TR Replies
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.
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.
There are chutes galore for those inclined/ capable- easily accessible. Aix and the ridge shoot up directly from the valley floor so there is potential even right there from the TH- very steep stuff. I think I may have one revealing shot but let me finish the roll and if its decent, that will fill the one photo quota for this thread.
Its a neat area that gets tons of snow. I sure could have used "'bilers for Nader" along to break trail for us.
Its a neat area that gets tons of snow. I sure could have used "'bilers for Nader" along to break trail for us.
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.
I've always wondered about the ski potential around Bumping Lake (never been there). What's the terrain around Mt Aix like? Is it a long way from the valley bottom to skiable/open terrain? Did you take any pictures?
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!...
Yeah, I was buzzed on Friday, a little after noon. Wonder if it was the same pilot? McChord AFB? Those are impressive maneuvers, eh?
Preceeding that, the snowplow operator came by. I chatted with him awhile, then the local uniformed USFS dude pulled up and I chatted with him awhile.
I was starting to feel like it was "get buzzed by government dudes" day.
Preceeding that, the snowplow operator came by. I chatted with him awhile, then the local uniformed USFS dude pulled up and I chatted with him awhile.
I was starting to feel like it was "get buzzed by government dudes" day.
Thanks, Darryl.
And I thought your tips were GREAT!
I'm gonna work some more on them this next Sunday!
And I thought your tips were GREAT!
I'm gonna work some more on them this next Sunday!
Lowell, you are certainly a rare treasure for us all here in the PNW. Thanks for all your work.
Very cool trip, Greg.
Thanks for sharing it.
Thanks for sharing it.
Brent - I was at Paradise on Sun. It was windy with a considerable avalanche danger. Lots of wind loading. We skied into the Nisqually morraine and then over to Edith Creek.
The Glacier Travel course is starting if you have an interest in sharing your experience.
The Glacier Travel course is starting if you have an interest in sharing your experience.
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.
You had some good weather for your tour Lowell - I was participating in my son's Birthday Party on Sunday but at least I got to ski since the party was at Alpental! I was tempted by your earlier partner request - maybe next year?
A time of 4:37 is certainly fast, especially considering the fact that it is hard to wax for our typically wet snow. Compared to AT gear though the light nordic stuff excells in mild terrain (lighter, longer stride, glide on low angle climbs...). I have skated th...
A time of 4:37 is certainly fast, especially considering the fact that it is hard to wax for our typically wet snow. Compared to AT gear though the light nordic stuff excells in mild terrain (lighter, longer stride, glide on low angle climbs...). I have skated th...
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...
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...
Hi, Darryl. Haven't seen you in a while. Well I didn't lead the Saturday trip. My choice was Paradise area with the hope being the sun would have good effects on the crust. RogerF did go to Paradise on Saturday and did find decent skiing. Even though it took his party most of the day to discover it. We went to 'somewhere in the Crystal backcountry' on Sunday and found great snow. But we had inspired leadership (again, I was not the leader!).
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 the history lesson, Lowell. Always an interesting read. It's great to hear the day worked out well.
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!
Guess we know how the fly boys get their kicks!
I would have pulled over to give you a lift back to your car but there's nowhere to pull off there. >:(
Lowell,
Wonderful reading, history and an inspirational tour. Reminds me of the the Commando Run in Colorado, although a finish of 3,000+ vertical to the base of Vail is a bit different than a cruise to the Meanie hut!
Wonderful reading, history and an inspirational tour. Reminds me of the the Commando Run in Colorado, although a finish of 3,000+ vertical to the base of Vail is a bit different than a cruise to the Meanie hut!
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.
Ok, there's some more photos up in the Ski Route Photos section...
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...
Sounds like a great trip. I'm a little surprised that you headed up there right after a storm cycle when the avalanche danger was still considerable. Glad it all worked out though.
p.s. You might want to check out TAY's photo guidelines:
http://www.turns-all-year.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=tr0402;action=display;num=1075685222
p.s. You might want to check out TAY's photo guidelines:
http://www.turns-all-year.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=tr0402;action=display;num=1075685222
Looking NW from the summit of Buckner...
(waiting for a smaller version...)
(waiting for a smaller version...)
Man, nice pics Sky. Hopefully I'll have mine up pretty soon....
Anyway here's another perspective on the events...
Sky, Corey, and myself left Seattle butt-ass early on Thursday morning with plans to climb and ski the north face of Mt. Buckner. After a brief delay to discuss speed limits on hwy 20 with Trooper Joe, we were on our way up Cascade River Road. We were stopped by a large blowdown just past m.p. 18.
One final gear organization, and we set off walking up the...
Anyway here's another perspective on the events...
Sky, Corey, and myself left Seattle butt-ass early on Thursday morning with plans to climb and ski the north face of Mt. Buckner. After a brief delay to discuss speed limits on hwy 20 with Trooper Joe, we were on our way up Cascade River Road. We were stopped by a large blowdown just past m.p. 18.
One final gear organization, and we set off walking up the...
I'm green with envy. >:(
Way to go, guys, and happy birthday, Corey!
Way to go, guys, and happy birthday, Corey!
yes! very nice....I think there's something very primal about doing rad shit on your birthday. way to go, Sky, Corey and Ross!
Great report, Steve on a little known destination.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Brent - you lead the most exciting trips!!! When's the next one?
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
That sounds like a really fabulous trip. I've long wondered how hard it would be to cross over onto (and return from) Boston Glacier. To do it at this time of year is really reading conditions right.
Great photo's and trip report.
Now that's what skiing is all about...epic!
Thanks!
Now that's what skiing is all about...epic!
Thanks!
that looks like a blast. Happy birthday Corey.
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
You mean there was water under there??? Actually, that was on the way back, so we'd already tested the ice, and I went first most of the way (only asking Pete to "go ahead for a photo" when the coverage looked questionable). Thanks, Paul - it was such a beautiful day that it was hard not to get a good shot.
... not to mention a clever way to let Pete test the ice ;)
Very smooth, Charles. :)
Very smooth, Charles. :)
Thanks for the report. It piqued my interest and I'll add Outram to my short-term wish list.
Here's a photo: Pete skiing across Lake Valhalla, with Lichtenberg Mountain (more photos on TAY home page a week from Monday, 3/1)
Where was this slide? did you made it out of the trees?
A few mediocre photos, and a better description here:
http://www.neolectric.com/~justin/Herman021904.html
http://www.neolectric.com/~justin/Herman021904.html
Thanks for the reports, Pete and Ema. I find that I get a lot more pictures if I back the URL off to:
http://rouppacquisitions.com/ipw-web/gallery/rogerspass2
Good stuff. BTW, Pete, after the last several weeks at Baker I gotta ask, what is it like to ski when you can actually see the surface of the snow??
http://rouppacquisitions.com/ipw-web/gallery/rogerspass2
Good stuff. BTW, Pete, after the last several weeks at Baker I gotta ask, what is it like to ski when you can actually see the surface of the snow??
Yo, Jer, You got some pretty nice shots there, mate.
Though not really my kind of thing, I have looked at that couloir many times from the Windy Pass area, always wondering if anyone skis it. Then last week, as I was skiing around Twin Lakes, I looked up and there were tracks in the couloir. Now, less than a week later, here's a report from the same place! What is the world coming to when a lowly place like that is swarmed by masses of bc skiers? It's a good thing the approach is so long or we'd have another Slot Couloir on our hands.
Great report, Jer.
Here's some more shots from the tour:
http://groups.msn.com/WildHeartsSkiing/paradise21504.msnw
Here's some more shots from the tour:
http://groups.msn.com/WildHeartsSkiing/paradise21504.msnw
Thanks, we're planning to be in that area this weekend...