TR Replies
Very nice photos and map of your route. The descent from Sheep Lake up and down to the highway also made me nervous and I adjusted the descent. ;)
I enjoyed your TR and photos especially your ski that you found. We don't usually see TR that describe some of the incidents during a trip. Thanks for your comments. ;)
Piling on here, not from the east coast, but sure want ski there, and would love to have a full report, and pictures!!!!!! We want the details.
Great pictures, thanks. Sorry to hear about your shoulder, I have some experience in the subject and hope you were able to reduce it, if not I know your walk down was NO fun.
My buddy Corvs and I skied the slot today. All in all conditions were ok. No snow moving on the way up only had to boot up the waterfall section then skinned to the entrance. Slot skied well some sluff management required in the top then nice schmooo at the fan exit. Returned via snow lake divide.
Up there yesterday; there's plenty coverage to the bridge.
Surmounting the rock band that forms the waterfall is a crux of the route. Look for a weakness in the rock band in the trees to climbers' left, and a handy webbing loop in times of lower snow. If you're more than slightly gripped, then you're probably not in the best spot. The weakness is only sometimes skinnable/skiable by a variation, but always bootable.
Thanks for the TR!
Thanks for the TR!
Nice tr and pictures (as usual...)--looks like a magical place.
Inspired by TAY and friend and I decided to check this area out as we'd never been before. The approach snow can't last much longer and the snow quality left much to be desired (not much of a refreeze last night) but it was cool to see a new area. Stellar views at the top of Diamond Head and nice slopes up there.
We also found a helmet, goggles, gloves and sunglasses dumped in a bundle in the middle of one of the xc trails. They had clearly been there since at least the day...
We also found a helmet, goggles, gloves and sunglasses dumped in a bundle in the middle of one of the xc trails. They had clearly been there since at least the day...
Was there enough coverage to ski down to the nisqually brideg?
That place is the shit - total call out from all the NE expats for pics.
author=glenn_b link=topic=36147.msg147534#msg147534 date=1459305637]
Also, noticed some tracks on the upper Tronsen Road that looked like snow-bikes - ~a foot wide with treads. The Tronsen basin's an official non-motorized zone, right?
Reprised this tour today and while up top, heard the putt-putt of a snow-bike behind and below us. Skiing down, saw the track of a snow-bike that had come up the XC-15 trail before cuttin...
I got Sphincteritis from looking at that traverse ! RAD.
Beautiful photos. Must have been a great night. Thanks for sharing.
Nice looking tracks in those pictures as usual, Kenji!
I've got to get up to that spot
Cheers
I've got to get up to that spot
Cheers
Krissy was having a tough time finding current road and snow conditions before she headed out Tuesday so it only seemed right to put up info on what they found out there. Glad you liked her story of the day. :)
There have been a few other adventure stories floating around from Maria's Almost Famous Volcano tour last spring.
There have been a few other adventure stories floating around from Maria's Almost Famous Volcano tour last spring.
Another great trip, thanks you guys, a few more pictures. Great views as well.
That is such a fun tour and the pic of turns is awesome. Glad it all ended so well and hope he heals fast.
You guys had better skiing given those smiles than us at end of our traverse a few weeks ago. I might go back up there before it melts out.
thank you J (K&M) for the reportage, fun read, and good to hear about conditions!
Interestng, Crystal Mt resort had virtually no wind all day and was very warm, and good skiing.
I realized that I wasn't very clear when I was typing for Krissy, I was not along for this adventure, I had to be at work. It was Krissy and Maria out for the day on Shuksan. :D
Chester was awfully stoic about it all -- which made it hard to believe that the damage was as bad as it was.
He said the kick turns hurt, but only after learning that his leg was broken did I suppose that it REALLY hurt doing those turns.
Tough guy.
He said the kick turns hurt, but only after learning that his leg was broken did I suppose that it REALLY hurt doing those turns.
Tough guy.
Bummer to hear about Chester. Pretty impressive to ski most of the way out with a broken ankle. Hopefully he'll heel up fast.
3 cheers for Sid! Reminds me of our NCHS backcountry trip 100 years ago; the plan: fly in, get dropped off, ski off a bluff, climb Silver Star and ski out. Skiing off the bluff, one of our telemarking group suffered a spiral fracture of the tibia. The guide called the helicopter back; we built a heli platform as she butt glissaded down 800 feet or so with her broken leg. The copter picked her up then said climb in too and then dropped us off on the col of Silver Star while hovering with the...
Thx Zap! When were you there? It is an incredible zone. So much terrain...
author=JPH link=topic=36150.msg147581#msg147581 date=1459452095]
Not to take away from the sentiment that people shouldn't head into the mountains unprepared - but avy gear while skiing alone is really just body recovery gear since no one is digging you out until you've been gone way to long for it to matter.
Roger that boss. Hence why I tell my wife where I am going to be, so they can find me.
Seriously, I a...
The only "tips" I've ever seen exchange hands at NCH's heli barn after a good day of skiing are cold ones. The guides are well-compensated and certainly don't live on tips, plus they get to go out and do what we all love 4-5 days a week for a living.
Glad to hear you had a good tour and that when things looked dismal, the folks of NCH (who would've gotten the call anyways had you been able to call for SAR) stepped-up and helped you in a big way. If anyone...
Glad to hear you had a good tour and that when things looked dismal, the folks of NCH (who would've gotten the call anyways had you been able to call for SAR) stepped-up and helped you in a big way. If anyone...
That does sound pretty great. We didn't have good weather to get up high, so maybe I'll head back there when the road to jack lake improves to take a look at the east side.
Ah, now I get it. I was confusing the "gate east of Silver Star Creek" with the "Silver Star Gate".
BTW - Here's another link for Hwy 20, showing plowing progress - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Traffic/Passes/NorthCascades/updates2016.htm
BTW - Here's another link for Hwy 20, showing plowing progress - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Traffic/Passes/NorthCascades/updates2016.htm
No snowmobiles are needed now. Originally when the highway closes for the winter, it's gated on the east side just east of Silver Star Creek (around milepost 171). As the snow deepens during the winter another gate 7 miles closer to Mazama (east) is used for the closure. Then at some point during the spring when plowing of the highway commences, the closure point moves back up to the Silver Star Gate. We knew the Highway was open to that higher gate.
author=Griff link=topic=36150.msg147572#msg147572 date=1459441319]
>> Is this trail dangerous? LOL. Well yes kids this is Avy terrain. And yes as the day gets warmer the danger increases (which is why I am wearing avy gear).
Not to take away from the sentiment that people shouldn't head into the mountains unprepared - but avy gear while skiing alone is really just body recovery gear since no one is digging you out until...
Bummer about your buddy's leg! Did you guys snomo in to Silverstar Creek? Your link mentions you can access this before the Pass opens, but after the plowing has started. I thought they kept the gate closed down by Mazama, until the highway opens. Is that incorrect?
author=rover link=topic=36147.msg147574#msg147574 date=1459445610]
How was the ski out on XC-15? Last time I was there the snowpack was already very thin, lots of small logs/branches poking out and waiting to grab an unsuspecting skier.
Yes, noticed that on my way out. Went back yesterday with the pruning saw and cleared the trail up to the 1st opening under Diamond Head. There's still a log across the trail just below there but e...
How was the ski out on XC-15? Last time I was there the snowpack was already very thin, lots of small logs/branches poking out and waiting to grab an unsuspecting skier.
author=Zap link=topic=36150.msg147566#msg147566 date=1459433560]
Somebody in the group may have said "That DOG has great lines." Of course Lucy would stop and get a few "pats" and be of to the vehicle to get a snack and a nap on the way home. ;)
Yes, she sleeps pretty darn good after these trips. Won't be many more years of this so I cherish every trip we go on together.
Now, as for the comment...
Your photos and videos are great. It brings back memories when I was in the area.:)
Somebody in the group may have said "That DOG has great lines." Of course Lucy would stop and get a few "pats" and be of to the vehicle to get a snack and a nap on the way home. ;)
I bet those people towards the bottom must have been "Wow, look at that skier coming down!"