Wasatch Conditions 10-11

**Johnny Deep** · 01-04-2011, 03:48 PM

The Mircowave side is worthy as well! More filled in right now than all of last season.

**powstash** · 01-04-2011, 03:49 PM

Sorry if this isn't the right location for this...although this thread seems much less about conditions and more about trip reports and all things Wastach. Any help anyone could give on this would be appreciated. I may go out tomorrow morning looking for this.

From a buddy:

Monday, my two buddies I skied with Saturday and I headed toward Superior. The conditions were stable and my confidence was up so we gave it a go. On the knife edge just past Little Superior there is a rocky section that you could skin through but bang up your skis so I took off my skis to walk. As I stepped out of my bindings, I stumbled a little inadvertently kicking both skis off the edge down the south side. One ski turned over and stopped about 100 yards down, but the other tracked straight down over the first cliff band. I hiked down to the first ski and continued down looking for the second. Given the steepness of the slope and the cliffs, I didn’t feel good about getting near the cliffs so I went around under the second cliff band with a narrow choke. The ski didn’t make it through the choke and I was too worked to post hole up through it so I walk all the way down. I went back a few hours later with my brother on snowshoes to try to get up through the choke but it was too steep and icy for my risk tolerance so we tried to get in between the cliff bands from the side. Again, it was too sketchy for my tastes to traverse a steep, crusty slope above cliffs on snowshoes. Getting seriously hurt is not worth a ski, so I’ve made a donation to the ski gods....

more

Once you get to Little Superior, go down along the knife edge toward Superior. You’ll come to a rocky section with a skinner through the rocks on the south side you have to side step through and a skinner lower around it on the north side (I didn’t see the skinner on the north until I’d committed to the line through the rocks), you can’t miss it. The ski went directly down the south side from the rocky section. Visibility wasn’t great at the time, but I’m pretty sure it made it to the first cliff band that has an ice fall in the middle. It was headed directly for the ice fall when I lost sight of it. The next cliff band down has a very narrow choke you see from the bottom. My guess is it’s between the cliff bands, but again, I didn’t have great visibility at the time.

Thx to anyone who happens to be in the area and sees it or can reach it. Aside from +vibes and Karma something along the lines of a gift cert to Porcupine is in order.

**tyfalk** · 01-04-2011, 04:38 PM

Another nice day out there today. Shady sheltered aspects still skiing smooth and creamy around boot deep. CT's around 8700' on W NW aspects took a good amount of force to pull out above heat crust a little more than a foot down with a clean shear.

**ectreeskier11** · 01-04-2011, 04:41 PM

want to get out on a "real" tour tomorrow... anyone who would have me?

**Jong Slaughter's Mom** · 01-04-2011, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by ectreeskier11

want to get out on a "real" tour tomorrow... anyone who would have me?

East Coast would surely love to have you. Please move back.

**ectreeskier11** · 01-04-2011, 10:21 PM

Originally Posted by Jong Slaughter's Mom

East Coast would surely love to have you. Please move back.

i feel like this alias is primarily used to flame me, and i'm touched someone would give me that much attention. thanks.

**salida** · 01-05-2011, 08:21 AM

We went up into this corner of the Wasatch a day or so ago. Found stable snow, and for the most part unconsolidated snow. Some gully cross loading towards the top.

**Trackhead** · 01-05-2011, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by salida

We went up into this corner of the Wasatch a day or so ago. Found stable snow, and for the most part unconsolidated snow. Some gully cross loading towards the top.

Did you exit the way you came, or did you ski over the slab at the bottom? Filled in yet?

**PassTheDutchie** · 01-05-2011, 11:03 AM

Lionel Hutz to the intercom?!??!: anyone with any predictions as to how much snow might fall Saturday/Sunday?

**salida** · 01-05-2011, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by Trackhead

Did you exit the way you came, or did you ski over the slab at the bottom? Filled in yet?

Skied out the bottom of it. Two chokes, neither filled in. Did some rock slab skiing and whippet down-climbing to exit. That area needs to avalanche cycle before it fills in the chokes. In hindsight, it would be prudent to have a rope to descend that way this early in the year.

More pictures/info here

**lionelhutz** · 01-05-2011, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by PassTheDutchie

Lionel Hutz to the intercom?!??!: anyone with any predictions as to how much snow might fall Saturday/Sunday?

The frontal passage isn't being modeled very well right now. Models currently brush the best dynamics off to the North of UT and render the front pretty dry as it passes through the Wasatch. While we could see this happen, even the slightest moisture, given the orientation of the winds, and the temp profile of the front, would set off pretty decent snows.

You can't get into amounts right now with this type of system as it's unclear exactly how close to SLC the primary low tracks and secondly - and perhaps more importantly- it's unclear at this time how long the post frontal unstable nw flow environment will last. (These conditions present the best conditions for orographic snowfall in the high box canyons of LCC and BCC).

**Johnny Deep** · 01-05-2011, 11:31 AM

We will get what we will get and we will like it.

**brutah** · 01-05-2011, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by salida

Skied out the bottom of it. Two chokes, neither filled in. Did some rock slab skiing and whippet down-climbing to exit. That area needs to avalanche cycle before it fills in the chokes. In hindsight, it would be prudent to have a rope to descend that way this early in the year.

yea porter! i no longer believe anderson anderson's lies about you being a gaper

**PassTheDutchie** · 01-05-2011, 12:13 PM

Thanks for the update; keeping fingers crossed (first trip of the year). Thinking of posting a picture of my junk in the "Plea to Ullr" thread.

**Trackhead** · 01-05-2011, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by salida

In hindsight, it would be prudent to have a rope to descend that way this early in the year.

Yup, it can make it a bit easier.

**lionelhutz** · 01-05-2011, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by PassTheDutchie

Thanks for the update; keeping fingers crossed (first trip of the year). Thinking of posting a picture of my junk in the "Plea to Ullr" thread.

Only if you are a girl is that going to appease Ullr. And if you perhance female...by all means post away. I'm sure you will be rewarded.

**PassTheDutchie** · 01-05-2011, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by lionelhutz

Only if you are a girl is that going to appease Ullr. And if you perhance female...by all means post away. I'm sure you will be rewarded.

Nah, I'm a dude. But I could shave my ass, photo it up in dim light and hope Ullr doesn't notice?

**skiski** · 01-05-2011, 02:47 PM

Originally Posted by PassTheDutchie

Nah, I'm a dude. But I could shave my ass, photo it up in dim light and hope Ullr doesn't notice?

Ullr is all knowing and he would not be amused by these shenanigans.

**lionelhutz** · 01-05-2011, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by PassTheDutchie

Nah, I'm a dude. But I could shave my ass, photo it up in dim light and hope Ullr doesn't notice?

Lola...l-o-l-a...lola

**Johnny Deep** · 01-05-2011, 03:44 PM

^^^^

**Alx88** · 01-05-2011, 10:48 PM

Originally Posted by salida

We went up into this corner of the Wasatch a day or so ago. Found stable snow, and for the most part unconsolidated snow. Some gully cross loading towards the top.

Your guys' skin track up was interesting to say the least (fucking BRUTAL), we were stumped at your down track as well, thought for sure ya'll had ropes... The run looked mighty fun though.

Spotted the Wiz today

(he kinda looked like that)... #1 skied pretty swell, don't take my word for it though, here's MarkH and ZachC ripping up and down it. I might concoct another video...

**Alx88** · 01-05-2011, 11:01 PM

...

VIDEO - [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm2pAiuhuhg"]YouTube - Memorial Couloir #1 on a Venture Splitboard[/nomedia]

**Trackhead** · 01-06-2011, 03:45 PM

East Face of North Summit on Timp went well today. No instabilities, firm neve, chalky snow. Lots of huge slides from the big storm event on every aspect and elevation.

Line skied well with some route finding. Great exposure, great location, great group of touring partners today.

**salida** · 01-06-2011, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by Alx88

Your guys' skin track up was interesting to say the least (fucking BRUTAL), we were stumped at your down track as well, thought for sure ya'll had ropes... The run looked mighty fun though.

Spotted the Wiz today

(he kinda looked like that)... #1 skied pretty swell, don't take my word for it though, here's MarkH and ZachC ripping up and down it. I might concoct another video...

It was an exploratory route to say the least. The up track followed some hikers until we reached that chockstone, at which point we just took the straight line approach until we found what we were looking for. As for the down, nothing a little billy goating couldn't dial in.

Great skiing up there. Will be sure to set a more intuitive skin track next time. Glad you guys had fun.

**ZachClanton** · 01-06-2011, 06:15 PM

^^^^ yeaa man dippin left at that chockstone is definitely where it's at. A little bit of bullshit to begin with but it was as good as it gets up high!

Mark Hammond