TR Replies
Amar, thanks for the stupendous TR and all your great photos, and on your 1,000! Looking forward to reports and photos and data from the next 1,000!
Paradise, if you can do the road trip ! easy for me to say sitting in Sumner .
In addition, a friend leaving Stevens for Leavenworth around 5pm reports pouring rain at Smithbrook Road.
Tough decision for tomorrow.
Tough decision for tomorrow.
thanks !
That helped me make up my mind about sunday.
That helped me make up my mind about sunday.
Recommend the search function.
http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=35202.msg144384#msg144384
There are several crossings you just have to tour up our down till you find one. Obviously easier when its super cold. Beware the locs though people get pretty shifty about this zone, even though the zone is massive...
http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=35202.msg144384#msg144384
There are several crossings you just have to tour up our down till you find one. Obviously easier when its super cold. Beware the locs though people get pretty shifty about this zone, even though the zone is massive...
Awesome AMAR. 1,000 days is pretty dedicated as is, but the quality is top notch. Always enjoy your reports and posts. Good reading and a lesson on how it's done. Here's to 1,000 more healthy high pressure days for you!.
We were there yesterday and found all exposed slopes on the north side to be quite wind affected. Steeper slopes were reactive. The small bits we cracked were small and soft, but it kept us off the steep stuff and in the trees. Pretty windy all day.
I have been up there a few times since my last post. No sign of your helmet yet.
I have accessed Newton via the Lamberson butte area. It's never pretty dropping in, especially near the ridge line where it is always bony, but there are some nice gullies when the stars align. It is not something I get to ski often.
In winter you can always access via Tilly Jane, but I like the tour up the elk meadows trail to access Gnarl. Not sure that it is shorter, but the run out do...
I have accessed Newton via the Lamberson butte area. It's never pretty dropping in, especially near the ridge line where it is always bony, but there are some nice gullies when the stars align. It is not something I get to ski often.
In winter you can always access via Tilly Jane, but I like the tour up the elk meadows trail to access Gnarl. Not sure that it is shorter, but the run out do...
Thanks for putting in our track for this weekend :)
Classic shot of fog in the Elwha!
Classic shot of fog in the Elwha!
That's awesome John! I've been eyeballing Tom McCall from the Lyle side and thought it looked worthwhile. That's some amazing bird watching too.
Good stuff. I saw that there was some storm slab activity reported off the back side. What is the diving board? Does that drop you down to highway west of the parking lot?
Killing me Randy, killing me!
Maybe next year --- how's the fatties workin' for ya?
Maybe next year --- how's the fatties workin' for ya?
Boy, the snow looks great, and clear skies! When we were there the snow was great, but the viz was horrible I'm green with envy, thanks for the report.
Amar, nice work and congrats man! See you up there again soon.
John thanks for the report,looks delicious, been wondering if the crest was holding up.
I was inspired by your earlier trip report for Stacker Butte, I thought about heading there on Monday (1/16), but time was limited so instead we decided to try Tom McCall Point. We parked near the Rowena Crest Viewpoint (700' elev.), skinned up close to the normal trail up the ridge then on the new trail to the top at 1700'. Most of the way the snow was 16-20" deep. Top layers were very light, snow near the bottom was dense enough that we weren't hitting ground most of...
Hmmm, I think it was about 1.30ish setting out. ...and apologies for the lack of photos; I am in a love/ hate spiral with my camera right now & that day was not a camera lovin' day.
On another note though, the summit east runs were not open in the week & were powderpacked & supercreamy in the post moonrise light.
On another note though, the summit east runs were not open in the week & were powderpacked & supercreamy in the post moonrise light.
Very good. This might be the first report I've seen with a cattle gate in it!!
A few years back, a guy was partially buried when he triggered and avalanche while skiing in our shrub-steppe foothills in Wenatchee. The ground cover was bunch grass and balsam root remnants.
author=Jake the Brit link=topic=37580.msg152297#msg152297 date=1484260528]
Yesterday PM I skinned up from Summit East, up the powerlines to Grand Junction, over towards windy pass, down the west facing slope between Catharine & Radiotower hill & towards Silver. I was aiming to get onto the NW ridge of Silver, but it was 4pm by the time I got there so I backtracked.
Snow:
Was creamy & wonderful in the (mostly flat) trees, and was sup...
Look at those temps at Muir!
Mazama Ridge and regular rt in the Tatoosh was great Sunday.
Then it rained.
Mazama Ridge and regular rt in the Tatoosh was great Sunday.
Then it rained.
author=tabski link=topic=37638.msg152537#msg152537 date=1484789326]
Cool report!
Also remember that the entire snowpack is undergoing "glide" as it constantly moves downhill, probably laying the grass layers down flatter that when they were weighted by snow in the first place.
Great tip, thanks!
author=natefred link=topic=37638.msg152536#msg152536 date=1484788711]
PGlad you only got 1/2" of ice, I heard you might get up to 1-1/2" on the radio yesterday! Do you think you could ice skate on it?
Nope. It collapses into the snow below. I'm sure you could ice skate on the roads though! :)
Cool report!
Also remember that the entire snowpack is undergoing "glide" as it constantly moves downhill, probably laying the grass layers down flatter that when they were weighted by snow in the first place.
Also remember that the entire snowpack is undergoing "glide" as it constantly moves downhill, probably laying the grass layers down flatter that when they were weighted by snow in the first place.
Picturesque looking terrain in the 2nd pic in your original post, fun that you get to ski it now and then! Sort of looks like it could be someplace in Japan or Australia in that pic. Glad you only got 1/2" of ice, I heard you might get up to 1-1/2" on the radio yesterday! Do you think you could ice skate on it?
Runcle,
Yes, the wide open spaces are wonderful aren't they?
I wouldn't say Stacker Butte is normally skiable. It kind of goes in cycles with La Nina and El Nino. If I had to guess I would say it is good skiing about half the time.
This year is really exceptional! I don't think the low altitude snowpack is going anywhere for a while.
Unfortunately now there is a very scary 1/2 thick layer of ice fr...
Yes, the wide open spaces are wonderful aren't they?
I wouldn't say Stacker Butte is normally skiable. It kind of goes in cycles with La Nina and El Nino. If I had to guess I would say it is good skiing about half the time.
This year is really exceptional! I don't think the low altitude snowpack is going anywhere for a while.
Unfortunately now there is a very scary 1/2 thick layer of ice fr...
Thanks for the post! It's rare to hear from folks down your way. I was wondering, is there normally enough snow for turns on the Butte? When I was much younger I would ski Steptoe Butte and Kamiack Butte near Pullman. I love skiing in those wide open spaces in the high desert. It will be glorious when it clears off!
Examples are: balsam root, lupine, and big bunch grasses and super sturdy non-bunch grasses like Rye. These plants are TOUGH in order to withstand the local windy climate.
Here's some pix. In the first, before the latest storm you can get an idea of how stiff the grasses and plants are by how thick they look.
In the second picture, after the latest storm, you can see how they are still sticking up through the surface - probably two feet of snow here....
Here's some pix. In the first, before the latest storm you can get an idea of how stiff the grasses and plants are by how thick they look.
In the second picture, after the latest storm, you can see how they are still sticking up through the surface - probably two feet of snow here....
The grass I'm imagining would lay down under the weight of the snow and has blades which provide a bed surface and would be extremely slippery with a thin layer of weak snow or facets over them. I suppose there are all sorts of grass and some varieties clumpier and stronger than others. We've got some Karl Foerster in the yard that's pretty sturdy.
Got a picture of what the butte looks like late fall before first snow? I'm having a tough time picturing large wildf...
Got a picture of what the butte looks like late fall before first snow? I'm having a tough time picturing large wildf...
Thanks guys.
Grass is a bad anchor - even if it is tall bunch grasses (very common here) and large wildflower remnants? I thought it might act like a webbing through the snow.
Grass is a bad anchor - even if it is tall bunch grasses (very common here) and large wildflower remnants? I thought it might act like a webbing through the snow.
Amar - congrats on discovering happiness and the informative posts and number 1000! Garth
What kamtron said. Grassy slope does not provide anchor, often the opposite. Observationally, it also seems pretty common for facets to persist in and around grass.
author=pabloson link=topic=37638.msg152515#msg152515 date=1484775025]
I'm confused about Avy risk in this terrain. I mean when I dig and probe, I usually go through to ground which is very grassy. I'm assuming the grass is a good anchor, but don't have much experience analyzing these shallow snowpacks. Therefore we skied on slopes less than 25 degrees. There are some big cornices and pillows. I just stay away.
...
I think MRNP should carve out a permanent lifetime honorary position for you with a direct line of influence on gate openings/closings and weather data technology, in my humble opinion.
Thanks Jeff (and Kam) -
In the Land of the Six Sided Snowflake I think would be safe to say... which is certainly better than the current Land of Big Fat Globules of Water :-[ ;)
author=shred link=topic=37629.msg152481#msg152481 date=1484700375]
Main Island or Hokkaido?
In the Land of the Six Sided Snowflake I think would be safe to say... which is certainly better than the current Land of Big Fat Globules of Water :-[ ;)
Simply amazing. Wonderful photos. Thanks!!!
Should've skied to the hot springs for the full experience ;-)
Nice
Nice
Thanks for the kind words, folks.
I've just updated the TR to include days 2 and 3, which were left blank in the original report posted last night.
I've just updated the TR to include days 2 and 3, which were left blank in the original report posted last night.
Looks great! Main Island or Hokkaido? Sushi or Ramen for dinner? Double Arigato! :D
author=runcle link=topic=37626.msg152466#msg152466 date=1484673584]
If there is no one at Longmire to retrieve the key from will the rangers assist or are you there for the night?
The Longmire Inn is open every day of the year and the door is open all night, as far as I know. There is a buzzer by the front desk to call staff when they are not at the desk, so presumably that should work even late at night.
There is no e...
Congratulations! That is quite a milestone!
If there is no one at Longmire to retrieve the key from will the rangers assist or are you there for the night?
If there is no one at Longmire to retrieve the key from will the rangers assist or are you there for the night?
285 days on that route...wow. You must know where every exposed rock is at.....in a whiteout!
Congrats on 1000+
Congrats on 1000+
Congrats and thanks for the photos. Trenchtown is life.
Congrats on your 1000th day, Amar!
Too deep for the snowfield!
Glad to see you're getting after it
Glad to see you're getting after it
Thanks for the nice photos, Amar; those snow conditions really looked exceptional!
Our 2 cars arrived at Longmire at 6:15pm, long after gate closure, but getting out was no hassle at all: simply sign the log book inside Longmire Inn, leave your driver's license, and they hand you the key to go open the gate yourself (that last part was new procedure to me, the desk clerk used to come out and open the gate for you during the last few years).
Phew! What an amazing amount of snow, clear, no wind, what a day!