May 24, 2010, Alpental sun
5/24/10
WA Snoqualmie Pass
3543
7
Inspired by yesterday's report, I decided to try to return to good health today with a nice tour up Alpental. This was my first exercise of any kind this month, yikes! Got to the parking lot at 8, the area was covered in cloud, so I decided to go for a coffee and procrastinate. Back at 830 and saw two guys heading up, so I joined the charge. First started skinning up toward lower International, but just above the normally groomed terrain the skinning got much deeper and sloppier and my two friends seem to have chosen the cat track toward the base of chair 2, so I skied back down to their route. By now the clouds were gone and unfortunately the heat and sun were cooking the recent snowfall. The final 500' to the top of chair 2 was a bit unnerving with avi debris on the slope, sloppy skinning, and big cornices above.
At the top I ducked into the lift shack to avoid the wind and dry my shirt, and nearly fell asleep with my lack of condition. After half an hour there I was awakened by voices, and luckily was able to join a couple of nice young ladies and their Australian sheep dogs for the descent of International. Lots of cornices and debris on that slope made me happy to be accompanied, we picked our way down trying to find slopes untracked by previous skiers and slushy avalanches. Not sure what "schmoo" is (see yesterday's report,) but today's skiing was pretty good, 4" wet slush on a firmer base, no grabby snow, just needed to pay attention turning and drive the skis or they would run off on their own way. I headed down the gully just skiers left of lower International and started a slushalanche in the slightly steeper terrain that hissed down about 600'. The gals avoided this section and I decided it would be wise to head right over to their line, which became nice slushy corn once we reached the groomed (three weeks ago?) slopes.
All in all a fine day for May, sadly I realized at the patio that I had left my skins at the top. My report to Charlie, tho, inspired him to head up after work for the sunset, and he retrieved my skins!! TAY friends are the best......
At the top I ducked into the lift shack to avoid the wind and dry my shirt, and nearly fell asleep with my lack of condition. After half an hour there I was awakened by voices, and luckily was able to join a couple of nice young ladies and their Australian sheep dogs for the descent of International. Lots of cornices and debris on that slope made me happy to be accompanied, we picked our way down trying to find slopes untracked by previous skiers and slushy avalanches. Not sure what "schmoo" is (see yesterday's report,) but today's skiing was pretty good, 4" wet slush on a firmer base, no grabby snow, just needed to pay attention turning and drive the skis or they would run off on their own way. I headed down the gully just skiers left of lower International and started a slushalanche in the slightly steeper terrain that hissed down about 600'. The gals avoided this section and I decided it would be wise to head right over to their line, which became nice slushy corn once we reached the groomed (three weeks ago?) slopes.
All in all a fine day for May, sadly I realized at the patio that I had left my skins at the top. My report to Charlie, tho, inspired him to head up after work for the sunset, and he retrieved my skins!! TAY friends are the best......
To me, schmoo means some kind of lightweight cheeze-whiz/whipped mashed potatoes goo. Snow this evening was pretty high quality schmoo.
I'd been looking for an excuse to ski today, so Silas' wayward skins easily tipped the balance. Out of Lake City sometime after six, skinning by 7:42, on top just after sunset, and back to the car before 9:30 made for a fun quick tour. Making little hop turns in solitude by the fading light of a late May sunset after work helps put job prospects near Washington D.C. in the proper perspective; this is a special place.
The refreezing snow was the best I've skied at Alpental over the past two weeks; slushy enough to avoid sticking. Upper Nash was heavy but soft and smooth when I could get away from debris/ski tracks. I cut loose many snowballs to 2.5' in diameter in Lower Nash 6-8" down on the crust. They didn't turn into big rollers, but the instability's waiting for any sort of slab formation. The snow near the base is getting very holey, but it's still easy to reach the patio. Fat skis ruled the day.
Thanks for the inspiration, Silas!
Marcus/admins - feel free to nuke the photos. Sunset saturation digitally enhanced a little.
I'd been looking for an excuse to ski today, so Silas' wayward skins easily tipped the balance. Out of Lake City sometime after six, skinning by 7:42, on top just after sunset, and back to the car before 9:30 made for a fun quick tour. Making little hop turns in solitude by the fading light of a late May sunset after work helps put job prospects near Washington D.C. in the proper perspective; this is a special place.
The refreezing snow was the best I've skied at Alpental over the past two weeks; slushy enough to avoid sticking. Upper Nash was heavy but soft and smooth when I could get away from debris/ski tracks. I cut loose many snowballs to 2.5' in diameter in Lower Nash 6-8" down on the crust. They didn't turn into big rollers, but the instability's waiting for any sort of slab formation. The snow near the base is getting very holey, but it's still easy to reach the patio. Fat skis ruled the day.
Thanks for the inspiration, Silas!
Marcus/admins - feel free to nuke the photos. Sunset saturation digitally enhanced a little.
author=trumpetsailor link=topic=16755.msg70163#msg70163 date=1274771416]
Making little hop turns in solitude by the fading light of a late May sunset after work helps put job prospects near Washington D.C. in the proper perspective; this is a special place.
Indeed - you gotta love being able to leave the city after most folks have ended their work day and still be able to get in a fun tour like that.
So did either of you get a sense of how the cover looks going up the road that provides the exit from the "Backcountry" (in the sense used at Alpental)? I'm wondering how cover for the Chair Peak circumnav might be looking for this weekend, including the nice easy slide out from Source Lake.
Iwas out to pineapple pass Saturday. Coverage on the traverse back in was still OK (only a few small dirt patches to step over). But it was certainly thinner than the week before. We did say a few times "This flat part might not be any fun in another week."
author=Jim Oker link=topic=16755.msg70179#msg70179 date=1274813525]
I'm wondering how cover for the Chair Peak circumnav might be looking for this weekend
Folklife festival this weekend, perfect timing! Alpental road was closed yesterday at the covered bridge parking lot, so you will have to glide out that far from Source Lake most likely.
Anyone been up towards Snow Lake recently? A friend wants to showshoe it... worth it bring the skis along, or am I just going to get drowned in some concrete?
I'd rather carry skis than snowshoe... And I hate carrying skis ;)
author=kneel turner link=topic=16755.msg70486#msg70486 date=1275252535]
I'd rather carry skis than snowshoe... And I hate carrying skis ;)
But if you find a pair of skis I would even tele with them on my pack down, ;D
If I found a pair of snowshoes I would probably leave em,
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