Snoqualmit Mtn, May 4, 2007

Thursday night, Pico and I decided the forecast was favorable for a trip to the Pass, so packs were packed.  The snow on Si was an indicator that the ski day was on.  Lightly spitting snow greeted us as we pulled on boots and began the hike up Com Basin.  We got up Cave Ridge without too much difficulty and determined that the snow was pretty stable, several inches of Snoqualmie Powder on 6-8" of wetter pack snow before reaching the colder, firmer pack snow.  From the n. end of the Cave Ridge summit we approached the e. ridge but the usual approach appeared to be melted out along the end of the crest, so a more westerly approach was used to gain the ridge crest, and it was smooth sailing from there, with building winds as a squall moved in.  Visibility was nil on the snow dome n. of the true summit so we used our map and compass to drop into our destination gully.  Once off the ridge vistas opened and the skiing became quit decent.  The snow conditions were stable, with 4-6" of dryer snow on the wetter pack.  Only on the steepest pitch was there any sloughing, and it didn't trigger any deeper release.  As we approached the end, 4200', we noticed an increasing instability, as the snow was all wet at that altitude, but it was time to turn aroung anyway.
Back up at the dome, visibility was marginal at best, so we carefully worked our way towards Lundin and dropped e. into the head of Com Basin.  The visibility improved markedly after a few hundred feet decent, and we stayed skiers left to clear the cliff bands.  The snow steadily grew wetter as we dropped, reaching a critical release zone aroung 4300', where on the steeper slopes our ski cuts released some 8' hissers.  They ran slow and stopped soon, but by then we were low enough to begin the traverse out.
We need some clear nights to establish a good corn base, because it'll just be a mush fest in warmer conditions as it is now.  Unfortunately the forecasts don't seem to be cooperating.
All in all, it was a good day on the mountain, with some full-on winter conditions, enough challenges to be entertaining and some of Pico's ginger snaps to provide energy in times of need.