March 29, 2009, Arrowhead Mtn.
3/29/09
3505
4
Margy, Pico, and I headed over Blewett to Leavenworth and met up with Jake and Justin for this one. Parked in the new parallel pullout about one quarter mile from the railroad bridge on the north side of the hwy.
Have yet to find a nice route through the dense bottom clearcut from this parking. Soon enough we were on the switchbacking road system, which we shortcutted on our up track. Little new snow and sun crusty down low. We hugged the east edge of the upper cut to search for powdery snow uninfluenced by afternoon sun. Then on up the west facing glades, meeting the SW ridge about 400 vertical from the top. Finished switchbacking our way up the west side searching for snow that perhaps had been protected from afternoon sun by the open trees.
On the descent, such wonderful light low-density snow from last Tuesday's storms laid beneath a thin breakable sun crust. The new snow from this week had settled to 12 to 14 inches deep if not deeper. Tree shaded portions of the west slope were quite skiable but we kinda had to pick our way down finding them along with windblown in pockets of new snow in the eddies of tree clusters. The west winds were strong. I'd have been concerned with high open east facing slopes today, of course here there were none. Then the tree skiing in the basin bottom was quite enjoyable. Had we gone more skiers left in the upper clearcut we might have found the N/NE facing slopes less sun affected but we tried the trees skiers' right and they were a bit tight.
On the ridge to Point 5909', we met another party who ventured over to that point. They might have actually found better snow on the NE facing slopes over there but Jake and I had just been there 2 weeks ago and decided today that we did not want a repeat.
I bet dead north facing wind protected slopes were actually quite good today above 4500ft, but we hadn't made it up Arrowhead this year.
Overall, still a great day with a group of old ski friends.
Have yet to find a nice route through the dense bottom clearcut from this parking. Soon enough we were on the switchbacking road system, which we shortcutted on our up track. Little new snow and sun crusty down low. We hugged the east edge of the upper cut to search for powdery snow uninfluenced by afternoon sun. Then on up the west facing glades, meeting the SW ridge about 400 vertical from the top. Finished switchbacking our way up the west side searching for snow that perhaps had been protected from afternoon sun by the open trees.
On the descent, such wonderful light low-density snow from last Tuesday's storms laid beneath a thin breakable sun crust. The new snow from this week had settled to 12 to 14 inches deep if not deeper. Tree shaded portions of the west slope were quite skiable but we kinda had to pick our way down finding them along with windblown in pockets of new snow in the eddies of tree clusters. The west winds were strong. I'd have been concerned with high open east facing slopes today, of course here there were none. Then the tree skiing in the basin bottom was quite enjoyable. Had we gone more skiers left in the upper clearcut we might have found the N/NE facing slopes less sun affected but we tried the trees skiers' right and they were a bit tight.
On the ridge to Point 5909', we met another party who ventured over to that point. They might have actually found better snow on the NE facing slopes over there but Jake and I had just been there 2 weeks ago and decided today that we did not want a repeat.
I bet dead north facing wind protected slopes were actually quite good today above 4500ft, but we hadn't made it up Arrowhead this year.
Overall, still a great day with a group of old ski friends.
Nice job John on finally touching the top of Arrowhead. That's persistence.
A few people in scenery pics:
I was thinkin' that looked like a Jake in those funky yellow/black speed pants. Tell him Ted from the WWU days says hi and wonders what he's listening to these days.
author=steddy link=topic=12852.msg53581#msg53581 date=1238424927]
I was thinkin' that looked like a Jake in those funky yellow/black speed pants. Tell him Ted from the WWU days says hi and wonders what he's listening to these days.
Passed on! Those pants elevate his ski ability a couple of levels as you can imagine!
J
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