December 18, 2003, Jim Hill Mtn
12/18/03
2635
3
We started from the nordic center instead of going through Jim Hell or the logging roads. The snow had a rain crust on it until 3600ft or so - just above the powerlines. From then on it is still powdery - not fluffy anymore, but kind of dense old powder, but still dry and still quite bottomless so trail breaking is difficult. Overall very good though. Even pretty nice in the dense trees, though its bombed out a little.
Unfortunately it was not really sunny there today. A cloud hung around on Jim Hill and neighbouring mountains all day - the summit was about 500 feet above the cloud deck. Peaks to the west of the pass were all in the clear, but most everything to the east was smothered in clouds. So we made it up to a drop in point in the north bowl, and only did a couple of short runs of 3-400ft - below that it was whiteout/fog. The snow was very nice, only slightly wind-affected. The fog occasionally cleared enough so we could see down to the bottom of the north bowl, which looked like an adventure in slide alder.
So we returned the way we came - via the long treed slope to Lanham Lake - kind of survival skiing, but as I said the snow was pretty nice even in the dense trees.
Didn't notice any slabiness or any signs of instability, but we didn't ski any steep open slopes.
The temperatures were cool - below freezing all day, and often breezy on the ridge top.
Unfortunately it was not really sunny there today. A cloud hung around on Jim Hill and neighbouring mountains all day - the summit was about 500 feet above the cloud deck. Peaks to the west of the pass were all in the clear, but most everything to the east was smothered in clouds. So we made it up to a drop in point in the north bowl, and only did a couple of short runs of 3-400ft - below that it was whiteout/fog. The snow was very nice, only slightly wind-affected. The fog occasionally cleared enough so we could see down to the bottom of the north bowl, which looked like an adventure in slide alder.
So we returned the way we came - via the long treed slope to Lanham Lake - kind of survival skiing, but as I said the snow was pretty nice even in the dense trees.
Didn't notice any slabiness or any signs of instability, but we didn't ski any steep open slopes.
The temperatures were cool - below freezing all day, and often breezy on the ridge top.
We bashed our way through Jim Hell but still made some good turns. Rain crust was present to near the top of the logging roads, but seemingly less so in the forest near the margins of the rain-snow line; it was as if the snow covered trees soaked up the rain before it could hit the ground. We didn't see any signs of instability either, despite venturing onto some moderately steep slopes. We followed our skin track out the log roads and down Arrowhead's clear cuts via head lamp. The mountains were out, lit by the fading twilight and awakening stars. The eerie glow and spooky drum of the train tunnel led us through the sparkling snow, safely down, down to our car. As the train screeched by, we tried to imagine what the pass was like in the days before the tunnel, the tracks continually exposed to winter's fury. Yes, a splendid day for imagination.
Phil forgot to mention that this tour is not recomended for snowboards ;)
He used his split board yesterday and while it proved invaluable for trailbreaking due to it's width, the trees forced him to use them as skis on the exit as well. ;D
That snow was pretty nice up there! No sign of any other tracks in the bowl. I guess that shouldn't surprise anyone after last weekend.
He used his split board yesterday and while it proved invaluable for trailbreaking due to it's width, the trees forced him to use them as skis on the exit as well. ;D
That snow was pretty nice up there! No sign of any other tracks in the bowl. I guess that shouldn't surprise anyone after last weekend.
Jim Hill revisited, Dec 21:
Our original plans to visit an East Side peak were thwarted by a miscalculation of snow depth and our inability to drive a crucial logging road in the not quite burley enough Subaru. As PH remarked, "We applied West Side gradients to the East Side." Standing in the road side pullout, I vehemently argued we should skin up the road anyway - after all, there was already a trail broken by a truck and we could make great time. In the end reason prevailed however, and we decided to return to the known. "The problem is," PH said, "once a few of these hair-brained ideas work out, it becomes hard to turn them down." The foible was chalked up to misguided enthusiasm.
So, what were we to do? Clearing weather. North facing terrain above 5000 ft was needed for good skiing. The days were severely shortened on the first day of winter. We returned to Jim Hill. Only this time we successfully ignored the sirens of his hell.
Guided by an excellent track laid down by philfort and savaiusini, we practically flew up to the ridge. The weather was trying to clear - there was a broken cloud deck at 6-7000 ft, good visibility and hints of the sun. The snow was marvelous. Saturday's rain/snow line was 46-4800 ft. Above this we found stable, delightful week old powder; below, it was very reminiscent of warm April sludge. We took runs down toward Jim's Hell, lured ever closer by impeccable snow and fall line turns, but in the end resisted indulgence.
If more snow arrives with the low snow levels this week, there should be some good holiday skiing. Enjoy it everyone!
Our original plans to visit an East Side peak were thwarted by a miscalculation of snow depth and our inability to drive a crucial logging road in the not quite burley enough Subaru. As PH remarked, "We applied West Side gradients to the East Side." Standing in the road side pullout, I vehemently argued we should skin up the road anyway - after all, there was already a trail broken by a truck and we could make great time. In the end reason prevailed however, and we decided to return to the known. "The problem is," PH said, "once a few of these hair-brained ideas work out, it becomes hard to turn them down." The foible was chalked up to misguided enthusiasm.
So, what were we to do? Clearing weather. North facing terrain above 5000 ft was needed for good skiing. The days were severely shortened on the first day of winter. We returned to Jim Hill. Only this time we successfully ignored the sirens of his hell.
Guided by an excellent track laid down by philfort and savaiusini, we practically flew up to the ridge. The weather was trying to clear - there was a broken cloud deck at 6-7000 ft, good visibility and hints of the sun. The snow was marvelous. Saturday's rain/snow line was 46-4800 ft. Above this we found stable, delightful week old powder; below, it was very reminiscent of warm April sludge. We took runs down toward Jim's Hell, lured ever closer by impeccable snow and fall line turns, but in the end resisted indulgence.
If more snow arrives with the low snow levels this week, there should be some good holiday skiing. Enjoy it everyone!
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