TR Replies
Way to go. I was pondering the epicness of a full moon (pow!) tour. Glad you got out and thanks for sharing the aweinspiring experience.
A turn on the steepest roll of the day got the top ~4" in a sheltered spot at ~4.5k to run loose-dry. No amount of kicking, stomping, trailbreaking, or wide-open skiing got anything else to move in sheltered spots/windward aspects. Snowladen trees (there are many) no longer reliably explode with a pole-tap. Cornices are big. At pass level, there's a thin (warming?) crust on S/W slopes.
Consolidation is such that I'm switching back from fattest skis to default winter sk...
Consolidation is such that I'm switching back from fattest skis to default winter sk...
Where you go? Kendall? Safe solo mission?
AwesomE!!!
Same out here in the Methow. Hopped out the backdoor in the moonlight and skied the burn. The only thing missing is the hot tub.
Same out here in the Methow. Hopped out the backdoor in the moonlight and skied the burn. The only thing missing is the hot tub.
At meadows with my touring gear in the car if anyone gets tired of the shit show let me know and we can go east to glorious burnt tree powder salvation.
Looks amazing over there right now! Thanks for the report! Wish I was heading that way right now...
Looks like a wonderful ski in the moonlight! Thanks for sharing!
I've only done that once, on a short tour above a hut up in the Selkirks, but it was indeed a memorable experience. Good job hopping on it!
"... You take the kids, the car, and the keys, just leave me my wax and my skis..."
We learned lots of those songs from the Cowan boys when we worked at Trapp Lodge in Stowe. When the season ended we would head north. Lots of singing around smokey campfires in the Gaspe while the rain soaked wool dried, wiskey was sipped, and tales told. We even did some skiing!
We learned lots of those songs from the Cowan boys when we worked at Trapp Lodge in Stowe. When the season ended we would head north. Lots of singing around smokey campfires in the Gaspe while the rain soaked wool dried, wiskey was sipped, and tales told. We even did some skiing!
Someone save me from having to ski at the resort tomorrow!! I desire the pow not the chop.
Thanks for the link Lowell.
Bud Halley was a family friend who belonged to L company in the 86th. He used to sing that song to my mom while teaching her to ski at Big Bear in California. She in turn would sing it to me years later when I learned to ski at Mission Ridge.
A cool piece of history, and a silly song that brings back fun memories.
Bud Halley was a family friend who belonged to L company in the 86th. He used to sing that song to my mom while teaching her to ski at Big Bear in California. She in turn would sing it to me years later when I learned to ski at Mission Ridge.
A cool piece of history, and a silly song that brings back fun memories.
author=jtack link=topic=35176.msg144346#msg144346 date=1451058407]
Lowell, I'm not a Facebook guy, but Polly is so I was able to watch your video, it's great! Mike told me about your repertoire of 10th Mountain Div. Songs!
Jamie, I don't think you have to be on Facebook to view the link I posted. That was my intent anyway.
For those interested in more 10th Mountain songs, check out the following page, whi...
Lowell, I'm not a Facebook guy, but Polly is so I was able to watch your video, it's great! Mike told me about your repertoire of 10th Mountain Div. Songs!
Mack, my new ski friend is Dans hard charging ski partner Chris.
Mack, my new ski friend is Dans hard charging ski partner Chris.
author=Charlie Hagedorn link=topic=35187.msg144311#msg144311 date=1450973715]
We heard plenty of control work; how much was on the hill at Alpy, and how much from DOT?
Heard half dozen from Central that had to be WSDOT because they seemed pretty close. Sitting in the alpy lodge we saw and felt another 3-4. Nothing propagated on the face under chair one (that we could see).
author=cumulus link=topic=35187.msg144317#msg144317 date=1450975793]
Last year we couldn't ski because there was no snow and this year we can't ski 'cause there's too much snow...
Next year might be just right!
author=AlpineRose link=topic=35187.msg144318#msg144318 date=1450976199]
Recent snow situation is a fine example of "being careful what you wish for, b...
author=AlpineRose link=topic=35187.msg144318#msg144318 date=1450976199]
Recent snow situation is a fine example of "being careful what you wish for, because you might get it".
yeah, but I'm still grinning. Totally willing to take a days hit for many good days to come.
Recent snow situation is a fine example of "being careful what you wish for, because you might get it".
We were going to head up today but -
Snoqualmie Pass is closed today (Dec. 24) both E and W all day... overhanging snow laden trees and avi danger...
http://www.wsdot.com/traffic/passes/snoqualmie/
Last year we couldn't ski because there was no snow and this year we can't ski 'cause there's too much snow...
Snoqualmie Pass is closed today (Dec. 24) both E and W all day... overhanging snow laden trees and avi danger...
http://www.wsdot.com/traffic/passes/snoqualmie/
Last year we couldn't ski because there was no snow and this year we can't ski 'cause there's too much snow...
We heard plenty of control work; how much was on the hill at Alpy, and how much from DOT?
You definitely didn't miss anything inbounds Charlie ... in the Alpy parking lot Tuesday at 0730 (before the pass closed) and no power. PSE said maybe noon so we went over to Central, did get some amazing laps in --- until the pass opened and the flood gates of Lexus and Audi AWD's pulled in. Called er' quits for lift accessed terrain at 1100 and went to Alpental for beers to wait. Never opened, and hasn't seen tracks since the initial dumping Monday morning. With the pass cl...
Now, that's the ticket! Wonderful, thanks for the post!
Is your "new ski friend" that knee-dropping Dan Peck? ;D
thanks for the report and the phat xmas poem!
And, if you're feeling starved for telemetry, here's today's trip. The earliest points, above freezing, are almost due to residual heat in the backpack.
We hit snow below Exit 45 driving up, and dropped out of the snow driving down at milepost ~37. An epic traffic backup stretched from Exit 47 down to milepost 36 just before 5 pm.
We hit snow below Exit 45 driving up, and dropped out of the snow driving down at milepost ~37. An epic traffic backup stretched from Exit 47 down to milepost 36 just before 5 pm.
Great to meet everyone forging upward on the skintrack. The still-missing skier and hazardous/unfamiliar conditions made the whole endeavor seem far more serious than usual. There's a lot of snow at the pass, and things are extremely unconsolidated.
As someone who likes to ski alone, now's not the time to ski alone. Breaking trail, we crossed over plenty of totally-buried trees. Tree wells are hungry. We shared the trail with friends and family of the missing skier --...
As someone who likes to ski alone, now's not the time to ski alone. Breaking trail, we crossed over plenty of totally-buried trees. Tree wells are hungry. We shared the trail with friends and family of the missing skier --...
Care to be a little more specific about where ya'll are skiing? I've got an idea but there's really no reason to be coy about it.
author=jtack link=topic=35176.msg144269#msg144269 date=1450898488">
So I figured I better add a small drop in the bucket, and maybe get some of you to come loose with a few good pictures to feed the stoke.
Last weekend I videoed some friends enjoying "Two boards upon cold powder snow, Yo-ho!" I combined the video with an old 10th Mountain Division song from World War II.
You can find the result on Facebook
I'm not sure there is such a thing as "poor pictures" when it comes to powder and feeding stoke.
Thanks for the Pictures. Yes, the powder has been great and I have been posting pictures on Facebook. I's so much easier to do it there without having to worry about getting it off my phone or camera, and then converting it to the right file size....I have a new computer as well and don't have Photoshop on it yet so I can't re-size everything. "Friend" me!
Brian Izdepski
Edmonds, WA
Brian Izdepski
Edmonds, WA
welcome to the summit at snoqualimie where if the poop gets slung were all good.
No wind down valley until 2:00. Yesterday was still as well. Sure is nice to have that much snow up there..
Tronsen was great all day, as long as you knew where to avoid wind crust. Wind was gusting nicely on the ridges as usual. Much improved from yesterday, not that it was bad then either. Saw two other groups, we all took laps on Diamond Head. They continued while I looked elsewhere. Snow sluffed, no signs of propagation like the previous day. Good day with good sun.
After snow all day into the early evening, Tuesday had brilliant sunshine all morning. Clouds started moving in around 3pm. Punched the skin track another 500' up the ridge. Perfect powder in the open but lower tree skiing was "tree bombed" out. Two snow machines had been on the road. The pullouts were plowed. If your in the area you should take advantage of the track before it snows again. Good stability but the sunshine was making some crystals and crust.
when Daniel was lost a bunch of years ago, patrol closed the bc for 2 days, then realized that a thousand nutjobs skiing every nook yelling Danny may not be such a bad idea. pretty much eliminated out to No Fog that he wasn't around in a rescue sense. found him 3 days later near Malakwa environs.
miracle
miracle
author=Good morning link=topic=35132.msg144101#msg144101 date=1450643634]
Are you a pussy or are you an idiot? We usually take a moment to reflect on this question and the present snow conditions before we take any questionable line. Today we didn't think twice. We should have.
Snow was falling hard and swirling about. On the open slopes above source lake it felt stable enough; loose unconsolidated delicious powder on a dense layer that...
author=Roger Strong link=topic=35132.msg144154#msg144154 date=1450710596]
Huge kudos and thanks for sharing this Dave as you and your partner will go through a series of 'would have and should haves' for quite some time. A process I still go through nearly on a daily basis following the avi that swept me and 2 friends out of our group of 5 on April 6th, 2011... for me resulting in life changing injuries...The fact that you had the courage to share t...
Thanks for the report; a worthy destination close to the city.
Did you access the slopes via the summer trail?
Did you access the slopes via the summer trail?
Glad you came out OK. Appreciate you sharing your story, this has served as a wake up call/reminder to me and many others.
Indeed. Thank you! For sharing this in such a raw and honest fashion. It is important for all of us.
Realizing that I myself have made bad decisions I offer a couple of thoughts only in the spirit of being a part of a community that I love.
1. Tree Anchors. I think this is a bit of a myth. Plenty of slides propagate in and through forested areas. As someone else already mentioned, trees can actually be points of weakness in the snow pack. At the same time we think of...
Realizing that I myself have made bad decisions I offer a couple of thoughts only in the spirit of being a part of a community that I love.
1. Tree Anchors. I think this is a bit of a myth. Plenty of slides propagate in and through forested areas. As someone else already mentioned, trees can actually be points of weakness in the snow pack. At the same time we think of...
Hey AvaJane,
Where is King's creek? I can only find one in Pierce county.
tx
Where is King's creek? I can only find one in Pierce county.
tx
author=bc_skier link=topic=35132.msg144214#msg144214 date=1450797537]
Can anyone take the attached photo, or create a new one, and mark the slope that slid. Perhaps someone with PhotoShop.
Big Trees is a specific run.
Thank you for the report. Can anyone take the attached photo, or create a new one, and mark the slope that slid. Perhaps someone with PhotoShop.
There are quite a few slopes that have slid in that area but it might help others that have not been in the Source Lake area.
Thanks
There are quite a few slopes that have slid in that area but it might help others that have not been in the Source Lake area.
Thanks
Here is a link, you can use, tonight it seems a little conservative. maybe not a good day to be in the open or in traps
http://www.nwac.us/avalanche-forecast/current/cascade-west-snoqualmie-pass/
http://www.nwac.us/avalanche-forecast/current/cascade-west-snoqualmie-pass/