TR Replies
Wow. Thanks Amar.
You just might have saved my bacon for Sunday.
I was considering skipping a ski attempt this weekend but now I might just give it a shot.
And I DO like your ski partners match up board idea.
Charles, it doesn't see like it has to be too complicated... maybe just another section ("Planned Trips - Matchup" ?) with the planned destination and date at the beginning of each new thread.
Maybe put it under "Random Tracks"??
Thanks ag...
You just might have saved my bacon for Sunday.
I was considering skipping a ski attempt this weekend but now I might just give it a shot.
And I DO like your ski partners match up board idea.
Charles, it doesn't see like it has to be too complicated... maybe just another section ("Planned Trips - Matchup" ?) with the planned destination and date at the beginning of each new thread.
Maybe put it under "Random Tracks"??
Thanks ag...
Amar, it sounds like you made a good call for turns. I had thought about Muir and decided that there might not be enough warming up above Pebble Creek, but clearly I was wrong about that. I was also feeling lazy and hoping to drive to skiable snow - it is late November, after all.
I think that is a great idea about a ski partners board. I'll have to think about what might be the best way to structure it, for ease of use and maintenance. Does anyone else have suggestions?
I think that is a great idea about a ski partners board. I'll have to think about what might be the best way to structure it, for ease of use and maintenance. Does anyone else have suggestions?
Thanks for the great info, David. It's disappointing to hear that the old snow has still been getting worse over the last month. I'm going to check out what's left of the new snow tomorrow, probably around Chinook Pass, and I'll report what I find.
Ron beat me to it - thanks for the additional info.
9K down to Pebble Creek is very good; Water is flowing over the snow so you want to de-ski there. A few more de-ski on the way down; the top first and second rock benches are bare. I think skiing is out of question (least for me) this weekend. The skiable part will be all frozen until next warm weekend.
Good info - thanks for the report. I wonder if your soft snow from yesterday is going to be turning into boilerplate this weekend with the lowering FLs? I'm also wondering about coverage above Pan Point - was it a continuous ski from 9K to Pebble Creek? To Pan Pt?
Charles
Charles
Thanks for the additional info. I can't get Saturdays for skiing right now, but that trip sounds great. Maybe need a bit more snow, or are you still aiming for this weekend? The web cam seems to show no snow at all at White Pass.
I can get next Tuesday (11/26) for skiing, if you still have that available. I'm hoping reports from this weekend will provide some good info on conditions. Also, I typically can get Friday, and often Wed. or Thurs. (not this coming Thanksgiving week, though).
I can get next Tuesday (11/26) for skiing, if you still have that available. I'm hoping reports from this weekend will provide some good info on conditions. Also, I typically can get Friday, and often Wed. or Thurs. (not this coming Thanksgiving week, though).
Here it is as promised. Arrived at the trailhead surprised to see another party of two getting ready. They left before we did, and except for hearing their voices in the fog later in the day, we were completely alone. Snow level Sunday morning was just about the elevation of the trailhead (3500ft), with a coating on the road and in openings in the forest. We hiked the trail upwards, switched to skins around 5000ft (although there was enough snow to skin on the trail befor...
Right--Regine's old catamounts on Kirstin (they were too long for Regine) and mine on Pete (I replaced them with Karhu Pavos). abc
That musta been the couple on the catamounts getting a late start up Mazama Ridge?
Heard you ran into my stepdaughter Kirstin (tall 30-yr old blonde) and her husband up there Sunday--she said she saw someone who looked like my brother Darrell ...
More comments:
I used something similar to the Karhu xcd-gt's. Double cambered w/ fish scales. I never needed my skins, the trail was very flat. It took me 4 hrs to ski to Americain Lake (one quarter of the traverse distance)
The traverse Chinook to White is 27 mi on the PCT. I think this could be done in 2 or 3 days, especialy if we get a party of 3 or more to break trail and use all of the available daylight.
White Pass *just* got some snow, I would do...
I used something similar to the Karhu xcd-gt's. Double cambered w/ fish scales. I never needed my skins, the trail was very flat. It took me 4 hrs to ski to Americain Lake (one quarter of the traverse distance)
The traverse Chinook to White is 27 mi on the PCT. I think this could be done in 2 or 3 days, especialy if we get a party of 3 or more to break trail and use all of the available daylight.
White Pass *just* got some snow, I would do...
Don't let Robie kid you...
He got plenty of turns in.
We all did. We averaged two to three feet of coverage. Could have been better but we were happy to get it. I didn't hit even 1 rock! (although there were plenty of big ones showing).
More pics can be viewed here:
http://groups....
He got plenty of turns in.
We all did. We averaged two to three feet of coverage. Could have been better but we were happy to get it. I didn't hit even 1 rock! (although there were plenty of big ones showing).
More pics can be viewed here:
http://groups....
Charles I imagine that this trip would pale in comparision to our epic jaunt on the Muir snowfield :D Reading the TR's it seems like folks had some nice turns this past weekend, I was restricted to town with other activities. At least there's some new snow.
The turns in the bowl were great, the trip out was humbling. It was survival skiing at it's best with the temps warming just enough to create the ominous "Cascade Cement" effect. We all laughed and said, is this the same group that skied the SW Chutes at Mt. Adams this past year ;D
I felt my skis make a turn or two ... even three in a row I think !!! so I'm calling it a sucess and a fun trip. The trail and woods back certainly looked liked nice sking with a bit more of the cold white stuff. Robie thanks for giving Charles the idea. I look forward to a spring trip up in there.
Getting up there even with such a low snowpack and having a good ski certainly makes one think of the other possibilities with this window of good road access and the...
Getting up there even with such a low snowpack and having a good ski certainly makes one think of the other possibilities with this window of good road access and the...
You qualify for November turns! With this snowless, bleak streak we are having, any turns on snow are qualifying turns. Just enjoy!!
JAmes ,Charles I'm plotting . That trip has always been in the back of my mind. I always thought about doing it in the spring and from White pass to Chinook or Crystal. I have a good friend who is on SKi Patrol at White pass and could give likely suspects a lift.
IMHO You betcha ! Especially if you navigated back down the trail on skis at all. Great info. Charles. I think in our haste for steep downhill thrills we have left behind some soulful tours. As you know there are some smallish slopes off to either side of Grand park.I thought about going with ya but I was given a crew at work and had to show up there. I've watched James Hammaker and Dorothea just have a hoot on that return trail. :)
I just got out my maps and had a look at your route - great trip! What kind of gear did you use?
The Chinook to White Pass route looks very interesting. I'm wondering how many days you expect that to take if it can be done soon? It looks like American Lake is about 1/4 of the way to White Pass.
I'm also wondering about the Bumping River valley. It looks like the route would have to descend to about 4000' crossing the valley near Fish Lake, which probably means no snow right now. Wo...
The Chinook to White Pass route looks very interesting. I'm wondering how many days you expect that to take if it can be done soon? It looks like American Lake is about 1/4 of the way to White Pass.
I'm also wondering about the Bumping River valley. It looks like the route would have to descend to about 4000' crossing the valley near Fish Lake, which probably means no snow right now. Wo...
mad_dog, since we stayed on the trail for the decent most of the way, we had no problems with underbrush. The trail, while not huge, was definitely wide enough to ski easily and was good fun. Skiing off the trail lower down would have definitely presented underbrush problems.
Sounds like you made a good call, Josh.
Might even be better next weekend. Might be a good time to nail Plummer and go right on down the Pinnacle col if there's enough snow and it's stable.
Might even be better next weekend. Might be a good time to nail Plummer and go right on down the Pinnacle col if there's enough snow and it's stable.
Sounds like you had a good day.
Was the underbrush covered enough not to give you any surprise snags on the ski out?
Was the underbrush covered enough not to give you any surprise snags on the ski out?
Old Inuit saying:
Good dogs, mountains close.
No good dogs, mountains far away.
:)
Good dogs, mountains close.
No good dogs, mountains far away.
:)
And don't forget that some of those long approaches qualify the "approachie" for some major torture points. ;)
What you're probably thinking about is the 'long approaches' can lead you to 'short goodbyes'.
Hmm ? "long approaches " is that the far opposite of "short good byes"
All in all a good day for someone less ambitious about long approaches like me.
Amen to not liking those long approaches :D
Nice report, Hank.
Thanks.
It won't be long now...
Thanks.
It won't be long now...
Another good dump and we should all be happy campers (or, er... I guess that would be skiers. 8)
Regine & I went up on Muir--wind-packed with a little crust but still skiable (all the way to the parking lot) but lots of hidden rocks below pebble creek; I walked the last 1/2 mile or so just cuz the NP doesn't like you skiing in <2 ft of snow. Saw Bud (pete) & friend having a good time. abc
We had a good hike yesterday at Snoqualmie. Were very excited to be walking around in the snow ;D and talking about the great new ski lines we found up there! So much to do, so little time ;)
(As soon as I get my e-mail up and running again, I'll have a report)
(As soon as I get my e-mail up and running again, I'll have a report)
Way to take one for the team, mate.
Our STR hike yeilded good info... Mad Dog's gonna report on it.
Our STR hike yeilded good info... Mad Dog's gonna report on it.
I've been wearing my knee pads. This new snow is heavy.
Gotta keep a good eye out for those hidden snags 8) those can really tear up a good pair of skis.
A good pair of knees, too, if you are a tele skier (I know, yet another reason to go AT).
Thanks for the report Robie. Ron and I are hiking today and still checking out new areas for skiing. Heading up to Snoqualmie and will hike around Mt Catherine.
Everyone is getting very excited about the new snow. Gotta keep a good eye out for those hidden snags 8) those can really tear up a good pair of skis. Maybe the snow won't be as wild next weekend.
Everyone is getting very excited about the new snow. Gotta keep a good eye out for those hidden snags 8) those can really tear up a good pair of skis. Maybe the snow won't be as wild next weekend.
... and the photos of the luge run are hard to believe. Do they keep pushing snow down that little gulley with the groomers to keep it filled?
Yep.
That's exactly what they do. In fact they park the snow cat in the ditch at the bottom of of the "pushed down" snow after its done grooming.
I finally got a chance to look at all of your photos, Ron. Great photo essay on the approach - I got a good idea what it is really like up there right now. Those photos from the first chair make it look like there isn't really any skiing to be had up there, and the photos of the luge run are hard to believe. Do they keep pushing snow down that little gulley with the groomers to keep it filled? But you obviously got a LOT of turns in, and the spring conditions looked great. Thanks for the photos.
Ahhhhhhhhhhh, what a great spring day for November. Wonder where to next for December, isn't New Zeland heading into spring now to? 8)
Hate to say this, but the skiing was even better than the pictures showed. One of those, you had to be there to believe it trips ;D
Hate to say this, but the skiing was even better than the pictures showed. One of those, you had to be there to believe it trips ;D
I feel kinda sheepish about yesterday...
Hey Ron, I'm feeling that way too. Can't wait to see your photo's from our "tourtue" trip yesterday. ;D ;D
Charles from the look of the new Muir pics you guys hit deep powder campared to what we found at FLett. Also no Crevasses open below Observation and Echo.Did see a shady line and side stepped it. Ron ,sometimes it's better to stay with the flock. Hey let's hear that Road trip story to the Palmer.How many Dairy queens and beer pubs did it take to get home?
Yep.
Robie wins for torture points... musta logged 500 or more on that one.
Great bonding experience though, and just think about the experience one gets on a trip like that. You can't BUY that kind of experience.
I feel kinda sheepish about yesterday...
Robie wins for torture points... musta logged 500 or more on that one.
Great bonding experience though, and just think about the experience one gets on a trip like that. You can't BUY that kind of experience.
I feel kinda sheepish about yesterday...
It looks like we are all trying to outdo each other in the torture points category. You win (so far)! Now that you've gone, you might want to see what it looked like two weeks ago in this climbing report.
And if bad snow is not dangerous enough, it seems that simply driving up the Mowich Lake road is even worse, as evidenced by this recent
And if bad snow is not dangerous enough, it seems that simply driving up the Mowich Lake road is even worse, as evidenced by this recent
Ian, you got a bunch of good shots of me, and I have a lot of good shots of everyone else. I'm working the photos up for Monday. Will you send me (e-mail or IM) your and Jeremy's last names so I can include them (unless you want first names only)?