TR Replies
i agree, a good approach on high hazard day, but not the most direct route..
The Smith Brook Road portion of the north route is a tad tedious, but the ski up/down from there is pretty nice!
Or think about approaching via Smith Brook and avoid some avy exposure and nasty dogs...
They like to unleash their dog after folks and seem to feel that some people just deserve to be bitten.
Yes! The owner of the cabin at the end of the road had a few choice words and didn't appreciate us trodding by his cabin at 8:00am. If you choose to go on this tour, be advised that you should head into the woods and uphill a bit at the last bend in the road. I believe there are just two bends, so be advised. Let's not get into access...
Also, watch out for the folks with the vicious dog that live there and definitely do not want you there.
They like to unleash their dog after folks and seem to feel that some people just deserve to be bitten.
And, be prepared for the occassional snowmobiler that may come at you at high speed on the road.
....sometimes not exactly the backcountry experience that you may be looking for!
They like to unleash their dog after folks and seem to feel that some people just deserve to be bitten.
And, be prepared for the occassional snowmobiler that may come at you at high speed on the road.
....sometimes not exactly the backcountry experience that you may be looking for!
Thanks ovrthhills. The rocks in that picture are just above the main trail where the skin track going up the two steep sections meets the main trail. We were quite a bit away from that area, about 5-10 minutes shy of Bullion Basin. If I remeber correctly there are some rocks/cliffs facing Southish just as you enter Bullion Basin. It sound like that's close to where you found the slabby stuff. The slope we were on did not seem very wind affected down low where we wer...
Just missed you guys at Blewett. We skied in Scotty Creek, on the other side of the road, but it would have been cool to run into one of the Vermont boys. I've never skied with the Ogre of Camels Hump, but many close ski buds have. Maybe next time.
Just make sure Wayne tells everyone back east how wet and heavy our snow is, and how you have to bushwack through a jungle to get to all that wet snow.
Sounds like a good week off. Last time I had a friend visit from NH, it was a clear week in June with perfect corn on the big peaks (and I don't mean Snoqualmie ;)). It's nice when things work out like that.
Sounds like a good week off. Last time I had a friend visit from NH, it was a clear week in June with perfect corn on the big peaks (and I don't mean Snoqualmie ;)). It's nice when things work out like that.
and some more pics.
fun times... felt like i made some good progress on my powder skiing skills that day!!
8)
fun times... felt like i made some good progress on my powder skiing skills that day!!
8)
We were riding quite a bit to the right (south?) of the rocks in the picture, another 10 minutes or so up the trail. The slopes we were on are out of frame. FWIW, we stayed near the trees, avoided the open slopes, avoided the steep rolls, etc. No shooting cracks or sloughing or other signs of propogation, but the pit results gave us pause...
Yes, that is the area we skied. The slide occurred about 100 yards skiers left of the dense trees...right were the trees are thinning out.
That's what makes this forum work so well for us all.
Nice to have you aboard. ;)
Nice to have you aboard. ;)
Thanks for reading my post and the reply, RonJ. I'll be a lurker no longer.
Nice report. We were up that way the day before when the wind was from the west and found some 6 to 10 inch slabs on SW aspects. Glad it stablized. Where were you riding in relation to the rock outcropping in your picture?.
Nice tour.
Way to stay safe and also stay away from the crowds.
Way to stay safe and also stay away from the crowds.
Thanks guys. It seems like I got the wrong month and year on the TR ???
Kam, there is definitely nothing like a face plant on tele ;)
Kam, there is definitely nothing like a face plant on tele ;)
More pics,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickpope/sets/72057594049630518/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickpope/sets/72057594049630518/
Eric shaved his beard and now looks like the ASB president of the local high school.
Joe ;)
Whoa, wait it's still winter, I thought some guys shaved when it got warmer outside ;D.
Thanks Joe! ;D
A particular quote from Dazed n Confused comes to mind.
A particular quote from Dazed n Confused comes to mind.
All the recent new snow and exposed terrain in the top third of the ascent made me a bit cautious. And yes, the debris field was big enough to give pause - kind of a mini-serac field/terrain park at the bottom. It went to ground fairly recently. Good comment by MarmotMtn.
But when we got out of the trees, the snow was really surprisingly consistent. I expected worse from the hasty pit but it was really uniform down to the last major interface (almost 4 ft). The more windward exposure prob...
But when we got out of the trees, the snow was really surprisingly consistent. I expected worse from the hasty pit but it was really uniform down to the last major interface (almost 4 ft). The more windward exposure prob...
I concur with that. Nice report! My fav photo was this one:
http://homepage.mac.com/falzs/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/2006-01-09%2019.01.50%20-0800/Image-4880F925818511DA.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/falzs/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/2006-01-09%2019.01.50%20-0800/Image-4880F925818511DA.jpg
Nice effort! Headlee's got great terrain, good to hear someone harvested it.
Nice report and pictures. Looks really sweet up there.
Thanks for the information Mr_D.
Are the trees you skied those just at/below treeline that frame the first main north facing slope? (on the far right in the picture below, or even out of sight down the ridge)
top of first main slope
Are the trees you skied those just at/below treeline that frame the first main north facing slope? (on the far right in the picture below, or even out of sight down the ridge)
top of first main slope
Joe, I saw the "elders" that followed you in the Patrol room and heard they were heading towards Silver. I performed an "elder stall" hoping the young trailbreakers would detour into Threeway and smooth the old trail. Unfortunately, they didn't break our trail.
Zap
Zap
See here for pics.
http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/536550/an/0/page/0#536550
http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/536550/an/0/page/0#536550
Glad you had a fun time out there.
Please be extremely careful in this area. This has quite possibly one of the most dangerous avalanche slopes in that area. I have seen very, very large debris piles at the base of these slopes many times.
I have also seen folks cut directly through the deposition zone at the base, cross near the very base of the large avalanche gully, and go across the top section of the gully in one of the potential release zones.....very risky stuff....
Please be extremely careful in this area. This has quite possibly one of the most dangerous avalanche slopes in that area. I have seen very, very large debris piles at the base of these slopes many times.
I have also seen folks cut directly through the deposition zone at the base, cross near the very base of the large avalanche gully, and go across the top section of the gully in one of the potential release zones.....very risky stuff....
Man...you get to ski a whole month ahead of me...thats not fair! How does the snowpack look in February? Nice pic by the way. Great to see some blue sky in the background.
very nice, Jason! yeah, stick to tele. i was just on AT not long ago. the face plants aren't as fun. ;)
We were also stuck in the huge Crystal backup. If I'd been alone, I'd have turned around. Three hours was about right. The worst I've ever seen. Once at the area, a lift skier told us the access road had been closed earlier, plus there had been several accidents to clear away.
I'm glad we persevered. The snow in Threeway Peak basin was the best I've seen in Washington. Then the drive home was a snap. Ironically, faster than usual.
I'm glad we persevered. The snow in Threeway Peak basin was the best I've seen in Washington. Then the drive home was a snap. Ironically, faster than usual.
Nice pics! Some people are looking forward to the huge resort you speak of.
Not entirely sure of the size of the slide as the visibility was poor when I did arrive on seen, but I believe it was about 50' wide and slid at least 100'.
Hard to know for sure. The wind was blowing so hard that the debris field was already filled in.
I found a ski and poles 100' below the skiers.
Hard to know for sure. The wind was blowing so hard that the debris field was already filled in.
I found a ski and poles 100' below the skiers.
Thanks for the report Mr_D. I'm glad you made it out without injury. I was skiing at the resort yesterday. At the end of the day I went down the Heather runout and at the base was a group of 3 backcountry skiers talking to a pair of patrollers. I thought I heard them mention the avy word, maybe that was your party. How large and deep was the slide?
Thanks to TAY we were able to connect up a solid group of 8 skiers to share trail breaking duties in some awesome snow conditions! As Iain stated, should you approach from Nason Creek be sure to keep a healthy distance from any Yodelin cabins or one of the owners in particular might make you a snowcat speed bump.
The old avy debris field served as a great reminder that the slope could let go in a big way. Given Sunday's avy forecast of 'moderate' combined with the less...
The old avy debris field served as a great reminder that the slope could let go in a big way. Given Sunday's avy forecast of 'moderate' combined with the less...
Like two ships passing in the fog....
Zap, In our attempt to ski as many different aspects in one day, we came upon the trail breakers you speak of near the end of our tour... Nice young guys lapping their stash.
We had an elder couple that seemed to always be two uptrails behind us and spooned our turns as to not waste any powder.
I was thinking that they reminded me of senior ladies at a casino waiting for us to get tired of playing the slots, so they could quickly move in cash i...
Zap, In our attempt to ski as many different aspects in one day, we came upon the trail breakers you speak of near the end of our tour... Nice young guys lapping their stash.
We had an elder couple that seemed to always be two uptrails behind us and spooned our turns as to not waste any powder.
I was thinking that they reminded me of senior ladies at a casino waiting for us to get tired of playing the slots, so they could quickly move in cash i...
Nice to hear from you again Eric, Ron and I were wondering where the heck you have been hiding ;).
You may not recognize him.
Eric shaved his beard and now looks like the ASB president of the local high school.
Joe ;)
The flu sucks - I had the 'en all' last year for the first time ever >:(. It knocked my ass out.
Agreed, the to-mountain-traffic was absurd, but it was well worth it.
First time exploring the buillon basin goods; plenty to tour. The backside of the 6700' knob north of the basin had unbelievably tasty snow, as did the shots heading east to Union creek. fun it was... The late day sun breaks and views on Rainier were great.
First time exploring the buillon basin goods; plenty to tour. The backside of the 6700' knob north of the basin had unbelievably tasty snow, as did the shots heading east to Union creek. fun it was... The late day sun breaks and views on Rainier were great.
a shovel handle was found in Bullion Basin Jan 15. send a pm to arrange return.
I knew something was amiss with TAY; Welcome back Eric. I was a bit worried about the winds and decided to head for the Tatoosh instead of the Paradise lot...wind crust up top, but the steeps below were as light as it gets in Washington with nothing but snowshoe folk to avoid. Everything seemed suprisingly stable, though I was still too nervous to ski any of the main chutes.
Nice to hear from you again Eric, Ron and I were wondering where the heck you have been hiding ;).
Cool picture of a nice looking line! Sounds like a great trip.
We were not far from there. The forest floor is finally getting some nice cover up at Snoqualmie.
The steeps above 4500 today gave that wonderful weightless feeling. Skiing in the trees was especially nice. Surf was up!
The steeps above 4500 today gave that wonderful weightless feeling. Skiing in the trees was especially nice. Surf was up!
Nice report Andy.
Hey lookee here, You live close and have lots of extra time. Why don't you volunteer to give those rangers some supervision! :-)
We would be eternally grateful!
Hey lookee here, You live close and have lots of extra time. Why don't you volunteer to give those rangers some supervision! :-)
We would be eternally grateful!
My mom loved video too! she worried about me skiing under cornices with some guy named maddog though ;) Thanks for great adventure!