Mayday - Red Breakfast
5/15/09
1390
1
Skied Red Mtn in Commonwealth Basin this morning. After looking at it 1,000 times from Central and Alpental, I figured I had to do it sooner or later.
The snow was pretty firm at 10A. A fall would not have been good, but there were a few debris-free lines that made for fun turnin'. The sun was out and I'm sure it will soften up later in the day - a stiff W breeze was slowing the thaw above tree line, but the sun is getting stronger every day. Granite might have been better since it gets more fully baked. Or I could drive to Bishop...
Down in the basin, the snow was very mushy on the return. Areas in the forest never really froze last night, though stuff in the open did.
It was a glorious day, with 5-star views of Rainier. Cool terrain very close to home. Glad I got out. Back to work now...
The snow was pretty firm at 10A. A fall would not have been good, but there were a few debris-free lines that made for fun turnin'. The sun was out and I'm sure it will soften up later in the day - a stiff W breeze was slowing the thaw above tree line, but the sun is getting stronger every day. Granite might have been better since it gets more fully baked. Or I could drive to Bishop...
Down in the basin, the snow was very mushy on the return. Areas in the forest never really froze last night, though stuff in the open did.
It was a glorious day, with 5-star views of Rainier. Cool terrain very close to home. Glad I got out. Back to work now...
I had the same idea Friday, my first tour up Red Mt. Nice warm sunny day. Unfortunately got a late trailhead start 1pm. Reached the base (5000’) of the steeper climb to summit by ~4pm, remain climbing on skins, setting a track up the SW face reaching about 5400’ before it got too soft and steep to kick turns safely (at least for me). Started booting up lookers right in direction of rock/ridge but this was not any easier, postholing knee deep in some places. Snow was softening up way too much so decided to start descend as I reached ~ 5700’ elevation (about 5:30pm), sh*t I hated to turn away from summit with just another 200ft to go :(
Ski down the SW face was a bit sticky but pretty nice turns on fat skis, occasionally thru old softened avy debris. Wet sluff released (mainly skiers left) on the first few turns, only surface sluff. Further down, skiers right of drainage, a 2 inch slab (4-5 ft wide) let loose and sent a good volume of snow down thru the trees.
Lots of other parties on the mt this day, a skier & boarder following my tracks up, saw 3 skiers coming down from Red at around 3pm and an overnight party of 5 on their way up as I was skiing out along Commonwealth Creek.
Ski down the SW face was a bit sticky but pretty nice turns on fat skis, occasionally thru old softened avy debris. Wet sluff released (mainly skiers left) on the first few turns, only surface sluff. Further down, skiers right of drainage, a 2 inch slab (4-5 ft wide) let loose and sent a good volume of snow down thru the trees.
Lots of other parties on the mt this day, a skier & boarder following my tracks up, saw 3 skiers coming down from Red at around 3pm and an overnight party of 5 on their way up as I was skiing out along Commonwealth Creek.
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