from New Mexico,
Peter
Great you did it!
Greetings from New Mexico,
Peter
Great photos, great achievements. I'm additionally impressed with the quality of the guiding, because March 2-12 was mostly not a real good weather week overall in the French Alps.
I'm thinking of getting together a trip to the Alps (France and/or western Switz) sometime during first half of May or last week of April, to do some great and/or big ski mountaineering tours -- probably some with local French guides. If you might be interested in joining with that, by all means get in t...
I'm thinking of getting together a trip to the Alps (France and/or western Switz) sometime during first half of May or last week of April, to do some great and/or big ski mountaineering tours -- probably some with local French guides. If you might be interested in joining with that, by all means get in t...
Although this tour and a trip to Silver Peak a couple weeks ago have got me thinking about trying Lowell's "skinny skin" approach to get a little more glide on the flats and rolling terrain. I am now thinking the little bit of extra weight and transition time (thin skins to full coverage skins to no skins) might pay off on tours like this.
I used skinny skins on my last trip to the Ptarmigan Ridge area and they worked pretty well. The...
There are several lakes on the backside. Iceberg is the largest and most obvious. Hayes Lake lies slightly further north and is on the way to Barometer Mountain.
Nice!!! I saw that line from the highway on Sunday after an apparently rare XC outing from the Salmon Ridge Snow Park. I thought to myself - "I wonder how you get to that?". Now I know.
By the way - isn't that Iceberg lake on the west side of Herman Saddle, or am I reading my map (the small topo in Bergdorfer's book) wrong.
By the way - isn't that Iceberg lake on the west side of Herman Saddle, or am I reading my map (the small topo in Bergdorfer's book) wrong.
Good job. Nice rewards come to those who are willing to do a little horizontal for their vertical, eh?
Yeah! ;D Although this tour and a trip to Silver Peak a couple weeks ago have got me thinking about trying Lowell's "skinny skin" approach to get a little more glide on the flats and rolling terrain. I am now thinking the little bit of extra weight and transition time (thin skins to full coverage skins to no skins) might p...
whoops, i had assumed you'd skied the upper face too :) ...sorry if i was misleading in my post.
Sorry to mislead you Sky, just the bottom half-
EXCELLENT trip report from Formidable, by the way!
EXCELLENT trip report from Formidable, by the way!
Eric Contemplating the gully before we turned around & lapped the goods:
http://spcmanspiff.users.poppinfresh.net/snowfield/PA170027.JPG
View from camp:
http://spcmanspiff.users.poppinfresh.net/snowfield/PA170020.JPG
Eric coming up to the col under pyramid peak (foggy lense):
http://spcmanspiff.users.poppinfresh.net/snowfield/PA170021.JPG
http://spcmanspiff.users.poppinfresh.net/snowfield/PA170027.JPG
View from camp:
http://spcmanspiff.users.poppinfresh.net/snowfield/PA170020.JPG
Eric coming up to the col under pyramid peak (foggy lense):
http://spcmanspiff.users.poppinfresh.net/snowfield/PA170021.JPG
I don't think Jessica could have put it any better indeed :) While longer than expected, it was a wonderful ski tour. I have a few photos to post, but alas I'm out the door for a week in Whistler, so please be patient. They will post next weekend.
Have fun out there and be safe! Can't wait to tour again with Jessica, even if her inseam is 7" shorter than mine :)
I LOVE TO SKI!!!! Pow, pow, pow....
Have fun out there and be safe! Can't wait to tour again with Jessica, even if her inseam is 7" shorter than mine :)
I LOVE TO SKI!!!! Pow, pow, pow....
hey eric....i was in one of those other groups on saturday...my first trip as well into the baker BC...here's a photo taken during the morning when the sun was out:
don't want to take up all 3 photos either
more can be seen here:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?Uc=mthtq0f.81r2uafz&Uy=mw5u0a&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&mode=fromshare&c...
don't want to take up all 3 photos either
more can be seen here:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?Uc=mthtq0f.81r2uafz&Uy=mw5u0a&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&mode=fromshare&c...
Greg: you skied the North Face of Chair Peak? I want to hear more!
We were skinning up from Snow Lake towards the ridge near Melakwa Pass and were suprised when you guys descended...we weren't sure where you came from, just ghostly apparitions appearing out of the fog. Not much visability, but fun!
Great report and nice photos.
Nice trip! We skied a simillar (but different!) route last week. Way to take advantage of the rare low elevation snowpack. Please check your PM's, I have a question for you.
The cat certainly seems to be out of the bag now about the stash of couloirs on the back of Kendal Ridge. The shotgun as you refer to it is what we have been calling the Twins for its "twin entrances". We skied it back in April of 2004. There was actually a post with a photo by gregL that pretty much went below the radar back then. Check out his post on TAY, April 10,2004 Kendal West Flank. If you save the photo and zoom in you can see "twin" set...
look like some sick lines, the NC was good to you. We had some great turns in the Tat-woosh.
Good job. Nice rewards come to those who are willing to do a little horizontal for their vertical, eh?
Bummer you didn't make it to the Rubies. There is some awesome skiing there.
How was the snowpack on the Rubies anyway?
I may think about a spring outing down that way.
BC
How was the snowpack on the Rubies anyway?
I may think about a spring outing down that way.
BC
Kam - great report. It's hard to believe you couldn't find the largest mountain range in ID when you were in Twin Falls. The streets in Twin Falls must be confusing.
Ahh.. The classic Kamster epic.
I like it :)
I like it :)
Jim,
Justin and I had a great day yoyoing some dry north facing slopes over here on the east slopes of the Cascades but I am so sorry I missed the trip. I too have been scoping out that one for a long time but never new about the Commonwealth exit. Always thought it would require a trip out Gold Creek. Way to get there. Maybe it will stay quiet. Already saw the excellent photos at Picos birthday potluck. No better way to spend a B-Day: great turns and tour...
Justin and I had a great day yoyoing some dry north facing slopes over here on the east slopes of the Cascades but I am so sorry I missed the trip. I too have been scoping out that one for a long time but never new about the Commonwealth exit. Always thought it would require a trip out Gold Creek. Way to get there. Maybe it will stay quiet. Already saw the excellent photos at Picos birthday potluck. No better way to spend a B-Day: great turns and tour...
Made and tested by Chinese, NOT in China . . . I like it.
That skull in picture #2 looks like something we ate in Austria!
That skull in picture #2 looks like something we ate in Austria!
What? Report?
Here's a movie clip.
Nice snow. :)
Sun-baked slopes were more difficult skiing and were sluff-prone. One run and we headed for northern aspects. I suspect that the lower layers are consolidated enough to not slide, but the snow is better on north faces anyway.
Northern slopes had pretty deep powder. Not epic, but really really fun.
Jibber, two feet over we found an...
Here's a movie clip.
Nice snow. :)
Sun-baked slopes were more difficult skiing and were sluff-prone. One run and we headed for northern aspects. I suspect that the lower layers are consolidated enough to not slide, but the snow is better on north faces anyway.
Northern slopes had pretty deep powder. Not epic, but really really fun.
Jibber, two feet over we found an...
nice job. Ya another great weekend. It is almost too good to be true, 2 in a row. This weeks forcast not looking so hot for a third. Nice pics. Your trick and some new batteries worked great for me this weekend.