Snow in the PNW 17-18: Dropping!

[wyeaster]

i meant check out the three next to alpental. but after again listening to everybody talk at alpental, i really want to check out a lot of stuff in washington. i'm grateful for mt hood and occasional trips to bachelor but i would like to experience more stuff in the region and hopefully some splitboarding. probably a pipedream in which case it's nice to live vicariously through others here.

[wyeaster]

might just do that

[pipedream]

We're gonna need some more dumps to have a Cinqo...

[wyeaster]

mt hood looks terrible. spring is looking short if things dont change in a hurry.

[Norseman]

[TAFKALVS]

I'd call BS on the 98% of normal for the North Central WA Cascades. Maybe normal snowpack above 5-6k feet but below that it looks like May right now. I wonder where the snotel data sites are?

[PNWbrit]

I wonder where the snotel data sites are?

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/map/?obs=true&wfo=sew

Set provider to snotel...

[Norseman]

Yup, those Basin Filled SWE maps can be misleading for exactly the reason you note.

Here are a couple point maps:

[MagnificentUnicorn]

NW_SKIER and my self made the trek to LVS neck of the woods for some Uber firm high speed Karving on Mission Ridge.
Blue skies and firm snow was what we had to look forward to. Some patches were so firm you couldn't get an edge to hold as I fell victim to mid morning. Crashed at high speed and fought to keep from going into the trees. Came to rest over 100' down the slope in a gully with ice rash and a hurt shoulder and hip. NW's watch said we were reaching speeds of 62mph. It was a little crowded to really let them run.

Met up with several other mags for firm turns and great food and beers at lunch.
NW_SKIER brought brats and I brought the cooking equipment for a great tailgate lunch.
Mags that were in attendance: NW_SKIER, 2FUNKY, LVS, Magnificent Unicorn, SteveSki, Paterero, bumped into MOFRO on the hill,

LVS and Ms.LVS were amazing hosts as usual.
Lot party.

Bird fly over on the Brats.


The Unicorn standing there all magnificent like. LVS flying the bird.

Looking down on the Columbia.

Hey, thanks again for lunch, that was great. Good people you and NW SKier. Where was your slide for life?

Today was nice at Mission, groomers on the Bomber side keep getting better with the constant tilling, cold temps and lower humidity. Fast and grippy today. No people made high speed runs less nerve wracking.

[TAFKALVS]

Yeah, the healthy snowpack at the crest skews the fact that there is basically zero snow from about Coles Corner east in the highway 2 corridor. We seldom had storms this winter that made it past the crest that didn't include rain or very warm freezing level - and the week plus of high pressure and warm temps did a number on whatever was left. I'm sure there will be plenty of snowpack at the crest to keep the rivers going but I'd say don't count on any seasonal creeks when hiking this spring/summer. I would also expect really bad ticks and potentially some bad grass/brush fires soon.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Yeah, the healthy snowpack at the crest skews the fact that there is basically zero snow from about Coles Corner east in the highway 2 corridor. We seldom had storms this winter that made it past the crest that didn't include rain or very warm freezing level - and the week plus of high pressure and warm temps did a number on whatever was left. I'm sure there will be plenty of snowpack at the crest to keep the rivers going but I'd say don't count on any seasonal creeks when hiking this spring/summer. I would also expect really bad ticks and potentially some bad grass/brush fires soon.

The snotels in the Eastern Wenatchee Mtns. are just below or just above normal. Grouse Camp, Upper Wheeler and Trough. You have to realize that what you see looking out at the mountains isn't really what's actually on the ground. Most of the snowpack below 4500' doesn't really count on the eastside when they talk about a 'normal' snowpack.

[2FUNKY]

Hey, thanks again for lunch, that was great. Good people you and NW SKier. Where was your slide for life?

Today was nice at Mission, groomers on the Bomber side keep getting better with the constant tilling, cold temps and lower humidity. Fast and grippy today. No people made high speed runs less nerve wracking.

Thanks man, nice to hang out and chat with you.
About mid way up chair 2. Skiers left run where the two runs split. Not sure if the name. Hit ice mid turn and went down hard in the blink of an eye.

[TAFKALVS]

Thanks man, nice to hang out and chat with you.
About mid way up chair 2. Skiers left run where the two runs split. Not sure if the name. Hit ice mid turn and went down hard in the blink of an eye.

The split between Nastar and Lip Lip.

[2FUNKY]

The split between Nastar and Lip Lip.

Yeah, that.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Yeah, that.

And you slid off the right side into that gully? That could have ended badly, glad you're okay.

[2FUNKY]

And you slid off the right side into that gully? That could have ended badly, glad you're okay.

Shoulder is pretty fucked but should be good in a couple weeks. It spooked me a little and it takes a lot to do so. Thanks man.

[wickstad]

Sorry I missed the BBQ, both my girls needed some attention. The crowds thinned significantly @230, and then things really sped up as turns became optional... maxxed out at 84mph.

At Mission? Where?

[MagnificentUnicorn]

The BBQ was in 'The Pit', I'm guessing he went fast on one of the groomed runs.

[wickstad]

The BBQ was in 'The Pit', I'm guessing he went fast on one of the groomed runs.

Was bull served at the bbq?

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Was bull served at the bbq?

Tons.

[wickstad]

Tons.

Actually it occurred to me that Lemolo was groomed. A heavy snowboarder on Lemolo maybe...

[Mofro261]

Was bull served at the bbq?

No bull, as I didn't make the bbq.

It wasn't too difficult to hit mid 60's on just about any of the runs over the weekend, point it straight to accelerate. Probably hit top speed somewhere on sun spot-tumwater-nastar or lemolo-tumwater-liplip, most consistent fall line with the occasional steep(er) rollers.

And really, the hill was completely empty, the snow was amazingly hard, I was on very well tuned true GS skis with great edge grip, and I still had to drop into a full tuck to move the needle above 70mph. Fat or a snowboarder I am not, but generating speed is something I have a pretty good command on.

[jackattack]

Actually it occurred to me that Lemolo was groomed. A heavy snowboarder on Lemolo maybe...

More likely the winch cat.

[wickstad]

No bull, as I didn't make the bbq.

It wasn't too difficult to hit mid 60's on just about any of the runs over the weekend, point it straight to accelerate. Probably hit top speed somewhere on sun spot-tumwater-nastar or lemolo-tumwater-liplip, most consistent fall line with the occasional steep(er) rollers.

And really, the hill was completely empty, the snow was amazingly hard, I was on very well tuned true GS skis with great edge grip, and I still had to drop into a full tuck to move the needle above 70mph. Fat or a snowboarder I am not, but generating speed is something I have a pretty good command on.

Think I said “heavy”. But yeah check your data. Bet it’s Lemolo.

[Norseman]

And really, the hill was completely empty, the snow was amazingly hard, I was on very well tuned true GS skis with great edge grip, and I still had to drop into a full tuck to move the needle above 70mph. Fat or a snowboarder I am not, but generating speed is something I have a pretty good command on.

Quoted for awesomeness.

Mofro is one of the fastest skiers I've ever seen.