Snow in the PNW 17-18: Dropping!

[oftpiste]

That was thing #3's ski. #2 heads for Japow land 1/9 for a little acclimation and gravity related training before Hakuba.

[Norseman]

Great to hear of good turns found this weekend and more chairs moving soon. Hope the drought is kind.

Wrapping up a car project and the vicarious vibes are feeling good. Been a busy fkn fall and I'm getting antsy n stoked to ski witchyall at the padded seats and beyond.

Solid hit on the stud's ski! Gnashy on the bones... I've had some hard hits but that one'd be a dental test. A shock to the cock!

[skibum93]

I'm trying to make a basic CalTopo touring map for Kendall Peak in the Alpental area, and am unsure about the skin track to the west flank by the peak.
Not to have anyone reveal stashes, but did I put it in the right spot?
Following the PCT seemed to have far too much unnecessary exposure.

Kendall Peak Caltopo

[GeezerSteve]

There is usually more than one skin track heading E from CW creek and they aren't always in the same spot year to year. AFAICT your map shows the approximate line of a typical track. Some parties head a bit more upstream before turning E and up.

I'll forebear from commenting re other descent lines. There are few secrets up there.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

fify and I highly recommend this area for the up crowd.

I don't get it. Are you saying that CW creek and Kendall are in the Snoqualmie ski area?

[Mofro261]

Snoqualmie Pass would have generally been most accurate.

Correct, I wouldn't put Kendall Peak in the Alpental area either.

Also- I sure as Hell wouldn't follow that green line along the PCT in the winter above ~5100ft as it wraps around the W face.

[PNWbrit]

"This evening, two backcountry skiers toured up to Pineapple Pass above Source Lake and were in the process of executing a descending traverse when they became cliffed out at ~3700'. The subjects called 911 for assistance at 3:05PM.

Several SMR and SPART members happened to be in the area on a personal ski tour at the top of Alpental's Chair 2. The rescue team traversed out towards Great Scott Bowl and down to the subject's location arriving at 4:40. Initially, a steep ravine separated the rescuers from the subjects resulting in a climb back up to access their descent line. The subjects were uninjured and well equipped, but unable to climb back out given the deep snow. The rescuers assisted their ascent out of hazardous terrain. They then traversed over to a safe descent line and skied out together in the dark reaching the trailhead at 6:35."

[pipedream]

Sounds like someone had an early season encounter w/ Sweet Little Annie. Seattle Mountain Rescue's Facebook post about this included their rescuers' GPS track:



In other news... anyone up for some full(ish) moon laps this week? I meant to get out last night but somehow pizza beers by the fire happened instead...
https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/@5811007

[skibum93]

Correct, I wouldn't put Kendall Peak in the Alpental area either.

Also- I sure as Hell wouldn't follow that green line along the PCT in the winter above ~5100ft as it wraps around the W face.

Thanks for pointing that out. After checking the contour lines, I shifted the skin track to crest the ridge earlier so there isn't any wrap around to the west face.

Also (not asking to reveal secrets), but all of the images and beta I've seen don't put many cliffs in the West Kendall Flank once you start past the big ones. Is that true? Or are there lots of goodies to avoid in that zone?

[Mofro261]

Sounds like someone had an early season encounter w/ Sweet Little Annie. Seattle Mountain Rescue's Facebook post about this included their rescuers' GPS track:



In other news... anyone up for some full(ish) moon laps this week? I meant to get out last night but somehow pizza beers by the fire happened instead...
https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/@5811007

Interesting. We skied down stokes and over thru nw passage and to the right of black hole yesterday. Pillow pillaging on the down, but there was a skin track heading up in this area, we passed a couple guys climbing up around noonish.

[Mofro261]

Thanks for pointing that out. After checking the contour lines, I shifted the skin track to crest the ridge earlier so there isn't any wrap around to the west face.

Also (not asking to reveal secrets), but all of the images and beta I've seen don't put many cliffs in the West Kendall Flank once you start past the big ones. Is that true? Or are there lots of goodies to avoid in that zone?

Further skier's right (north) to the back of the drainage has less cliffs. Much of what rolls off the top of Kendall to the West contains cliff outs, complex terrain, and numerous lines that appear to go until they don't. I usually approach this area by contouring up the drainage between Red and Kendall to the back as opposed to heading up over the top.

[skibum93]

Further skier's right (north) to the back of the drainage has less cliffs. Much of what rolls off the top of Kendall to the West contains cliff outs, complex terrain, and numerous lines that appear to go until they don't. I usually approach this area by contouring up the drainage between Red and Kendall to the back as opposed to heading up over the top.

Ahh so you can scope the lines. That makes a lot of sense

[TAFKALVS]

I'm headed to Baker this weekend. Any B'ham/Skagit mags want to grab some laps or tour, let me know. I'm slow on the up and fast on the down. (Yes I know I missed the epic pow cycle but hardpack and sunshine on the entire mountain sure beats hardpack and sunshine on a narrow strip of manmade snow.)

[pipedream]

LVS, there's aplenty of hardpacked pow waiting for you on chair 2... A shorter drive as well

[TAFKALVS]

LVS, there's aplenty of hardpacked pow waiting for you on chair 2... A shorter drive as well

I have been briefed on the mediocre conditions that I could be enjoying (excluding right side 'nash, of course) but my wife has family up there we will be visiting. Rather than sit with her grandma for 2 days, I choose skiing at Baker.

[BeardMech]

I will be golfing tomorrow afternoon. I negotiated with the wife to let me go since she works over night. Family totally gets in the way of the shred.

I assume the groomed runs will be a bit icey, but hopefully they will soften up in the afternoon.

[wickstad]

I have been briefed on the mediocre conditions that I could be enjoying (excluding right side 'nash, of course) but my wife has family up there we will be visiting. Rather than sit with her grandma for 2 days, I choose skiing at Baker.

Nwskier wants some photos of grannie.

[NW_SKIER]

Nwskier wants some photos of grannie.

I think it might be time for me to pass the tits request torch on to someone else.

[wickstad]

You’ve milked it for all it’s worth.

[PNWbrit]

You’ve milked it for all it’s worth.

Polite golf applause.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[NW_SKIER]

You’ve milked it for all it’s worth.

The results just don't justify the effort.
Zero percent success rate.

[TAFKALVS]

The results just don't justify the effort.
Zero percent success rate.

Please someone pm this man some nice tits, before he gives up on the dream

[wickstad]

The results just don't justify the effort.
Zero percent success rate.

Not a very well-rounded endorsement to your potential disciples.

[AK47bp]

The results just don't justify the effort.
Zero percent success rate.

Well, at least you gave it your breast.

[GeezerSteve]

Kendall Peak Caltopo

Addendum: There's some mellower skiing, some in big trees, to the S of your descent lines. When conditions are right/safe we sometimes pop over the divide and ski down to Kendall Peak Lakes via the col @ "LD" in WILDERNESS. It can get some windloading so assess and be careful. We sometimes head back over, other times work S to the Kendall Road and glide out the road, dodging snowshoers and hippy stickers, to Gold Creek SnoPark.