Wasatch STOKE, Conditions, Observations and assorted drival 15-16

[JTrue]

No instabilities noted, onto the stoke.

[M111S]

No instabilities noted, onto the stoke.

Great pics, looks like much fun was had

As for instabilities, not so sure, looks like a biggish one at post 220

[sfotex]

Hard to get motivated for an early start with the cold temps/wind, but went for a quick jaunt up Gobblers. Snow on the last 100 feet to the ridge had some stiff wind slab on it, we got some whomping and collapsing on the ridge. Nice soft turns once you dropped a couple hundred feet.

[Skidog]

Wind was crazy yesterday. Alta had to close main street after perlas on baldy went to nearly the main street flats. Natural from all the wind bringing snow out of mineral.

[gnarchived]

No instabilities noted, onto the stoke.

Where is this couloir? Looks like an incredible day

[land]

Went up the bottom of Reed and Benson ridge on Friday, not expecting winds like that.... Sheltered terrain down low skied really well still, although north facing slopes are becoming pure sugar. Once in the wind, it was reactive slabsville. Cracking and collapsing on any lee slope up there. High slopes in Cardiff looked pretty darn windfucked. What a difference a day makes.




Anyone ever approached Benson and Hedges from the BCC side of Reed and Benson ridge? Seems less exposed than booting up underneath it, but some of the ridge looks like it would be a tad rowdy to boot up. Sure is a cool place to walk around though.

[Trackhead]

Where is this couloir? Looks like an incredible day

West side of the Oquirhhs.

[loopie]

How do I post pictures in here? I am getting my "access denied."

[east or bust]

How do I post pictures in here? I am getting my "access denied."

Need 5 posts or something before you can post pictures.

[loopie]

Went up the bottom of Reed and Benson ridge on Friday, not expecting winds like that.... Sheltered terrain down low skied really well still, although north facing slopes are becoming pure sugar. Once in the wind, it was reactive slabsville. Cracking and collapsing on any lee slope up there. High slopes in Cardiff looked pretty darn windfucked. What a difference a day makes.

Anyone ever approached Benson and Hedges from the BCC side of Reed and Benson ridge? Seems less exposed than booting up underneath it, but some of the ridge looks like it would be a tad rowdy to boot up. Sure is a cool place to walk around though.

What do you mean exactly? If you approach Benson and Hedges from Cardiff you have to boot up the chute. If you go Days it might be possible to go up Chicken Shit Ridge.

Are you referring to the latter about booting up the backside or traversing north across the ridge from Flagstaff?

I was skiing Cardiff that windy day and the spindrift was in full effect. I picked up a hitch hiker who turned out to be a UAC forecaster and saw Cardiac ridge slide naturally. Not surprising.

[Dantheman]

Anyone know anything about a possible fatality at Alta yesterday? A coworker saw a guy take a hard tumble while riding up Collins. The next ride up patrol was doing CPR on him, and was still doing CPR two laps later and Life Flight was arriving. They went home after that. Nothing on the local news so far, but the outcome is rarely good when CPR is being performed for that long

[Skidog]

Anyone know anything about a possible fatality at Alta yesterday? A coworker saw a guy take a hard tumble while riding up Collins. The next ride up patrol was doing CPR on him, and was still doing CPR two laps later and Life Flight was arriving. They went home after that. Nothing on the local news so far, but the outcome is rarely good when CPR is being performed for that long

Hmm i left at about 2pm and saw nothing before that. Guess it happened after...hope the person is alright...

[JTrue]

West side of the Oquirhhs.

Yep, what he said. PM glademaster if you need any additional info about stashes in the Wasatch.

[land]

What do you mean exactly? If you approach Benson and Hedges from Cardiff you have to boot up the chute. If you go Days it might be possible to go up Chicken Shit Ridge.

Are you referring to the latter about booting up the backside or traversing north across the ridge from Flagstaff?

Sorry not to be clearer, what I meant was if you start in BCC and follow the ridge the entire way. Clearly, it would be simpler to boot up the couloir or skin up something on the Days side, but it could be a fun adventure to traverse the ridge. You know, because it's there or something.

[Boissal]

Sorry not to be clearer, what I meant was if you start in BCC and follow the ridge the entire way. Clearly, it would be simpler to boot up the couloir or skin up something on the Days side, but it could be a fun adventure to traverse the ridge. You know, because it's there or something.

The ridge cliffs out in a number of places, doubt you could link it from the base in the winter.

[bigdude2468]

Anyone know anything about a possible fatality at Alta yesterday? A coworker saw a guy take a hard tumble while riding up Collins. The next ride up patrol was doing CPR on him, and was still doing CPR two laps later and Life Flight was arriving. They went home after that. Nothing on the local news so far, but the outcome is rarely good when CPR is being performed for that long

I have no further information other than the skier collapsed, there was no fall or collision involved.

[east or bust]

^Further confirmation on that.

I have a bud skiing out there who was on the run when the skier collapsed.

[JTrue]

Fun day out west with MarkH, Ian, and Layne, posted a TR here

[mall walker]

Bailed on the S face of Sup this morning at pole line pass... forecasted 5-10mph winds and partly sunny w/low avy risk, ended up being quite windy, kinda snowy (at least it was blowing hard), lenticular clouds moving in earlier than we expected and we got some cracking / movement in smaller test slopes ESE/SE facing (around ~9800' give or take) due to obvious wind loading. Also we were running about an hour late

Plenty of folks behind us on the skinner though...

[Swine]

Bailed on the S face of Sup this morning at pole line pass... forecasted 5-10mph winds and partly sunny w/low avy risk, ended up being quite windy, kinda snowy (at least it was blowing hard), lenticular clouds moving in earlier than we expected and we got some cracking / movement in smaller test slopes ESE/SE facing (around ~9800' give or take) due to obvious wind loading. Also we were running about an hour late

Plenty of folks behind us on the skinner though...

Was thinking about suicide chute tomorrow morning, bad idea?

[mall walker]

Was thinking about suicide chute tomorrow morning, bad idea?

Idk. Not according to the UAC report, and some fresh should make the turns nicer. It was more weather / visibility / time than avy hazard that turned us around, but we did have some concern over the wind loaded terrain. Just something to keep in mind I guess.

[loopie]

Was thinking about suicide chute tomorrow morning, bad idea?

Hmmm I would dig a pit at the base of the chute if you aren't feeling confident. In my opinion, the danger area for suicide is topping out right where the cornice is.

I would go for it though!

[Swine]

Idk. Not according to the UAC report, and some fresh should make the turns nicer. It was more weather / visibility / time than avy hazard that turned us around, but we did have some concern over the wind loaded terrain. Just something to keep in mind I guess.

Cool, thanks. We're playing cautious for sure. UAC does have a good report, I just haven't poked around sup yet this year.

[mall walker]

^ ya basically what loopie said. If we had known the weather would turn when it did, we probably would have gone cautiously for suicide this morning.

[skifishbum]

Beacon practice park at snowbird is up and running below the powderbirds. Went up yesterday, great practice. Need to practice more!

The one at solitude is not up yet as of yesterday.

had to wait till the on snow circus of radness came to town
but sillytudes is open
crack o nooned er pio to dog lake
rhimey graybird windsweep meh ridge skin

just enough to set an edge
plenty of cornices and reloading a collapse and crack on ski cut in a previous natural starting zone
slighty suckerholed for decent descent