Cool report. My one time up Lassen we were beseiged by massive swarms of butterflies, which was really cool. Got food poisoning from pizza that sat in our hot car all day too, memorable.
How busted is the rock-hit ski? Maybe you can repair. Post a pic.
I think the photo issue is somehow related to some kind of embedded metadata. I have no idea if it can be fixed via the forum interface but have fixed similar issues in my image editor.
@bigeo the poles are called Les Batons d'Alain and they are great for allowing you a variety of different pole lengths for both the uphill and downhill. The long foam grip allows you to choke up or down on the pole as you need.
That's a beautiful line that looks skiable by ordinary mortal types. Question: I have noticed in the photos in many TRs that people are using what looks like extra-long ski poles on the descent. What's the advantage?
Nice job wiping off your snotty nose. I looked at that a few weeks back and didn't think it looked "in" enough for me. But shit, you guys got it done. Wouldn't have wanted one of those sharks to toss you though, eh?
Cumulus, I do remember chatting with you on our way out the Commonwealth after our first attempt in February. I think I was a bit surprised you even knew what I was talking about. I actually found out about the line digging up your old post from the first descent in 2012 and then Scott Rink skied it last year.
It is a spooky place for sure and does get all sorts of weird wind patterns. Alpental telemetry and observations made other places around the pass seem to be pretty useles...
Nice! I skied a bunch of Snoqualmie couloirs last week too--it was good! Might have run into you if you hadn't beelined to McClellan... I haven't posted at all this season...I may throw up a few pics too.
How was the waterfall in the Thomson North Couloir? Skiable?
The North couloir is dear to my heart. Rob and I tried a few times to ski it back about ten years ago, always wanting to ski it in powder, but the entrance and subsequent "mini ampitheater" makes i...
Great trip report. It makes me laugh that Preacher is getting done as a day tour...y'all should bring a tent and spend more time once you're back there :) Granted it used to be a lot easier to do multi-day tours out of the Alpental vicinity a decade ago when they allowed overnight parking by the maintenance sheds.
I guess Law Enforcement doesn’t care? What if I send them the pictures? Seattle Times? I know an old guy who used to ski all sorts of peaks in Wilderness areas but gave it up cause always tracked out and wrecked. Would Inslee care or would it just be the Feds?
@Doug, I'm not sure if #7 is a requirement but it definitely shows dedication. Thanks for all your hospitality, it was awesome hanging out and skiing with you!
Yep, what is it about snowmobilers in Mill Valley?!?!?? I’ve skinned up Tye Mill / Skid Road after the Stevens Pass season ended and had to quickly scoot off to the side to not get run over as snowmobilers came flying over the crest going down Skid Road and into the front side of Stevens Pass resort. It is VERY CLEARLY MARKED … absolutely no snowmobiles ! Not only breaking laws, but extremely reckless and dangerous. Definitely need to post LEO’s and confiscate their sleds wh...
The FS LEOs used to post up on sleds at the wilderness boundary near Josephine on opening weekend, probably no LEOs keen on sledding currently or it's fallen off Wenatchee River RDs radar entirely. There is at least one wilderness boundary sign on the skin up to Susan Jane that I know of, but most sledders probably don't even realize that it's off limits as its probably not on the sled route. It is sort of up to the FS to do better with enforcement or signing for this case.
@doug-hutchinson forgive me, the new generation is completely historically illiterate of the exploits occurring during the dark ages before IG and FB destroyed our online forums! Cascade climbers - who would write about a ski trip on a climbing forum?! I will have to contact my ghost writer and editor to fix the details of my blog. Who actually writes their own blog anymore?
Yeah @kyle-m, like wtf? First, no mention of P3 (whatever that is) and then no mention of the historic burning of the original Snowbird hut?? What are we paying you for? Please pull the TR, and rewrite.
It was full of incredible powder just below the firmer entrance. I didn't find it so bad even with relatively flimsy Wailer 112s and we made it down with a combo of hop turns and side stepping. Of course there would have been less snow on the surface for each successive party to follow. I almost always bring crampons to downclimb into something like this if necessary, given the propensity for wind to prevent snow accumulation at the top and the way everyone scrapes it out all the time.
