Heli- Accessed powder! Jan 16th 2010 North Cascade

Not as much fun as slithering down muir snowfield on skinny skis, but we managed to have a good time. Here is PNWbrit, scotsman and I's first heli drop off of the day. Landed at the red rocks LZ, below kangaroo ridge area. Had a great ski down too.

Video:

I had hudge fun skiing with you and your Dad this weekend Stewie.

Hi son, great skiing with you.
Conditions up at WA pass are superb at the moment despite the lackluster conditions down here.
Very strong work Stewart in terrain management and safe skiing on the first high avy day.
Watching you ski down those pillow runs on the second and third day, jumping from pillow to pillow was amazing.
You have my admiration for skinning up in those megawatts and fritschi's. Strong like bull! ;D

While S7s and Dukes was just dumb like donkey. ;D

Agreed a great learning opportunity on Friday to get out in conditions that you might not have been in when unguided.

Good job guys,
Looked like good conditions up there also.

Conditions up at WA pass are superb at the moment despite the lackluster conditions down here.

I guess if you call skiing for 2 days in a row and logging thousands of vertical feet of paid lift accessed skiing in min boot-top deep powder, from opening chair until being told to finally go by the ski patrol lackluster. I'm not sure my legs can handle it when it gets slightly motivating.

Good job guys,
Looked like good conditions up there also.

I guess if you call skiing for 2 days in a row and logging thousands of vertical feet of paid lift accessed skiing in min boot-top deep powder, from opening chair until being told to finally go by the ski patrol lackluster. I'm not sure my legs can handle it when it gets slightly motivating.

Yes good, I heard Crystal had got some fresh snow and if I hadn't paid to go heli-skiing that wouldn't have happened so you can thank me for that.

Not to beliitle conditions down here but my point was that conditions up there are so different from what we have been getting up to a few days ago. The NCH guys are truing to get the word out on how good it is as a lot of people think its bad or marginal. Theres a lot of new snow up there.

The NCH guys are truing to get the word out on how good it is as a lot of people think its bad or marginal. Theres a lot of new snow up there.

Pictures of you powder skiing and mountain scenes would help that along...
I was following the telemetry for your trip and although you got weathered the 1st day and still found goods, the last two days looked to work out perfect with good visibility, light fresh, cold dry POW!

WA needs to levy a SR20 winter opening tax.

If CO can keep Red Mountain open then we should be able to.

Also it should be renamed. Fred's Pass sounds good to me. Can I get a second for the motion?

I'll vote to keep it open under the current SR20 title but no new taxes. I just want more services. Why can't Olympia understand that? :

Good job rolling the dice on that one guys. I was worried for you all last week knowing that you could be paying to tour in the rain. Glad that it worked out. A little jealous, but glad none the less.

Care to elaborate on the trip? How many drops did you do? What was the cost? Did they drop you on any peaks? Got any pictures? Did you ski out? Reading telemetry, it hasn't been above freezing since around the 12th of Jan. at the Pass, and that was just briefly. I hope we can sled access it from the West side this year. Just need some snow down to 2K. Post some pics!

Care to elaborate on the trip? How many drops did you do? What was the cost? Did they drop you on any peaks? Got any pictures? Did you ski out? Reading telemetry, it hasn't been above freezing since around the 12th of Jan. at the Pass, and that was just briefly. I hope we can sled access it from the West side this year. Just need some snow down to 2K. Post some pics!

Ok, $350 per day per person- includes one heli drop and one flight back to base per day, plus guide plus packed lunch. Need 4 people, we were three and we had a new guy each day to make up four. Accommodation by you. ( we rented a cabin near heli barn)

First day- puking - no heli due to viz so guide towed us with his snowmobile 5 miles up SR20 from closure gate, climbed Delancy Ridge.( 2500 skin) reclimbed last 500' for pillow repeat. Late start hoping for heli to go!

Second day- Bluebird- We got extra heli drop to make up for day before. First drop, near Kangaroo ridge, Mambo LZ... Skied Red Rocks to South, skinned back up to LZ, skied Mambo on North side. Picked up by heli there. Second heli drop to Fuzzy's. Skied Fuzzy's, skinned part way back up, skied back down, commuter heli back to barn.

Third day- Whitebird- Heli drop to Varden LZ, near Silver Star, skied Varden, paid for 2nd heli drop ( $75 each) to top of Upper Fuzzies. Skied down, skinned up into area called Larches. Larch glades and last 500 ft pillows!!!! ( I have fallen in love with skiing pillows). Skinned part way up Larches again but had to cut it short as heli coming in to get us due to bad viz( 3:30Pm ish)

IMO, 2 heli drops plus skinning is the best combination of cost versus heli fun.

Guide was superb.. Jeff Ward.
people they put with us were equal , if not better skiers and as fit  and fitter than we where. ( Eric1-tele, Eric2 tele, Larry AT)
Snow all way down to heli barn 2,200 ft.
There is a deep PLW caused by surface hoar deep down 1.33m on North aspects ( if I remember, correctly)) that is bothering everybody. Storm snow from Friday gave a CT14, Q2 at 33cm but PLW went at CT24, Q1 with a pop. 7,100 ft N but don't quote me on that.Thats keeping everybody off the really steep north stuff.
No crust feel anywhere but some wind slab on exposed ridges.
Pillow lines are amazing at present.
Will post some pics.

Pictures

Pillow lines are amazing at present.

Action photos please?

Action photos please?

Alas, we have no skiing pictures. Skiing a nice line uninterrupted more important than stopping to take pictures IMHO. But thats me!

I was touring in the Willow Creek drainage just across the valley from where you guys were skiing on Sat (below Kangy Ridge). Did you hear us whooping at ya? What a day!

Here's one of Scottie on Saturday.

Oh I forgot that one.
Damn that looks nice!
Me want more.
We heard ya good2go! WhOOT WhOOT!

Oh I forgot that one.
Damn that looks nice!
Me want more.
We heard ya good2go! WhOOT WhOOT!

Get yourself one of these and it's "all you can eat"

OOOOOOOHHHHHHHH. Thats a sexy picture!
Me waaaaaaaant , bad

What a fantastic video. Warren Miller quality.

Nice XP Good2Go! Just picked up a Hillclimb XP. How were the slide path crossings coming from the East side?