SNOW IN THE PNW 2010!

[Andyski]

Bachelor, while not steep, was pure awesomeness today. Storm skiing at its best. First time at bachelor and it's like taking mission ridge, expanding it by 3x, and adding a couple thousand vert of fall line.

[JulianG]

Were you one of the five that punched the trail out to Elf and then supremely gaped down it? If so, you had quite the peanut gallery on top of 6 laughing/shaking their heads at your exposure mitigation tactics.

No, wasn't me. I took a run shallow elbow, and back onto Gables, but that was all I had the stones for after this.

The contrast increase sure helps, thanks ISL, definitely shows the scale a little better.

And I feel that these days there is less hazard on the arm as it often gets pounded with tracks between storms or even midstorm. It's certainly not risk-free but is by no means a backcountry snowpack from a stratigraphy standpoint, except for far out or in a few select areas.

I agree here, and it is an interesting point. The fact that there are always so many people hiking the arm also almost insures that there are always eyes on the rider (if there's any vis that is), which also probably makes people safer. On the flip side, these factors making people feel safer can lead them to run too high a level of risk. I have to say that while I try not to be, I also have at been included in this category.
It really is great that there could be this type of shock to our sense of safety at Baker without any nasty repercussions at all. Its really just unbelievable.

[BenWA]

Heard some massive rumbles echoing throughout Alpental valley today. Is everybody ok? Saw a line of snowshoers all clustered together marching up to Snow Lake across a highly suspect slope from Source Lake......I was just standing there waiting to partake in a multi burial recovery.

[Za]

I understand them wanting to charge, but charge or not, that's an obnoxiously written article. It comes across as hurt, petty, and unprofessional.



"Oh you don't want to pay? Fine, nobody gets it, now are you happy?" Seems like PR could have been managed better to avoid this. It also seems like taking a hit on the very first spring season to see how things shake out would have been smart.

Does anyone know what portion of operations is paid for by daily tickets, versus passes, versus crappy $10 hamburgers?

I read that Crystal response and my response to their response immediately came to mind: fuuuuck youuuuuuuu. I don't have a season pass to Crystal, I have a season pass to Alpental (OK, the Summit). On a terrain basis, obviously, Crystal has something to offer. But with their snobby bullshit attitude, the whole package is so much better at Alpental, or Baker, or White Pass, or... Crystal needs to make a profit, but what a shitting ass attitude. Skiing needs to be saved from the corporate likes of Crystal and the snobs associated with it. I will continue to base my skiing elsewhere, and when I ski at Crystal, I will continue to endeavor to make it on 2-for-1 days or other times that won't help them pay for that gandola and other crap I don't use when I "look around" as they say.

[mdp]

Woke up this morning kind of slow not really expecting a lot of new snow. Looked at the pass report for White and saw they received 14" in the past 24hrs. That put some stoke in my fire and I threw my gear in the car and headed up. Bluebird, zero wind, no lift lines and several inches of light powder. Great day.

A vid of some low angle in the new area off the West Ridge:

[hop]

Dean and I broke the record for number of poacher season pass holders busted in one day today. We got a group of three morons in Oy w/o gear, w/o clue, and now w/o passes.

[AweShuksan]

I'm predicting huge powder dumps in the PNW (and particularly at Baker) towards the end of March and also some very nice mid to late April dumps of surprising quality and quantity.
Spring skiing? Blah! Winter ain't over yet. Plenty of time for spring skiing in June and July.

[bakerpow]

I'm predicting huge powder dumps in the PNW (and particularly at Baker) towards the end of March and also some very nice mid to late April dumps of surprising quality and quantity.
Spring skiing? Blah! Winter ain't over yet. Plenty of time for spring skiing in June and July.

This would be nice. Just out of curiosity whats your source? Or is it a tingling on the back of your neck that says snows a coming?

[AweShuksan]

Or is it a tingling on the back of your neck that says snows a coming?

Close... I can feel it in my bones.

And my bones are almost always right.

[cascadianwarrior]

Got this from the WA DOT concerning the N. Cascades Pass, they seem to think the same thing. Kinda wordy:

Hi all,
I’ll jump to the end of the story first – It looks like we won’t get started clearing the North Cascades for at least the next 2-1/2 weeks and maybe as late as sometime in the week of April 11th. 12 to 15 feet of snowfall over the last four weeks, which is about a third of an entire season’s total, means there’s still lots of deep and unstable snow in the mountains. Our forecaster says there’s more coming next week, but it’s the week after – that is, the last week of the month – when it looks like there’s going to be a big (season ending, maybe?) series of snowy fronts coming. In short, it means we can’t take the avalanche crew and any of the equipment from Stevens until the potential for weather to bring more snow and more avalanches is over. Usually, by the first day of spring, that’s the case. This year, with La Nina, the weather is hardly following a normal pattern. For the past five years, we’ve actually had less snow in the North Cascades than what had been normal for the previous decade. It allowed earlier starts and faster openings. This year, may be the latest start in the last twenty years and it’s pretty certain it’s going to take more than four weeks to clear.

We had a forecast that said Thursday was going to be a dry day – a break between the avalanche chute-filling-snowfall we experienced from the weekend through Wednesday morning on Stevens. The avalanche crew borrowed the radio crew’s snow cat (they had to leave their’s at Stevens) and loaded up a couple of snowmobiles and headed to Twisp Wednesday afternoon. At about 7 a.m. Thursday morning, the parade started up the highway from Early Winters (where the plowing stops) under chilly, windy but sunny skies. The snow depth there was 4 ½ ft. compared with 3 ft. last year, 2 ft. in ’09 and zero in ’08. (Check out the pictures on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/s...7626170712679/ ) By about 1 p.m., battling deep and very soft snow below Liberty Bell Mountain, they turned back. The temperature was rising, increasing the avalanche danger and the snow cat was dancing sideways on the 50 to 60 feet of slush topped snow under LB 3. There are remote electronic snow pillows at the Washington and Rainy Pass summits so they already knew that there were 10+ feet of snow there. The west side crew did some investigating of their own and reported no snow at the Diablo Gate, but a big slide a few miles east, below Ruby Mountain and more snow from Whistler was deep over the road. (The Westside crew is going to try to get started clearing the Ruby Mtn. slide as early as next week if weather and other duties allow. Note: the Ruby Mtn. avalanche chute starting zone is about 7,000 ft. and the highway above Diablo where it dumps is around 2,000 ft., so it’s not hard to imagine how we end up with snow depths below some of the NCH chutes that are up to 70 ft. some years.)

As the avalanche and Twisp maintenance crewmembers headed up, they took their annual assessment measurements. The first avalanche chutes one encounters are Cutthroat Ridge #1, 2 and 3. They all had 12 ft. of snow over the road this year compared to 3 to 4 ft. last year. CR #6, 7, 8 and 9 all had 20 ft. of snow on the road compared to 4 to 10 ft. last year. The totals below Liberty Bell Mtn. were 60 ft. for #1-2-3 and 40 ft. for LB#4. Last year they were all under a dozen feet and didn’t even require the usual caterpillar work to cut down the piles to snow blower height – we did it with just the snow cat. Avalanche Chief Mike Stanford says the avalanche danger is very high and there are cornices at the top of some chutes that will have to broken loose before he could allow anyone to work on the highway below and since some of them aren’t in the range of our portable artillery – we may have to place charges with a helicopter to even begin the clearing effort this year. He is hopeful that temperatures/ rain/wind might break them off naturally over the next two weeks, but… (Where are those Oak Harbor sonic booms when you need ‘em?)

Yes, I’ve already been told that this is great news for cross country and bushwhackers, heli-skiers, snowshoers and snowmobilers – but I’m equally sure that those of you who want the highway open for fishing season and Easter aren’t happy with what I’m writing.
It’s going to take another few days to evaluate the data, the weather and get the paperwork started for the private caterpillars and operators we’re going to have to bring in to help. When that dust settles, I’ll send out another e mail with the firm starting date.
Happy Spring! (It starts Sunday, at least on the calendar…)

Jeff Adamson adamsoj@wsdot.wa.gov (509) 667.2815

[doughboyshredder]

Dean and I broke the record for number of poacher season pass holders busted in one day today. We got a group of three morons in Oy w/o gear, w/o clue, and now w/o passes.

How does this work? You guys aren't patrol, right? Do you radio for patrol? I am in no way justifying people going OB, especially in Oi valley, without gear, but if you're not working in an official capacity I don't understand how you haven't gotten in to some serious conflicts.

[Gunder]

How does this work? You guys aren't patrol, right? Do you radio for patrol? I am in no way justifying people going OB, especially in Oi valley, without gear, but if you're not working in an official capacity I don't understand how you haven't gotten in to some serious conflicts.

Actually, we are acting in an official capacity. The mountain approached us and asked us to help with the backcountry policy. Both Dean and myself have full certs and are fully sanctioned by the mountain. We also help out with a variety of things when there is a need on the mountain.

All that aside, 99% of the people we catch actually thank us when we explain the danger that they have put them selves in. Truth be told, the vast majority of people out of bounds with no avy gear, truly have no clue. We are not out to be dicks, in fact the last thing we want is to ruin some ones day, instead we are more interested in educating the clueless, and helping to keep the area safe.

[k2skipunk]

Dean and I broke the record for number of poacher season pass holders busted in one day today. We got a group of three morons in Oy w/o gear, w/o clue, and now w/o passes.

Came up to the top of 8 today to see a patroller yell at a group of about 5 headed out the shoulder with no gear, and obviously no clue, after passing all the OBVIOUS signs.

Guess common sense isn't so common anymore.

[Jubelale]

All that aside, 99% of the people we catch actually thank us when we explain the danger that they have put them selves in.

I'm guessing they don't thank you when you try to take their pass. Like DBS said, I'm surprised you haven't encountered some serious conflicts or people just refusing to hand over their pass. Those things aren't cheap.

[hop]

My guess is that the passholders that get caught absolutely positively know that they fucked up bigtime so what are they going to say? There's really no excuse because in order to get your pass you have to sign a document that explains the backcountry policy in great detail.

[LandShark]

Anyone ride Crystal on Saturday? Upper mountain was closed today, wondering what was open on Saturday. Probably going to head up in the AM (and use a 2 fer).

Finally finished cutting some POV footage from the beginning of our true winter, in mid-February. 2 minutes each of Mt Baker, Silver, and Lookout Pass.

[PNWski]

Saturday was bluebird 8-9" fresh. No lines. Great day.

[Toadman]

Anyone ride Crystal on Saturday? Upper mountain was closed today, wondering what was open on Saturday. Probably going to head up in the AM (and use a 2 fer).

Skied Saturday. Managed 3rd chair up REX. Course those Fresh Tracks folks had already shredded Green Valley, so I dropped off to skiers right through the trees of Sunnyside for a few laps before hitting Chair 6 as it started loading. Managed 3 laps of fresh and didn't cross any tracks before the crowds showed up. Everyone was very civil for a pow day. Probably all gorged on pow for the past few weeks. No one back in Silver basin. Everyone made the left turn up the bootpack on the King and left me all that terrain in Silver. Sloughing on some of the steeper aspects. All and all a very mellow and nice bluebird pow day.

[hop]

Here are three backcountry awareness photos from the Baker area.

1st photo is Lake Anne area from 3.19 at 16:42. The 2nd photo is a genius standing on top of the mondo cornice on top of the 1st Knob on Shuksan Arm on the morning of 3.20. What you can't see is him hacking at the edge with his snowboard, then once he was satisfied with his entrance, him jumping up and down a few times. He was later overheard saying "This is a very stable day". The 3rd photo is the same peak as the 1st photo on 3.20 at 10:49. The 1st Knob on Shuksan Arm and that face on Lake Anne Butte are pretty much the same aspect.

Somewhere in between 16:42 and 10:49 (overnight 3/19-20) that slab went by itself. It looks to have at least a couple foot crown but it's hard to tell at that distance. I'm not sure if it was a very stable day.

[grrrr]

^ I must have missed you by about 2 minutes watching that middle shot happen. I took the opportunity to lecture the Vancouver kids I was tour guiding about ducking ropes.

It was actually kind of a sweet gig. Their mom signed me up to show them around and tell them where they could ski safely and where not to go. Smart idea on here part - a lot of the day trippers ducking the ropes along the lower part of chair 8 are teenagers on their own.

[UPGRAYEDD_2505]

^^^^
Just curious: do you think that most of the folks that aren't treating that terrain around the Arm with respect are just uninformed, or are they knowledgeable locals -- who maybe know better -- that are just pushing it (and are then followed by the less knowledgeable)?

(edit: talking about people like the guy in your photo above, not people traversing from 8.)

Anyway, cool pics of that slide on Lake Anne Butte as well. Here's an old
TR from when we rode that line (during a dry spell) in December 2009.

[grrrr]

There's both.

I'll go out of my way to inform the uninformed, but I don't try to convince anyone who's making an informed (or semi-informed) decision.

I've had 2 friends in partial burials this season; one was a season ending event as he broke his leg during the slide. Both occurred on the upper elbow, both were experienced Baker riders and both were aware of the potential each day.

I've also had to lead a couple of intermediate skiers with no gear and no clue out of the elbow this season. They saw the nice mellow powder fields off the lower traverse, and figured they could just cut back in, until they got lower down and saw the gully. I had to take them on a traverse out and back to get them low enough to get back in to Gabl's. Neither of them should have even been attempting Gabl's let alone the elbow.

It's the same in Oi. Complacency and/or cluelessness.

[fiddler]

^^^^
Just curious: do you think that most of the folks that aren't treating that terrain around the Arm with respect are just uninformed, or are they knowledgeable locals -- who maybe know better -- that are just pushing it (and are then followed by the less knowledgeable)?

For sure some know but are just pushing it. I picked up a hitch hiker Friday, very nice guy, who said he went out there knowing the danger but thats what he did, loved it and went for the adrenalin. Said he also surfed the 30ft waves that others avoided. At the same time he had a wife and business that was doing well and had plans going into the future. Seems to me that at some point you might think of tempering the desire for the adrenalin rush to make sure your loved ones have you around for awhile.
I saw those new tracks down the Beast Sunday morning and at the end of the day tracks into the valley from the lower area looker's right of the Beast and was amazed. Patrol was warning people to go all the way out and avoid the entire slide area and still some people were going in there anyway.
Good on you Grant and Dean for doing what you do.

[hop]

FYI: that 8-12" of snow we got last night is not bonding well to the steep stuff.

[regct]

^^^ sun crust?