TR Replies
By the time us night-shifters got up there, the situation at Alpental was common knowledge . . . plus the huge booms and rumbles we heard were a tip-off. We got in two runs at Ski Acres (Central) on the steepest run we could find (I'm told this is Parachute) and two under the old chair at Hyak. Face shots all around.
Heard they would be doing control work at Alpental so we made a go at Hyak this morning instead. 6:30am and there was already a bomber skin track in the thigh deep pow. Objective was Mount Catherine, but we doddled around in zero visibility on the back side trying to figure out how to cross the creek, then decided to go back and ski Hyak as time was running out for us with deadlines and commitments. Of course it was great as everyone has said. It's going to be a great season when you've lost tra...
The only thing worse than Hangfire is Gunfire.
If I try and Poach Alpie on Friday, I'm bringin' my Kevlar. On second thought, there might be snow in other places.....
If I try and Poach Alpie on Friday, I'm bringin' my Kevlar. On second thought, there might be snow in other places.....
Oh god the snow was good
I'm so, so, glad I couldn't pull off a dawn patrol this morning, the snow quality sounds so awful ;)...; had to drive to Portland for work instead...
...while floating down Sessel...
you thaid floating, bwhehuh.
Ron, I would be honored. :)
Mark, I think you are referring to my evil twin brother. ;)
Richard, Threeway Peak Basin is "lookers" left of Silver Basin and Threeway Peak and encompasses Party Knoll, FF Forest, Speed Control,Chickens Head, Gunbarrel and Dog-leg Chute.
Zap
Mark, I think you are referring to my evil twin brother. ;)
Richard, Threeway Peak Basin is "lookers" left of Silver Basin and Threeway Peak and encompasses Party Knoll, FF Forest, Speed Control,Chickens Head, Gunbarrel and Dog-leg Chute.
Zap
Had a feeling that was about to happen. Next stops: Phantom, Chair, and Pineapple Pass, I guess, once things are more stable. And I can't imagine they'd open the BC ropes right away, so except for patrol forays and ropeduckers even the near BC might still be human powered for a while (or did you folks catch any wind of an impending open that included the BC?)
PS: welcome back, AlpyCam!
PS: welcome back, AlpyCam!
Grrr! >:( I knew I should have gone. I was actually going to go tomorrow, but if they're kicking people out now, it would be a shame to drive up there and get booted.
I agree the snow and coverage were really nice. I was up there with my dog Charlie and he preferred running back down the skin track rather than swimming (he forgot his snorkel). I somehow missed the patrollers and got two extra runs in before I saw them on their way down.
Good stuff JW- Thanks for the effort you put into making these. We enjoy them very much ;D
They seemed a little rude higher up, but the guy we talked to down at the base was really nice.
I can understand their position if they're going to be throwing charges above us ;)
Oh god the snow was good.
Coverage was fine. They're opening Friday. The only time I hit a rock was when I slammed into the side of a streambed while floating down Sessel in the flat light.
I can understand their position if they're going to be throwing charges above us ;)
Oh god the snow was good.
Coverage was fine. They're opening Friday. The only time I hit a rock was when I slammed into the side of a streambed while floating down Sessel in the flat light.
How was the coverage? Any rocks sticking through or lurking under the soft fluffy stuff?
Wanting to take the new (well, last year new) powder boards out when they open on Friday but think my rock skis may still be the better choice ;)
Sucks about getting booted off the mountain.
Michael
Wanting to take the new (well, last year new) powder boards out when they open on Friday but think my rock skis may still be the better choice ;)
Sucks about getting booted off the mountain.
Michael
The snow was fluffy, fantastic goodness, and they were actually pretty nice about booting us out, but it sucks!
Is this a new directive? New management style?
Is this a new directive? New management style?
Remember, breaking trail and allowing old people to have fresh tracks is standard backcountry protocol.
It is not for nothing that Zap is known as "The Silver Fox."
Threeway Peak basin is a new one to me. Where's Threeway Peak Basin in relation to Silver or Bear basins?
... Remember, breaking trail and allowing old people to have fresh tracks is standard backcountry protocol. - ZapNow there's some pithy wisdom. It's simply the right thing to do.
Why didn't I think of that? That needs expansive circulation.
Zap - Can I use that?
Fun video J, btw that bit at the end was one of the best roll over pop-up's you've done yet! What a great way to spend the day.
"butrsmoccrver", thanks for cruising by in Threeway, it gets lonely back in the basin by yourself and all that powder. :)
Hopefully, this storm cycle will smooth out some of the rocky ridges and the crust layer. Yes, retirement has been great. Only wish I started thirty years ago when my body was a bit more flexible. Remember, breaking trail and allowing old people to have fresh tracks is standard backcountry protocol.
Zap
Hopefully, this storm cycle will smooth out some of the rocky ridges and the crust layer. Yes, retirement has been great. Only wish I started thirty years ago when my body was a bit more flexible. Remember, breaking trail and allowing old people to have fresh tracks is standard backcountry protocol.
Zap
nifty mcneat!! :D
Love the ending Jerry, you self-effacing mother-scratcher. You had a great day on your skis!
I'm looking for some tips on smoothing out my technique. The camera doesn't lie, so let the insights fly...what to do, how to be, what to think, what to see...can you help me, anybody? Who's the pro? Give it a go and put this jibber in the know... Come on, be a pal and share your powder tecniques with the bc freaks!
Love the ending Jerry, you self-effacing mother-scratcher. You had a great day on your skis!
I'm looking for some tips on smoothing out my technique. The camera doesn't lie, so let the insights fly...what to do, how to be, what to think, what to see...can you help me, anybody? Who's the pro? Give it a go and put this jibber in the know... Come on, be a pal and share your powder tecniques with the bc freaks!
Killer job with the viddy production, Jerman.
You just keep amazin' me at how quick you crank 'em out.
You just keep amazin' me at how quick you crank 'em out.
That was a great day! Sorry the light was kinda dark but here's what I've got........JW's Latest Thanks to all for the great skiing and thanks to Ron for the great camera work!
Zap, that was me skiing past you guys under Threeway. I read from another TAYer that they opened it late on Sat. So, we decided to ride Crystal instead of Baker on Sunday. $50.00 bones and a few base craps later Silver basin was ours. Sorry, to give you a HEEY Haa riding past, as a "chairlift
stash stealer." BTW I enjoyed reading your post, esspecially last year down in Sierra's. You seem to get out more than anybody.....way to show what retirements all about!
BTW...Crystal...
stash stealer." BTW I enjoyed reading your post, esspecially last year down in Sierra's. You seem to get out more than anybody.....way to show what retirements all about!
BTW...Crystal...
Thanks for the update, it looked real good out there last weekend, glad you got some!! I think people are avoiding Campbell basin because the traverse into it is real rockey. It's pretty bad getting off the lift and over to your turns, I recomend bringing rock skis if you're riding the lifts and want to ski off chair six...
Is Tye Peak the peak west of the saddle due north of Skyline Lake? Or is it also known as Peak 5476? I don't see it on a map I'm looking at. The best trees we skiied were on a 25-30 degree north facing slope, still on the south side of the drainage, about 400 vf below the saddle. The slope mellowed out after about 300 more vf and the drainage lead to another boulder field at about 4000 feet. I would not call the trees small and spread-out, but good lines were easily...
It's still on my camera, and was sent to you guys on Saturday..... 8)
I'm not sure that its seen a complete descent from the Hanging Glacier, as in including the final very narrow stretch. George St James as well as a couple patrollers 5+ years ago all stopped somewhere near the top of the wide open section. Don't know anything about other descents of the couloir.
So... can we get a lift up there? :D (ducking)
Nice to see you're back, Zap.
Looks like your lessiones espanol didn't stunt your ability to find the goods :)
Well done.
Looks like your lessiones espanol didn't stunt your ability to find the goods :)
Well done.
Do you know if you were skiing on Tye Peak? I think it's the slope you're talking about - roughly across the valley that you descended into through the boulder field. The face has small spread-out trees with scrub brush sticking up through the snow in early season. Was the brush pretty much covered by now?
A snowboard descent of the NW couloir was reported by George St. James in 1993. He was accompanied by George Dobis on foot. The Bellingham Herald had an article about it on 6/24/93.
With our secret knowledge we headed east of Edith Basin...
and beyond! you guys and your secret knowledge... ;) well done, well done. sounds like it was a fantastic day.
last week sunning and sipping cool ones on the beaches of Puerto Vallerta, this week skiing some of the best snow so far.
and way to go from one paradise to another, j-net!
ps--jw--can't wait to...
When we saw what ended up being your skin track going to the basin, we made a decision- use their track or make our own? We figured to let you have your peace. We skinned away and we were on top of a peak just North of Threeway and saw your gang making tracks. Good Job! One of our group members snapped some great shots of pristine powder on the King as you were making your 2nd accent.
Before all this I went into the patrol shack and inquired if they were planning on bombing South and they sa...
Before all this I went into the patrol shack and inquired if they were planning on bombing South and they sa...
cool. It's hard to believe that something that you can stare at from the ski area would not have been skied by now. I bet it would be awesome in the right conditions.
I believe it has been skiied by John Adams at the Glacier Ski Shop and Patrick O'Neill
ya, i would guess there is a big difference between skiing at the area and actually being in a gigantic north facing coulior after a week of high pressure and a then a small dump of snow. at first glance i thought this was a post from someone who was actually on the mountain itself. shuksan does look like it has some great ski mountaineering lines...
hey username...i saw a snowboarder biking towards the bottom of baker over the weekend...any chance that was you?
hey username...i saw a snowboarder biking towards the bottom of baker over the weekend...any chance that was you?
hmm, maybe it does go. I also mused over that face, while lounging on chair 8 on Saturday. I don't think skykilo is around to find out for us, so I guess you have nominated yourself ;D.
Tim-
I'm referring to what Beckey calls the Northwest Couloir- climber's left of the hanging glacier. And from what I saw, the entrance gully looked possible and the 50 degree section you mentioned also seemd to have a way thru. Of course, I may be completely wrong. I was just passing on what I saw for those who might be interested.
I'm referring to what Beckey calls the Northwest Couloir- climber's left of the hanging glacier. And from what I saw, the entrance gully looked possible and the 50 degree section you mentioned also seemd to have a way thru. Of course, I may be completely wrong. I was just passing on what I saw for those who might be interested.
We were looking hard at pillow talk on Sat very late in the day.We thought it might not go yet. Glad you got it!
Damn near showed up at tall timbers but stayed home for chores.Next week it will be mucho better!
Who knows might even get to ski the Edgewood mts this week?
Damn near showed up at tall timbers but stayed home for chores.Next week it will be mucho better!
Who knows might even get to ski the Edgewood mts this week?
Phil,
Sweet video. Captures the essence of how a brutal day can still be a blast. But did it make me doubt the power of tele? Never! Just gotta upgrade to the 7 buckle boots and a pair of 25 year old legs and the steep narrow crud couloir with ice cave jump will be mine, all mine...
peace,
Jimmy
Sweet video. Captures the essence of how a brutal day can still be a blast. But did it make me doubt the power of tele? Never! Just gotta upgrade to the 7 buckle boots and a pair of 25 year old legs and the steep narrow crud couloir with ice cave jump will be mine, all mine...
peace,
Jimmy
Hey, where'd your faceshot picture go? ;) ???
A group of 5 of us made an attempt at Chair Peak Sunday morning, but half-way up we opted out of because the exposed top-half of the mountain seemed too prone to sliding. We headed over by the snow lake divide and up the ridge as high as we could. It was hard under the new snow (about 12 inches up top), and sans the crusties underneath I've been reading about at Alpental. Great turns all the way back to Source Lake!
Parked 100 feet beyond mile 7, so only had to skin roughly 1 mile to the trailhead. This may be quite different after this week however as we nailed it right after that long high pressure window when the road had clearly melted out to bare pavement.
Ryan, I am not sure what you are referring to as the "NorthWest Couloir". If you mean the line on lookers right of the Hanging Glacier, that is the White Salmon Glacier. It looks filled in enough to ski, although you would have scant to no cover at the bottom and therefore a long, ugly scramble out. Best to give it several weeks to build a base. (The picture is from March, 2001)
OTOH, if yo...
Nice timing for the fresh pow and clear skies! What is the winter access like on that glacier creek road? Did you start from a plowed snowpark or do you need a 4x4 or snowmobile to get within striking range of the trailhead?
Nice report Jeanette. It was a wonderful day in the park and great to see you all again.
Just wanted to note that the road was very icy in the morning and stayed that way for the return trip. Chains were required on all non-AWD vehicles (AWD required traction tires) and a ranger was making inspections on the road below Christine Falls on the way up. So get that snow gear on your cars 'cause the winter weather is here!
Jeanette, thanks for pointing out the ptarmiga...
Just wanted to note that the road was very icy in the morning and stayed that way for the return trip. Chains were required on all non-AWD vehicles (AWD required traction tires) and a ranger was making inspections on the road below Christine Falls on the way up. So get that snow gear on your cars 'cause the winter weather is here!
Jeanette, thanks for pointing out the ptarmiga...
Justin - Glacier looked good to go. I'll send my pics to your email next day or so, since I don't have a website to link 'em.
"From time to time I would have to scratch them roids as there was only dust on crust instead of boot deep just the turn before." Bwwwaaahhhhhh, ha,ha!! Funny stuff, slut.
For sure good times! Mad_dog's tr summed it up pretty well. JW and Ronj's picks should seal the deal.
There were face shots throughout the day and maybe a tree shot or two. From time to time I would have to scratch them roids as there was only dust on crust instead of boot deep just the turn before.
I was giving her all she got captain. Warp speed Mr. Sulu. L...
There were face shots throughout the day and maybe a tree shot or two. From time to time I would have to scratch them roids as there was only dust on crust instead of boot deep just the turn before.
That's one hell of a steep skin track you put in with those splitboards.
I was giving her all she got captain. Warp speed Mr. Sulu. L...