March 20, 2009, Hyak Whipped Potatos
3/20/09
WA Snoqualmie Pass
2428
2
My Reverends needed a workout. My brother-in-law Mike, along with Anne, T, Jody and friend invited me along for a day trip. Some of them were first time skiers. So I took the Revs, along with my Hammerhead bindings and Scarpa T2 boots, out for a 10 K Cross Country ski-run at Cabin Creek today. Who needs skinny skis, anyway? I apologize if I widened the preset track too much.
I was too lazy to keep transitioning in and out of my skins so I mostly "Skooged" along, which worked OK. (But I think tonight I'm going to have one of those dreams where I'm running and running but can't make any progress.) I even managed to show off a few tele turns to my family members. They schussed the hilly tracks and weren't really very impressed with me. (sigh)
We had great weather in the morning, and were back to the cars by 1:30. The family headed back to town, but I drove over to Hyak to have a look, slept through one rain squall, then started skinning up to the top of the deranged chair. A dry spell lasted all the way to the top and back down, then another dramatic rain shower came blasting through. Great timing.
I had a surprisingly fun time skiing down. It was some of the heaviest snow I've ever skied in. Sometimes my poles would lift up with what felt like 10 pounds on each basket. It was easily 12" deep and unconsolidated. On one fall, (yes there were several, contrary to my famed reputation) my pole plunged way down, got stuck, and I had to actually dig out the basket (either that or wait for spring).
- Snorkel Powder - because of the water content.
- I didn't know whether to honor Ullr for the late snow or St. Patrick for the Mashed Potatos.
- There was practically a cornice at the top of the recent slide hole, my first up close look at it.
- Last week's powder becomes today's glop. Corn's on the way!
I was too lazy to keep transitioning in and out of my skins so I mostly "Skooged" along, which worked OK. (But I think tonight I'm going to have one of those dreams where I'm running and running but can't make any progress.) I even managed to show off a few tele turns to my family members. They schussed the hilly tracks and weren't really very impressed with me. (sigh)
We had great weather in the morning, and were back to the cars by 1:30. The family headed back to town, but I drove over to Hyak to have a look, slept through one rain squall, then started skinning up to the top of the deranged chair. A dry spell lasted all the way to the top and back down, then another dramatic rain shower came blasting through. Great timing.
I had a surprisingly fun time skiing down. It was some of the heaviest snow I've ever skied in. Sometimes my poles would lift up with what felt like 10 pounds on each basket. It was easily 12" deep and unconsolidated. On one fall, (yes there were several, contrary to my famed reputation) my pole plunged way down, got stuck, and I had to actually dig out the basket (either that or wait for spring).
- Snorkel Powder - because of the water content.
- I didn't know whether to honor Ullr for the late snow or St. Patrick for the Mashed Potatos.
- There was practically a cornice at the top of the recent slide hole, my first up close look at it.
- Last week's powder becomes today's glop. Corn's on the way!
I did a night lap (on3/20) up Hyak with sid and the moondog. Saw your tracks at the switchback and was wondering who would be nuts enough to ski the face.
Now I know.
;)
Now I know.
;)
Funny you got out and worked through the potatoes after cc skiing- I thought you may get out after that, sounds like a heck of a workout in punishingly heavy snow. Rusty- lets chat about this week...
I decided to go out and have a look see around 11 and found fog and marginal conditions at the pass so decided to hightail it back to the Granite peak trailhead. It looked like it had not been rained on... yet. From the road I could see windslabs developing in the lee of the ridges, lots of transport happened out there. I decided to head up for a solo tour up through the trees, seeing how far I could get before the rain caught up with me. 1,500 vf later it did! Heavy snow in the open spaces along the slide alder, more manageable snow on the way up through the trees. I almost made it above treeline, probably would not have ventured further as I was solo and conditions seemed a bit funky. Kinda fun skiing down through the trees in mashed potatoes while rain intensified with every passing minute. I had to really force myself to pull the skis around before slamming into trees. Gotta love when the snow takes control of you... Kinda felt like that Pemco insurance commercial about the PNW'ers that ski in the rain.
Let's hope for more pow, or maybe some consolidation and corn.
Chris
I decided to go out and have a look see around 11 and found fog and marginal conditions at the pass so decided to hightail it back to the Granite peak trailhead. It looked like it had not been rained on... yet. From the road I could see windslabs developing in the lee of the ridges, lots of transport happened out there. I decided to head up for a solo tour up through the trees, seeing how far I could get before the rain caught up with me. 1,500 vf later it did! Heavy snow in the open spaces along the slide alder, more manageable snow on the way up through the trees. I almost made it above treeline, probably would not have ventured further as I was solo and conditions seemed a bit funky. Kinda fun skiing down through the trees in mashed potatoes while rain intensified with every passing minute. I had to really force myself to pull the skis around before slamming into trees. Gotta love when the snow takes control of you... Kinda felt like that Pemco insurance commercial about the PNW'ers that ski in the rain.
Let's hope for more pow, or maybe some consolidation and corn.
Chris
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