February 16-22, 2004, Mazama and Rogers Pass
2/16/04
WA Cascades East Slopes North
2192
1
Was fortunate to get some very nice conditions for my President's Day Week Holiday. The original plan was to head to Roger's Pass for a week with a CO friend. When he broke his collerbone snowboarding at the terrain park, I lined up trips with friends for the week.
Monday-Wednesday was spent skiing off of the NC highway. A crazed, suciadal deer nearly ended my trip well past midnight Monday morning. Driving at the posted speed of 45 I see a deer on the left side of the ride bolt to the right just as I passed. I braked moderately thinking the deer is just running along side the road. No, the deer caught up to me at a full bound and swerved in front of the car as soon as it cleared the bumper. With arms and shoulders braced for the impact I know is coming, I hit the brakes hard without locking up the wheels. I missed the crazy ungulate by inches. The rest of the drive was just as bad: two herds exchanged sides of the road as I approached at 30mph, deer bolted from the side of the road and when I made the mistake of hitting the horn they would jump into the road. I gave up and crept into Mazama at 20 mph rattled and tired. Drive into the valley early in the evening if at all possible!!
President's day I joined my friend and Mazama guide Larry and avi dog Scoobie for some turns above the big loop corner. It was a wild and whooly weather day with wind and lots of precip at fairly cold temps (22 or so). Because of the wind and lack of recent snow, the best skiing was found in the larches below the bowls. East side snow again comes through during a southwest flow. I am not sure what Monday was like on the west side, but where I was at 5k it was knee deep powder in the trees. One of my favorite sights is watching a skier head down through the larches, leaving a contrail of white smoke. A fun day but cold given the high humidity. We were a somewhat encrusted in ice afterwards and a bit chilled. (Softshells still rule!) Even on the dry east slope it is a good idea to carry a spare hat!
On Tuesday Larry had to do some fill in work for Portman so I headed to Cutthroat Creek with a couple of young valley dudes. Larry loans me his sled for the day and his dog! What a friend. (Always be nice to destitute climbers/college students. They may end up owning hot tub equiped homes in Mazama.) Doug and Jake arrived at the trailhead on their sleds, having driven the two miles up 20 right from their door steps. They were wired on coffee and rarin' to get after it. With Scooby on my lap and no helmut, I eased off the throttle at 40 and didn't see the lads until the turnoff to Cutthroat.
The Mazama backcountry ski community has a very friendly vibe. I immediately was made to feel welcome by Doug and Jake. Before leaving the trailhead, three other skiers showed up for the same destination as ours. We spent the early part of the day skiing sweet powder in first bowl. The second wave of the storm held off long enough to climb to the col above first bowl for a long run from 8,200 ft. As the storm moved in we moved over to second bowl for a few runs. Extremely enjoyable runs through the trees as the big flakes started falling. During the Mazama free heel festival, participants will be riding up to Cuthroat on a cat to sample this great terrain. Here is a link for information:
http://www.offpistemag.com/other/mvff/home.html
http://www.ncmountainguides.com/index.html
(If your an AT skier you are welcome. Some of the guides will be on AT gear!) Because of the casual start to the day, we ride down the road in approaching darkness. It was a wonderfull day of surfin powder.
My last day in Mazama was spent with Larry and the Ladies (Blue, Karen and Midge) at an undisclosed location. They have a kind off a guarded attitude towards their speciel places in Mazama. This was best represented by SB when he took Mike C. out last spring. As they approached the col to a secret spot, SB asked Mike if he can keep a secret. If he couldn't then he would have to push Mike off the cliff. Mike agreed with a nervous laugh without really knowing if SB was joking or not. I also heard another story at dinner on Monday night. When Mike and Karen, publishers of Off Piste, first moved to Mazama, the locals pulled Mike aside early on and asked the question on everyone's mind. You wouldn't, they asked, be thinking of putting out a guide book would you? Mike had no plans and could tell that this was not something that would be cool with them and agreed immediately that he wouldn't think of it. With that out of the way they were welcomed into the local communty. Mike and Karen were laughing when they told this story but you get the drift on the local attitudes. There are contradictions to this of course. The heli operation and the guiding work that locals do certainly exposes people to the fantastic backcountry off the highway. But there are spots that the heli doesn't go and therefor are speciel and guarded like state secrets. That is why I wll not give any amatuer slueths fodder for anymore posts with full disclosure.
With warmer temps and heavy snow falling at the tail of the storm late Tuesday, the snow was definately not as good as Tuesday. Still fun but not light enough to really get stoked over. Time to head home and get geared up for three days at the pass.
Mike C and I were joined by Nathaniel. Mike is my neighbor and Nathaniel is a very motivated telemarker who wants to experience the Pass. We arrived late Thursday night just as the storm snow was settling out nicely on a buried layer (40cm. deep) of surface hoar. We got in three days of very nice powder skiing in lovely weather. Day one was spent on an undisclosed north facing peak. (I have learned my lesson. No more freebies from me). It is not a popular tour but it holds fantastic storm snow deposition. First turns down a high angled treed slope through a foot and a half of dry pow. Mike finishes each section down the slopes looking like he planted his face in white custard, a snow pasted fool with mouth agape . Damn it was good snow!
On Saturday we toured up the Lilly and up to Dome col on a bluebird day. The col (8,600ft.) was icy so I booted up and tried to leave big steps for Mike and Nathaniel. A rando rope and an ice axe would be necessary if it was worse than what we encountered. The Asulkin and Lilly is packed with skiers but we managed to get to the col with only two tracks down the Dome. The Dome is skiing nirvana. Long pitches of deep, consistent Selkirk powder right down to the cliffs. It is fun to watch my companions carve up the pow with thier tele turns and different styles. Mike is powerful; low, quick knee bends blast the snow up with every turn. Surfin' on Havocs, Nathaniel moves with graceful, effortless arcs at high speed. Were is the video cam! This is powder porn live!!....It was so magical we forgot to take the left at 6k and ended up at the waterfall. After an apology for leading them to the cliff, we climb out and up 50 feet to catch the final 800 ft. to the valley bottom.
My butt is dragging on Sunday. After skiing for two days with a bad head cold my body is ready to throw in the towel. We head to the Bonney trees and the glacier above. Nice skiing in the sun shine on the Bonney Glacier completed our three days. The snow wasn't that great. That means it was not brilliant. Not quite as deep as our other two locations. Another great day only detracted by another wrong turn down to the cliffs. (I have to start paying attention and quit following tracks!). No problem though. I teach Mike the toss and downclimb method. With the packs tossed down we downclimb five feet of snow to the ledge after I give Mike a quick snow climbing lesson with his arms jammed into vertical snow and his feet on avy alder. With more fear than enthusiasm he makes it down safely. Nathaniel is paying attention to the route and jumps down the cliff band on short pillows. He is rewarded with a ring side view as an energitic (brainless?) black lab launches off of a ten foot cliff into the powder. After sticking the landing, the smilin' dog clawed his way out of the vertical tunnel in the snow and continued bounding down the slope. The car is a welcome sight at the end of the day. After skiing for six days out of seven--the last two days with a mucos tap in my sinuses, I am ready for a rest and the comforts of home.
Have fun and be safe.
Gregg
Monday-Wednesday was spent skiing off of the NC highway. A crazed, suciadal deer nearly ended my trip well past midnight Monday morning. Driving at the posted speed of 45 I see a deer on the left side of the ride bolt to the right just as I passed. I braked moderately thinking the deer is just running along side the road. No, the deer caught up to me at a full bound and swerved in front of the car as soon as it cleared the bumper. With arms and shoulders braced for the impact I know is coming, I hit the brakes hard without locking up the wheels. I missed the crazy ungulate by inches. The rest of the drive was just as bad: two herds exchanged sides of the road as I approached at 30mph, deer bolted from the side of the road and when I made the mistake of hitting the horn they would jump into the road. I gave up and crept into Mazama at 20 mph rattled and tired. Drive into the valley early in the evening if at all possible!!
President's day I joined my friend and Mazama guide Larry and avi dog Scoobie for some turns above the big loop corner. It was a wild and whooly weather day with wind and lots of precip at fairly cold temps (22 or so). Because of the wind and lack of recent snow, the best skiing was found in the larches below the bowls. East side snow again comes through during a southwest flow. I am not sure what Monday was like on the west side, but where I was at 5k it was knee deep powder in the trees. One of my favorite sights is watching a skier head down through the larches, leaving a contrail of white smoke. A fun day but cold given the high humidity. We were a somewhat encrusted in ice afterwards and a bit chilled. (Softshells still rule!) Even on the dry east slope it is a good idea to carry a spare hat!
On Tuesday Larry had to do some fill in work for Portman so I headed to Cutthroat Creek with a couple of young valley dudes. Larry loans me his sled for the day and his dog! What a friend. (Always be nice to destitute climbers/college students. They may end up owning hot tub equiped homes in Mazama.) Doug and Jake arrived at the trailhead on their sleds, having driven the two miles up 20 right from their door steps. They were wired on coffee and rarin' to get after it. With Scooby on my lap and no helmut, I eased off the throttle at 40 and didn't see the lads until the turnoff to Cutthroat.
The Mazama backcountry ski community has a very friendly vibe. I immediately was made to feel welcome by Doug and Jake. Before leaving the trailhead, three other skiers showed up for the same destination as ours. We spent the early part of the day skiing sweet powder in first bowl. The second wave of the storm held off long enough to climb to the col above first bowl for a long run from 8,200 ft. As the storm moved in we moved over to second bowl for a few runs. Extremely enjoyable runs through the trees as the big flakes started falling. During the Mazama free heel festival, participants will be riding up to Cuthroat on a cat to sample this great terrain. Here is a link for information:
http://www.offpistemag.com/other/mvff/home.html
http://www.ncmountainguides.com/index.html
(If your an AT skier you are welcome. Some of the guides will be on AT gear!) Because of the casual start to the day, we ride down the road in approaching darkness. It was a wonderfull day of surfin powder.
My last day in Mazama was spent with Larry and the Ladies (Blue, Karen and Midge) at an undisclosed location. They have a kind off a guarded attitude towards their speciel places in Mazama. This was best represented by SB when he took Mike C. out last spring. As they approached the col to a secret spot, SB asked Mike if he can keep a secret. If he couldn't then he would have to push Mike off the cliff. Mike agreed with a nervous laugh without really knowing if SB was joking or not. I also heard another story at dinner on Monday night. When Mike and Karen, publishers of Off Piste, first moved to Mazama, the locals pulled Mike aside early on and asked the question on everyone's mind. You wouldn't, they asked, be thinking of putting out a guide book would you? Mike had no plans and could tell that this was not something that would be cool with them and agreed immediately that he wouldn't think of it. With that out of the way they were welcomed into the local communty. Mike and Karen were laughing when they told this story but you get the drift on the local attitudes. There are contradictions to this of course. The heli operation and the guiding work that locals do certainly exposes people to the fantastic backcountry off the highway. But there are spots that the heli doesn't go and therefor are speciel and guarded like state secrets. That is why I wll not give any amatuer slueths fodder for anymore posts with full disclosure.
With warmer temps and heavy snow falling at the tail of the storm late Tuesday, the snow was definately not as good as Tuesday. Still fun but not light enough to really get stoked over. Time to head home and get geared up for three days at the pass.
Mike C and I were joined by Nathaniel. Mike is my neighbor and Nathaniel is a very motivated telemarker who wants to experience the Pass. We arrived late Thursday night just as the storm snow was settling out nicely on a buried layer (40cm. deep) of surface hoar. We got in three days of very nice powder skiing in lovely weather. Day one was spent on an undisclosed north facing peak. (I have learned my lesson. No more freebies from me). It is not a popular tour but it holds fantastic storm snow deposition. First turns down a high angled treed slope through a foot and a half of dry pow. Mike finishes each section down the slopes looking like he planted his face in white custard, a snow pasted fool with mouth agape . Damn it was good snow!
On Saturday we toured up the Lilly and up to Dome col on a bluebird day. The col (8,600ft.) was icy so I booted up and tried to leave big steps for Mike and Nathaniel. A rando rope and an ice axe would be necessary if it was worse than what we encountered. The Asulkin and Lilly is packed with skiers but we managed to get to the col with only two tracks down the Dome. The Dome is skiing nirvana. Long pitches of deep, consistent Selkirk powder right down to the cliffs. It is fun to watch my companions carve up the pow with thier tele turns and different styles. Mike is powerful; low, quick knee bends blast the snow up with every turn. Surfin' on Havocs, Nathaniel moves with graceful, effortless arcs at high speed. Were is the video cam! This is powder porn live!!....It was so magical we forgot to take the left at 6k and ended up at the waterfall. After an apology for leading them to the cliff, we climb out and up 50 feet to catch the final 800 ft. to the valley bottom.
My butt is dragging on Sunday. After skiing for two days with a bad head cold my body is ready to throw in the towel. We head to the Bonney trees and the glacier above. Nice skiing in the sun shine on the Bonney Glacier completed our three days. The snow wasn't that great. That means it was not brilliant. Not quite as deep as our other two locations. Another great day only detracted by another wrong turn down to the cliffs. (I have to start paying attention and quit following tracks!). No problem though. I teach Mike the toss and downclimb method. With the packs tossed down we downclimb five feet of snow to the ledge after I give Mike a quick snow climbing lesson with his arms jammed into vertical snow and his feet on avy alder. With more fear than enthusiasm he makes it down safely. Nathaniel is paying attention to the route and jumps down the cliff band on short pillows. He is rewarded with a ring side view as an energitic (brainless?) black lab launches off of a ten foot cliff into the powder. After sticking the landing, the smilin' dog clawed his way out of the vertical tunnel in the snow and continued bounding down the slope. The car is a welcome sight at the end of the day. After skiing for six days out of seven--the last two days with a mucos tap in my sinuses, I am ready for a rest and the comforts of home.
Have fun and be safe.
Gregg
Very cool trip, Greg.
Thanks for sharing it.
Thanks for sharing it.
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