PSA: Sunrise Opens July 3

Finally !

Does that mean its time for another season of Sourdough Chutefest

Does that mean its time for another season of Sourdough Chutefest

I'm down for Sunday.
Betcha "Fear Factor" is in shape for rippin'.
Rock on.

"Bout bloody time!
I'm down for Sunday. Chuting and grilling "homewreckers" on the barby, sounds goood!

Ron,
Jill and I will join you on Sunday.  As a public service to the TAY Master's community, Jill and I will provide a safety and stability check on Thursday, July 3 at Sunrise.  Being retired, we have an opening in our schedule. We'll provide our report shortly after our visit.    

Work permitting, I'm planning on Thursday night, friday, and Saturday.

Excellent
3 days of trained professional chute suncup shavers to make the Sunday skiing even better than it's gonna be.
Rock on

I love skiing that's even better than it's gonna be! It is infinitely amazing!!

ZAP,
What time is the gate opening on Thursday?

Scotsman,
I do not know what time they will open the gate.  But there is a rumor that there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony along with free coffee and donuts.  Seeing I am already caring sufficient ballast on my body,  I'm passing on the donuts.  Jill and I wil meet Keith Henson at the Sunrise Lodge parking area at 9:30am.  I will carry an FRS radio and monitor channel 12, sub-channel 34.

mmmm! work or sunrise??? I will defer the decision until tomorrow morning. NPS donuts, I'll try those but I ain't drinking their Kool Aid!

If I energy left after taking my nephew and his college buddies up the mountain I will stop by Sunrise and join you guys for some turns on Sunday.

I had heard from a pretty good informant that the snowpack at Sunrise is unreasonably low for an opening. ???
In fact from what I hear Dege is done before it was skied and some of the north chutes are discontinuous to the Huckleberry basin. :'(

Not to be a killjoy, just wanted to throw an update, certainly would like to hear the full report later. As the price of gas is outrageous and time is equally important just thought some people with plans should consider the field report.
As reported to me: "There is skiable terrain, but the snowpack is like when most people give up on Sunrise for the year."
Hmmm...Near record snowpack, No Dege.
Me thinks there is something rotten in Denmark!
Sounds like the NPS is trying to burn the skiers.
Letters may follow to the Park service.
Sonics move to Oklahoma, no snow at Sunrise on record snow year...What's next??
IMHO-If there is snow there is still skiing at Sunrise, just not as plentiful as anticipated.
Let's wait for the field report...

Joe - I was wondering a little about that based on the meltout patterns I've watched thus far this year. It has struck me that by the time a few things were open (road to Windy Pass accessing Silver Peak being just the latest - Earl and a few others reinforced this notion in my head), the stuff up higher was more melted than in prior years when access opened. Perhaps there's indeed a little ranger strategy going on here too, but at any rate the simple fact of what I've been seeing thus far had me wondering about Sunrise (and eager to see someone report from today, though the weather may have lowered the odds of that)...

I was Joedabaker's advance scouting party. Got to the park entrance at 9.30am. Sign said Sunrise Closed. Showed my pass to the gate agent and asked when the gate was opening, she said she didn't know for sure but maybe 10.00 am. Drove to the gate , it was open!
Stopped at the hairpin, Dege Peak nearly bare, no complete lines from top. Called Joe, broke the news to him. We cried!
Drove up to the Visitor Center. Tried to get in touch with Zap by radio, no response. Another skier there booting up.

Walked over to the first slope along the path to the ridge. No continuous snow to basin there.
As I told Joe, the conditions are like when I usually give up on Sunrise for the year. I never investigated the slopes between Antler and Dege and maybe there is some skiing there and maybe fear factor has kept a line but it's done by my standards but you should make your own decision and don't expect  a lot of lines. I probably shold have done some more investgating but I was so bummed by the areas I saw I went back to the Visitor center in disgust.


Maybe some decent stuff over on Burroughs and further out but I was very disappointed and  will be going to Tatoosh or Chinook this weekend.
It was still very beautiful and visibility was great.

Talked to a couple of rangers and they where very sympathetic and told me the Superintendent was arriving soon. I asked to speak to him and they said sure but after 2 hours of waiting he never showed up and I gave up.  Rangers both told me that they where very supportive of any attempt that could be made to work with the NPs to figure out a way to open it sooner, and encouraged me to get skiers to try and engage with the Superintendent. They had been talking amongst themselves about portatoilets etc.

Any volunteers as I know I have the diplomatic skills of John Bolton!

Heartbraking news... :'(

Thank you very much for the field report, Scotsman.

Scotsman, thanks for the report.  We were packed but awoke to thunder and pouring rain.  Yuck !!!  Looked at the radar and saw enough yellow and red blotches to dampen my enthusiasm.  I'm depressed.  :'(

Yea Zap I nearly turned around myself. Raining in Enumclaw but the closer and closer I got to the mountain the drier it got. Halfway up sunrise road , the road was bare dry and hazy sunshine. Go figure.

Sunrise was warm, partly sunny and although the mountain had clouds, everything else was clear, no fog in Huckelberry.

As I said, in MY judgement it's done, but others may eke out a nice day up there and the views from Sunrise are so spectacular.

As my guitar gently weeps :'( :'(, I am growing more committed to climbing in E. WA for this weekend. Bummer about Dege.

Looks like I'll have to introduce myself to this particular tour area another season. My condolences to the regulars - I know the power of the tour rituals.

Hmm, flower hike to the east, or maybe some good old fashioned bumpy turns from the bumper at the end of 542 - here are June 30 and July 3 photo postings by WA DOT :

Jim, thanks for posting the DOT photos.  This was my plan "B" if Sunrise was a bust.  Jill and I will be there on Sunday and Monday if the weather forecast improves.

Maybe part of the issue this year is that much of what could be called a record snow year was that there were records for snowfall at the lower elevations. Not so clear that the upper elevations were getting unusually deep snowpacks (more like just a darn good year up there).

So with the deep lower elevation snowpack you get delays in road openings, especially those that are not forceably opened by plows. These delays mean more time for the snow up high to melt out.

Would this area normally have been abandoned as a good ski by July 4?

Just a thought.

Alan

Alan - that's my thought.

Jim, thanks for posting the DOT photos.  This was my plan "B" if Sunrise was a bust.  Jill and I will be there on Sunday and Monday if the weather forecast improves.

Cool collection, huh? Forecast looks better north, at least per NWS. I may see you up there. My thought is more tour than turns due to bumpy expectations.

Spoke to Ron Jarvis this morning about my "field report".
Below are two versions of the conversation, what Ron said and what I heard (WIH)

Ron, "Hey Scotty just need to ask you a few questions before we abort the Sunday's Chutefest"
WIH, " Hey Scotty you dumbass, you'd better be right or you're in trouble"

Ron" I just want to check where you looked"
WIH" Scotty you dumbass, you didn't look in the right places"

Ron" Shame you didn't go further along the ridge"
WIH" Scotty, you dumbass, you're a slacker"

Me" I think I'd better go  back up there and check it out properly"
Ron" No Scotty, you've done enough"
WIH" Scotty, you dumbass, get your carcass back up there and check it out properly"

Now Ron is my Jedi master, so I went back up, left my skis in the car and ran/hiked up to the ridge. Just as I got there the clouds came in and I couldn't see into the basin. I kept walking along the ridge nearly to Dege Peak, looking into all the coluoirs and chutes and couldn't see a thing. It started raining and I got wet and I never got a clear view down into the chutes but the snow in all cases was below the ridge line by 100-200 ft and looked thin.

My general sense is that there may be enough snow in the chutes near Antler peak to make it a worthwhile exercise to hold Chutefest but I can't be certain.

Ron had a more worthy scout ( Robie)out on the ridge leading to Burroughs and South west from Sunrise so maybe he had better luck than me. There is definitely snow up there but my scouting duty was Sourdough Ridge  from the visitor center north east.

I tried! :-[

What Scotsman said: My general sense is that there may be enough snow in the chutes near Antler peak to make it a worthwhile exercise to hold Chutefest but I can't be certain.

WIH: I don't think the skiing will be very good, but I carried several cases of beer up to Antler Peak and stashed them.

We are skiing over there tomorrow, and I'm planning on staying at WR CG Saturday night and skiing Sunday. If Chutefest is canned I'd love a partner Sunday.

Scotty,  I've been authorized by the "Masters" community including the "Jedi Master" to thank you for providing service above and beyond the call of duty.  There is great wisdom in our leaders spoken words.  WIH is a gift - keep listening. 

Telemack
I'll be at WR Sat night too. See PM.

Sorry Scootman , I let the JEDI master down again . I panicked after reports came in and headed to the Tatoosh Galaxy.  (See my report on July 4th tatoosh today ) I did have  a conversation with a ranger friend Casey and he concured on dearth of snow at Sunrise. My instincts tell me the last place to have snow on Sunrise will be the pocket Glacier between between 2nd and 3rd.directly over Berkely park.  After todays suncup festivel my personel best guess is the best snow will be high on the quiet side of Muir snowfield.
Perhsaps the "Jedi Master "sensed my betrayal and placed those suncups in way.

The force is strong in RonJ, Robie! Obey him you must or the suncups appear they will!

The force is strong in RonJ, Robie! Obey him you must or the suncups appear they will!

Luke and Chewie, you are wise beyond your years.
You both did well in your respective missions.
May the force be with you.