Thanks, Mr. Burns: I appreciate your info. I'm heading up next weekend, Sept 25. I originally wanted Palmer "Glacier" on Hood, but will be completely melted by then. Here's to Ice Skiing in the present and future.
Greg- I was up last Tuesday, and it was very grim. Due to time, I only went to about 8000 ft, but patches that are usually reliable this time of year above Pebble Creek and to the west near Nisqually chutes were nearly non-existent. Can't speak for Paradise Glacier, but when my buddy and I hiked up there in early June the snow level was discouragingly low. Maybe things are better around 9,000 ft, but I doubt it. Starting to fret about a gummint shutdown and implications for Octobe...
:) Your August snowpatch was the best spring snow you skied this year? You must be working (or something) too much! Hopefully the smoke wasn't too bad when you were up there... please report re: September turns soon!
I must have been drinking when I posted because I didn't compliment the beautiful snowpatch you worked for and found. Alise my August turns were on a tiny patch below the Slate Peak lookout. It was both the best spring snow I skied this year, and the goofiest little side-hill boutique ski that ever counted for a month.
Thanks for saying something, Mike! You sound like a thoughtful person. I had fun and lots of laughs messing around trying to get chatgpt to include all the details I fed it, but the end product is bad writing that's formulaic and way over the top. An interesting experiment! Now please tell us where you got your August turns...
Chat gpt comment: I probably would have read the whole prose if I thought you wrote it, (and I probably would have enjoyed it) but somehow I wasn't interested in the creative writing of AI, and I stopped after the first line. I'll have to reflect on this. I'm interested in the story. Why couldn't I read the AI version of it? Interesting situation. I'm glad you announced the AI aide. Gave me something to think about.
Many thanks for the Cascade Backcountry Alliance link, an excellent summary!
This timed reservation system will exclude the 'Three Percenters.' No, not the fascist militia group, rather the last slice of Americans without cell phones. I've never even used one, let alone owned one :o)
Even with a lifetime park pass, a #10/day reservation fee is not so "small" for those of us trying to live on a $50/day fixed income. It's especially annoyin...
Thanks for taking a leadership role in this, Kyle and others. Comment submitted to MRNP. I support Alternative 2: Corridor Level Access Management and have advocated for online permit pickup as part of the change. The only bad part of skiing up there is having to drive in at peak hours to pick up the permit.
The Cascade Backcountry Alliance blog post (linked above) is well written and raises lots of interesting questions and concerns about MRNP's favored approach to solving the summer parking problem. The important thing the Backcountry Alliance does, in my mind, is address the concerns of the community of local skiers, climbers and hikers who visit the Park frequently and who's adventures take them far beyond the parking lots of Paradise and Sunrise. The concern of the Backcountry Alliance, and...
Thanks for the inspiration, that crater run is sweet! Such a unique run.
A little update on conditions from yesterday: we took the summer trail and it was melted out below 4,200', solid snow once on the ridge at 4,600'. Roman wall was dusty with penitentes, glad we weren't skiing it. A couple bridges on the crater run that won't last much longer. Talum was smooth and excellent!
Thank you, kamtron. Yes, our packs were dutifully guarded by the author while we did a lap. Snow was stickier than we'd hoped, and is going fast- but no pollen to speak of!
Thanks for the TR bump Kam. There are several un-skied peaks in this area... you should plan on one. Martin Peak, Lyall would be the ones to attempt via this approach (along with Dark peak of course... recommended) . Once you're on top of the col / ridge that separates Dark from Lyall, it should be fairly straightforward. Not sure about Martin... My ski partner Scott K. attempted it solo the first time we attempted Dark Peak, but turned back. Martin might not go...
