Snow in the PNW 2012/13 Thread

[White Chocolate]

For those of you with spring plans to do Baker via the standard coleman glacier route, the road washed out yesterday 7 miles from the trailhead. It is still passable on foot or by bike, but they have no money to try and get it re-opened for cars anytime soon.

[Norseman]

Sounds like a fun day... wishin I woulda gone... stupid chores. Moving into a new place.


Last weekend, as promised:

[Buster Highmen]

On early morning review of conditions, I chose to stay home and fire up some Sunday morning smells of bacon and eggs, fried tomatoes and toast.

After howls of Sunday comics and morning ragings, did Frisbee and yes, gaHdening, laying in the bulbs that brighten and plants that provide, then bikerides and books.

I missed going up, but it was a good exchange since I can't do it all.

[PNWbrit]

Fun, if at times damp weekend. Thanks all.

[GeezerSteve]

Fortune loop yesterday (Sunday 5/19). Fun. Standard tour: ascended over Ingalls Pass and above Headlight Basin to Fortune SE ridge, descended ridge then SE aspect bowl. A slomo hisser caught me up high in the bowl and trapped a ski but I managed to stop and not ride it out. Below that were lots of fun turns. Skied down to c. 300' verts above where we typically deski this time of year. Should be plenty of turns on N aspects (Headlight Basin side) and in the SE bowl for the next 3 weeks or so, but plan to do some walking. Looking pretty bony up towards Longs Pass, but we saw ski tracks on the patches. Big group of skiers on Fortune summit, all with Fritschi bindings and most with no more than intermediate skills. They were courteous and let is ski by.

According to NOAA there will be fresh snow this week as well!

The new snow over what's there could set up some big ass hisser potential. Be careful out there.

[Buster Highmen]

The new snow over what's there could set up some big ass hisser potential. Be careful out there.

Hey it's summer, we're used to the hissy fits.

[String]

Took some evening/sunset runs around snow lake. I've never seen so much frozen dog shit in my life. First hundred yards out of lot 4 is nasty. Snow was was spring radness after 7pm. Watched an epic PNW mtns and clouds sunset behind Roosevelt. Mind blown. Wonder gully still goes, same with east and west gullies to snowlake. Roosevelt is rideable from top to bottom.

[Huskier]

So I talked the lady friend into trying her hand at touring, but alas she has only inbounds gear. Starting off with some light meadow-skipping Sat. or Sun around St. Helens, leaving Seattle for Yakima, then over to the mountain. Anybody have or know of someone who has gear that they wouldn't mind lending out? Or a shop that's still renting gear this time of year? Compensatory beer and collateral would be provided, of course and would pickup/drop-off. She's ~140, 5'6, size 26-27MP if boots are available.

Thanks!

[bfree]

Not cheap, but Marmot in Bellevue will rent AT gear.

[PNWbrit]

Or a shop that's still renting gear this time of year?

ProSki on Aurora or in North Bend, Marmot in Bellevue.

[shroom]

auvgeek, jesski and i got out in the colchuck area yesterday. a late start and hints of rain kept us off anything noteworthy, but the views were still killer.


DSC_3714 by shroom32, on Flickr
(lens could use a cleaning)


colchuck_lake by shroom32, on Flickr


DSC_3719 by shroom32, on Flickr

[Patarero]

Local crew took advantage of a brief window to hit Adams yesterday. Left the truck at 2:30am at the end of the 150 rd @ ~4500ft. Bushwacked up through the old burn until we hit the snipe trail. 1.6 miles to reach skinable snow. Went up along the lava bed then took a ramp up into the maze.

Sunrise over the maze


Made it to the base of Pikers a little after 8, boiled some water and had some tea while things softened up. Pikers was crampon or ski crampon required territory for the last couple hundred. Got to the top of Pikers to find pow and that I had thrown the wife's gray/pink helmet and goggles with flowers on them in my bag instead of my own. Pow and Helens.


Given the long ass traverse back to our up trail we took a break instead of topping out. We dropped into the chutes to find pow/wind affected fresh over ice with death cookies. Decided to send it thinking it would get better down lower and it did. Things got pool table smooth and ripe after a few hundred. Opening it up ...


Requisite chutes/Helens pic


Then a long ass traverse. Made it back through the lava maze with the aid of the gps.


And through the woods back to the truck at 5:15.


Long day, but untouched perfect corn in the sw chutes was worth it.

[Zeedashbo]

Almost a foot of fresh at chinook pass. Legit powder til 11. Kinda heavy after that then pretty mush after two. I skied powder today.

[splitinbend]

Almost a foot at Mt. Bachelor today, super cold, dry pow. More to come this week. I also got my shred on in powder today!

[PNWbrit]

Almost a foot of fresh at chinook pass. Legit powder til 11. Kinda heavy after that then pretty mush after two.

Crystal or Chinook tmw if you're interested.

[Zeedashbo]

I'm beat. Thanks for the invite. Get up early to beat the solars.

[Buster Highmen]

I'm interested and will be flailing around the Southern Resort for a couple of days this weekend.

[fiddler]

I'm interested and will be flailing around the Southern Resort for a couple of days this weekend.

I'll be there on Saturday. Black no graphic Lhasa's, blue jacket, black pants and silver helmet. Ahh, May.

[PNWbrit]

It was pretty good for May 23rd

[NoPostholio]

looks funner than milking leftover snowmaking patches....

[ACH]

Reset!!!
Now I have to rethink my quiver for the weekend.

looks funner than milking leftover snowmaking patches....

Yeah, but some times you have to rock-whatchya-got...

[Theo-san]

I'd like to get out this weekend if anyone needs a partner - Sunday or Monday preferred.. have to be back sooner Monday but with the weather its probably going to be best to call it mid-day anyway. I can drive/carry a few people. PM me

Location doesn't matter too much (I'm N of Seattle, S of Tac)- I'd like to ski pow, but we'll see

[I Fvckd Mrs. ngle!]

Wow pow in may! The pow must rule. I'd move there but hear its full of yuppie posers.

[Theo-san]

What you have to understand is that there is no such thing as powder snow in WA - so we have to resort to calling any snow with more than 3mm of ski penetration "Powder", even if it is an ungodly sloppy wet rotten pool of half frozen slushie. Also, it doesn't snow here, it just rains.

[String]

There was legit pow in the enchantments yesterday. Aasgard was fantastic until the main chute next to dragontail opens up. Mush after that.

Buttery uppers