TR Replies
Nice one Kenji and Radka. Slot entrance looks fully schralped. I have yet to ski off the summit of Snoqualmie, must do that soon.
Winner! What a place we live in. You can dream up some idea and be the only one doing it! I like people - but those two tracks!!!!!!!!
Nailed it!
Nailed it!
Thanks for posting! What a day to be on the mountain!
No instabilities noted.
N face chair had windboard up high. Better down on funnel once sheltered from east winds?
Ski down to Melakwa was similar...random sucrusts and weird ice layers mixed in. Snow transport off slopes?? Thought it was going to be sheltered.
Best snow was skinning up to Bryant. If had legs for it, lapping that would have been great.
Bryan couloir was great. Little windboard up high, then chalky few inches all the way down. Face shot...
N face chair had windboard up high. Better down on funnel once sheltered from east winds?
Ski down to Melakwa was similar...random sucrusts and weird ice layers mixed in. Snow transport off slopes?? Thought it was going to be sheltered.
Best snow was skinning up to Bryant. If had legs for it, lapping that would have been great.
Bryan couloir was great. Little windboard up high, then chalky few inches all the way down. Face shot...
Way to get it Michelle!!!!!!
Andrew certainly looks like a plump santa at the end...
Andrew certainly looks like a plump santa at the end...
It was OK today but didn't ski all that great, chalky and chunky. Phantom was surprisingly awesome even with the sun its had recently but its been so damn cold and possibly with clouds helping too. It was 9F up top today and great snow but there is certainly hoar growing now which could pose a problem with next snowfall especially if it stays cold. Beautiful up there this morning.
Great call pulling out of there as with those conditions, the col coming back out very likely would have been loaded and funky as well. thanks for the beta!
Boy, blue sky above, white fluff below, and someone to break trail, is there anything better? Nice!
yep-crusty where sun exposed, and good snow down low for sure
Stoke was high with all the awesome snow! Yes we went to the bottom of the Diver and then out over the saddle at Gem Lake.
similar experience near bryant. fairly reactive 25cm windslab on e/ne aspect and recent slide activity. good snow down low
We were in the area too. We noted sensitive wind slabs near ridges on lee slopes, gusts to ~40mph on exposed ridges, some thin solar crusts on steeper south slopes from Mon and Tues. East pass flow was strong and turbulent enough to be coming from multiple directions N - E - S depending on local topography. Still excellent powder on sheltered slopes.
Dude, that is hauling for a full circumnav of chair peak with the holy diver! Did you run the diver out and come back over the saddle at gem lake?
author=Robie link=topic=37302.msg151269#msg151269 date=1481774383]
musta been cold !
Too cold to stand around and make a sandwich.
Robie - when are we going to go skiing again?
author=solsoul link=topic=37290.msg151258#msg151258 date=1481754291]
How long did this loop take you?
We left the car at 6am and were back by 12:45pm. I bet it would be faster now that a skin track is in. Have fun!
How long did this loop take you?
Old man..I was hoping your memory would kick in for that epic shot!
Love that zone and you hit it at the right time. The wind slab at the top always gives me the hebbie jebbies. Thanks for the local TR.
Boy, that azure blue sky sure looks like the medicine I need. Thanks for posting, and setting the hook. I need to get out and get some of that!
Nice! There was a similar effect seen from Stevens; I would call it the Sky River but I guess that already exists and is in the other direction....
Was up there as well - think we crossed paths briefly on the way out... that treewell at the end of the vid looks scary!?
I had a pole get snagged in some shark-branches and had to get back up about 15'. Was quickly obvious that unclicking and booting would be easier.... or so I thought... took several minutes of high energy uphill swimming. Really made me stop and think about what would happen if I *needed* to get anywhere uphill quickly.
Fun skiing!!
I had a pole get snagged in some shark-branches and had to get back up about 15'. Was quickly obvious that unclicking and booting would be easier.... or so I thought... took several minutes of high energy uphill swimming. Really made me stop and think about what would happen if I *needed* to get anywhere uphill quickly.
Fun skiing!!
How was the tour up, usually it's filled with lots of brush this time of year
love the south-facing cold smoke on these short december days.
Better the next day but still road skiing. Off road very soon.
The Lake Ellinor couloir is safest later in season. Snow Bell and I skied it to above the lake once. Approach from the summit.
I found this TR using a really antiquated search method called "memory":
http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=15705.0
I found this TR using a really antiquated search method called "memory":
http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=15705.0
"You will find several old TR's on this site with route beta using the search function"
That's sooo a decade ago!!
That's sooo a decade ago!!
That looks like a really fun spring summit ski.. Get some!
I have skied the south routes - the chute and the basin that is farther west of the chute route. I have also wanted to ski from the summit to the northeast down the prominent chute, towards lake "Ellinor" - see attached image. I like this Peak in the Spring when there is more sun and the avalanche potential drops.
You will find several old TR's on this site with route beta using the search function.
As far as current information: there was snow on the beach this morning so no doubt you'll have a very long approach to the trailhead if you opt to go soon.
As far as current information: there was snow on the beach this morning so no doubt you'll have a very long approach to the trailhead if you opt to go soon.
Actually last winter was "new policy" with it plowed out. Historically it has not been plowed as it technically is in an avalanche run out path.
author=Gary_H link=topic=37214.msg151052#msg151052 date=1481225709]
the road crew this year is working very hard to see that the road opens whenever possible, they defiantly have a "can do" attitude and are getting good support from the Ranger staff.
Hi Gary: did you notice that the Switchback "parking" area wasn't plowed? I hope that's not a new policy. N
Thanks , that pic looked like a slab , super helpful for you to fill in the blanks . :) X
I spent most of the day in the ski area as it was our opening day and I was patrolling. Got one lap west of the Victoria Overlook down into Walkout Gulch at the end of the day. Good snow, although there was a bit of a crust from Friday below the 12" of new storm snow, a bit sluffy in steep spots, no slabs.
We skied Maggies the previous Sunday, it was as good as it gets.
I will say that the road crew this year is working very hard to see that the road opens whenever...
We skied Maggies the previous Sunday, it was as good as it gets.
I will say that the road crew this year is working very hard to see that the road opens whenever...
The ridge road opened as scheduled I think around 10:00 with no early shut down. BUT if you are headed this way especially from afar have a plan B in the event of a road closure! It's bad enough having to drive an hour to be turned around because of a broken down plow or weather change. I wouldn't plan a vacation around it unless a high pressure system is going to be around for a while.
author=SKIER-X link=topic=37206.msg150997#msg150997 date=1481075940]
What's the difference between a slab and a slough ? Do sloughs have crowns and a bed surface ? X
Slabs are cohesive layers that slide on a bed layer and break up into smaller, cohesive chunks. Loose, dry slabs break up super quickly. I didn't see the slide one of my partners set off, but thinking more about it, it'd probably be m...
author=WillderDude link=topic=37206.msg150976#msg150976 date=1481036432]
Great trip report and it was indeed a PHENOMENAL day on Sunday!
Your track is super helpful. What app is it? I use Gaia but would like to be able to have the caltopo slope angle shading.
Thanks! I use Backcountry Navigator on Android, but really any app that can export *.gpx files works. I import the *.gpx file into caltopo and overlay...
If you get up In the 97 area a lot I'd like
To join sometime. I often ski alone and I'd like to learn more areas. I know some great spots as well. I'm a part time resident of the canyon. PM me if you like. My daughter lives there all the time now so I'll probably be up more often this season.
Brian
To join sometime. I often ski alone and I'd like to learn more areas. I know some great spots as well. I'm a part time resident of the canyon. PM me if you like. My daughter lives there all the time now so I'll probably be up more often this season.
Brian
author=Amar Andalkar link=topic=37188.msg150892#msg150892 date=1480736100]
A minute later I was again surprised to see a pair of snowshoers ascending up my skintrack near 8500 ft, with heavy overnight packs and largely destroying the skintrack as usual. I asked them if they were running a GPS track, since a storm was coming in overnight which would bury the skintrack completely, they would be descending in whiteout conditions the next day, and I had intentiona...
What's the difference between a slab and a slough ? Do sloughs have crowns and a bed surface ? X