Pineapple Basin July 2
7/15/08
WA Snoqualmie Pass
3222
4
*Warning* No pictures - we both forgot cameras. If you're totally a visual learner, skip this report.
Skierlyles (Chris), Me and Molly hiked up to Pineapple basin yesterday afternoon. It's pretty much still skinnable from the parking lot, but we had to take skis off once or twice on the way up. We hiked up one of the avy chutes to get into the basin, then up to the saddle next to the Tooth. We had great snow, still wall to wall carpeting up there. Two laps did me in. "Yeah it hurts, Chris, but it's a good kind of hurt." It wasn't powder, but how can you beat skiing in 70 degree weather?
My wonderful daughter Molly hiked all the way in, on foot, carrying her board. The best part of the trip, for me, was when we got to the top of the pass, to be able to sit with her, have lunch, listen to the far off rumble of thunder, and gaze up at the Thumb. It is so nice to have one of my kids willing to climb and slide with me. After lunch, she strapped in, and made a great run down the middle of the basin, sun cups and all. It's great watching her become a back country rider.
It was a very hot, sunny day. By the time we got up to the top for our second lap, the genesis of yesterday's thunderstorm was coming in - pretty exciting to have it darken up and cool down so quickly and dramatically. We didn't get hit by any rain to speak of, so we feel very lucky that way. Heard rumblings, but no close flashes.
On the way down, Chris skied all the way. He's a pretty awesome skier, and did a very nice job of survival skiing down the chute! (Once again, proving that even survival skiing is faster than booting.) Molly was really a trooper when it came time to work our way down the chute back to the trail. She gave it a good shot, edging hard down the steep slope. I fell and slid about 50 feet into a tree well, (Once again proving that falling is the fastest way down, period.) So that's where I took off the skis, and Molly took off her board and we booted slowly down to the flats, then out to the parking lot.
I think if 20 or 30 of us ski Pineapple Basin every week, we'll knock off all of the sun cups and it will be like our own personal groomed slope. The center yesterday was the smoothest, because of just that kind of thoughtful grooming by previous skiers. Thanks! We only met one other skier - Steve, a TAY lurker.
A side note: Telemon and a friend crashed at our house a couple of days ago, on the way home from a Mt. Adams, St Helens foray into the US. It's been a great TAY week. My wife finally has to admit that I'm not making up these Cyber friends in my mind.
Skierlyles (Chris), Me and Molly hiked up to Pineapple basin yesterday afternoon. It's pretty much still skinnable from the parking lot, but we had to take skis off once or twice on the way up. We hiked up one of the avy chutes to get into the basin, then up to the saddle next to the Tooth. We had great snow, still wall to wall carpeting up there. Two laps did me in. "Yeah it hurts, Chris, but it's a good kind of hurt." It wasn't powder, but how can you beat skiing in 70 degree weather?
My wonderful daughter Molly hiked all the way in, on foot, carrying her board. The best part of the trip, for me, was when we got to the top of the pass, to be able to sit with her, have lunch, listen to the far off rumble of thunder, and gaze up at the Thumb. It is so nice to have one of my kids willing to climb and slide with me. After lunch, she strapped in, and made a great run down the middle of the basin, sun cups and all. It's great watching her become a back country rider.
It was a very hot, sunny day. By the time we got up to the top for our second lap, the genesis of yesterday's thunderstorm was coming in - pretty exciting to have it darken up and cool down so quickly and dramatically. We didn't get hit by any rain to speak of, so we feel very lucky that way. Heard rumblings, but no close flashes.
On the way down, Chris skied all the way. He's a pretty awesome skier, and did a very nice job of survival skiing down the chute! (Once again, proving that even survival skiing is faster than booting.) Molly was really a trooper when it came time to work our way down the chute back to the trail. She gave it a good shot, edging hard down the steep slope. I fell and slid about 50 feet into a tree well, (Once again proving that falling is the fastest way down, period.) So that's where I took off the skis, and Molly took off her board and we booted slowly down to the flats, then out to the parking lot.
I think if 20 or 30 of us ski Pineapple Basin every week, we'll knock off all of the sun cups and it will be like our own personal groomed slope. The center yesterday was the smoothest, because of just that kind of thoughtful grooming by previous skiers. Thanks! We only met one other skier - Steve, a TAY lurker.
A side note: Telemon and a friend crashed at our house a couple of days ago, on the way home from a Mt. Adams, St Helens foray into the US. It's been a great TAY week. My wife finally has to admit that I'm not making up these Cyber friends in my mind.
Thanks again for the lodging, Don.Glad to see that you were having fun in the snow while we drove back to Canada. No problems at the border; I was checking out the 200 photos that I had taken on Adams and MSH shortly after lunch. I still haven't put together TRs yet.
Nice trip. Wish I could have joined you.
[My wife finally has to admit that I'm not making up these Cyber friends in my mind.
Don't tell my wife---she thinks all my ski buddies ARE real. 8)
Don't tell my wife---she thinks all my ski buddies ARE real. 8)
good times, hope to get up there again after all the "groomers" hit the slopes.
Chris
Chris
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