SLUSH CUP TIME -- 8/16!!

Yep, it's time.
Start getiing your costumes together 

The tarn is progressing right on schedule for a mid to late August event. Either the 16th or the 23rd should work, pond progression wise, so that leaves us with the weather.

We've done this before in cold and gloomy weather but it usually leaves the pond skimmers in serious risk of hypothermia. And being an hour or so from the car doesn't make it any safer. The only reason we haven't had a serious emergency is that the pond skimmers have also been mostly knowledgeable mountaineers that know how to take care of themselves.

So how 'bout you long range weather prognosticators get busy with your models and tell us which day in going to give us the best weather?

For those of you that are new to the site, SLUSH CUP 2009 will be the 7th annual Slush Cup. It all started with 2003 having three participants, Randy, JW,

 

and yours truly, while knocking out our August turns up on the Tatoosh and deciding "hey, why don't we ski across the tarn and cool off?". The next year we passed the word and as the years passed the event snowballed into an annual backcountry skiers social extravaganza with spectacles like:

Christy, as an Extreme Skier Hawaiian Style,

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3522/3756157648_e51db09628.jpg?v=0

Josh Hummel chasing after her in a tutu doing water tele-turns

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3452/3756156448_fee9706056.jpg?v=0

Ben Kaufman, as Evil Knivel

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2631/3756155264_0a91819a9e.jpg?v=0

and with scores of other noteworthy participants and spectators.

We also made mainstream media in 2007 when Jenette Morrison, Danny Miller and our leader, Charles were interviewed by KPLU Public Radio . So as you can see, we're all rubbing elbows with big time celebs at the Slush Cup.

In order to keep the event Park Service and Flora friendly, we assure the Parks Service that all those that attend care about the Park enough to use the regular Pinnacle Peak trail for both ingress and egress to the event. In addition, when the event's over we leave nothing but ski tracks and broken ice chunks in the pond. That earned us great kudos last year (as well as the year before) when we were featured on Gator's Rainier Climbing Blog (scroll about half way down). Who knows, it may have been Christy and Ben's pictures that motivated Gator to give us some kind words But either way we appreciated his recognition.

Thread & one of the famous JW videos from earlier Slush Cups:
SLUSH CUP 2008
SLUSH CUP 2007

Hopefully Jen and Jerry will be around this year to bring the boom box and the life ring. I'll bring the rescue rope and y'all don't forget the shovels to build the Kicker that inevitably is required as the day, the testonterone and the courage progresses and inhibitions wane.

So how 'bout it you weather sluthes, what day can we count of for the sunny day, the 16th or the 23rd?

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Go get ,em TAY-maggots! We'll be in China most of August (turns on the 3rd or the 31st : )
but I'll be wishing I'm with you-all when we are sweltering and eating snake fillet.

Niiice... if this falls on the 16th, it might be our "warm-up" for Argentina.

Niiice... if this falls on the 16th, it might be our "warm-up" for Argentina.

Careful. Leaping off a kicker into a rock lined pool may not be the best thing before a big trip!
Last two weeks before I leave for Argentina, I'm wrapping myself in bubble-wrap from head to toe and staying away from mountain biking and pond hucking.

Just saying!!!

Now you're starting to sound like my wife

I'm available either weekend, I think. Saturdays are better for me...less Christian guilt that way, but since I ski on "The Reverends" Sunday just means serm(on)s-all-year.com.