March 28-29, 2009, Snoquality Pants
3/28/09
WA Snoqualmie Pass
1863
0
Headed up to the pass to ski camp Saturday night and ski Sunday.
Snow Sunday: 4500'+ Was ~15" of light and dry goodness atop a thin-ish crust atop unconsolidated atop a crust, with crusts primarily in sunny or rimy places. Morning turns on a windward aspect had copious unavoidable face shots in the upslope wind. Continued snow and wind through the day built variable wind slab on any lee slope. Sun and warmth helped to consolidate the snow and enhance slabbiness. Triggered plenty of very small slides in increasingly reactive new windslab while dropping off the windward side of a ridge. Nothing of concern moved all day, but I was doing my best to avoid anything of concern. Best snow was in totally sheltered and very shady trees; even well sheltered open slopes were at least a little wind affected. Skied slopes primarily with W-N aspects to 40ish degrees.
Sun emerged in increasingly large sunbreaks through the day. At ~4 pm, I cut a few innocuous wet slabs on a SW aspect at ~4000'. Entrained snow was restricted to the fairly new snow above the crust. The crust was softening though, so with further sun I suspect deeper wet slabs are on their way. Hello April!
Whence the title: I spent Saturday night in a snowcave with totally saturated softshell pants from the cave's construction. Hijinks associated with becoming warm again took 5-6 hours. It was fairly miserable, but ultimately successful and educational.
Nice to meet Lee and friend - nice choice of outtrack. After shivering all night and doing five laps, I'm pretty tired. Camera never came out; imagine good storm skiing with occasional sunbreaks.
Question I've pondered of late: If you're alone, you know you're hypothermic and you've stopped shivering, how do you decide if that's a good or a bad sign?
Snow Sunday: 4500'+ Was ~15" of light and dry goodness atop a thin-ish crust atop unconsolidated atop a crust, with crusts primarily in sunny or rimy places. Morning turns on a windward aspect had copious unavoidable face shots in the upslope wind. Continued snow and wind through the day built variable wind slab on any lee slope. Sun and warmth helped to consolidate the snow and enhance slabbiness. Triggered plenty of very small slides in increasingly reactive new windslab while dropping off the windward side of a ridge. Nothing of concern moved all day, but I was doing my best to avoid anything of concern. Best snow was in totally sheltered and very shady trees; even well sheltered open slopes were at least a little wind affected. Skied slopes primarily with W-N aspects to 40ish degrees.
Sun emerged in increasingly large sunbreaks through the day. At ~4 pm, I cut a few innocuous wet slabs on a SW aspect at ~4000'. Entrained snow was restricted to the fairly new snow above the crust. The crust was softening though, so with further sun I suspect deeper wet slabs are on their way. Hello April!
Whence the title: I spent Saturday night in a snowcave with totally saturated softshell pants from the cave's construction. Hijinks associated with becoming warm again took 5-6 hours. It was fairly miserable, but ultimately successful and educational.
Nice to meet Lee and friend - nice choice of outtrack. After shivering all night and doing five laps, I'm pretty tired. Camera never came out; imagine good storm skiing with occasional sunbreaks.
Question I've pondered of late: If you're alone, you know you're hypothermic and you've stopped shivering, how do you decide if that's a good or a bad sign?
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