Oct 5. Muir to 8400' The biscuit tour
10/15/08
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
6562
13
Everyday in the mountains is usually a great day IMHO even if the skiing conditions are somewhat challenging and there is usually some theme. Today was such a day and the most memorable moments seem to revolve around biscuits for some strange reason.
Skierlyles met me at the 512 park and ride and knowing my love for British style chocolate biscuits met me with a the shout, " Scotty, I've brought chocy biccies( thats what I call them) for you". " Good start youth, jump in".
At Longmire the clouds parted for a minute and we saw a snowy white Rainier. Spirits high we motored up to Paradise where it was not quite so rosy. One of those cold blustery days when ice is more prevalent than snow. When we arrived at Paradise there was a black bear feeding on berries right by the lodge. Another good omen. The Tattoosh where dusted with new snow and the path to Pebble Creek got real icy above Pan Point with the plant life festooned with rime feathers and the rocks looking like the top of Cerro Torre in Patagonia.
We booted up to 8400 in very bad visibility. So bad that I had my compass out taking back-bearings and altitudes. We had been told there where other skiers above us and followed their bootpack up the snowfield. Lower down the suncup depressions where filled in but the suncup ridges where not. Higher up there where pockets of windblown snow up to 6" deep interspersed between a sort of Styrofoam ice surface that promised some edging but not much.
When the rime feathers on the bobble of your hat reach 1/2" long it's time to turn around.
At that point we heard the scraping of skins on the icy surface as other skiers went down but we couldn't see them.
The ski down was OK if you found the pockets of windblown but a little chattery on the icy surface. Visibility was at the vertigo stage and I was using my compass to navigate.
It was still fun and we started back to Paradise in a cold wind. About 2/3 of the way down on that miserable asphalt stretch, I suddenly remembered the chocy biccies! We stood in the wind and sleet and ate the packet in one go joking that a bear was going to come by any minute attracted by the smell. Buoyed up on a chocolate high we painlessly continued to the car.
When I got to the car I noticed my windshield wiper was up and there on the car was a dog biscuit inside a plastic bag with a napkin! Written on it where the words " GIVE THIS TO CHUGIE".
Chugie is my Siberian Husky, Chugach who was pissed off at not being able to come and was waiting at home. I don't know who left the biscuit ( I suspect SnowSlut who was out and about), but thanks, it made my and Chugie's day!
It's all about the biscuit some days! 8)
Skierlyles has some photos which I'll attach later.
Skierlyles met me at the 512 park and ride and knowing my love for British style chocolate biscuits met me with a the shout, " Scotty, I've brought chocy biccies( thats what I call them) for you". " Good start youth, jump in".
At Longmire the clouds parted for a minute and we saw a snowy white Rainier. Spirits high we motored up to Paradise where it was not quite so rosy. One of those cold blustery days when ice is more prevalent than snow. When we arrived at Paradise there was a black bear feeding on berries right by the lodge. Another good omen. The Tattoosh where dusted with new snow and the path to Pebble Creek got real icy above Pan Point with the plant life festooned with rime feathers and the rocks looking like the top of Cerro Torre in Patagonia.
We booted up to 8400 in very bad visibility. So bad that I had my compass out taking back-bearings and altitudes. We had been told there where other skiers above us and followed their bootpack up the snowfield. Lower down the suncup depressions where filled in but the suncup ridges where not. Higher up there where pockets of windblown snow up to 6" deep interspersed between a sort of Styrofoam ice surface that promised some edging but not much.
When the rime feathers on the bobble of your hat reach 1/2" long it's time to turn around.
At that point we heard the scraping of skins on the icy surface as other skiers went down but we couldn't see them.
The ski down was OK if you found the pockets of windblown but a little chattery on the icy surface. Visibility was at the vertigo stage and I was using my compass to navigate.
It was still fun and we started back to Paradise in a cold wind. About 2/3 of the way down on that miserable asphalt stretch, I suddenly remembered the chocy biccies! We stood in the wind and sleet and ate the packet in one go joking that a bear was going to come by any minute attracted by the smell. Buoyed up on a chocolate high we painlessly continued to the car.
When I got to the car I noticed my windshield wiper was up and there on the car was a dog biscuit inside a plastic bag with a napkin! Written on it where the words " GIVE THIS TO CHUGIE".
Chugie is my Siberian Husky, Chugach who was pissed off at not being able to come and was waiting at home. I don't know who left the biscuit ( I suspect SnowSlut who was out and about), but thanks, it made my and Chugie's day!
It's all about the biscuit some days! 8)
Skierlyles has some photos which I'll attach later.
Nice job boys,
Thanks for the invite Chris, sorry to miss out on the adventure. Spent the day fiddling around with my new fangled Dynafit Binding mounting jig invention.
Gotta love that compass/altimeter skiing.
Thanks for the invite Chris, sorry to miss out on the adventure. Spent the day fiddling around with my new fangled Dynafit Binding mounting jig invention.
Gotta love that compass/altimeter skiing.
Not to sound stupid, but whats a bobble?
A bobble is what I call the pom-pom thingy on the top of my knitted cap!
Nie job RB getting up to Heilitrope. Your visit will ensure powder in the near future.
Nie job RB getting up to Heilitrope. Your visit will ensure powder in the near future.
Nice report Chris. Looks like the whole trip was a good omen!
Bickies in full effect on such a wonderful Fall day on the Muir. I wonder who that brave soul was we heard skiing the ice before us... any takers?
Snowslut- you and Preston missed out on 15 "powderish" turns. Should have kept going and waited on the beers.
Few more pics here. One particularly entertaining pic of Scottie having a faceshot sandwich!
http://picasaweb.google.com/christopherlyles/Rainier105?authkey=ckKOj_T1ppY#
Chris
Snowslut- you and Preston missed out on 15 "powderish" turns. Should have kept going and waited on the beers.
Few more pics here. One particularly entertaining pic of Scottie having a faceshot sandwich!
http://picasaweb.google.com/christopherlyles/Rainier105?authkey=ckKOj_T1ppY#
Chris
I hope you refrained from eating Chugie's biscuit on the way home....
Ron and I were up there too :-), decided to save the torture points for another time and hit the Paradise Patch for our ski. Vis wasn't so good and the skiing was ok, but the hike was great, the new dusting of snow was encouraging and the beautiful fall foliage was certainly spectacular :-). Hope you enjoyed ALL your biscuits Scottie ;-).
Foud out that the secret Dog Biscuit donor was Mad_Dog and RonJ. Thanks guys! Chugie says woof woof. It was spectacular with the fall foiliage. Did you see the bear?
Those dog biscuits should be in your emergency food supply, not for eating on the way home! ;) At least that is what a bush pilot said in the arctic engineering class I had to take. He kept a bag of them in his plane because he would anything else, and could count on those being there when he really needed them.
author=Don_B link=topic=10985.msg45054#msg45054 date=1223321286">
Those dog biscuits should be in your emergency food supply, not for eating on the way home! ;) At least that is what a bush pilot said in the arctic engineering class I had to take. He kept a bag of them in his plane because he would anything else, and could count on those being there when he really needed them.
Many AK bush pilots keep a box of "pilot bread" stashed in the plane for the same purpose -- It's not much different than dog biscuts and perhaps slightly more palatable -- at least to humans -- But my dog doesn't show much interest in it. LINK
I will probably surprise no one that I have occasionaly eaten a dog biscuit, not just nibbled ,but the whole thing.
They are actually quite tasty. :)
Chugach stares at me when I do this with a look of utter disdain.
I think they help give me a glossy coat.
I like the look of that Pilot Bread as well, thanks for the link Randy.
They are actually quite tasty. :)
Chugach stares at me when I do this with a look of utter disdain.
I think they help give me a glossy coat.
I like the look of that Pilot Bread as well, thanks for the link Randy.
Scotsman.
I'd like it remembered that:
A. I supplied these
B. You scarfed the whole bloody lot.
Nice work. About ready for turns if your bobble is de-rimed yet.
I'd like it remembered that:
A. I supplied these
B. You scarfed the whole bloody lot.
Nice work. About ready for turns if your bobble is de-rimed yet.
I do remember and them choccy hob nobs is good!
Bobble is de-rimed and erect and pert for the next foray!
I'm checking telemetry by the hour and plotting ! ;) I'll let you know.
Bobble is de-rimed and erect and pert for the next foray!
I'm checking telemetry by the hour and plotting ! ;) I'll let you know.
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