TR Replies
I'm glad you had a good time up there, except of course for the "Sultan Shuffle" on Sunday evening. It's all too easy to underestimate the chill when riding on a snowmobile or sled for that long. And it can be even colder when skiing down a 7% grade for 45 minutes!
It was under a bunch of layers (not sure how many), but the batteries were cold to the touch during the battery change.
I'm particularly surprised that the beacon failed to send, even on cold batteries. After the 12/18/07 Edith Creek accident, I put a running Pieps DSP in the freezer and checked it approximately daily. The beacon continued to transmit long after the display had died, long after reaching 0%.
Receiving, on the other hand, requires far more current from...
I'm particularly surprised that the beacon failed to send, even on cold batteries. After the 12/18/07 Edith Creek accident, I put a running Pieps DSP in the freezer and checked it approximately daily. The beacon continued to transmit long after the display had died, long after reaching 0%.
Receiving, on the other hand, requires far more current from...
I'm wondering, was the beacon worn under any clothing layers, or outside of all clothing layers?
It might not make any difference with a battery as low as it sounds like this was. But it seems like wearing the beacon underneath some layers would keep the batteries warmer in general and might be a reasonable thing to do as a general practice.
I typically wear my beacon under a soft shell with a full length zipper, which makes it easy to access the beacon when you need t...
It might not make any difference with a battery as low as it sounds like this was. But it seems like wearing the beacon underneath some layers would keep the batteries warmer in general and might be a reasonable thing to do as a general practice.
I typically wear my beacon under a soft shell with a full length zipper, which makes it easy to access the beacon when you need t...
No pics this year. Couple from Jan 2016: https://www.flickr.com/photos/koelle/albums/72157663420950665
This is the "High Country" that is best accessed during good weather, obviously. In 2014 we went up Tamarack, and in 2016, Baldy, which is right next store.
This is the "High Country" that is best accessed during good weather, obviously. In 2014 we went up Tamarack, and in 2016, Baldy, which is right next store.
author=ErikT link=topic=37538.msg152124#msg152124 date=1483981225]
Do you recall the % of that beacon's battery at the beginning of the tour?
I don't; we didn't do a formal beacon check at the beginning of the tour. It was judged sufficient by both of us at the car to have heard the startup beep from the beacon in question, a now-obvious oversight.
In response to your question, I just checked the batteries we...
Cool, would love to see some pictures of the ski touring in that area
Best/least wind-destroyed snow we found was below 4500' and on SW-SE aspects, although the NW facing runs to Snow Lake were holding up too.
author=Charlie Hagedorn link=topic=37538.msg152100#msg152100 date=1483926967]
Biggest lesson from the day: Before we entered committing avalanche terrain at higher elevation, we did a beacon check. One of the beacons in the party, which had worked at the car, no longer functioned, presumably due to the cold. New batteries brought us back to normal, and we were on our way.
Whoah, nicely done. Do you recall the % of that beac...
Thanks everyone! This wasn't Williams, JPH has it. JPH, it was partially your old TR that inspired this trip (and a summer hike when I first noticed it).
Nice Dick pics! I tried skiing this in the spring and got cut off by a waterfall near the top of the Luke...then had the privilege of skiing rock covered snow all the way back to the PC trail. It definitely gets filled up from the basin above!
Sweet! Good work. Looks like your adventure tour "plan" worked out. Is this on Wilmans?
I have peered up this chute several times with dreams of skiing it. Nice work!
A few thoughts to add - yesterday's surface hoar in sheltered locations below treeline was buried intact by today's storm. As expected, the new snow came in warmer and more dense than what lies below.
'Slightly-slabby' refers to instabilities at the surface, probably confined to the new snow and new windslab from today's winds. The deepest slabs that moved for us were <10 cm thick and limited in spatial extent to ~3m in size. We flirted near the edge of ins...
'Slightly-slabby' refers to instabilities at the surface, probably confined to the new snow and new windslab from today's winds. The deepest slabs that moved for us were <10 cm thick and limited in spatial extent to ~3m in size. We flirted near the edge of ins...
Nice!
Will you per chance disclose the location?
Will you per chance disclose the location?
Nice effort!
Saw this fracture line and slab remnants today on the Hill today... hard to see but the line contours the bottom of the rocks. Largest one I have ever seen up there! It didn't look particularly deep but maybe over 200 feet wide!
Saw this fracture line and slab remnants today on the Hill today... hard to see but the line contours the bottom of the rocks. Largest one I have ever seen up there! It didn't look particularly deep but maybe over 200 feet wide!
Nice post Seth,
I'll bet it was cold, big difference between psyched and not psyched.
I'm with Robie as I'll buy you and the Mrs. a cup of joe the next big dump at
Crystal. Buy the way, nice full page pic in Backpacker magaazine. ;)
See ya in the Gondy Line.
I'll bet it was cold, big difference between psyched and not psyched.
I'm with Robie as I'll buy you and the Mrs. a cup of joe the next big dump at
Crystal. Buy the way, nice full page pic in Backpacker magaazine. ;)
See ya in the Gondy Line.
Here's hoping it doesn't hurt anyone at all. NWAC's forecast discussion touches on SH too, in a measured way.
How could anything so pretty hurt you so bad?
Good to see some action from the Other Mountains. Low snow levels have made some places closer and others farther, e.g. the road to Ellinor is icy and high-centers you, according to friends who hiked there yesterday. A pretty big truck got itself stuck over two miles from the lower TH.
When Kevin Koski and I did the Hurricane-Deer Park traverse late January 2013 we finished with a 4-1/2 mile "glide" down the road in our sneakers :)
When Kevin Koski and I did the Hurricane-Deer Park traverse late January 2013 we finished with a 4-1/2 mile "glide" down the road in our sneakers :)
Thank you, partner. I enjoyed every minute of that tour. Yesterday was beautiful, too, but visibility wasn't as crisp. Thank you, friends of Phil Hall for that bench at 4200: there is no better place to sit down and gaze at the heart of the Olympics. Phil is in heaven.
Niko
Niko
author=AlpineRose link=topic=37492.msg151993#msg151993 date=1483674376]
FWIW, I've read that using an MSR Reactor with a canister immersed in a shallow water bath works well in winter conditions.
You can place or tape a handwarmer to the bottom of the canister if you don't want to splash about with a warming pan.
RE: CANISTER STOVE.
Sounds like a rare mechanical failure. One thing I like about them is so few parts that can fail.
REM: PV=nRT
The reason canister stoves work in the cold at altitude, but not cold closer to sea level.
Whisperlight to the rescue!
Sounds like a rare mechanical failure. One thing I like about them is so few parts that can fail.
REM: PV=nRT
The reason canister stoves work in the cold at altitude, but not cold closer to sea level.
Whisperlight to the rescue!
author=Skier of the Hood link=topic=37492.msg152043#msg152043 date=1483769848]
Or you can get real creative and make a heat exchanger https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/98947/
SotH, have you used this system? I love the simplicity of the design and weight. It's awesome that it needs no messing with during heating and cooking. However, even though the author addresses the concern of the canister overhe...
Great tip River I'll do that and thanks for looking out for my Blue Smith Helmet.
"Where were you exactly? Pea Gravel? Newton Canyon proper? Did you take the newton trail up the moraine or did you come over from Gnarl Ridge?"
Gnarl Ridge? I have considered dropping in from Cloud Cap to Gnarl and into Newton but haven't done so yet? Have you?
I typically access the Newton from HRM gaining the ridge before potatoe patch but th...
"Where were you exactly? Pea Gravel? Newton Canyon proper? Did you take the newton trail up the moraine or did you come over from Gnarl Ridge?"
Gnarl Ridge? I have considered dropping in from Cloud Cap to Gnarl and into Newton but haven't done so yet? Have you?
I typically access the Newton from HRM gaining the ridge before potatoe patch but th...
author=swaterfall link=topic=37492.msg152023#msg152023 date=1483742171]
It does not.
Thanks! I've never heard of that kind of failure. Something more to plan for.... (or perhaps test before leaving home?)
Or you can get real creative and make a heat exchanger https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/98947/
author=Scottk link=topic=37492.msg152008#msg152008 date=1483722349]
The warm water bath works great for gas canister stoves in the winter. I use a small square of ensolite pad to set on the snow and a shallow metal pan that can hold about 1/4 inch of water without spillage. You have to refresh the warm water every 5-10 minutes but it keeps your canister stove roaring in very cold temps.
Rather than cary the extra gear to run the...
Hey Seth, I finally made it over here! Impressive tour. You guys dig any pits out on Naches? Hoping the snowpack is settling some for you guys, and watching for storms. The woman they found just outside the Crystal boundary would seem to indicate things aren't settling down too well yet. Looks like you guys are back in a stormy pattern next week. Just booked a flight to Denver for MLK weekend....but I could change that to Seattle if you think a favorable...
Thanks for posting the info here. If you have the time (or for future observations), post it up over at the NWAC observations page: http://www.nwac.us/observations/submit/
Those folks do look at the observations and often include references to them in their regional avalanche forecast discussion.
They have many great resources, but their observations page seems to be underutilized right now.
Where were you exactly? Pea Gravel? Newton Canyon proper? Did you take...
Those folks do look at the observations and often include references to them in their regional avalanche forecast discussion.
They have many great resources, but their observations page seems to be underutilized right now.
Where were you exactly? Pea Gravel? Newton Canyon proper? Did you take...
author=Charlie Hagedorn link=topic=37492.msg152009#msg152009 date=1483722631]
Now that you're home, does the canister valve/stove work correctly?
It does not.
Trangia Westwind alcohol stove !!! Lifetime never fail .
Now that you're home, does the canister valve/stove work correctly?
author=AlpineRose link=topic=37492.msg151993#msg151993 date=1483674376]
FWIW, I've read that using an MSR Reactor with a canister immersed in a shallow water bath works well in winter conditions. Also that it's the stove to have if you need to melt snow for water, and you want to use a canister stove. IME, the Reactor boils water incredibly fast, but I don't winter camp. That bad valve on the MSR canister was just bad luck. If it were me, I&...
Swaterfall, you really should have known that your noteworthy polar-conditions trek out to Chinook would result in a Silver Basin uphill traffic polemic.
When you and the Mrs. get stymied by conditions, one can be sure it was serious stuff. Thanks for the story and pictures!
When you and the Mrs. get stymied by conditions, one can be sure it was serious stuff. Thanks for the story and pictures!
author=swaterfall link=topic=37492.msg151994#msg151994 date=1483675972">
I don't think this is an effective way to communicate with their management.
Also, I'm pretty sure that they mean it is now closed 24/7 when the ski area is in operation.
Okay, I've sent a message to Crystal Mtn via their website contact page:
https://crystalmountainresort.com/more-information/contact/
Here is...
author=Lowell_Skoog link=topic=37492.msg151991#msg151991 date=1483671922]
Note to Crystal Mountain: You need to update your official uphill-travel webpage with the information announced on your blog!
I don't think this is an effective way to communicate with their management.
Also, I'm pretty sure that they mean it is now closed 24/7 when the ski area is in operation.
FWIW, I've read that using an MSR Reactor with a canister immersed in a shallow water bath works well in winter conditions. Also that it's the stove to have if you need to melt snow for water, and you want to use a canister stove. IME, the Reactor boils water incredibly fast, but I don't winter camp. That bad valve on the MSR canister was just bad luck. If it were me, I'd make sure to let MSR know.
It seems the general consensus is that MSR...
It seems the general consensus is that MSR...
author=jcocci link=topic=37492.msg151986#msg151986 date=1483666686]
I understood it as when they are open. So you could get in there before lifts are running assuming they aren't doing avy control. Is that an incorrect understanding?
Okay, I think you are correct.
The uphill policy that was promulgated in early December says this:
https://crystalmountainresort.com/safety/uphill-travel/
"...
author=Lowell_Skoog link=topic=37492.msg151981#msg151981 date=1483661802]
Based on my understanding of the uphill rules, you cannot ascend on skins through Silver Basin to the saddle between Threeway Peak and Silver King during the ski area operating season.
So the only way to skin to Crystal Lakes at this time from Silver Basin would be to cross the divide into Morse Creek somewhere east of Threeway Peak, then cross the SW ridge of Threeway to Cry...
author=swaterfall link=topic=37492.msg151953#msg151953 date=1483630333]
We used our season passes. But uphilling into Silver is allowed, it's just subject to more rules.
Based on my understanding of the uphill rules, you cannot ascend on skins through Silver Basin to the saddle between Threeway Peak and Silver King during the ski area operating season.
So the only way to skin to Crystal Lakes at this time from Sil...
Thanks for the early morning chuckle - nice photos of what skiing you managed. Love the thrasher photo. Good story to laugh about back in the warm house. Cheers.
Nice pics! Cool route!
How skiable was the snow at low elevations, esp on White R Rd and WA-410?
How skiable was the snow at low elevations, esp on White R Rd and WA-410?
That snow looks worth the struggle! Canister stoves are a pain in cold weather, they are a gift when they work, so light and convenient, but seems that it's hard to beat white gas when it's so cold.
author=ps44 link=topic=37492.msg151942#msg151942 date=1483589985]
how did you get to Crystal Lakes now that uphilling in Silver Basin is not allowed?
We used our season passes. But uphilling into Silver is allowed, it's just subject to more rules.
Would you consider a different stove if you had to do it over, or would you just pack more canisters?
I think a whi...