TR Replies

You gotta have good conditions in the trees for this one, which tends to mean a decent and recent dump of snow. I'm guessing the trees you encountered were either tree bombed, tree peed, or both, even if they had a small bit of powder on top.

I use T3s, early model (so-called "brown", not the newer black T3s). I've got 3-pin+cable bindings on the skis but will most likely never take the cables along (never did with my Catamounts). Without the cables, the setup is pretty light but performed nicely.

Funny - looks like everyone has the same ideas.  After a grim day at Snoqualmie Saturday I thought I would try Crystal b/c of the higher elevations.  But that thought was fleeting and I tried another area [which shall remain nameless] and that held very nice powder.  I guess I'm glad I avoided Crystal!

Yeah I think I recognize that aspect. This is the slope into Union aiming at those small glades at the valley base, starting from the peak to lookers R of the low col on BB, right? The big party hit this slope and wasn't so hot at conserving the snow resource, they were all spread out and crisscrossing, so after we went down it once and saw them go down it in this manner we kind of gave up on the slope even tho it seemed possible (and you've confirmed) that there would have been lines in there i...

Tlt Bindings:  spraying them helps.  I also carry a small pocket knive for sticking in the pocket to break up the snow that compacts there under certain conditions.  Having it in a pants pocket makes it quickly accessable.

Thanks, Wolfs.  I know how difficult it is to knock out a TR the same night you get home, but it is certainly helpful for us Sunday skiers to get some first hand info from the day before.  We DO appreciate it.

Sounds maybe like you were up in the BB area, eh?

As for your dynafit "snow under the toepiece crossbar" irritant, before you leave on a tour, just spray some slippery stuff in that little pocket (i usually use silicone) under the toepiece crossbar.  ...

Phil, here's a shot of Aix, or at least that part of Nelson Ridge that leads to Aix:



Just looking at Green Trails, there are a few chutes that reach clear to the valley floor, and that was also my impression although I did not scout it out as well as should be done.

thanks to all of you for your help and tips. They definately made my transition smoother, and Daryl your tips came into play the next day as I skied alot more and your right let em run a little and they turn alot nicer they are telly skis after all.

Hey wow - I was doing my training run up Hyak on friday when a jet fighter flew over the ridge, proceeded BELOW ME up Gold Creek in a haze of his own jet exhaust and pulled up in a dramatic fashion at the face of Chikamin, shadow on the face of the mountain and all.  For a moment I thought I was going to see this guy buy it.  What a sight.

Guess we know how the fly boys get their kicks!

Maybe he was looking for a new personal discovery zone!...

Thanks, Darryl.
And I thought your tips were GREAT!
I'm gonna work some more on them this next Sunday!

Very cool trip, Greg.
Thanks for sharing it.

Jerry and Ron - great photos!!  I'm standing up in all of them.  It was a fun trip!  I think if I wouldn't have confused Stefan (and myself) with all the telemark tips, he would have skied even better than he did.

Seems like bc skiing is a virtual plethora of firsts.  Even if you did the same route every day the conditions change so much day to day that each tour's totally unique.  Then when you add to the mix, a boarder (who has NEVER skied) that goes back to the car to get his new skis to ski with you, it's quite memorable, eh?
Well done, Stefan.
And to add to that, We had a virtual smorgasboard of snow conditions... albiet all skiable.  Here's one of JW having his way with the sast...

Wow.... those guys were obviously serious hard men!  Did they travel on skins, or just run up the peaks?

I think they used wax. The gear they used was, I think, similar to what in the 1970s was considered heavy duty Nordic gear, but today would be considered way too flimsy by most backcountry skiers.  Here's a picture that I found in the Mountaineers dungeon (at the clubhouse) that I believe depicts Sigurd Hall at the end of the Patrol Race...

Thanks for reporting Maddoggy 8), well said. A fun day indeed! Congrats to Stefan for trying something new and succeeding despite challenging snow. Here's some shots-----

I would have pulled over to give you a lift back to your car but there's nowhere to pull off there. >:(

Wow....  those guys were obviously serious hard men!  I say that because I remember how fast Lowell was at the randonee race at Alpental.  Did they travel on skins, or just run up the peaks?  That kind of time boggles my mind.

We were kind of suprised how stable the snowpack was on the trip.  Everything was really well consolidated, with several inches of soft fluffy on top, but no hard layer or crust underneath.  For myself personally, the area that I had thought might be an issue, was higher up on the NF.  I had thought that with the southerly winds we had been having that week, that the upper sections of the face might be loaded.  However, as we found out, the face appeared to have been buffed o...

Looking NW from the summit of Buckner...

(waiting for a smaller version...)

I'm green with envy.  >:(

Way to go, guys, and happy birthday, Corey!

Great report, Steve on a little known destination.
Thanks.

Nice work! I wish I could've gone cause man it looks like you all had an adventure. I was sitting at work just dreaming of the time you were all having. Happy B-day man  ;D

Great photo's and trip report.

Now that's what skiing is all about...epic!

Thanks!

Personally, Charles, I spend my time in the backcountry turning flawlesss days into abysmal photographs.  You've obviously taken a different approach.  

... not to mention a clever way to let Pete test the ice   ;)
Very smooth, Charles.  :)