TR Replies

Thanks for the post. Good for the rest of us to keep this in mind when we make our own decisions whether to be pussy, idiot, aggressive, bold or what have you.

12/20/15 11:09pm

mmcdonough

Thank you for sharing your experience. Very glad to hear you both walked away from it.

12/20/15 1:05pm

dkoelle

Dec 19, Hyak

Hit the nordic trail system 12/19 and then a couple lift runs on Silver Fir in the fading afternoon light. The nordic groomers have not yet linked up through Hidden Valley or Rockdale canyon so things were a little limited. Lot of hikers and dogs at Hyak; tracks up Mt. Catherine. Unfortunately Medic One was at the Silver Fir base area with some people talking about an in-bounds snow immersion accident.

12/20/15 12:37pm

bbrelje

Dec 19, Hyak

I'll stick this here since there's several Hyak threads already:
12/20 (Sunday) morning was good! There were several inches additional new snowfall and it snowed moderately hard the whole morning, but it is definitely getting denser with the warming trend.

We did one lap on the backside and one on Hyak Face. The lower mountain is groomed for a fantastic uptrack. It was my first time skiing here and I'll definitely be back regularly.

12/20/15 12:29pm

r1de

December 20, Kendall Stump

Thanks for sharing your experience. These kinds of posts, humbling as they may be, serve a very real and valuable purpose in sharpening our collective wisdom and restraint. Glad you both got out okay, under your own power, no less.

12/20/15 12:19pm

r1de

author=jakedouglas link=topic=35134.msg144105#msg144105 date=1450646429]
Snow: nasty in some places in the trees where tree bombs have fallen and refrozen. Previous storm snow has a substantial crust in some open areas, guessing from sun breaks yesterday? 3-6" of new overnight snow cracked and slid readily on top of the old. Sketchy!

Thanks for the conditions report.

12/20/15 12:06pm

avajane

Dec 13, 2015, Arrowhead Mtn (Stevens)

author=Dave_R link=topic=35051.msg143857#msg143857 date=1450114836]
...though I am having a tough time making him out in the pictures. Perhaps if he wore some bright clothing? ;)

A few years ago a photographer friend told me he wouldn't take my picture anymore if I didn't ditch my dark blue parka.

12/20/15 11:56am

LukerBee

So good to be alive.

12/20/15 11:47am

Jonn-E

Great shots!

I tried to get a bunch of vans together for a couple days of skiing a few years ago and it didn't work out too well, but I'd like to try again this year. I'll be sure and post it here on TAY as well as the other usual Vanagon internet spots.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to repairing mine ;)

12/20/15 10:29am

Good2Go

December 19, 2015, Snoqualmie Pass

Great shots! Makes me feel like a wuss for using hats and goggles.

12/20/15 9:31am

Charlie Hagedorn

And, for completeness, here's the temperature profile for the day. Spikes to higher temperatures come from (I believe) sunbreaks and when the temperature sensor touches the snow.

12/20/15 9:01am

chrism

December 19, 2015, Snoqualmie Pass

So well used, but for such good reason. When Kendall's good, its good. Thanks for conditions update.

12/20/15 6:42am

ski_photomatt

Careful out there! Saw some questionable terrain choices today including one group that triggered a sizable slab below a steep col. We easily found Thursday's windslab sheering on the old snow and stayed off the steeps, as wonderful as they looked. Excellent skiing at and below tree line, amazing to see the increase in depth and improved travel conditions in two days.

12/20/15 5:50am

avajane

Nice day! That last shot looked exactly like the high tree skiing on Millionaire Ridge at Whistler but a lot closer. Snow looked the same as well.

12/20/15 5:43am

fly2mike

Avalance Report 12/17 Big Trees and Unstable Snow

I would really like to have a copy of that map in color like that. Do they have them at the resort? Somebody told me once that maybe ski patrol has them, but I keep forgetting to ask.

12/20/15 5:35am

jakedouglas

Glad you made it out OK.

12/20/15 5:27am

avajane

I haven't skied Deer Vally but with cold temps and relatively sunny weather (compared to the PNW) I'm sure you're right. These types of days in the Cascades are rare!

12/20/15 4:53am

rlsg

Love those photos as usual... Thanks for showing the braided 8's ....good example for how to not ruin a slope slashing/traversing all over... those could win figure 8 contest for sure...that is real skiing...

12/20/15 4:51am

cascadenative

Thanks guys, hey does anyone know the name of the couloir is directly on the other side of the ridge from Chips? When we got to the saddle and looked on the other side,there was an awesome looking chute. I can't seem to find the name of it anywhere.

12/20/15 2:44am

andyrew

It's been a long time, baby, but I want you back.

12/20/15 12:35am

kamtron

Beautiful

12/19/15 2:20pm

Charlie Hagedorn

Yowza! Thanks.

12/19/15 12:30pm

jakedouglas

No notable plant difficulties. Enjoy!

12/19/15 12:11pm

Charlie Hagedorn

How thick are the plants on the way in/out?

12/19/15 9:34am

TonyM

Sounds a lot like some of the classic Deer Valley backcountry epics.

12/19/15 8:50am

jakedouglas

A few more:

12/19/15 7:31am

skykilo

Fun, cool, yay!

12/19/15 6:33am

Chamois

Well - there's another line I'll not attempt in my tele skis!!! Yikes. Very impressive.

12/19/15 5:40am

avajane

Thanks for asking😄

12/19/15 12:02am

jtack

Braided lines off the ridge are such an under appreciated art form! Absolutely beautiful shot thanks. And what a coup getting those great turns without any competition, nice work if you can get it!

12/18/15 3:54pm

Griff

Cool. A line rarely skied these days by the GP. Very fortunate indeed. Wish I was there. Thanks for the report!!

12/18/15 3:19pm

SkiinLou

Awesome photos! Looks like a great time.

12/18/15 2:24pm

kamtron

That is the life. Baker calls.

12/18/15 1:48pm

Charlie Hagedorn

Beautiful!

12/18/15 1:42pm

Kenji

on #vanlife:

12/18/15 9:45am

Charlie Hagedorn

December 17, 2015, Hyak

@jake: I'm pretty sure I already took one for the team with this 2013 thread.

@Erik: one of the myriad joys of skiing alone is that nobody photographs your mistakes :)!

12/18/15 9:43am

ErikT

Dec 13, 2015, Arrowhead Mtn (Stevens)

gorgeous shots! click through to that gallery, folks!!

but please, more #vanlife shots... I'll start contributing to those soon :)

12/18/15 7:20am

ErikT

December 17, 2015, Hyak

pictures of the suit!!!

and thanks for the great shot of the tree and the undeserved shout out :)

12/18/15 2:57am

jakedouglas

December 17, 2015, Hyak

I'll wear my suit too...after I let you sacrifice yourself to gain social acceptance for the rest of us. ;)

12/17/15 1:27pm

cchapin

author=Kenji link=topic=35051.msg143995#msg143995 date=1450377322]
Looks like you guy had a fun trip. I suspect there isn't enough snow cover short-cutting the road?

You could probably skin the shortcut but I wouldn't want to ski down it yet.

12/17/15 1:22pm

kamtron

December 12, 2015, Skyline Lake

Had a great Tuesday up in Moonlight with a couple of guys. We ran into one other party of 4 while lapping the bowl. Noticed the snow was wind-affected but right side up. Ski cuts didn't get anything except small pillows to move. What happened to the carful of ladies from Missouri? My friends were hoping to find you up there :-)

12/17/15 8:16am

Kenji

Dec 13, 2015, Arrowhead Mtn (Stevens)

Looks like you guy had a fun trip. I suspect there isn't enough snow cover short-cutting the road?

12/17/15 7:03am

cascadenative

You really going to leave us hanging??

12/17/15 6:47am

cascadenative

author=bfree32 link=topic=35083.msg143970#msg143970 date=1450322648]
They gave permission for Chip's/Snake Dance/Elevator? Those are all most certainly within the permit boundary, which extends out to about Stokes.

You are right, however, when we spoke with ski patrol at the base of the mountain, they told us they were not doing avalanche control and that we could head out there but for future reference to check in and see if...

12/17/15 4:24am

haggis

I didn't even think to look above the high traverse. Pretty awesome indeed!

12/17/15 4:19am

MW88888888

Post of the year. So awesome on many levels.

12/17/15 4:16am

bfree32

They gave permission for Chip's/Snake Dance/Elevator? Those are all most certainly within the permit boundary, which extends out to about Stokes.

From Gib, cleared areas are:
"...we do not preclude you from heading up the South Fork valley towards Source Lake in order to access points beyond our operating area. ie Great Scott, The Tooth, Chair Peak, Kaleetan, etc."

Nice riding in the little video there.

12/17/15 4:07am

lrudholm

Rad!

12/17/15 4:03am

pipedream