Thread: Traverse Report: The Real Crystal Southback, WA

Wanting to shred, I called Jason, who told me to call Kyle. Kyle told me to meet him on Delridge Ave. at 545am, and so after a few hours of sleep I was headed south on the 99 from my apartment on Phinney. Across the W Seattle Br. and to Kyle's, and in no time flat he and I were scarfing 1$ sausage McMuffins from the Enumclaw McD's.

We met the Hummel twins at the Crystal Mountain parking lot and ditched Kyle's Mazdaru, threw the shit in the EXCURSION and soon were waxing our skins at Cayuse pass.

Kyle picked the perfect route for the day. A traverse from Cayuse Pass back to Crystal Mountain, summiting Naches, Yakima, Deadwood, Smoka, Sourdough and Dog Leg and skiing (mostly) N aspects of each. Mr. Kyle Miller knows the terrain well enough that it was navigable in a whiteout so it was no problem when the winds were blowing 60, our goggles were caked with ice, and the fog would blow up from the verdant rain forest valleys far below.

So it was that we welcomed May of 2010: 6 peaks, 8,200' skied, 8.5 miles of travel.

I brought my camera but its more my style to steal content, so...

Kyle's map, pulled from his nifty GPS-equipped watch.


A photo from Mr. Unemployed of his brother Employed.


And another.


One more thing - None of us could keep up with Kyle. Which wouldn't bother me so much if he wasn't splitboarding. With 6'' platforms of wet snow glopped tip to tail on his skins. Damn dude.

Looks like an epic tour, way to get after it. I'd be afraid to tour with Kyle, it seems he's super-human.

dude i can not wait to get out there this summer

Nice. When Kyle sent out that open invite for touring partners I must confess I thought, "Where is he most likely to kill me, on the way up or down?" Looks like fun was had.

Looks great. So deep!

Dear Friends, and Brothers in Snow:

Fratricide is/was truly not on my agenda.




p.s. I had a great time! Drew, Jason, and Josh are always a pleasure to tour with!

^^^^

Fratricide?

Jessie must be helping you expand your vocabulary.

Dan, it's okay, I won't tell anyone that you had to look "fratrcide" up in the dictionary.

That said, good call, this is about how it went down:

Kyle: "baby, I think people on TGR think I take people out touring to try to kill them."
me: "well, maybe, you should let people know that fratricide is not on your agenda."

[Kyle typing]

He totally didn't try to kill me that time that we went touring all day without food or water. He just forgot that other people need breaks

1K skied per mile skinned. Efficient