November 16, 2003, Crystal
11/16/03
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
2684
3
Dave, Sky, Corey, Derek, Adam, Scott, and I wanted to ski at Chinook Pass. After a late start from Seattle, we got turned around just past the gate due to lack of chains, so we headed to Crystal Mt. ski area for some consolation freshiez. As a refreshing break from our usual dry approaches, we skinned from the car (!), and headed up the grassy runs, so we wouldn't have to worry about hitting rocks. After a while we took a break at a lift station, where the majority of the group 'boosted their aerobic capacity' and we kept going. After some enjoyable steep, unconsolidated skinning we crested a ridge and got a bunch of spindrift flung in our faces. Adam, the lone splitboarder, nearly lost an essential pin of his bindings, but luckily found it. After more indulgence of vices, we headed down, through the soft, deep, slightly slabby snow. After a few hundred feet we hit several hundred yards of flats, which were fun for our poor snowboarder. Once we hit the area runs we had fun. Not knowing how to ski, I held up the others, but I hope they enjoyed it nevertheless.
We soon skied back to our cars (literally), and drove home. Fun was had and powder sickness was spread. And now I've got a moral dilemma: when is skiing the area backcountry skiing? Ever? Only when the lifts are closed? Ah, well, it was still fun. ;D
We soon skied back to our cars (literally), and drove home. Fun was had and powder sickness was spread. And now I've got a moral dilemma: when is skiing the area backcountry skiing? Ever? Only when the lifts are closed? Ah, well, it was still fun. ;D
Yep, good times. Maybe skinning the ski area isn't the purest/highest form of backcountry skiing, but it sure felt good to get out there on this year's snow! The stuff from last year was good while it lasted though I guess. Out with the old, in with the new! Actually i've always had a fondness for pre-season pow-pow at the resorts before they open . Especially at the Alp where I am a lot more intimate with the terrain. I guess it's just fun to get freshies on shots that you know will soon be either groomed, moguled, or skiied out.
So, who might want to join me for some midweek turns in the Alpental environs (weather permitting but seems to look good) next week? Maybe I'll post something in the partners wanted section. I could get up early on Monday and could ski Tues & Wed not early but maybe a 2-3 hour tour somewhere around 12-3. 2 hours isn't a lot of course but in my experience it can be enough to make it to the top and harvest 2,200 of untracked, which can certainly change one's day for the positive. The usual suspects are hereby encouraged to get in touch with me, as well as anyone else who might be in the area and wants someone to ski with.
And, thinking about how that flat section was tough for Adam (the splitboarder - the other guy's name was Scott btw), do any snowboarders here have any advice? What do you do? I mean to say when your splitboard is already locked and you hit a flat section that is too short to re-split the board but long enough that postholing will be a major hassle. Ultimately it seemed best when I towed him with my pole. I guess Adam will have to stick to the steeps, which i'm sure is fine with him.
So, who might want to join me for some midweek turns in the Alpental environs (weather permitting but seems to look good) next week? Maybe I'll post something in the partners wanted section. I could get up early on Monday and could ski Tues & Wed not early but maybe a 2-3 hour tour somewhere around 12-3. 2 hours isn't a lot of course but in my experience it can be enough to make it to the top and harvest 2,200 of untracked, which can certainly change one's day for the positive. The usual suspects are hereby encouraged to get in touch with me, as well as anyone else who might be in the area and wants someone to ski with.
And, thinking about how that flat section was tough for Adam (the splitboarder - the other guy's name was Scott btw), do any snowboarders here have any advice? What do you do? I mean to say when your splitboard is already locked and you hit a flat section that is too short to re-split the board but long enough that postholing will be a major hassle. Ultimately it seemed best when I towed him with my pole. I guess Adam will have to stick to the steeps, which i'm sure is fine with him.
Is closed area skiing soulful? Hey, they do it in Colorado all year long and call it backcountry skiing!! We can surely do it before and after the areas open. :D
I, personally think it's a hoot. less early season snags and obstacles to worry about; plenty of open terrain. Last April we fielded a major ski party at crystal. Proly had 30 or more peops show. I think closed ski areas rock. (Old folks will usually take easy access to turns every time to "high torture point epics")
Corey, on the "flats for splitboarders" issue, you might check with sag. He goes out with us a lot and his poles always seem to be handy to push him across those flats... and the always seem to be on his pack on the steeps. How do they know ???
I, personally think it's a hoot. less early season snags and obstacles to worry about; plenty of open terrain. Last April we fielded a major ski party at crystal. Proly had 30 or more peops show. I think closed ski areas rock. (Old folks will usually take easy access to turns every time to "high torture point epics")
Corey, on the "flats for splitboarders" issue, you might check with sag. He goes out with us a lot and his poles always seem to be handy to push him across those flats... and the always seem to be on his pack on the steeps. How do they know ???
Skiing closed areas is Fantastic on many levels:
1. No better feeling then grinding down a rock strewn "trail" that would be "off limits" if the area was open. We dig our own graves.
2. Early season snowpack needs grassy slopes - the BC undergrowth is scary and dangerous early season. No better place to find grassy slopes then the modified landscape of resorts.
3. Talk about easy access - park right up front even on the biggest powder day!
4. End of the season closed ski areas are a cornucopia of booty. That is, if you follow the lift lines and go on a warm day when all the ski poles start poking up outta the snow.
5. Everyone knows the biggest powder days with the deepest snowpack are found in April when the lifts close and the throngs flock to the golf course.
6. I hate people (backcountry skiers and boarders don't count, of course), and to ski in peace where there once was hundreds of the Tres Chic - transcendent.
The biggest reason to ski closed ski areas:
7. THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND AND MOST SKI AREAS ARE ON YOUR LAND! Just because they have the permit to make money off your land doesn't mean they have the exclusive right to mine happiness on the acreage.
I'm sure there are other reasons....
1. No better feeling then grinding down a rock strewn "trail" that would be "off limits" if the area was open. We dig our own graves.
2. Early season snowpack needs grassy slopes - the BC undergrowth is scary and dangerous early season. No better place to find grassy slopes then the modified landscape of resorts.
3. Talk about easy access - park right up front even on the biggest powder day!
4. End of the season closed ski areas are a cornucopia of booty. That is, if you follow the lift lines and go on a warm day when all the ski poles start poking up outta the snow.
5. Everyone knows the biggest powder days with the deepest snowpack are found in April when the lifts close and the throngs flock to the golf course.
6. I hate people (backcountry skiers and boarders don't count, of course), and to ski in peace where there once was hundreds of the Tres Chic - transcendent.
The biggest reason to ski closed ski areas:
7. THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND AND MOST SKI AREAS ARE ON YOUR LAND! Just because they have the permit to make money off your land doesn't mean they have the exclusive right to mine happiness on the acreage.
I'm sure there are other reasons....
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