June 18, 2010, Alpental
6/18/10
WA Snoqualmie Pass
3281
8
After touring at Silver Peak this morning, I drove to Alpental. I still can't understand why I did this. I really wanted to"zero in" on my new rando boot hot spots. This part of the trip was a success. I started hiking at the patio hoping that I would encounter continuous snow just above the lift tower - WRONG. I had to hike to the light pole which is about 100 yards upslope from the gun tower on the plateau. I had to hike across the extensive logs that create a bridge. The runs from Debbies are melting quickly. There was sufficient coverage on Meister, Eisfallen, Dom and Lower International. There is a narrow continuous stretch on LI to approximately the top of the Sessel chair. The snow is nicely consolidated.
FWIW, when I add the drive time and hike time up to the snow level and back down, I could have driven to Chinook Pass and skinned from the car. I have reaffirmed my previous belief - hiking to the snowline is way overrated for me. ;)
FWIW, when I add the drive time and hike time up to the snow level and back down, I could have driven to Chinook Pass and skinned from the car. I have reaffirmed my previous belief - hiking to the snowline is way overrated for me. ;)
author=Zap link=topic=16959.msg71442#msg71442 date=1276914480]
FWIW, when I add the drive time and hike time up to the snow level and back down, I could have driven to Chinook Pass and skinned from the car. I have reaffirmed my previous belief - hiking to the snowline is way overrated for me. ;)
Couldn't you have driven beyond Windy Pass and skinned from the car on Silver Peak? What was your total vertical skied today? And compared to vertical hiked not on snow? Joy-o-meter rating?
You can drive up the first section but have to walk to the BIG ditch then skins on from there w/ one short patch of rock. Still solid snow over the rock ridge to the NW Bowl for a couple more days. Skied nice at 7AM off the Cirque and down the Main Chute off the lower dome.
At least you found your hot spots!
Curious,what kind of AT boots Zap would buy?
Curious,what kind of AT boots Zap would buy?
author=silaswild link=topic=16959.msg71444#msg71444 date=1276916477]
Couldn't you have driven beyond Windy Pass and skinned from the car on Silver Peak? What was your total vertical skied today? And compared to vertical hiked not on snow? Joy-o-meter rating?
The Joy-o-meter based upon time spent skiing versus hiking was depressing. ;)
Robie, I have a new pair of Scarpa Spirit 4 boots. They are a bit heavier than my Scarpa Matrix boots but the Spriit 4 has 4 buckles and drive my wider skis nicely.
Zap, You might be able to lighten them by cutting off the bottom buckle?
;)
;)
Good to see you got some new boots Zap.
From what I infer from your two posts is that making bad ski trip calls does not go away as I get older. Now I can just relax and enjoy my bad calls knowing there are more down the pike.
Hey if it makes you feel better, I was working while you were doing your bushwacking.
From what I infer from your two posts is that making bad ski trip calls does not go away as I get older. Now I can just relax and enjoy my bad calls knowing there are more down the pike.
Hey if it makes you feel better, I was working while you were doing your bushwacking.
I'm shocked not only that you started this day with a tour that has incented you to rail about the misery of hiking on dirt in the not-too-distant past, but on top of that, once you'd paid your dues and were up in an area with prime yo-yo potential (including, per Wolfs, the run down toward Annette still in good shape), you decided to hoof it back to the car so that you could pay another round of dues before getting back on snow. Must have been a "senior moment" sort of day ;).
author=Jim Oker link=topic=16959.msg71527#msg71527 date=1277151859]
Must have been a "senior moment" sort of day ;).
Guilty as charged ! ;)
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