November 28, 2003, Mt Hyak
11/28/03
WA Snoqualmie Pass
2355
0
Mt Hyak, 1,100' vert of "Powder". OK, how about "Untracked Snow".
The Friday after Thanksgiving I met Ron for a follow-up to the unbelieveable powder of Thanksgiving. The break in the weather had ended and the Cascades were in the throws of the next system which was of Pineapple Origins and the snow at the onset wasn't scheduled to last. When Ron and I arrived at Hyak at 6:30 am, we found it snowing 1"/hour and 6-8" were on the ground. It was awefully wet snow erasing the tracks from yesterday and allowing us to snowshoes on the upper layers. Pretty easy travel until it got steeper, then we had to kick steps in the deep snow - it was a cruel game when the snow wouldn't support our weight.
We had decided on Hyak because of ease of travel and because conditions the day before were so unbelievably great. I figured the new snow from last night would only make things better, and they did, but the new "Pineapple Snow" was much different than the fine snow that comes from the North. We also figured we could bail if the snow wasn't that great, and repeat if it was. We were, after all, on vacation.
After a struggle, we arrived at the top and worked our way over to my favorite ski run, finding first tracks. The snow on the descent was tricky, thick powder that varied in depth from boot to thigh deep - and don't think about falling into that wallow! Ron had his short board lunch tray and the sticky snow ate him alive. Arriving in one piece at the bottom we decided that once was enough and prayed the back side of the storm would be more condusive to powder skiing.
On this day there would be no shots of powder glory - even though it was raging snow all day. I did, however, get to utter the Great Skier's Mantra for the first time this year, shaking my head slowly and smiling to Ron, "you shoulda' been here yesterday."
(Continue on Alpental 11-29)
The Friday after Thanksgiving I met Ron for a follow-up to the unbelieveable powder of Thanksgiving. The break in the weather had ended and the Cascades were in the throws of the next system which was of Pineapple Origins and the snow at the onset wasn't scheduled to last. When Ron and I arrived at Hyak at 6:30 am, we found it snowing 1"/hour and 6-8" were on the ground. It was awefully wet snow erasing the tracks from yesterday and allowing us to snowshoes on the upper layers. Pretty easy travel until it got steeper, then we had to kick steps in the deep snow - it was a cruel game when the snow wouldn't support our weight.
We had decided on Hyak because of ease of travel and because conditions the day before were so unbelievably great. I figured the new snow from last night would only make things better, and they did, but the new "Pineapple Snow" was much different than the fine snow that comes from the North. We also figured we could bail if the snow wasn't that great, and repeat if it was. We were, after all, on vacation.
After a struggle, we arrived at the top and worked our way over to my favorite ski run, finding first tracks. The snow on the descent was tricky, thick powder that varied in depth from boot to thigh deep - and don't think about falling into that wallow! Ron had his short board lunch tray and the sticky snow ate him alive. Arriving in one piece at the bottom we decided that once was enough and prayed the back side of the storm would be more condusive to powder skiing.
On this day there would be no shots of powder glory - even though it was raging snow all day. I did, however, get to utter the Great Skier's Mantra for the first time this year, shaking my head slowly and smiling to Ron, "you shoulda' been here yesterday."
(Continue on Alpental 11-29)
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