TR Replies

Jan 4, 2006, snoq summit nordic and beyond

I was skiing Teton Pass over New Years as well. Good times but I was stoped at the pass on 1/1/06 to let a heli land to transport an avy victim (he survived with a broken arm). I just heard that someone died at the pass today. All the new snow they are getting is great and all but they could really use some high pressure stabilization.

1/5/06 5:28am

dkoelle

It was definitely a little low, but there was still enough snow to classify it as fun. Depends on how deparate you are I guess. The lower creek crossings were the step-across kind: snow on one side, snow on the other,piled up maybe 1 foot high on the banks, and a mellow creek fully visible 18 inches under your "ski bridge". There were buried logs causing linear snow humps, but not too bad. An upper creek, downstream of the place I was calling the second meadow c...

1/5/06 5:13am

Double E

January 2, 2006, Kendall Peak Lakes

Nice TR, Scott. Yeah, fun times!! lookin forward to the next trip.

Chris' handle is "Tophervw", by the way.

Ethan

1/5/06 5:07am

Robie

Jan 4, 2006, snoq summit nordic and beyond

ya me wants to know too?
I'm of the opinion that we need at least 6-7 ' of snow to make that area really fun.

1/5/06 4:35am

JibberD

Kam likes a nice hard cheese for B/C wax.

Cheese? Say like a festering hunk of parmesan? What about bacon flavored cheese whiz in the gas powered can? Too soft probably. Plus I wouldn't want to lead the Paradise fox on a wild cheese chase all over the mountain. That'd be cruel.

But seriously, hmmm, you think cheese is the way to go?

1/5/06 3:09am

sag

Mad_Dog is the one for skin advice, but if I remember correctly, Kam likes a nice hard cheese for B/C wax.

1/5/06 2:40am

Randonnee

Jan 4, 2006, snoq summit nordic and beyond

I have had success in removing dirt from skin glue by scraping with a metal wax scraper- vigorously. It left a nice workable glue surface.

1/4/06 11:36pm

Charles

Thanks for the report from the forest. How would you characterize the overall coverage and travel-ability of the terrain in the old-growth between the XC trails and Nordic Pass? It sounds like the creek crossings could still use some filling in, but aside from those is everything pretty well covered now and the traveling good?

1/4/06 6:16pm

JMor

I got some wierd grunge on my skins after that day, maybe from the back of the truck. >:( Any tips for cleaning them without removing all of the glue?

Windex and paper towels will work on some of that "wierd stuff", but for the really wierd, besides a base cleaner which will take off the glue, I dunno.

1/4/06 8:02am

MW88888888

Check out Togwotee (sp?) Pass also, it's a little bit further, but a lot less crowded than teton pass.

And if you must ski at a ski area (like, say, when it pounds and Teton Pass is closed), check out Grand Targee. If you're in the game for Powder, it can be found off the lifts here on a powder day. Of course if Teton Pass is closed, then scratch Targee and go for JH. If you ski the lifts at Jackson Hole, ski the backside, it will blow your mind.

The phot...

1/4/06 7:18am

fheimer

Jan 3, 2006, Anthony Lakes, OR

I second that motion. Wilson sports gave us all the beta we needed. There is a photo atlas of the area that has great aerial photos of most of the good spots and a cheap topo available at the shop. Other than that talk to the locals. Some are a little bit, how do I say this, not so good at sharing, but many are really great people. Have great time. I write a trip report to let us know how it went.

1/4/06 7:11am

fheimer

Yeah my girlfriend and I went up there in early December and found some good turns. Everywhere else in oregon was mush and we were skiing powder in sunny weather. The snowpack was somewhat shallow but there is definately touring potentional. The resort is really low key, has a great bar and has camping in the parking lot. We hiked up the ridge next to the resort and then skied down the backside. We also skied the next drainage over. With nice turns. I de...

1/4/06 3:16am

philfort

Jan 3, 2006, Anthony Lakes, OR

I took the guestimation just as the trail pops out of the trees and crosses the wide gentle stream gully that leads immediately west of the moraine. The stream was still visible in many places, so I could see how deep the snowpack was. I think that's just below 5000ft.

Under the forest canopy at that elevation, there is only about 6-12 inches :-(
The gullies around there are filled in well, but plenty of grass showing near the crest of the moraine itself. The peaks across the w...

1/4/06 2:48am

ema

Where did you stay in Baker City?

1/4/06 2:46am

ema

I drove to the trailhead on Christmas and It looked pretty bad. Although there has been little snow below 3700' since, I'm surprised that there was only 2' at 5k after all the storms since Christmas...Bummer. Out of curiosity, where did you take the estimation Phil?...Username, the Roman Wall looked sweet today, go get it!

1/4/06 1:51am

juan

Jan 3, 2006, Anthony Lakes, OR

can anyone offer clarification on the sled issue in this area? maybe I will contact the USFS office in Skykomish.

1/4/06 1:28am

peaceriver

My son and I spent a couple of days sking there the week before new years when they were open all week. Great snow we had a little less than a foot of fresh and tho the area has only about 900 vt we lapped fresh tracks all day in some pleasent trees far skiers rt. It sounds like Thursdays can be busy... for them as they have half price tickets I was eyeing some lines on the back side and spoke with a Tele patroller who spoke of a variety of lines later in the season when things fille...

1/4/06 1:14am

telemack

December 13-14, 2005, Mt Logan

Good report Chris. As a wannabee Scot to the real item, I gotta tell my first name is "Mack" as in Truck, or "MacKnight". ;)
Also, I was freeheelin' with scotsman and jibberd while they AT'ed.
It's a lot easier to find Mazama Face from the Paradise Valley road, but it was pretty cool to get at it from the top by playing Blind Man's Fluff.
I got some wierd grunge on my skins after that day, maybe from the back of the truck. >:( Any tips f...

1/4/06 1:10am

corn_dog

That notch looks familiar. A friend and I slogged in there one summer maybe 3 years ago. Always wondered if that was the "correct" way, since it didn't seem to get much traffic. Saw goat tracks in the snow by the notch but not much other sign of traffic. We stopped there, whole thing was a bit more than we anticipated :)
Sweet.

1/3/06 6:38pm

David_Coleman

Yeah, but I think that's what Justin is about - the need for a big challenge ;)

1/3/06 5:49pm

powscraper

i knew it

1/3/06 3:22pm

galen

Wilson Backcountry Sports at the base of Teton Pass (on the Wyoming side).

Good people and they'll have all you need to know.

1/3/06 10:00am

butrsmocrver

Jaunary 1, 2006, Bennett Pass (OR)

Hey , Were headed there in a week 1/2, Anymore info on those Teton tours, other than 25 short. Were going to ski, Bridger, The Geee, Some Teton Tours and of course JH.(Since it's the last year of the tram). I'm a little worried that it's so good now but in two weeks it's going to be hammered out by then. More touring I guess>

Thanks for any info brad

1/3/06 7:12am

jimgolden

1/2/06

perfect PNW Mash Potatoes, w/ 2 ft deep ruts from turns all over the place. gonna take some major snow to repair that damage.

tree riding on the way in was nice tho, both above and below the road. good coverage in the trees too.

the access road was like a freeway, couldn't beleive the # of people back in there, both tele and XC

jimbrah

1/3/06 3:18am

philfort

What about higher up? Surely something was retained? Was there snow on the ridge up to the Roman Wall?

Justin, all of the snow on Baker is gone, it's just a dry chosspile now. Bring gaitors, the cacti are prickly.

1/3/06 12:15am

BrianLee

ahh Teton Pass!!!

many good memories from that place! Glad you had a good time!

1/2/06 7:51pm

Joedabaker

Thanks for sharing your adventures!
Great inspiration and a reminder of the endless possibilities.

Enjoy Chamonix. Ski the Grand Montet if your plans allow.
Wishing you stable snow and deep powder!
Joe

1/2/06 7:48pm

skip

Nice nice. 25 Short was my first ever backcountry tour - a fun mountain as I recall. I'm a bit jealous.

1/2/06 7:33pm

JMor

Does anyone swear by a good wax to bring with on tours?

I have a chunk of SWIX (yellow) wax (all condition) with me and a wine cork. Rub the wax on and use the cork to smooth it out. This has worked well for me in those "sticky" situations :D.

1/2/06 6:46pm

JibberD

Thanks for the report Chris. It was a great day out there with you and Mack. Fresh powder tracks all day long ;D :D 8)

To clarify for the readers, I was having problems on Alta Vista no so much due to the snow, but the fact that ice had formed on my ski bases in places and the snow was, in turn, sticking to that ???. It was a lot like the skin glopping phenomenon. Fortunately the bases cleared for the rest of the day. So, yeah, the snow was very, very nice. &...

1/2/06 5:15pm

Robie

Good report Did you get a early gate opening ?,sounds like you followed our lines from the 1st cept we skipped bundy's thinking it was wind scoured.
Un bundys would be less so.
The refridgerator lies east beyond MAzama face almost at the end of Mazama ridge where its aspect turns Nwesterly .
anyway glad you got the goods.
Alpental and the S pass sucked on monday.

1/2/06 5:03pm

Workin >:( Skied friday though, glad you found the goods!

1/2/06 12:14pm

Michael

Nice TR guys! Where is the TR for the Brand? ;-)

Glad you guys enjoyed the Austrian alps - now off to the French Alps ;-)

1/2/06 10:48am

powscraper

What about higher up? Surely something was retained? Was there snow on the ridge up to the Roman Wall?

1/2/06 8:30am

ajjenkin

January 1, 2006, Crystal Mtn. Bear Gap

My finacee and I setup winter camp by the lake Saturday afternoon. We stayed Saturday and Sunday night and toured during the days. On Saturday we skinned up to the lake slowly due to all the weight on our backs, thus we spent a fair bit of time on the road. There were some guys yo-yo-ing with a sled. I thought it smelly, but not too offensive. When we got to the lake we started talking about where we should setup camp, then two bilers came cruising up the skin/snows...

1/2/06 6:40am

allyson

j-net and ron--nice work, as usual! you "geezers" sometimes put us "youngsters" to shame with the amount of turns you get in the bx. way to go, and happy 2006! ;D

1/2/06 6:33am

allyson

LUCKIES!!

drink it up toe & company; both the champagne and the pow. ;)

1/2/06 5:35am

Randonnee

That section is not USFS, unless there was some recent trade. I am unsure of the ownership, but remember hearing it was the City of Seattle at one time. Stevens Pass LLC does not control that property.

I have snowmobiled that road for skiing about 12 yrs ago, it is not really worth it. I have not known of prohibition of access by snowmobiles, nor do I know if such use is intended by the landowner- there is no signing against snowmobiles. There have seen rescues up that road with snowmobi...

1/2/06 5:08am

kam

"Visibility was typical of the Northwest too -- overcast and low valley clouds. "
I thought those pictures looked familiar ! Campell basin chair for sure ! :)

cut and paste (ctrl-x, ctrl-v)! ;)

1/2/06 4:49am

Robie

January 1, 2006, Paradise

"Visibility was typical of the Northwest too -- overcast and low valley clouds. "
I thought those pictures looked familiar ! Campell basin chair for sure ! :)

1/2/06 4:38am

Robie

Well , How did it hold ? looks like a few new to boot!
We made a wet and foggy choice to Snoqualomie darn it !

1/2/06 4:07am

kam

December 31, 2005, Schartenkopf, Tirol, Austria

more photos from Schartenkopf.

1/2/06 4:04am

kam

friends. apologies for the few words. Net connection is difficult in Tyrol (or Tirol) and the Euro keyboard drives me nuts...

here is a trip report with photos. do enjoy.

Greg and i are now in Switzerland for a short visit with his brother and sister inlaw. we're on our way to Grenoble tomorrow, then to Chamonix. Austria was wonderful. the Niederthai water still treats me well ;D.

Paul: it was g...

1/2/06 2:23am

kam

...do Austrians have similar facial expressions when they see someone Telemark (I'm assuming you brought tele gear) ;)

it's as if they were staring at a Chinese martian. ;D

1/2/06 2:11am

Jeff Huber

Hey Kam - Re your non-alcohol facial expression, do Austrians have similar facial expressions when they see someone Telemark (I'm assuming you brought tele gear) ;)

1/2/06 12:31am

gregL

Kam didn't mention that the temperature was -22 C. that day; the snow was really cold smoke and delightful to ski. The guy in the top picture is Florian, a neighbor of Michael's and a mountain rescue guy for the valley; a complete animal going both up and down. It's really an inspirational experience to be in a place where whole families ski the backcountry and the tradition is centuries old (maybe older, Niederthai is just around the corner from where they found the frozen remains of the 8,000...

1/1/06 11:03pm

JMor

Sounds like you had a great time, thanks for sharing your adventure.

1/1/06 9:03pm

juan

I also ran into the sled on my way up to ski some fantastic snow. We had a brief discussion about how I thought mo's were not allowed there and how he vehemently disagreed. He claims that the front side is in limits, but not the backside or moonlight. I've skied many days up there and never seen a sled, thus my assumption that it was not allowed. Anyone know the real deal on this?

And yeah, the skiing was good. Close to 10" of new atop a firm base. ...

1/1/06 7:05pm

ericd