Alpental Dawn Patrol Dec19, 2008
12/15/08
WA Snoqualmie Pass
2886
3
Don (RustyKnees) and I headed up to Alpental yesterday morning at 4:30 AM from Seattle to check out the conditions for those of us still asleep and dreaming about them. We started skining about 6 and were stoked to find a skin track from some hearty souls the day before. The snowpack was deep, dry, and cold! I shoved nearly my entire pole into it, which by my count displayed 44''! We tried to hike to the summit but followed a skin track up into shot 6 that became unapproachable for further ascent and led us to the top of shot 5b. Someone slayed that chute the day before, and man did they deserve it! Thanks to you for ponying that track up there!
We traversed over to the apex of shot 4, were somewhat concerned about having a bomb come down on us when we saw the lifts had been turning for a while without us noticing (thanks Gib for the timely post) and tore down into the steep, deep white smoke that hazed our minds into blissful powder submission. This state lasted until we hit the rolling flats above the lodge and I kept looking back up longing for the next ones¦
Some beta: There is word that Alpental will open on Tuesday. I feel like the smoke I inhaled may have me coming down that day with an Upper-I infection.
Some photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/powderhoar/AlpentalDawnPatrolDec192008?feat=directlink
We traversed over to the apex of shot 4, were somewhat concerned about having a bomb come down on us when we saw the lifts had been turning for a while without us noticing (thanks Gib for the timely post) and tore down into the steep, deep white smoke that hazed our minds into blissful powder submission. This state lasted until we hit the rolling flats above the lodge and I kept looking back up longing for the next ones¦
Some beta: There is word that Alpental will open on Tuesday. I feel like the smoke I inhaled may have me coming down that day with an Upper-I infection.
Some photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/powderhoar/AlpentalDawnPatrolDec192008?feat=directlink
4:30 am?!? And Rusty said I get up early....
If I scroll through your album real quick from photo 13 on I feel like I was there. Thanks for the TR. Tuesday looks like it may be my last sick day of the year. I knew I was saving it for a reason. Cheers.
It was amazing snow - my first face shots that didn't involve a face plant! Thanks, Brad, for getting me up there. We also met Tokeneastcoaster, Adam and Alex. It was short, but oh, so sweet!
Driving by 4:30, climbing by 6, picking our first lines by first light, back to the car by 11. Then culture shock - riding a crowded, hot bus through downtown, then transferring off, only to end up walking 5 miles home because no more buses came by. Amazing day.
What a beautiful feeling, leaning sharply down a steep slope, and gliding through silk, rising, sinking, the g's of the turns...ahhh. The long wait is over.
Driving by 4:30, climbing by 6, picking our first lines by first light, back to the car by 11. Then culture shock - riding a crowded, hot bus through downtown, then transferring off, only to end up walking 5 miles home because no more buses came by. Amazing day.
What a beautiful feeling, leaning sharply down a steep slope, and gliding through silk, rising, sinking, the g's of the turns...ahhh. The long wait is over.
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