January 4, 2004, Mt. Snoqualmie

Click here for a slightly larger version.

This probably doesn't deserver a new thread, but I wanted to slyly circumvent the photo policy and post the photo.

This weekend was a near repeat of the same weekend I had a year ago - a long drive back from Tahoe (it dumped both this year and last.. the skiing was excellent..  I'll spare the details); then, a visit to the Phantom slide path on the last remaining day before work restarts in earnest.  A year ago, Ned_Flanders and I skied through some hideous conditions on a marginally deep base, over and around stumps, logs and rocks.  I did take this picture that day of the Alpental Valley as the clouds cleared, the winds shifted around to easterly and fog moved in.  By early afternoon, the view from Mt. Snoqualmie yesterday was very similar, but that's about where the similarities stop.

My hasty efforts to round up a ski partner Saturday night were disappointing so I set out alone Sunday morning.  (I seem to be running low on partners these days;  if you like adventure skiing and don't mind an extra, I'd like to ski with you).  I wanted to ski on Mt. Snoqualmie, and there was an excellent track up the Phantom descent.  Left with the choice of breaking trail myself, I followed it up to the entrance of the Slot couloir.  Here, a party of four was preparing to enter and had setup a belay for the first person to check the conditions out.  Another party of two was planning to descend directly down the Phantom descent.  Yet another party of snowboarders had already skied the path toward Alpental.  I chatted with the group planning to ski the couloir for a bit, but the day was beautiful and I continued up to the summit for some views.  The sun was warm, the wind calm, the views from Baker to Rainier marvelous, and the solitude, well, silent.

Sometime later, I started the descent and ran into two wonderfully friendly, competent AT skiers, Bruce and Adam, gearing up to also ski the Slot.  We started talking and they invited me join them.  2000 ft of powder sounded about right so we loaded up and skied down.  The snow was amazing as expected, straight-down, fall-line powder turns.  We returned via the basin east of Snow Lake and summer trail on the north side of the Alpental Valley.  By moon rise over Dutch Miller Gap and the Chimney Rock/Lemah group, Sunday had matured into a very unique and memorable day.