Home > Trip Reports > June 28, 2008, Chinook Pass

June 28, 2008, Chinook Pass

6/28/08
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
3847
9
Posted by Marcus on 6/29/08 2:00am
After last weekend, it felt great to get to play with Lowell, Joe and Scotsman on a beautiful sunny day at Chinook Pass.  Bonus was meeting Joe's friend Pete, who joined us in a game of "Chase The Lowell" :)

Skied out past Naches and explored some of the terrain a little farther from the road.  Breathtaking views of Goat Rocks, Adams, Helens, Rainier, Summerland, etc... You name it.  Really spectacular day and a great group of folks to check it out with -- look forward to doing it again.
Fun day, Marcus. It sure was warm!

Here's the group ready to perform the "K2 demonstration team start" at the top of one of our runs.



Thanks for being agreeable with my early return schedule. I made it to the birthday party in good time.

My pleasure!  We packed a nice tour into a short day...

Looks like you all had a blast out there- that is not hard when you have a Scottsman to liven things up a bit!

How are things holding up there? pt 6538(not sure exactly) looking good still? cornices still overhung pretty big on Naches? Did you all get a look at Yakima? Corn any good or is it getting cupped?

Sorry in advance for all the questions.

Chris

We didn't have any Nattering Nabobs of Negativity, but we heard a lot about them!

Not sure which one 6538 is and that section of my TOPO program has some corrupt files...  Is it near Seymour?  Cornices are melting back quite a bit.  Looks like they're shrinking this year, for the most part, instead of collapsing.

Corn was great -- minor cupping starting, but excellent skiing still.  I think this is the last weekend for a continuous snow route around back of Naches and on the slopes to the south and west -- melting fast.  Still lots of snow on the north aspects.

Nice, glad you guys got some turns in some great weather!

author=skierlyles link=topic=10497.msg42533#msg42533 date=1214764827]
Looks like you all had a blast out there- that is not hard when you have a Scottsman to liven things up a bit!

How are things holding up there? pt 6538(not sure exactly) looking good still? cornices still overhung pretty big on Naches? Did you all get a look at Yakima? Corn any good or is it getting cupped?

Sorry in advance for all the questions.

Chris


I was up there on Friday on the Lost Hat Rescue Expedition. Here's a pic of me on the corniced ridge heading to the 6200 foot point due south of Naches. I jumped in between the cornices and the skiing was fantastic. Great and true corn. I'm posting a report in a couple minutes...

Chase the Lowell indeed and in my case it was chase the Marcus and Joe and Pete and Lowell.
There was a lot of traversing  on this tour and skinning with no skins which proved to be brutal, got blisters for the first time in years. ;D
It was however great fun and  a new area I had never been into. Thanks Joe for the guided tour.
Thanks Lowell on the lesson on how to move fast on moderate terrain with no skins. I'll get back to you on that one. ;)
Thanks Marcus for showing me how beautiful telemark turns are in the hands of a master.
Thanks Pete for sharing the pain of keeping up with these guys and the icecream in Greenwater.
I went out again to day with Stewie and we climbed Foss peak with RonJ and gang. I was very tired!

Lots of snow up on Foss and Tattosh in general.

thanks keith for the update- sorry about the hat, looks like the consolation prize was the good skiing! will look for your tr.

Chris

Marcus, Lowell, Chris and Pete,
Thanks for coming along on the trip.
It was good fun chasing Lowell around, and a real treat to ski with all you guys.
Yes there was no shortage of heat on the burner, but the snow stayed surprisingly nice up high.
After the group split at the end of the day, we made it up to ski into Naches bowl W-SW face to Tipsoo/hwy410. Turns were good, but got a little runnelly and bumpy near the bottom. I think you guys left at the right time.
Ran into a few more friends (with fresh legs) and I got coaxed into a couple shuttle ski runs to hwy 123. Whew...Long day.
Thanks for sharing your historical stories/references Lowell, it added to the fun of the tour.
Sorry to miss ya Stugie.
BTW the picture Marcus posted of me is my version of traversing without skins or as I said, a sponsorship (wanabe) pose.  ::)

Joe




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5437
june-28-2008-chinook-pass
Marcus
2008-06-29 09:00:10