TR Replies
Nice report of the recent storm. Plus "unskiable snow everywhere". I remember those days. ;)
Nice trip report and video. It was been years since I was at Manning Provincial Park. ;)
Glad to hear you are healed up and back at it!
Let's go for a trudge this winter?!
Let's go for a trudge this winter?!
Well, it's back online: the Paradise total snow column was un-blanked in the NWAC telemetry after 6pm on December 28, with the note updated to read, "Total snow gage repaired 4 pm Dec 28"!
Northwest Avalanche Center
Paradise, Mt Rainier National Park, Washington
Total snow gage repaired 4 pm Dec 28
MM/DD Hour Temp  RH Wind Wind Wind Hour Total 24 Hr Total Solar
     PST   F   %  Avg  Max  D...
Northwest Avalanche Center
Paradise, Mt Rainier National Park, Washington
Total snow gage repaired 4 pm Dec 28
MM/DD Hour Temp  RH Wind Wind Wind Hour Total 24 Hr Total Solar
     PST   F   %  Avg  Max  D...
It all just felt sketchy. I'm glad we found fun skiing in the trees.
author=Rowen link=topic=39367.msg158632#msg158632 date=1514415560]
After doing the Smithbrook approach on the 24th and having to reset a completely snowshoer obliterated skin track up to Lichtenwasser, a friend and I tried the Nason Creek approach yesterday. Starting off with headlamps and plans of multiple deep laps in the north bowls, we ran into an increasingly worrying surface crust down low in the trees before the main ascent. Once on that more exposed as...
Did y'all encounter the freezing fog crust layer on your tour?
Myself and several friends skied from pt 5566 NW of granite mt to alpental that same day. The crust existed throughout the day but was the least prevalent (quite enjoyable skiing) high on our first descent which was the farthest away from the pass (once lower into the trees and into a cloud layer it became much more prevalent.). We were in the full sun looking at a cloud covered snoqualmie pass. From our observations it seems that further west of the crest may have been spared from the freezing...
Thanks for the thorough write-up and the education about freezing fog vs freezing rain. The crust was truly a most unwelcome Christmas present.
author=Rowen link=topic=39367.msg158632#msg158632 date=1514415560]
... we ran into an increasingly worrying surface crust down low in the trees before the main ascent. Once on that more exposed aspect, definite crust confirmed - small 1/2-1mm ball bearings bonded together into a layer about 2-3mm.
...
North side looked like it could have avoided the crust-ification, but a small huck off the cornice lead to a very face first examination of the crust l...
We toured up the Smithbrook side on the same day and found that crust on virtually every aspect at every elevation from the road to the summit. It was so thin you could see through it if you dug the pow out from underneath the surface crust. I was at the resort at Stevens the day before, and most of the morning and early afternoon there was precip in the form of freezing mist, the kind where you didn't even notice it but I had to de-ice my goggles twice per run. Is the mist the potential cu...
Experienced the same crust at pinapple Pass that day. I think it was a light freezing rain the night before. We were disappointed, but with steep enough slope we were able to bust through fine and pretend it was perfect pow. We had to wear earplugs though ;)
We found the crust on the solar aspects softened in the afternoon making it better.
We found the crust on the solar aspects softened in the afternoon making it better.
What is this "real news"?! I imagine a similar conspiracy lies behind this;
https://wcc.sc.egov.usda.gov/reportGenerator/view/customSingleStationReport/hourly/679:WA:SNTL%7cid=%22%22%7cname/-167,0/WTEQ::value,SNWD::value,PREC::value,TOBS::value?fitToScreen=false
Careful throwing facts around. You could end up on a rendition flight pulling stuff like this.
https://wcc.sc.egov.usda.gov/reportGenerator/view/customSingleStationReport/hourly/679:WA:SNTL%7cid=%22%22%7cname/-167,0/WTEQ::value,SNWD::value,PREC::value,TOBS::value?fitToScreen=false
Careful throwing facts around. You could end up on a rendition flight pulling stuff like this.
Thanks, Amar :)!
Amar, thank you for the reconnaissance mission photos of the snow depth sensor equipment and the detailed report here.
I'm curious now if NWAC has been alerted to the faulty sensor.
As always your detailed contributions here are extremely appreciated!
I'm curious now if NWAC has been alerted to the faulty sensor.
As always your detailed contributions here are extremely appreciated!
Amar, you are just a natural born over achiever! Great trip report, quelling any conspiracy theories, on a perfect blue bird day, great pictures too. Thanks
NWAC telemetry for the period in question, including the relevant header notes about total snowdepth at the times that they were added or updated:
Northwest Avalanche Center
Paradise, Mt Rainier National Park, Washington
MM/DD Hour Temp RH Wind Wind Wind Hour Total 24 Hr Total Solar
PST F % Avg Max Dir Prec. Prec. Snow Sno...
Northwest Avalanche Center
Paradise, Mt Rainier National Park, Washington
MM/DD Hour Temp RH Wind Wind Wind Hour Total 24 Hr Total Solar
PST F % Avg Max Dir Prec. Prec. Snow Sno...
Hey Mack and Matt, thank you for the update and report on the conditions in the Olympics.
cheers,
Chris
cheers,
Chris
very jealous of the opportunistic grab of this elusive line. good job!
Scott, great to see a report, been wondering about/missing your TR's. I made a failed attempted at Vahala, after the big snow, and eyeballed some of those big lines you have ticked off, on my way home. Good to have you back on the board.
North and west aspects off of Maggies skied well.
Explored Diamond Head today (12/24). Unsurprisingly, still really thin coverage. From afar it looks enticing, but the basalt sharks are lurking just below the surface.
It did give us plenty of time to debate which is more disruptive to to a PNW bc adventure... Gullyf'd or Alderf'd? Walls of wallow vs. barbed Byzantine conduits of Alderville. Might as well have been discussing presidential candidates or varieties of turd sandwiches.
Ah, yes. We love this. Repeat the mantra. The amalgamation of the name of said flora and appropriately attached 4 letter word belongs in the backcountry dictionary.
Yeah I know that road. I probably skied the clearcut 20 years ago in alpine gear. Then had a horrible time getting out...
author=avajane link=topic=39348.msg158550#msg158550 date=1514051923]
Where exactly is road 800 Glenn?
From the N Sno-Park at the pass, ski the road past the groomer shed and to a junction where the Scotty Crk Rd goes straight. The left fork is Rd 800 which runs along the Kittitas/Chelan county line toward old Blewett Pass. The old clearcuts along the way are pretty much grown in so not very good for turns. Try the upp...
we found your skin track yesterday 12/22, and we were SO stoked! thank you guys big time! owe ya a beer... we got plenty of trail breaking too after dropping off the N side of Lichtenberg and certainly turned to type 1.5 fun.
We also found the snow un reactive, with only the top 2-3 inches that fell overnight dry sluffing on steep slopes.
We also found the snow un reactive, with only the top 2-3 inches that fell overnight dry sluffing on steep slopes.
Where exactly is road 800 Glenn? I'd like to check it out. Could you make turns off the road? I was down on Kings Ridge which is lots lower but often has more snow. Couldn't make Turns off road at all.
Brian
Brian
Skied a sunny Rd 800 from Swauk Pass toward old Blewett Pass yesterday. Big views from Bonanza Pk to Adams and west into the Stuarts. Finally good coverage down low with the higher basalt talus slopes(Diamond Head, Windy Knob, etc.) filling in.
The Summit East Nordic center opens tomorrow for those of the XC persuasion. The upper trails should be great.
Oops, I should have checked the website, I'm not sure why I thought it was opening this weekend. Word to the wise, never trust an old guy.
Really Silas, I thought it was Tuesday. If it is tomorrow then my boys will be happy.
A bit different from the Oly peninsula, huh! I went by Shasta several times this fall and found it more bare than I'd ever seen it, almost scorched looking, so it's nice to see your photos of it snow-covered again.
The question is not the decision making process, just the terrain choice. Steep, north facing couloirs were the bullseye for the forecast and Moderate specifically states'Heightened Avalanche Conditions on specific terrain....' which then requires the user to identify that terrain on a map so it can be avoided.
Managing hazard in terrain features such as the KAZ breeds false confidence since the consequences of a ride are significant. Similar stories ended poorly so I am gla...
Managing hazard in terrain features such as the KAZ breeds false confidence since the consequences of a ride are significant. Similar stories ended poorly so I am gla...
Did 3 laps on Hyak today. By mid afternoon front side and back side were pretty tracked up. Did two laps down the rampart chair line to find fresh lines (and fresh stumps)
Some creek crossings required a bit of snowshovel engineering to fill in the creek in order to make a dry crossing.
Some creek crossings required a bit of snowshovel engineering to fill in the creek in order to make a dry crossing.
Silver Fir was the right call this morning. but I should've gone back to Hyak and toured in the afternoon. Thanks for the quick report, I'm looking forward to utilizing your skin tracks tomorrow
I think the hazard was ridge top or near shallow wind slab on all but N and NE slopes with a mod rating? Correct me if my memory doesn't serve. We tip toed into it. Not a lot of evidence of wind loading. Close aspect was stable. I'd skied it a week before and was pretty confident that if it released it would be on one specific convexity. Carefully cut the top very slowly. It did release at the roll and it went with slough.
I felt ok about the event,...
I felt ok about the event,...
Impressed to see you found the only forecasted hazard, congrats.
We had very similar conditions on the 16th. Skied out into Kendall AZ. Did have one skier triggered windslab release on us in the left side of the twins couloirs; 15cm deep and propagated wall to wall (Approx 6 meters).
Thanks man! Let's go ski soon once the pass has some more snow.
man that looked so great! Good day for a board. Way to get it, great vid!
Thanks for the encouragement. We found good snow up top still and lapped that. The cooler was totally chopped up and the bowl was heavy mashed potatoes. Still worth it for all the views and good turns at the top. ;D
Nice! We skied great snow on the north slopes past the pinnacle on Saturday, and noticed your tracks through the portals. I was wondering what you were up to. Looks like a fun weekend!