TR Replies

Thanks Mark. Rather sporting of Jeanette to hold that pose while I got the camera out ! :)

CW, good to hear that you are on skis again! Regarding your log-in problem, check your TAY instant messages.

Landru and I repeated your trip to Skyline ridge today.  Bright sunshine was glopping up the south facing open slopes skining up the ridge.  But in the shade of the old growth trees on the North side the snow was still good and new snow overnight had nearly filled in your tracks from Sat.  A few forays into gentle open slopes revealed wet sticky snow that dragged on the bases.   So we stayed deep in the trees.  Later skiing out on the south side was far better than expec...

No.  

The skiing was surprisingly good on SW faces where it seemed the wind slab had't occurred as on the N aspects.    

A testament to the conditions at the pass.  Tricky, sloppy, and sometimes down right GOOD - Matt samples some of the not so good snow.

Thanks for the post, Justin.  Josh, Jason and I bailed on our plans to head to Stuart early this morning after seeing the overnight snow totals and heightened avy conditions.  Instead, we opted to rendezvous at Crystal for some lift service.  We had some great runs off The King into A-Basin, but anything that was not north facing had the consistency of mashed potatoes (with the exception of upper Exterminator).  Heck, even the mashed stuff was fun though.  I think we end...

Yeah, I think so. The main deterrent was the narrowness, because you so few options about where to turn. In better snow conditions (winter), of course, it would most likely be more dangerous, but probably more fun too. So under really bomber winter conditions, it wouldn't take much convincing to get me up there again. With the snow that's just fallen yesterday and today, of course, it's probably totally different up there (way more dangerous, I'd guess right now, and then it's supposed to warm u...

Very nice!  Ross, it sure seems like your timing was absolutely perfect, both with your weather window and especially getting to skip 24 miles of slogging.  Amazing and inspiring!

Would you do it again?

I've looked up there and wondered about the line, but the avy debris that is clearly visible from the highway has always been an effective deterrant for me.

Sorry we missed you Zap.  We would have stopped in for a hello on Sat. after Little Sifton had I known you were there.  The Asulkin looked busy on Sat!  
Mike-I want to talk to you about Shasta sometime.

Gregg

I just skied Helens the other day and fwiw my gps read the distance from the top to the Marble Mountain parking lot as 4.98  miles. Am I a geek or what?! ;)

Nice work.

I'm confused, were you boarding or skiing?

St. Helens is definitely in this month.  I just did my third trip in a month there last Sunday! (unemployed ;D)

The fees start April 1st, right?

I don't want to hijack your thread with my own TR, so here is just a photo that may look familiar:

Sharkfin?

Phil -- with your excellent photo, the snow levels expected this week, and the melting out of the GC Road, I expect that we will see a Muir Circus effect on Heliotrope Ridge this weekend.

The Roman Wall might be in primo shape for early risers. In fact, I think that camping at about 8500 ft Friday night would allow for the Roman Wall to be skied in "pre-slop" conditions on Saturday. 8)

A most interesting report Charles! I suppose if one wanted a real thrill, you could ski from Diamond Lake over to Cone Mtn. and try one of the avalanche chutes that go all the way to the valley floor. :-)

Larry

Glad your friend was ok.  Do you know if it was a slab, or wet sluff?

Regarding releases on The Arm: see my recent edit at

Yeah, great trip, great company.
Pics at:
http://groups.msn.com/WildHeartsSkiing/paradise32104.msnw

Those slabs developed in the PM, after the slopes had baked for several hours in the unseasonal warmth. The slopes that I saw the crowns on were around 45 degrees. The crowns were down to the pre-storm layer (16-20"). Before noon we were able to ski these aspects on slopes that steep or steeper in complete security. When the warmth hit, we skedattled.

I *really* like that photo.  Thanks for posting the report!

Thanks for the report, Amar.
We're headed that way today and your report is helpful.

Thank you, Lowell!

Peter

After I got my slides developed I decided to turn this report into a web page, including a couple of historic photos. Enjoy:

http://www.alpenglow.org/skiing/patrol-race-2004/index.html

Mark - I was starting to think that it was about time for you to take your turn at the roasting podium.
Possibly the reason my pack looks smaller is that it is the only one sitting on the ground.  Maybe they look bigger way up on someone's back... how 'bout that?  Yeah, that's the ticket.
And as far as breaking trail goes, I break trail; why I just broke trail back in, uh, I think it was 1976.

Here's the view south from near the top of Snowgrass Mountain.