TR Replies
Amar, Justin, Paul, thanks for the photos and the good times.
Amar, you were telling me about your trip to Muir years ago, when you realized you were on to something good. I think that yesterday I had something like that experience. I feel myself becoming hooked. Not long ago, where alpine adventures are concerned, I was focused almost entirely on the ascent as the portion worthy of attention. Now I see what I've been missing! ;D Next time I'll bring a...
Amar, you were telling me about your trip to Muir years ago, when you realized you were on to something good. I think that yesterday I had something like that experience. I feel myself becoming hooked. Not long ago, where alpine adventures are concerned, I was focused almost entirely on the ascent as the portion worthy of attention. Now I see what I've been missing! ;D Next time I'll bring a...
A good ski. Worth the sunburn that has my face oozing today.
I've opted to stuff a bunch more pics into this thread. Nothing special, skip this post if you've got anything remotely worth doing.
Layers of clouds.
Justin displayin' the knuckledragger steeze.
Dr. Barr...
I've opted to stuff a bunch more pics into this thread. Nothing special, skip this post if you've got anything remotely worth doing.
Layers of clouds.
Justin displayin' the knuckledragger steeze.
Dr. Barr...
sorry....complete lack of know-how with posting pic's made me just tack them up without thinking about the photo size being a headache for anyone trying to view this post.
Spectacular photos, Pete. But the 1536 pixel width makes them hard to view on most monitors, and it's also impossible to read this thread anywhere. The suggested TAY limit on photo width is 600 pixels, and you could post links to larger versions like this:
Wadd from camp on the Ice Valley glacier
Wadd from camp on the Dais glacier
Wadd from camp on the Ice Valley glacier
Wadd from camp on the Dais glacier
Pete, Great trip report. Glad it was a roundtrip for everone. There's still plenty of snow in the Sierras. Don't put away the skis yet. Zap
Transcendence
Sky
Nomad surfs the headwall-ish slope below Sherman
Random comments:
-I think the aspect that we descended was soft long before we got there; the highe...
Sky
Nomad surfs the headwall-ish slope below Sherman
Random comments:
-I think the aspect that we descended was soft long before we got there; the highe...
those slides didn't worry me too much. They were very slow moving and shallow - I skied through one of them just for fun. There wasn't a lot of snow for them to pick up and a lot of area to spread out below. There are lines on Naches east bowl that are less steep if slides are a concern.
I'm not sure how cold it got this week up there, but I'll bet it's firmer snow than last weekend. I'm thinking of heading up there to milk one more weekend. With the chance of poor weather it's really the...
I'm not sure how cold it got this week up there, but I'll bet it's firmer snow than last weekend. I'm thinking of heading up there to milk one more weekend. With the chance of poor weather it's really the...
Good stuff. Looks like that is the right side of the mountain right now, considering the sparks we were getting off the "powder" on the upper CD last weekend.
Informative report, thank you very much! I was there a few days before your outing and am considering it for tomorrow. The slide pic is a good reminder of the only thing I'm worried about; those sloppy wet slides. Overnight temps haven't been low enough for a good freeze have they? If anyone has observed otherwise, when was the last good freeze? If I get too paranoid Muir might have to be the choice, but more pitch is tempting. Be safe people! ;)
had a bit of a fiasco at Film Stop (Queen Anne location)...their slide scanner did an awful job scanning my slides, and the scanner also managed to scratch at least 30 of my slides...fortunately they further botched my order and forgot to scan the roll that has the waddington and munday climbing-skiing shots so those are undamaged, but further scans will have to wait till I figure out what model of slide scanner to buy (I've given up on trusting others to handle my photos)... at least Film Stop...
Awesome ;D I was wondering what you guys would do. Great stuff! Your TR made me feel like I missed out, but I'm sure the pictures will make me feel like I was there, leaving the jealousy to wilt. Now I'm going to go look at the forecast and see if the boulder park is worth doing tomorrow or if biking might be my better bet.
Nice read, Zapster, and
HIGH-FIVE on the picture post.
I knew you could do it. ;)
HIGH-FIVE on the picture post.
I knew you could do it. ;)
Ross, Glad you had a great trip. We also experienced a "powder day" at Mammoth with 30 plus MPH winds. We are still in the Sierras and I keep finding more places that I "have to tour." Unfortunately, Jill misses our sherpa candidates(grandsons). :) Zap
Wat ith thes Raineer yow speek of?
Hey, let's watch our dangling participles on this forum, please. This should read, "Wat ith thes Raineer ov witch yow speek?"
Edit to add: Oh yeah, and thanks for the report. Guess the Roman Wall has a ways to go yet.
Woops,
The only time I see the spelling of that mountain is when I am drinking the beer named after it. Read said mountain in article as: Raynear
Sory 4 any confution...us Canucks are not verry good spellirs.
The only time I see the spelling of that mountain is when I am drinking the beer named after it. Read said mountain in article as: Raynear
Sory 4 any confution...us Canucks are not verry good spellirs.
Nice trip - I did a similar route as a backpack nearly two decades ago (a little different on some of the passes - we did a funky route called the "keyhole"), and it was beautiful country. I imagine that it would have been fantastic for you to have had two extra good weather days with a basecamp in the valley for further exploring.
In retrospect, that area gives me a nice appreciation for the relative solitude of summertime in the Cascades.
In retrospect, that area gives me a nice appreciation for the relative solitude of summertime in the Cascades.
Yep, there was. That whole aspect looked decent for skiing. The upper bowl was starting to melt out, but the run is all there.
Sorry Kam,working a double shift Friday - see you at Glacier Travel class on Saturday . . .
Greg and Kevin: glad to hear you guys went up there, even though conditions were less than ideal. nice pictures though and thanks for sharing. Greg, are busy on Friday?
Did Goat Island Mountain still look like it might be viable for the upcoming weekend? ... and that looked OK albeit thinning.
I don't have the first hand like the crew that climbed, but just looking at the Goat showed great potential on the North pitches. Viewed from Big Bertha 2 viewpoint on 410 up the White River drainage.
Sidenote**I saw fresh snow on the Crystal base cam earlier today at about 5000ft. It rained nearly 2" of precip, so t...
Did Goat Island Mountain still look like it might be viable for the upcoming weekend? (I think) I could see just a sliver of it in the BG in this shot:
http://www.gowest.com/photos/displayimage.php?album=30&pos=3
... and that looked OK albeit thinning.
wolfs, this photo I think shows the southern end of your mountain a little better?
http://www.gowest.com/photos/albums/userpics/10003/roger.JPG
It looked like it had coverage highe...
Probably not worth the drive up there though for just skiing.
..,so bring your mountain bike, hiking boots and/or golf clubs.
Was there snow all the way up Spiral Gully from the hairpin?
Joe
Dang, those 20-something whipper snappers will make things interesting every time as they meander up and down along the learning curve.
Nice, descriptive report of the snow conditions.
Nice, descriptive report of the snow conditions.
drove past spiral gulch on Saturday. Nice swooshing ski tracks down to the hairpin. snow was crusty then slushy on sun-exposed slopes. needed crampons for going uphill predawn though. North facing slopes have a lot more snow, and I'm guessing decent ski conditions. Probably not worth the drive up there though for just skiing.
Did Goat Island Mountain still look like it might be viable for the upcoming weekend? (I think) I could see just a sliver of it in the BG in this shot:
http://www.gowest.com/photos/displayimage.php?album=30&pos=3
... and that looked OK albeit thinning.
http://www.gowest.com/photos/displayimage.php?album=30&pos=3
... and that looked OK albeit thinning.
Speaking of Little Tahoma . . .I'm eager to ski Little Tahoma soon if snow coverage still looks good on that face. Is anyone else interested in skiing that within the next couple of weeks?
Very interested. Propose a date and I'll see if I can make it work. I planned for Little T last June, but the weather crapped out so we aborted the idea. Still high on my list of things to do. I cannot do it this weekend (14th/15th).
Great report, I've been itching to head to Ruth since the endless sunny days prior to that last major dump of the season. Sounds like I gotta get there fast.
High-Five, Ally, You're getting hot with that new flick machine. ;)
hey folks, check out this viddy (1.3 MB) of the kamster tearin' it up on the doinks. not too shabby for a little point and shoot! ;)
there's still lots of snow around Chinook Pass but it's going fast. East bowl of Naches is fine, South face looked patchy. 6567 northeast and northwest sides are good, Dewey Lake side is about gone. I don't think you can find continuous snow from the ridge down to Dewey. We had continuous snow out to 6567, but we had to take the north side around the last knob to the saddle - the week before we were able to ski the Dewey side, but that's gone. We had dry ground and rocks for sitting around camp...
Hey thanks for clearing out the junk! Hmm ,that would be one nice spot to have a camp fire. I never think of it because we always ski inside the Nat Park. Did you happen to measure the snowpack?
Eric, it was good to finally do some turns with you, and always enjoyable to see good snowboarders do their thing. Maybe it was a good thing we couldn't find the entrance to the Chutes, given how ready to slide that top layer was. With the good quality of the snow for turns we would have been pretty tempted to head on down.
I didn't take any photos in the fog, but did get some nice ones as we dropped into Edith Creek basin from Pan Point. Here's one of Eric and John just below Pan Point (...
I didn't take any photos in the fog, but did get some nice ones as we dropped into Edith Creek basin from Pan Point. Here's one of Eric and John just below Pan Point (...
Kam - nice photos...say, do you own a fish-eye lens?? that 1st pic looks like it's taken with one.
Great day with great company!
Thanks for all the great pics guys. Don't know about you all, but have gotten even funnier looking than in the pictures with a classic bandana forehead burn, and lobster claws with the gloveless sunburn. Kam/Paul posse, real glad we bumped into you, next time we ought to plan it. :->
Cheers- Justin
Thanks for all the great pics guys. Don't know about you all, but have gotten even funnier looking than in the pictures with a classic bandana forehead burn, and lobster claws with the gloveless sunburn. Kam/Paul posse, real glad we bumped into you, next time we ought to plan it. :->
Cheers- Justin
Happy Birthday Dorothea! Last time I skied with you, you were skiing better than ever ;D Keep up the good work, and we'll look forward to skiing with you again soon. :D
Paul,
That water bag might be Doug's. He had a camelbak bladder inside a stuff sack, and I know he pulled it out around this time:
http://www.gowest.com/photos/displayimage.php?album=30&pos=9
I've sent him an email.
Very cool ski photos!
That water bag might be Doug's. He had a camelbak bladder inside a stuff sack, and I know he pulled it out around this time:
http://www.gowest.com/photos/displayimage.php?album=30&pos=9
I've sent him an email.
Very cool ski photos!
Hi Lou. Nice to meet your group Saturday.
Great pictures and trip report Jeff. Finally a day of good ski weather!
Great pictures and trip report Jeff. Finally a day of good ski weather!
Our party was there as well - made it to just above 9000 feet or so - where the snow turned to a mild breakable crust. You can still ski down about a mile on the approach trail.
The snow we got recently probably saved the late spring/summer season. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for a cool spring.
F.Y.I upper mountain (Emmons) looks good with the usual crevasse suspects and some funky chunks (serac debris?) in the main corridor.
The snow we got recently probably saved the late spring/summer season. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for a cool spring.
F.Y.I upper mountain (Emmons) looks good with the usual crevasse suspects and some funky chunks (serac debris?) in the main corridor.
like i said, the Frying Pan is hot, so go get it now!!
here's a topo of the Fryingpan area and our route (approximately).
To gain the Fryingpan, what slopes above Summerland did you ascend? The bowl south of Meany Crest, or the slopes west of the shelter? Any estimate if this tour will still go in early June?
here's a topo of the Fryingpan area and our route (approximately).
http://www.gowest.com/photos/displayimage.php?album=30&pos=1
Oh MY! *wiping slobber off keyboard* Did I just see a pair of Trab skis with Dynafits? I didn't know Trab skis were even allowed to be used in North America, let alone by someone not wearing a neon one-piece Schoeller suit.
PS: More nice photos Gus and Paul!
Here are a few pics including one of Little Tahoma and the Whitman Gl, Amar, which looked to be in excellent shape for a descent. Yes, would be interested in skiing if schedule allows.
Thanks for the nice photo Paul, I agree that Little T looks perfect right now. High pressure should be building Wed-Fri this week with 9000-10000 ft freezing levels, which should be just right for skiing that face. I'd like to take a shot at it.
Damn Kam, the Kam cam. in your hand was in nice form on these shots.
Thanks for the trip reports and photos. That place looks pretty sweet.
Thanks for the trip reports and photos. That place looks pretty sweet.
Wow, what a trip with fantastic views, terrain and snow and all the fun company :D Thanks so much Paul, Gus and Kam for sharing those awesome pics.
I'm going to thank the Park service for opening that road unusually early.
What a great day with old and new friends. Enjoyed finally meeting you and skiing together Kam. Thanks for all the special pics from that new fisheye lens. Sometimes luck is better than skill in predicting the weather and conditions, and we sure hit it right. Just when you think the clouds are moving in, you push on and get that clearing and sun.
Yes, we went straight up the face which is the most direct. Conditions were perfect for booting and kicking good steps.
As mention...
Yes, we went straight up the face which is the most direct. Conditions were perfect for booting and kicking good steps.
As mention...
hey all, what a great trip! we were quite lucky with our little hole of sun all day. thanks for tips too on this my second time on teles in the bc (to answer your question, joedabaker :) )...don't tell the snowboarders, but it sure is a heck of a lot easier (and lighter!) to skin up rather than shoe...and despite my less-than-graceful decent, i might be able to be convinced to do it again! ;D
Hey - We ran into you leaving the Meadows parking lot (red Subaru). Good TR; I forgot my camera anyway. Way better day than we had dared to hope for either. We didn't go to the bottom of Heather, though wished we had. I think another week and there will be a lot more mud to walk through from MHM base, i.e. the whole buttermilk lift. Cloudcap road should hopefully open soon though. --L
This year has been so out of wack it's hard to say how long it will be good for -- but one thing to note is that area's like the Interglacier, Fryingpan and Russell glaciers (above Spray park) have North and East facing aspects -- so they don't develop sun cups as badly as the Muir snowfield. Depending on your crevasse risk tolerance, they can provide enjoyable skiing well into the summer -- even this year. The approach is a bit longer than Muir -- but since Dynafit's are so light -- that sho...