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Topic: Oct 26, Heliotrope Ridge is for the birds (Read 2353 times)
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Alaskier
5Member
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Posts: 7
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The wife (ATBetty) and I drove up to Baker to try out Heliotrope. After seeing the new snow deposited on Wednesday, we thought there might be some left for us (wishful thinking).
After fending off the hungry Camp Robbers in the parking lot, we hiked up to the Climbers Bivouac area, and headed west toward Heliotrope. Saw a number of Ptarmigans on the way. We reached the slope, and skied up to find the surface was a bulletproof thin crust of snow over bare ice. The skinning was unworkable, so we tried booting up a ways, to not much more success. Of course I didn't bring the crampons, so we managed about 500ft up, before we decided to bag it.
The skiing down was a bit rugged. The surface was old melt, re-frozen into super hard crust, with patches of bare ice here and there. About halfway down we stopped and heard what sounded like a low flying airplane. Turned out to be two young guys from BC who had gone a bit higher, and were coming down. The sound of their edges on the ice was as loud a jet. They said the snow above was more of the same, although they seemed to have had a good time.
We reached bottom, and decided to enjoy the views instead. Better than sitting at home watching TV of course, but definitely not fun turns. Bring on the snow!
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skierlyles
Member
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Posts: 270
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Way to get out there and resist the urge to watch football instead! Despite the snow conditions, it looked like you all had a nice day out. Such a beautiful area to ski/ live in! Let it snow!
Chris
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cascadesfreak
Member
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Posts: 366
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The sound of their edges on the ice was as loud a jet.
Had the same experience at Heliotrope the day before (was up there on Saturday with Skip & Drew). We brought crampons hoping we wouldn't have to use them, but alas we donned the pons for the icy ascent to the top of Heliotrope Ridge (rains/mist/refreezing Friday night seem to have adequately destroyed last Wednesday's powder).
Aside from wishing I had sharpened my completely dull ski edges, ear plugs would've been nice for the ski descent as well  I don't think I've ever experienced such a loud surface/rain crust, or having dull ski edges "wash-out" from beneath me so often. The turns may have been awful, but the weather and scenery was stellar!
I'm looking forward to powder!
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Telemon
Member
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Posts: 563
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Aside from the beautiful weather that we shared, you guys sure didn't have the wonderful snow that we experienced on Heliotrope Ridge only a few days before (Oct.22). 
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Git down, Brothers and Sisters of the Church of the Telemark..What do you mean it is a turn not a religion?
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wrigleyd
5Member
Offline
Posts: 10
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I think our paths crossed at around 2pm when I was on my way down. It's unfortunate that it didn't soften up more for you.
I had made an earlier start with the expectation that it would get TOO soft. Oh how wrong I was. I eschewed crampons as well and had to take some good wallops with my AT boots earlier in the day to be confident in my foot placements.
I reached a nice flat spot at around 11:30am to take little noon siesta and let it soften up a little, only to be freaked out at 12:00 when I heard what I could have sworn was running water. Turns out it was a skier (John from Marysville) above me making their way down. I thought the glacier was going to start sprouting geysers!
After a short run down from my rest spot, I tried skinning back up to the bowl. That worked for a while, but then I ran into blue ice, booted around it, ran into more ice and called it quits for the day and made my way down.
Hopefully we get some fresh stuff for the rest of they year!
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atbetty
5Member
Offline
Posts: 18
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I think our paths crossed at around 2pm when I was on my way down. It's unfortunate that it didn't soften up more for you.
I had made an earlier start with the expectation that it would get TOO soft. Oh how wrong I was. I eschewed crampons as well and had to take some good wallops with my AT boots earlier in the day to be confident in my foot placements.
I reached a nice flat spot at around 11:30am to take little noon siesta and let it soften up a little, only to be freaked out at 12:00 when I heard what I could have sworn was running water. Turns out it was a skier (John from Marysville) above me making their way down. I thought the glacier was going to start sprouting geysers!
After a short run down from my rest spot, I tried skinning back up to the bowl. That worked for a while, but then I ran into blue ice, booted around it, ran into more ice and called it quits for the day and made my way down.
Hopefully we get some fresh stuff for the rest of they year!
Hubby, Alaskier, noticed your Ross Bay hat. So, when were you there? Do you know, oceanographers, Dave Checkley or Makoto Omori-friends or ours.
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mosetick
Member
Offline
Posts: 139
WWW
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I'm glad to see so many people have made it up there!! However, everyone keeps mentioning last Wednesday's powder, as if it wasn't there on Tuesday!! Telemon and company from Wednesday are stealing the thunder from my glorious freshly fallen powder turns from Tuesday and I won't have it!! (They did get sunnier skies though...) Hope everyone had fun!
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ubcfreeride
1Member
Offline
Posts: 3
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I was up there Sunday as well. I have little to add as far as conditions go. The weather and views were amazing, but the skiing nothing to brag about. We didn't even bother hiking more than about 10 turns high. I must have seen some of you, I was wearing an orange toque.
It was my first time up there, very cool area in terms of summer ski access and a place to watch the ice climbers do their thing.
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Mtraslin
Member
Offline
Posts: 168
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Glad you were not trying to ski the north face of Mount Baker!When in doubt tuck it out!
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