December 15: Heather Ridge
12/15/08
WA Stevens Pass
2546
0
Sub zero temps and 20mph winds with beautiful sunny skies made for a few good turns and a few times of getting stuck in large snow drifts.
Avi danger was high. As snowpack was so low there were some safe places to ski. Still Rouche-block test (forgot spelling: help!) yielded failure with just one ski and half my weight. Not surprisingly there was a poor bond between the windloading slab layer and the rain wet crust underneith. Additionally temperature change throughout the snowpack could be adding to weakness. Sub-zero above yet my poles were still getting mud on the ends of them.
Movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKVtLpztlgQ
Avi danger was high. As snowpack was so low there were some safe places to ski. Still Rouche-block test (forgot spelling: help!) yielded failure with just one ski and half my weight. Not surprisingly there was a poor bond between the windloading slab layer and the rain wet crust underneith. Additionally temperature change throughout the snowpack could be adding to weakness. Sub-zero above yet my poles were still getting mud on the ends of them.
Movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKVtLpztlgQ
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