TR Replies
Heya Silas- We found similar conditions today in the Snoqualmie vicinity; looks like we were at different "stashes" as our tracks didn't cross :)
We found pretty good powder turns above ~4,600-ft on a forested/gladed NW aspect. West-to-south aspects not so good (wet, heavy, and some small pinwheels in places on the descent through the forest).
Other trip pics are po...
We found pretty good powder turns above ~4,600-ft on a forested/gladed NW aspect. West-to-south aspects not so good (wet, heavy, and some small pinwheels in places on the descent through the forest).
Other trip pics are po...
Thanks Larry.
Those pictures are very cool.
How appropriate that you posted them on foxinternet! ;)
Those pictures are very cool.
How appropriate that you posted them on foxinternet! ;)
Cool Charles,
I always wanted to know about the glades off Valhalla Mountain. They look pretty neat from Mt. Mc Causland. There are still some infrequently skied north facing shots off those general mountains if one doesn't mind a bit of lateral touring to reach them. Thanks for reporting,
John
I always wanted to know about the glades off Valhalla Mountain. They look pretty neat from Mt. Mc Causland. There are still some infrequently skied north facing shots off those general mountains if one doesn't mind a bit of lateral touring to reach them. Thanks for reporting,
John
Even if I did I would still have to figure out how to make the scales move in a manor that would allow me to keep up with you. ;D
Thanks so much, John. Since none of the other tours in the area are all that heavily visited by skiers, I don't think you need fear this area will get overrun, except perhaps by snowmobilers. And yep, I'm quite familiar with the wonderful Cle Elum Crust.
Alpine Rose, I was optimistic about the road distances. The 1/4 mile reference on the upper road should be more like 1/2 mile. You are correct, it is the northernmost basin you are aiming for, with the summer trail. In the clearcut we diagonal toward the right edge of the unit (when looking up). This puts one above a steep clearcut draw that is easiest to get across by using the upper road. This draw drains the middle basin. With cold temps and cloud cover the SE facing slopes in this basi...
Hey---I wanted that steep one on lookers' left through the cliff. Was it stable?
John, thanks for sharing your info on this trip. I've hiked up there and would really like to do it on skis, especially if there are no sno-mos. After looking at the map, I'm confused about where you skied and how you got there.
The map shows three major basins between Red's summits. As I was following your description - "1/2 mile up road, then 1/4 mile up the second road, then up into the largest basin" - I placed you in the southernmost basin. Then, presto, your descript...
The map shows three major basins between Red's summits. As I was following your description - "1/2 mile up road, then 1/4 mile up the second road, then up into the largest basin" - I placed you in the southernmost basin. Then, presto, your descript...
Thanks Rich.
Snoslut: yes - have you got that fishscale splitboard ready yet?
Snoslut: yes - have you got that fishscale splitboard ready yet?
Charles, we found good powder skiing in the trees. However, frozen tree and cornice bombs were scattered under the new snow, they made great gates for turning around. For the most part, I think the tree skiing will be good. Have fun.
Charles you thinking of another Lewis n Clark forest expedition eh? ;D
Thanks for the timely report - I'm thinking of skiing tomorrow. It sounds like north slopes had powder over a pretty strong crust, and so the skiing there was reasonable?
Also, what was the snow like in forested areas - that is, under the trees? Was it just frozen junk or had some new snow filtered down through the trees?
Also, what was the snow like in forested areas - that is, under the trees? Was it just frozen junk or had some new snow filtered down through the trees?
What! Both JibberD and JW had a relationship with Darren? Wow, that guy is a real heart breaker!:)Hehe, nice one, Darryl. Yeah, that Darren's a real heartless cad, eh? ;)
ronj...give us the falling pack story. Sounds like it could be a good read. Inquiring minds want to know.I dropped it in the parking lot at the foot of the snow bank so Darryl and Maureen climbed up on top o...
Re the ditch
how many of those big pesky holes were still there??
Still some BIG ones loomin in there Robie, had to do a couple of "pop-outs" to stay away from the nasty ones. We missed ya.
What! Both JibberD and JW had a relationship with Darren? Wow, that guy is a real heart breaker!
Robie: I now have a reason 8)
What's this JW? Do our reasons share the same first name?
My other reason is that I've been knocked out of commission by a nasty cold...seriously jonesing for some turns at this point.
ronj...give us the falling pack story. Sounds like it could be a good read. Inquiring minds want to know.
Hey Telemack,
Yea, the first line was in the near gully which was fun. The snow was great in there, condensed and well bonded which made it fast. We did the next gully (the larger one to the east) by hiking the ridge and dropping in from the top and hugging the far skiers right tree line.
That was a fun day. Thanks to all of you (M?) who blazed the trail ahead and allowed us to get up easy and work off the Miller Highlife. We usually tour up north so it was fun to see a new area...
Yea, the first line was in the near gully which was fun. The snow was great in there, condensed and well bonded which made it fast. We did the next gully (the larger one to the east) by hiking the ridge and dropping in from the top and hugging the far skiers right tree line.
That was a fun day. Thanks to all of you (M?) who blazed the trail ahead and allowed us to get up easy and work off the Miller Highlife. We usually tour up north so it was fun to see a new area...
Great report Ian,
As you can see from my trip report, Paradise had a completely different feel about on the same day you where out. We found differences due to aspect but nothing as sketchy as what you are describing.The pass is obviously a very differnt micro-climate than MRNP.(stating the obvious, sorry, ) buy I still find it interesting that your location matched the forecaster's " fragile snowpack with a very varied snowpack over short distances" w...
Re the ditch
how many of those big pesky holes were still there??
Sounds like the usual good time.
kinda unusal for JW to sleep in ?
how many of those big pesky holes were still there??
Sounds like the usual good time.
kinda unusal for JW to sleep in ?
Thanks for the info. I sucks to forget gear.
The road we skied up starts just beyond the French Cabin Creek road. It's on your right and parking in just beyond it. There's a map on a sign farther down the road with the area marked voluntary no moto.
The road we skied up starts just beyond the French Cabin Creek road. It's on your right and parking in just beyond it. There's a map on a sign farther down the road with the area marked voluntary no moto.
Here's a little topo of the approximate line that we take, with the red being the skinning and the blue the run through the trees. Staying in the trees should be pretty obvious while you are there.
Thanks! If we get some new snow this week and it stays cold, I plan to check it out on Sunday ;-) yahoo!!
We went back up there last sunday and did pratically the same tour as earlier in the month.
Yes, you park in the overflow lot about a mile east of the pass. Then head up behind the condos around on the right and use the old road to switchback twice (starting by traveling left from above the condos) uphill to where there is a nice flat area. Then work through the trees and across the bottom of several clear cuts; the first clear cut will have an old lift hut on the left. We then worked up...
Yes, you park in the overflow lot about a mile east of the pass. Then head up behind the condos around on the right and use the old road to switchback twice (starting by traveling left from above the condos) uphill to where there is a nice flat area. Then work through the trees and across the bottom of several clear cuts; the first clear cut will have an old lift hut on the left. We then worked up...
GREAT video!
Can you give me some insight as to how to approach the yodelin area? It looks like you park in the overflow lot and go from there. Is there a preferred route up to the area in the trees? I really like to stay in the trees for avi reasons ;-) but the open glade areas look awesome too!! How high up can you go? I appreciate any input.
Thanks!
Can you give me some insight as to how to approach the yodelin area? It looks like you park in the overflow lot and go from there. Is there a preferred route up to the area in the trees? I really like to stay in the trees for avi reasons ;-) but the open glade areas look awesome too!! How high up can you go? I appreciate any input.
Thanks!
Can anyone give me some insight to the Yodelin area? It appears that you can park right at the base in the overflow parking and start right from there. It looks fantastic! Is there any advisable route to skin up to the upper area to get into the glades up high?
Thanks
Thanks
This trip and the one I posted for Red Mountain (5880+ft) are both in the Cle Elum River Valley. Drive I-90 80 miles east from Seattle to the Roslyn/Salmon La Sac exit. Head north through Roslyn and Ronald for 15 to 20 miles. At first it is State Route 903 then becomes a county road known as the "Salmon La Sac road" to several plowed parallel parking areas for the various trips. The only parking requiring a snowpark permit is the actual Jolly Mountain road trailhead parking area. ...
Clem~
Hey thanks for the TR and the trail breaking...It was great to make you acquantence. Overall was a great ski-day I inparticular enjoed watching the summit parking lots fill-up throughout the morning like pouring water into a glass...except the ants apparently could swim. I think I may have a few hooked spliboarders too so thats good. It may have been the 1st trip in WA ski history to be more splitters than ski folks. Good times
Hey thanks for the TR and the trail breaking...It was great to make you acquantence. Overall was a great ski-day I inparticular enjoed watching the summit parking lots fill-up throughout the morning like pouring water into a glass...except the ants apparently could swim. I think I may have a few hooked spliboarders too so thats good. It may have been the 1st trip in WA ski history to be more splitters than ski folks. Good times
that sounds fun! crevase rescue class starts tonight - timely :)
It does start on the 28th, but March 28th :D.
Nice report, Maureen.
Yes, I agree, Darryl, it's always a relief, when you suspect snow pack instabilities, to round the first corner and see a nice kicker at the edge of the Paradise Valley road. It is a strong indication that the voluntary snow stability testers are diligently "on duty", and unselfishly, and with total abandon to their own personal safety, pounding the slope relentlessly, trying to find where and when is would fail, in their charitable effort to make the...
Yes, I agree, Darryl, it's always a relief, when you suspect snow pack instabilities, to round the first corner and see a nice kicker at the edge of the Paradise Valley road. It is a strong indication that the voluntary snow stability testers are diligently "on duty", and unselfishly, and with total abandon to their own personal safety, pounding the slope relentlessly, trying to find where and when is would fail, in their charitable effort to make the...
So where is this wonderful place for the clueless among us?
that sounds fun! crevase rescue class starts tonight - timely :)
Hi Dave, we saw you starting out on our drive up valley. Wondered if a post would result. The man on foot saw us driving back because of some forgotten gear! That great triangular slope (scree in summer) in your picture does in fact get occassional high marking. It can hold beautiful powder because of the NW aspect. But is totally ruined when highmarked. Combined with the clearcut unit in your next picture it is a nice amount of turns. I look for fresh s...
It was a great day even though the snow was quite heavy. "Mr. Pack" was very lucky we came across the "accident" scene when we did and helped him out of that nasty situation ;).
A short trip for me after some alarm issues, but still nice to get out and also to witness firsthand the dramatic pack rescue 8)...Jerry
Skiing in the ditch was a great trip.
I thought we would witness a Darwin award event while the boarders bombed a 35 degree slope during considerable avalanche conditions. But they lived to bomb other slopes on another day.
I'm glad we were able to rescue Ron's pack from a terrible fall into the Narada Falls parking lot.
I thought we would witness a Darwin award event while the boarders bombed a 35 degree slope during considerable avalanche conditions. But they lived to bomb other slopes on another day.
I'm glad we were able to rescue Ron's pack from a terrible fall into the Narada Falls parking lot.
Hey Telemon! We missed you this past Saturday. It sure wasn't the bluebird day we had the previous trip there but the loads of powder helped make up for that. I could have used those super fat skis of yours this day. Looking forward to crossing trails with you again soon.
Great report Ian,
As you can see from my trip report, Paradise had a completely different feel about on the same day you where out. We found differences due to aspect but nothing as sketchy as what you are describing.The pass is obviously a very differnt micro-climate than MRNP.(stating the obvious, sorry, ) buy I still find it interesting that your location matched the forecaster's " fragile snowpack with a very varied snowpack over short distances" whereas my location did not.
...
As you can see from my trip report, Paradise had a completely different feel about on the same day you where out. We found differences due to aspect but nothing as sketchy as what you are describing.The pass is obviously a very differnt micro-climate than MRNP.(stating the obvious, sorry, ) buy I still find it interesting that your location matched the forecaster's " fragile snowpack with a very varied snowpack over short distances" whereas my location did not.
...
M,
If that recipe gets you enough energy for 7400 vf, I'll give it a try. Thanks for sharing you special skinning breakfast secrets 8)
If that recipe gets you enough energy for 7400 vf, I'll give it a try. Thanks for sharing you special skinning breakfast secrets 8)
It is still a little early in the season to get any good runs by accessing the Twin Lakes road.It is definitely worth checking out in late April,May and,hopefully, June.Goat Mt.,Yellow Aster Butte and Mt.Winchester all make great destinations when you can drive atleast the first 3 or 4 miles.
I saw one of Paul's pictures, iluka. You guys certainly didn't have the bluebirds in the sky like our last trip in January.I am free of my retraining purgatory now, so hopefully our ski tracks will cross again.
Bob
Bob
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and leading the trip, Lowell. You did an awesome job of routefinding, keeping the group together, and moving the trip along. Special thanks to Art I. for coming up with the idea and working to pull all of it together.
And there are more thanks:
To Wolf Bauer for his humorous and inspiring lecture.
To all you burly guys (you know who you are) for breaking trail and being patient and gracious with the "Club Med" contingent....
And there are more thanks:
To Wolf Bauer for his humorous and inspiring lecture.
To all you burly guys (you know who you are) for breaking trail and being patient and gracious with the "Club Med" contingent....
Sounds like another go-everywhere fine day at Paradise. Now I know the answer to the first part of the email I sent you at work.
# days in a row for Scotsman; Happy Birthday! and noggin-hair is overrated.
Telemack
# days in a row for Scotsman; Happy Birthday! and noggin-hair is overrated.
Telemack
Yeah I think my knee is probably about din 10 or so...maybe I'll give it a go.
This similar to what folks found at Crystal. If it keeps puking all week there should be far less problem finding the goods.
By the way, if you tele you won't need that ski-brake thingy. Fewer moving parts! But your ski and leg might detach at the knee or hip.... ;)
By the way, if you tele you won't need that ski-brake thingy. Fewer moving parts! But your ski and leg might detach at the knee or hip.... ;)
Good report, Scottso, you beat me to it. I'm sure we've both been bragging about our dogs for a couple of days now---and we should! ;D
There were actually 3 solo skiers we saw, in Cement and skinning up East Peak (I think that's the name for the knob NW of the Bullion/Union saddle, with the cross on the summit). Cement seemed solid, and where most of the floks went wasn't very steep, but skiing the face back into Bullion was very variable with some clear hazard spots (convexit...
There were actually 3 solo skiers we saw, in Cement and skinning up East Peak (I think that's the name for the knob NW of the Bullion/Union saddle, with the cross on the summit). Cement seemed solid, and where most of the floks went wasn't very steep, but skiing the face back into Bullion was very variable with some clear hazard spots (convexit...
...for breakfast: 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt from Trader Joes (120 calories), one cup Nature's Path Heritage flakes (144 calories), and 1 cup defrosted frozen fruit (168 calories) pureed with one teaspoon of cinnamon...downed with strong green tea made from loose leaves (no tea bags!) carefully selected from Uwajimaya's tea isle...it gets me through just about anything, every day of the week...:)
Now, Saturday was a different story!
We thought we might get a lap or two in on Ptarmigan Peak before the light disappeared. When we got out there we re-learned a lot about how much wind that area gets!! Everything was scuplted. No way did we want to climb under the cornices on the West side of Ptarmigan, and the lid was descending, so we decided to head for the Table Hourglasses that looked so good the day before.
The skin across to the col would have been on a blown i...
We thought we might get a lap or two in on Ptarmigan Peak before the light disappeared. When we got out there we re-learned a lot about how much wind that area gets!! Everything was scuplted. No way did we want to climb under the cornices on the West side of Ptarmigan, and the lid was descending, so we decided to head for the Table Hourglasses that looked so good the day before.
The skin across to the col would have been on a blown i...