March 13, 2010, Snoqualmie Pass

Tried to exploit the driveability of the Talapus Lake trailhead today. Road's easily passable with a 2WD vehicle. Skinned up the trail, but booted down from Talapus Lake.  Above Talapus, the snowpack is sufficient for off-trail ski-schwaking. Skinned to Olallie, and then around and up to the Granite-Pratt saddle.

Snow has a solid crust in the trees, heavy  but boot+ pow in shady clearings, and a whole menagerie of various sun effects in sunny clearings. On sunny open stuff, the bond between new and old wasn't totally confidence inspiring, but elsewhere the bond was better than bad. I didn't get onto anything shady, sheltered, steep, and NW facing, but I'll wager that's where the goods (and perhaps some instability) are hiding. Saw a few small cornice crowns on the Olallie side of W. Granite.

Skiing was, in a word, lousy. Best turns were in the foreground of the first photo. 2-4" of velvet atop a slightly hooky crust. Shady pow kept me optimistic.

Sunbreaks with flurries and light snow in the morning, turning snowier in early afternoon.