Unicorn Saddle, June 16, 2009
6/15/09
1955
2
One year and 2 days ago I climbed to the Unicorn Saddle on the day after my retirement. I returned today to do the same trip and couldn't help but reflect on my first year of retirement. Though not as remarkable as Silas' post retirement ski orgy, I did manage over 75 days of skiing over the past year and recognize that I am one lucky guy.
As I was getting ready at the trail head, I felt a presence close. I turned around and not more than ten feet from me was a fox. He sauntered off when I took notice of him.
As mentioned in a previous post, slide alder is a problem off the bat but after hitting the bench with the dead trees about 20 minutes in I was able to skin all the way to the steep slot that runs up to the basin below the saddle. Resumed skinning at the head of the basin until the final steep face to the saddle. Great snow for booting or skinning. There was a glissade track from the Mounties party reported there on Sunday. Some of the snow bridges over creeks before Snow Lake are getting a little sketchy.
Weather moving in as the morning progressed and clouds obscuring the view on the other side of the saddle and moving over Rainier. (The 7:30 tatoosh cam looks like the bad weather held off up there.)
I left the car at 9 and on the 6500 ft. saddle at noon. Started down the little slot 15 foot and noticed that another skier had entered the basin far below. The run down was heavenly. Soft, slushy corn, often very deep. Couple of rough short sections of avy debris in the gully above the lake.
The skier I saw was visiting from Austria. He took some pictures of me and I hope he sends them to me. In the meantime, pictures from today's trip are available at my website:
As I was getting ready at the trail head, I felt a presence close. I turned around and not more than ten feet from me was a fox. He sauntered off when I took notice of him.
As mentioned in a previous post, slide alder is a problem off the bat but after hitting the bench with the dead trees about 20 minutes in I was able to skin all the way to the steep slot that runs up to the basin below the saddle. Resumed skinning at the head of the basin until the final steep face to the saddle. Great snow for booting or skinning. There was a glissade track from the Mounties party reported there on Sunday. Some of the snow bridges over creeks before Snow Lake are getting a little sketchy.
Weather moving in as the morning progressed and clouds obscuring the view on the other side of the saddle and moving over Rainier. (The 7:30 tatoosh cam looks like the bad weather held off up there.)
I left the car at 9 and on the 6500 ft. saddle at noon. Started down the little slot 15 foot and noticed that another skier had entered the basin far below. The run down was heavenly. Soft, slushy corn, often very deep. Couple of rough short sections of avy debris in the gully above the lake.
The skier I saw was visiting from Austria. He took some pictures of me and I hope he sends them to me. In the meantime, pictures from today's trip are available at my website:
the top sheep was delaminating at the tip!
Oops, he said sheepishly. ::)
Good solo jaunt.
Oops, he said sheepishly. ::)
Good solo jaunt.
Spoke to Tom Ingve of the of Denver Wholesale Ski from whom I purchased the skis about the delamination. I guess this is the downside of purchasing over the internet.
Basically he said that I was over skiing the skis, (a big assumption), that he could try to get Atomic to issue an RTA to replace it but don't count on it and that the process will take a very long time and I'll be without my skis. This is especially true as they are are new, but an older model.
So I figure I'll epoxy and clamp and hope for the best...
Basically he said that I was over skiing the skis, (a big assumption), that he could try to get Atomic to issue an RTA to replace it but don't count on it and that the process will take a very long time and I'll be without my skis. This is especially true as they are are new, but an older model.
So I figure I'll epoxy and clamp and hope for the best...
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