Feb 24, 2010, Sasse Ridge
2/24/10
1745
0
Just a quick conditions report. Had a half day from noon until 4:30 so I headed up the standard route toward Jolly Mountain, stopping once I hit the ridgeline of Sasse Ridge at about 5200 feet.
Access via the road north of Roslyn to Salmon La Sac, parking at the snopark and start skiing up Forest Service Road 4315 out of the snopark (see map and photo).
From the snopark at 2400 feet until 4400 feet the underlying crust was hard and supportive with anywhere from 2" to 4" of new snow on it from last night.
From about 4400 feet to my stopping point at 5200 feet the new snow increased to more than 5" of high density cohesive powder on top of a crust that has significantly disintegrated. On the ski down I occasionally penetrated beneath the new into the old crust but was able to carve turns through it. Back below 4400 feet it was easy to turn on the supportive crust through the few inches of wet new snow that was adhering nicely to the crust. Down low the wet new snow quite likely will refreeze into a thin breakable crust on top of the thicker crust. Afternoon warming could soften it or maybe new snow on top tonight will insulated it and keep it from freezing.
At 3800 feet I had to stop, of course, at Larry_R's and Larry's Sister's camp otherwise known as the "Sasse Ridge Medical Clinic". The doctor (Larry) and the ski instructor (Jane) were in. One of the few places where one can get medical attention and a ski lesson in the same place. Like if I fell down and couldn't get up, a tree well or something...just hit my medic alert tag and
presto, there they would be. Learn how to avoid tree wells while I receive treatment....
Anyway, it was great to have some tea and a late lunch together. I've hardly seen them lately.
Larry will probably give another condition update when they come out.
Access via the road north of Roslyn to Salmon La Sac, parking at the snopark and start skiing up Forest Service Road 4315 out of the snopark (see map and photo).
From the snopark at 2400 feet until 4400 feet the underlying crust was hard and supportive with anywhere from 2" to 4" of new snow on it from last night.
From about 4400 feet to my stopping point at 5200 feet the new snow increased to more than 5" of high density cohesive powder on top of a crust that has significantly disintegrated. On the ski down I occasionally penetrated beneath the new into the old crust but was able to carve turns through it. Back below 4400 feet it was easy to turn on the supportive crust through the few inches of wet new snow that was adhering nicely to the crust. Down low the wet new snow quite likely will refreeze into a thin breakable crust on top of the thicker crust. Afternoon warming could soften it or maybe new snow on top tonight will insulated it and keep it from freezing.
At 3800 feet I had to stop, of course, at Larry_R's and Larry's Sister's camp otherwise known as the "Sasse Ridge Medical Clinic". The doctor (Larry) and the ski instructor (Jane) were in. One of the few places where one can get medical attention and a ski lesson in the same place. Like if I fell down and couldn't get up, a tree well or something...just hit my medic alert tag and
presto, there they would be. Learn how to avoid tree wells while I receive treatment....
Anyway, it was great to have some tea and a late lunch together. I've hardly seen them lately.
Larry will probably give another condition update when they come out.
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