TR Replies
Nice tour, Kamster.
Not quite as many trees as Virginia tho, eh? ;)
Not quite as many trees as Virginia tho, eh? ;)
Yeah, I guess I don't have any magic rule of thumb for separating wind slab from sun crust. I just noticed that the layer I'm calling sun crust was 1). never more than an inch or two deep, 2. Only occurred in sun-exposed places, and 3. was very cohesive, as you might expect a layer that had melted and then refrozen to be. Its presence also seemed to be uncorrelated to areas where you might expect wind loading. Of course, if in doubt, assume the worst though...
Kam - you were referring to Virginia Felton, the former executive of the Mountaineers, weren't you?
What a great trip!
I hope you are recruiting your film crew for the glacier skiing/snowboarding course. Skip is attending the field trip so that we will have great weather.
What a great trip!
I hope you are recruiting your film crew for the glacier skiing/snowboarding course. Skip is attending the field trip so that we will have great weather.
We followed your tracks on Sunday. The ski conditions were horrid, but the views were great. Hope it snows again soon.
Yeah we also noticed these spotty wind-deposited areas. They didn't seem deep enough to be of any concern, but that's of course assuming no terrain traps below.
Not a dumb question at all. I started noticing this once we enterred sun exposed terrain. So here's my question: How do I tell sun crust from wind slab? Is it just an educated guess based on the conditions?
Nice job. I had hoped for softer conditions high up. Do you have close-up pictures of the summit gullies? Was it filled in enough for skiing? ;D And thanks again for the heel-lever.
Thanks for the historical perspective, Lowell. In retrospect, I should have known the Catwalk would be trouble. I guess I had assumed we could bypass the blasted-slab section by climbing N up the ridgeline. I hadn't thought about cornicing on the ridge... Is the old PCT crossing between Lundin and Red better in the winter, then?
Hey guys, nice trip that day, wasn't it. We've got a picture of you guys with the rest of the Sulphide all around. We'll have to e-mail it to you. We just posted our report. Do you have a generic web host for pictures? I don't think I have that with yahoo mail.
Later
Later
Thanks for your photo, it looked very inviting compared to the hard wind crust we had seen last Sunday. The snow on the north slope yesterday was skiable, but variable. We did kick off the small slab, but the rest was mostly shallow and well bonded. The last steep part down to the lake was negotiable, at best. Again we really enjoyed the tour despite the marginal ski condition.
We turned back at the top of the Kendall-Red col because we couldn't find a safe way across the Kendall Catwalk. The Catwalk was completely buried and we weren't comfortable climbing N. up the ridge because it was blocked by several unstable looking snow mushrooms. Is this pass typically unpassable in the winter?
The Catwalk is not a good winter route. The trail was blasted across a pretty steep rock slab. When the trail is filled in with sno...
Thanks for the report! Maybe this is a dumb question, but is it possible your 2" slab was really sun crust? On Saturday I traversed a lot of sun-exposed slopes that had a very cohesive 1-2" layer that slid easily on the underlying powder, but this was just the sun crust and not worth worrying about. We didn't find any wind slab at all on saturday, but I think the Chair Pk TR
did mention some...
I also had trouble skinning in places where there were a couple...
did mention some...
I also had trouble skinning in places where there were a couple...
Thanks for the information.
I was planning on heading up to the pass tomorrow and was wanting to try out the Kendall Peak area.
I was planning on heading up to the pass tomorrow and was wanting to try out the Kendall Peak area.
Nice work! The circumnavigation was our original goal for Friday, but one thing led to another and we ended up turning around at the notch on Chair's east shoulder. How was the skiing on Chair's north slope? It looked like it might be pretty good as of Friday afternoon. I've been thinking of what I might of missed ever since. I assume the windslab you mention released?
Sorry -
PCT=Pacific Crest Trail. It'll be marked on any map of the area you get. The way you'll want to go right now is to start at the Commonwealth Basin/PCT trailhead (across I-90 from Summit West). Follow the snowed-over parking lot road, staying left when the road branches, then following the bootpack into commonwealth basin. Once by the river, take the packed trail, staying right at all branches. The nice slopes of Kendall ridge will be above you and to...
PCT=Pacific Crest Trail. It'll be marked on any map of the area you get. The way you'll want to go right now is to start at the Commonwealth Basin/PCT trailhead (across I-90 from Summit West). Follow the snowed-over parking lot road, staying left when the road branches, then following the bootpack into commonwealth basin. Once by the river, take the packed trail, staying right at all branches. The nice slopes of Kendall ridge will be above you and to...
Thanks for the report and pictures.
One question, in the report you recommended on taking the PCT. I am new to the area, what and where is the PCT?
Thanks
One question, in the report you recommended on taking the PCT. I am new to the area, what and where is the PCT?
Thanks
The tour is beautiful and I have had some variable snow conditions on the route over the years. Some folks refer to the tour as the Folklife Tour.
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Yesterday's conditions in the Snoqualmie Pass area rivaled New England for challenging snow. I agree with all - fun outing, even with the dreadful conditons.
A picture does tell a story. Here's one to exemplify the "changeable conditions" you could find:
This picture was taken on a NE slope at 3,000'. I...
A picture does tell a story. Here's one to exemplify the "changeable conditions" you could find:
This picture was taken on a NE slope at 3,000'. I...
Saw your tracks up there - looked lovely, much like what we found. ;)
Dunno about summit central, but under the Silver Fir the groomers were really quite nice - buttery hardpack (not powder or anything like that, but quite carvable w/o loud noises).
Dunno about summit central, but under the Silver Fir the groomers were really quite nice - buttery hardpack (not powder or anything like that, but quite carvable w/o loud noises).
There was a LOT of wind crust, so that used to be powder. Maybe the NE lobe, which is steeper, but appears perhaps a bit more sheltered, had a little more powder.
I wonder where the powder got blown to..... ???
Surely it must be somewhere.
Surely it must be somewhere.
John, funny you should mention winter camping.... :)
If you took any pics, how about posting the best one here?
L
If you took any pics, how about posting the best one here?
L
Thanks, Randonnee. With all that great touring around Paradise, plus those great slopes across in the Tatoosh, I wish it weren't such a long drive from home in Roslyn. I really need to get back into winter camping to make it more feasible. One stay in the Inn per year is about all I can budget!
Way to go John! Nice to hear about your Valentine's Day trip.
My family and I and a couple of friends stayed at the NP Inn last January overnight two different times. There was great pow at Mazama Bowl. My family enjoyed the Inn, especially my 5 yo daughter.
My family and I and a couple of friends stayed at the NP Inn last January overnight two different times. There was great pow at Mazama Bowl. My family enjoyed the Inn, especially my 5 yo daughter.
Glad to hear that you were able to get some turns in on Red Mtn. It looked truly amazing. I was blown away by the powder stashes on both sides of the valley, and especially in the chute at the end of my tracks. Glad to see that a few folks got to sample the glory and was very sorry to have to leave that day...
I was too turn-greedy to do much snow investigation. During lunch, I did notice a lot of faceting around the melt-freeze crust. I assume that it has co...
I was too turn-greedy to do much snow investigation. During lunch, I did notice a lot of faceting around the melt-freeze crust. I assume that it has co...
just wanted to add the following.
the crust under the new snow was firm under skis but could easily be kicked through while booting up.
although the new snow on most of the west face was unconsolidated, the last 50-75ft to the top was wind-effected and had a shallow slab that had formed...below that the snow sloughed easily but was not slabby at all.
Wax your boards with cold wax this weekend...I think the last little bits of my all-temp wax job was scraped fairly clean from...
the crust under the new snow was firm under skis but could easily be kicked through while booting up.
although the new snow on most of the west face was unconsolidated, the last 50-75ft to the top was wind-effected and had a shallow slab that had formed...below that the snow sloughed easily but was not slabby at all.
Wax your boards with cold wax this weekend...I think the last little bits of my all-temp wax job was scraped fairly clean from...
Nice nice! I'm curious, were you able to ski by starlight or did you need your headlamps? With the still-fullish moon and clear nights, I'm guessing the former.
Why didn't I think of that?
Why didn't I think of that?
Depends on where exactly you want to tour (not to be a wise guy). exit 53 gives you a pretty direct line up to the clearcut climb to the high open knob across from Summit West. If you want to do a loop over the ridge and down into Commonwealth Basin (there are some cliffs to navigate around as you drop into the basin, by the way), the other approach makes some sense. Or you can park by the porta-potties off exit 54 and ski a road up toward the Kendall Lakes. The first two options don't really ha...
You mean, maybe even a teeny bit more than "skied up, skied down, had fun, saw views?" But w/o 10+ photos?
;)
;)
Thanks for the report about the Kendall Knob area.
I have been wanting to ride up there. What is the best trail to take to get to the Kendall Knob area. One guide book I have read suggested approaching from the Common Wealth Campground road and another said to go up from the exit 53 area by climbing up through some of the private cabins in that area.
I was wondering if I could get a few deatails of where to park and where the trail is located.
Thanks.
...
I have been wanting to ride up there. What is the best trail to take to get to the Kendall Knob area. One guide book I have read suggested approaching from the Common Wealth Campground road and another said to go up from the exit 53 area by climbing up through some of the private cabins in that area.
I was wondering if I could get a few deatails of where to park and where the trail is located.
Thanks.
...
You can find some information by following the links that start here:
http://www.alpenglow.org/ski-history/subjects/R-info.html#mt-rainier-traverses
Thanks Lowell. The rollerblades beta sounds critical!
What do you consider the cruxes of the route? What elevation did you contour between Cathederal Ridge and Pulpit rock?
The crux is constantly looking ahead and fi...
Thanks! I've now got three 4 inch hollow screws that I'm planning to make into a wind chime or something.
Thanks for sharing news of Stevens area conditions, just as Charles has done for the Snoqualmie Pass area; now all we need is for some of the Baker lurkers to fess up (please? :))
I'd have to say the circumnav is my favorite day out on Hood
I imagine so. I'd love to do it some day. What do you consider the cruxes of the route? What elevation did you contour between Cathederal Ridge and Pulpit rock?
BTW, anyone know anything about doing a Rainier ski circumnav?
Lowell's brother published an acount of a trip with Lowell and Bruce Goodson in Backcountry Magazine in 2002. T...
BTW, anyone know anything about doing a Rainier ski circumnav?
You can find some information by following the links that start here:
http://www.alpenglow.org/ski-history/subjects/R-info.html#mt-rainier-traverses
hi charles,
thanks for the great snowpack description! very usefull as i target the snowqualmie area for gettin' out this weekend! i was guessing that the 8" would be settled and transported/sculpted by the wind by this weekend.
this will help us choose a more effective search strategy to find those open areas with wind accumulation away from the forest/steeps :)
thanks for the great snowpack description! very usefull as i target the snowqualmie area for gettin' out this weekend! i was guessing that the 8" would be settled and transported/sculpted by the wind by this weekend.
this will help us choose a more effective search strategy to find those open areas with wind accumulation away from the forest/steeps :)
I was up there yesterday and was wondering about that 9 inches myself. I took some runs out near piss pass and then headed over into the xc trails out towards radio ridge. It felt more like 5 or 6 inches at best.
Whatever aspect alpental is facing that is the face to ski, the snow in the bc was very dry, moderate angle tours would probably fair bettter due to the crust underneath.
T
T
Don,
Glad to see your hip? injury is better and you are out and about in the mountains.
Glad to see your hip? injury is better and you are out and about in the mountains.
I'd have to say the circumnav is my favorite day out on Hood (and I spend a lot of days on Hood).
The sweetest part of clockwise is putting your skis on up on Cooper Spur and taking them off at Timberline. One shot.
I still have a little research to do on this one so I can easily be talked in going back out there.
BTW, anyone know anything about doing a Rainier ski circumnav?
The sweetest part of clockwise is putting your skis on up on Cooper Spur and taking them off at Timberline. One shot.
I still have a little research to do on this one so I can easily be talked in going back out there.
BTW, anyone know anything about doing a Rainier ski circumnav?
Yeah, but you did a darned good job of taking advantage of the lack thereof...
ron j,
Near the entrance to Summit East I noticed a sign prohibiting snowmobiles. So I don't expect to see any in the area. My comment about snowmobiles not only applies to the Nordic Pass trail, but applies to the whole Mt. Catherine area and is in contrast to other I90 destinations such as Amabilis, Microwave Hill and Mt. Margaret where you will find the nasty machines.
Near the entrance to Summit East I noticed a sign prohibiting snowmobiles. So I don't expect to see any in the area. My comment about snowmobiles not only applies to the Nordic Pass trail, but applies to the whole Mt. Catherine area and is in contrast to other I90 destinations such as Amabilis, Microwave Hill and Mt. Margaret where you will find the nasty machines.
Gary, thanks for the tour and the route info.
To all: if you like this route, then it would be a good idea to comment on The Summit's DEIS, because The Summit's plans as shown in their preferred alternative 2 will allow them to develop the area of the Nordic Pass Trail and the only big remaining area of mature forest, wildlife habitat, and "dispersed winter recreation" (like BC skiers) on this side of the highway. See the Random Tracks links to the DEIS.
http://www...
To all: if you like this route, then it would be a good idea to comment on The Summit's DEIS, because The Summit's plans as shown in their preferred alternative 2 will allow them to develop the area of the Nordic Pass Trail and the only big remaining area of mature forest, wildlife habitat, and "dispersed winter recreation" (like BC skiers) on this side of the highway. See the Random Tracks links to the DEIS.
http://www...
Nice vid Jim!
Oh but for some soft snow!
Oh but for some soft snow!
Great photos ! I have the circumnavigation "on the list".
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