December 6, 2003, Casshole Ridge, Snoqualmie Mt.
12/6/03
WA Snoqualmie Pass
4072
6
With freezing levels forecasted to rocket up to 6000' Friday night, I was skeptical of the plan to ski Snoqualmie Mt. Saturday. Unfortunately, the combination of considerable avalanche hazard and my needing to be in Seattle before nightfall left me a rather short list of options.
I was mulling all of this over when I picked up Chris Cass. To my relief, his first words were that the freezing levels had stayed at 2500', and that the Summit was reporting 10" of powder.
"HUA!", said me.
Arriving at the pass, it became immediately apparent the Summit was hoping to rustle some interest, because the 1-3" predicted by the DOT seemed spot on. Nonetheless, it was light snow and not light rain falling, leaving me pleased as peaches about the prospects for the day.
We started up the summer trail from the Alpental lot ~8:30am. After crossing Big Bertha (the gaping swath on Snoqualmie Mt. opposite Alpental), we departed from the trail and climbed the wooded, low ridge aside it. Not knowing its proper name, if any, I have bestowed on it the title "Casshole Ridge", in honor of my ski partner.
A pit analysis at the bottom of the ridge revealed a variety of layers beneath ~8" of unconsolidated snow, ranging from a faceted snow layer at the base of the snowpack to a 6" thick pencil-resisting mid-layer to last Wednesday's rain layer. It was fine for the trees, but I would have been nervous climbing Bertha.
The route up Casshole Ridge was of moderate pitch and was generally easy skinning. Exceptions included two short cliffs (skiable, but not skinnable), and the occasional stretch of thick cover. The ridge reaches its terminus on the western shoulder of Snoqualmie, ~5400'.
Whereas the snowpack was varied and less stable at lower elevations, conditions improved markedly at mid-mountain and were better yet at the top of the ridge. We de-skinned in 13" of light powder atop a solid base.
Game on:
The top 1000' was turn after brilliant turn through well-spaced timber. Many screams were voiced. The snow began to grab at my skis ~4400', though not problematically so as the ride continued. All things considered, it was lovely the whole ski down.
Should you be interested in a few more pics, I've posted them at: http://community.webshots.com/album/103737859WgpDqK
I was mulling all of this over when I picked up Chris Cass. To my relief, his first words were that the freezing levels had stayed at 2500', and that the Summit was reporting 10" of powder.
"HUA!", said me.
Arriving at the pass, it became immediately apparent the Summit was hoping to rustle some interest, because the 1-3" predicted by the DOT seemed spot on. Nonetheless, it was light snow and not light rain falling, leaving me pleased as peaches about the prospects for the day.
We started up the summer trail from the Alpental lot ~8:30am. After crossing Big Bertha (the gaping swath on Snoqualmie Mt. opposite Alpental), we departed from the trail and climbed the wooded, low ridge aside it. Not knowing its proper name, if any, I have bestowed on it the title "Casshole Ridge", in honor of my ski partner.
A pit analysis at the bottom of the ridge revealed a variety of layers beneath ~8" of unconsolidated snow, ranging from a faceted snow layer at the base of the snowpack to a 6" thick pencil-resisting mid-layer to last Wednesday's rain layer. It was fine for the trees, but I would have been nervous climbing Bertha.
The route up Casshole Ridge was of moderate pitch and was generally easy skinning. Exceptions included two short cliffs (skiable, but not skinnable), and the occasional stretch of thick cover. The ridge reaches its terminus on the western shoulder of Snoqualmie, ~5400'.
Whereas the snowpack was varied and less stable at lower elevations, conditions improved markedly at mid-mountain and were better yet at the top of the ridge. We de-skinned in 13" of light powder atop a solid base.
Game on:
The top 1000' was turn after brilliant turn through well-spaced timber. Many screams were voiced. The snow began to grab at my skis ~4400', though not problematically so as the ride continued. All things considered, it was lovely the whole ski down.
Should you be interested in a few more pics, I've posted them at: http://community.webshots.com/album/103737859WgpDqK
Nice shots boys! Looks fun, love the name! --- Jerry
Sweet - that side of Snoqualmie is always fun, adventurous skiing. :)
re the 10 inches: I think the summit website "conveniently" left their snow-total from the previous day up.
re the 10 inches: I think the summit website "conveniently" left their snow-total from the previous day up.
That was certainly some fantastic tree-skiin'...I think the 10-inches of new snowfall reported by the Snoq. Pas snowline was a total since their power outage on Friday (they didn't bother to mention whether that snow fell before or after the power was restored). Anyway, I was nonetheless stoked to find 13" of fresh powder at the top of "Casshole Ridge" [thanks Skip, for attaching my nickname to a geographic feature :D]
--"Casshole"
--"Casshole"
Nice TR and photo (nice old-growth tree skiing shot!). I have one question: the avalanche path you refer to as Big Bertha, is that the big one with the cliff band in the middle? If it's the one I'm thinking of (it has to be, right?) I thought it was called Phantom (or Phantom slide path or some variation), or at least that's what I've heard it referred to around here. Not to say something can't have two names, I'm just always really interested to hear about the names of things and the stories behind them and all that. You could say I have a vested interest since I stare at it all the time and have wanted to ski it for a while. On a very stable day of course.
That slide path could very well be called "Phantom" ; "Big Bertha" was the unofficial? name for it that I first heard from some guy on the Alpental ski patrol, as we were discussing that slide path while viewing it from the Armstrong Express lift a few years ago.
I too have heard it called by both "The Phantom" and "Big Bertha" although I've always refered to it as The Phantom. Bill F, Jimmy O' and I skied it a couple years ago after coming out from a climb/ski of "The Slot Couloir" also known as "Enigma Gully" on the north side of Mt. Snoqualmie.
Speaking of which, I think "The Slot/Enigma" should be coming in to shape here pretty soon, if not already... ;D
Speaking of which, I think "The Slot/Enigma" should be coming in to shape here pretty soon, if not already... ;D
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